A few weeks back, I asked in my weekly email if anyone had travel questions for the blog. One of the first questions came from Nadia, who wondered how she could keep up her love for travel when her long-term boyfriend wants to settle down.

Nadia explained that while her boyfriend is very supportive of her travels, he doesn’t want to join her on all her adventures. She wants to continue traveling without him. I faced a similar dilemma a few years ago when my partner, Sam, wasn’t as keen as I was to give up everything to travel the world. Sam loves to travel, but his career doesn’t involve travel, making it hard for him to just leave. Plus, he enjoys his job and life at home, so why would he give that up?

There are many travel bloggers urging others to quit their jobs, sell their belongings, and travel the world, but if you enjoy your job and life at home, it’s not that simple.

In response to Nadia’s question, it really depends on whether you want to travel long term (six months or more) or just take short trips and holidays. If it’s the latter, there’s not much to worry about. Many couples go weeks without seeing each other. You just need to be flexible, communicate, and make the most of your time together.

However, if you’re planning on long-term travel, maintaining a relationship can be tough if you’re apart for six months or more. It’s not impossible, though, as I know couples who have done it. In my opinion, traveling changes you, and you might come back feeling differently about the world. It’s likely to be one of the best times of your life, and you’ll want to share those experiences with your partner because you’ll be talking about them forever.

Sam and I went on a big two-year trip together, which turned out to be the best decision we made. Initially, Sam wasn’t keen on the idea of traveling, but I made it clear that I was going, with or without him. He knew I was serious, and after our discussion, we booked our flights. Once we returned, I continued to travel, often without Sam due to my work trips and blog-related travels.

Here are my top tips to maintain a relationship when one person travels:

– Don’t assume you aren’t right for each other: Just because one of you loves to travel and the other doesn’t, doesn’t mean you’re not compatible. Opposites attract, and it’s great to have a supportive partner.

– Always talk: Make an effort to speak to each other daily, even if you’re traveling solo. Most places have good Wi-Fi these days, so use FaceTime or Skype to stay connected.

– Find out their dream: While your dream might be to travel, find out what your partner’s dream is. Maybe they have something they want to explore, like skiing in Canada or learning to cook Moroccan food. This can count as travel too!

– Understand why they don’t want to travel: Some people have valid reasons for not wanting to travel. Don’t try to change them if that’s the case. However, if it’s due to fear or financial concerns, you can help them overcome these obstacles.

– Take lots of little trips: Short vacations can be enough to ignite the travel bug in your partner or satisfy your own wanderlust.

– Be the organizer: Make traveling easier by planning the trips yourself. A well-organized, personalized itinerary can make your partner more willing to join you.

– Have local microadventures: If a long vacation isn’t feasible, explore nearby attractions. You’d be surprised at the adventures you can have close to home.

– Travel when your partner is busy: If possible, schedule your trips during times when your partner is occupied with work. This way, you don’t miss each other as much, and you don’t feel guilty about being away.

– Don’t be afraid to travel solo: There’s nothing stopping you from traveling alone. Book some solo trips; your partner might even get jealous and decide to join you next time!

– Don’t let them stop you from traveling: Whatever happens, don’t let your partner’s preferences prevent you from exploring the world. If you do, you might end up resenting them.

Do you have a similar experience where your partner didn’t want to travel? How did you handle it?