Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The Benefits of The Other Woman

When I was little I would beg my dad to please let me take a friend with us on family vacations. In the absence of siblings growing up, I wanted a companion on my trip who I wouldn't have to force to go swimming with me and would simultaneously roll their eyes with me about another sit down dinner. Anytime I got my way about this growing up, the trips were pure bliss.

As an adult, I am realizing this has not drastically changed. Last year my husband and I delved into the realm of "vacationing couples." We found a couple we travel well with. I formerly thought this was a mythical creature like a unicorn or a jackal-ope (those are not real right? I always forget) but I have found out that it IS possible for there to be another couple where my husband likes the guy and I enjoy the girl.

I have found there are enormous benefits of traveling as a foursome.

Firstly, I do not plan good travel. The whole process of planning and committing is confusing and overwhelming to me, so usually my husband is left to the planning of our trips. I am sure this gets annoying and burdensome to him. With another guy in the mix, the burden is now shared and my guilt is alleviated.

With another like minded female on the trip, I can now feel free to insist on the 45 minute detour to hit up Sephora to hope they have the new Naked II eyeshadow palette (which they did NOT, boo, hiss, stab) because now I am not the only one who wants to go! I am not the only one derailing the trip to do superficial shopping!  Also, we can both escape the eyeshadow debacle without our significant others thinking we are the superficial ones, we can blame each other for the detour in the name of being a good friend.

My husband now has someone to go on bike rides or hikes with and I don't find myself schlepping a backpack up a hill on my vacation while the most schlepping I want to do is of a sangria to my face by a pool.



I also can now wear whatever shoes I want on the trip and stop as frequently as they hurt as long as I coordinate this with the other girl, and I can escape looking good in my heels without looking like a bad traveler. There really is safety in numbers.

Now, the benefit of the couple travel versus just doing a girlfriend trip is that you still can have romantic time with your significant other. You can still have a dinner, stroll or outing by yourselves but the difference is you both get to do what you want to do and still can do what you want to do together. I imagine it is like traveling with a babysitter.

2 comments:

  1. It's the absolute best way to go! I spent last weekend with my cousin and my husband and it's so great to let the boys head off to do what they want, and we can just sit and sip rosé in the sun without being bothered :)

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  2. oohhhh Rose! I am going to St. Raphael for a month this summer I can't wait to pour an entire bottle down my face.

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