How to survive a long RV trip with your loved one: Important tips
A road trip is the perfect opportunity to step out of your comfort zone. On the best trips, every day is exciting, new, inspiring, and Instagram-worthy.
However, travelling can also be stressful, exhausting, frustrating, and unpredictable. It's one thing to deal with these things on your own. It's quite another to endure all these trials as a couple, The Manual writes.
Don't turn it into a "compatibility test"
First and foremost, be honest with each other about what's involved in a long road trip. A six-week RV trip in an area you don't know is not the time to find out that you and your significant other aren't as compatible as you thought. Rough travel days have a way of revealing a different side to people. This can be damaging to even the healthiest of relationships.
Take a test trip
If you've never travelled in an RV or campervan with your partner, plan a "test drive" - close to home to try things out together on the new equipment - before you head out on a long journey. This will allow you both to gain valuable experience. If you don't own an RV, consider renting one before you buy your own camper.
Define your roles in advance
Travelling or towing an RV requires more planning than a regular trip. Setting up camp is not just about jumping in or out of the car and checking into a hotel. Finding a campsite, parking and leveling the van, connecting electricity, water and sewer, double-checking that the appliances are working properly: the list is endless. All of this is done much, much easier with two people. It's even easier if you decide on your roles in advance.
Plan entertainment on the road
This may sound trivial, but it's one of the most important tips on this list. If you're planning to travel hundreds of miles and hours together in a confined space, you'll probably want to have some fun along the way.
Be realistic
Travelling in an RV, even an ultra-lightweight trailer, is no ordinary trip. Campervans are big, bulky, and not like regular vehicles. Driving on highways means being patient, hyper-cautious and very attentive. All this makes travelling by RV more tiring. If this is your first RV trip together, be prepared for it.
Learn to say "Yes!"
There's no point in travelling hundreds or thousands of miles from home just to go to the same stores and restaurants and do the same things you do at home. If your partner wants to try something new, go along with it. If it's something you're not normally into, be flexible. Learn to say "Yes!" without thinking too much about it. After all, travelling is all about new experiences.
Stop more often
Stop frequently along the way when you or your partner needs to eat, rest, use the restroom, or take a photo. Learn to ignore the clock and just enjoy the journey.
Document your trip
Don't forget to take photos and videos and record your experiences in your diary even if it's just notes and not comprehensive narratives. This is the best way to preserve your memories for a long time.
