Traveling is an amazing time where feelings of passion overwhelm you and it is perfectly natural for you want to share those feelings and connect with people around you. The result often is traveling relationships being forged. These relationships aren’t just hook ups they are built on real feelings and connection. Having had a few of them myself, they can feel amazing…  There is something so exciting about a relationship forming with a partner not from where you’re from, with unique habits and views. In a word, it’s sexy! Stealing from the magic of that connection is the serious issue of when you and your betrothed go separate directions. This is where the difficult part lies.

Affection doesn’t truly translate through electronic mediums

Invariable when people in a traveling relationship part paths they will try to stay in extremely close via electronic contact. Sending texts to say, I did this today – I wish you were here. Well the unfortunate reality is that you can’t be there, because your thousands of kilometres apart now. I remember once my girl from that past saying, I wish you could hold me right now. She said that often. Again, it’s not possible… and really all that talking about it does is highlight the fact it isn’t possible. Not to dissuade digital affection, but if there isn’t a real plan to meet up on a certain date in the relatively near future (within a year) it will just lead to dissatisfaction. You can’t kiss or hug someone through Email.

Living in the past, means no future

If you’re main point of connection is a time and a place from before it isn’t really a tangible landmark for something now. The amazing connection you had, and where it started, is suppose to be just that a starting point – not a roundabout you keep coming back to. Reminiscing is amazing fun, the male mind is nearly hardwired to enjoy it (think guys sitting around telling the same stories again, and again… and getting just as much fun out of it) , but still talking about how romantic a day was or the same thing again with her will eventually demystify that moment and make it lose its magic. This leads to the next point…

You have to form new memories

Any couple has to form new memories together, or they will cease to be a couple. Humans are hardwired to be social; we want to share in things with other people. If the person you are most wanting to share things with gets them all second hand, and across distance, it is inevitable that you will find someone closer to fill that role. The only chance for the long distance travel relationship is to come together to form new memories as often as possible. If you do that you have a chance, but the question will be ever present and looming – who would be willing to give up their home and come to other persons? The only travel relationships I have seen work were so strong that question was quickly answered. At which point they became “real” relationships not travel.