How did you meet and when did you both realize your love for travel?
We met on the first day of both of our new jobs at the same company! It really didn’t take long for us to realise our mutual love of travel and it was this that really ignited the spark and got us talking over a couple of drinks after work! Charlotte had only been back in the UK for a month after her previous travels so it was an easy ice breaker. 2 and a half years and a couple of jobs later, the decision had been made to take the plunge together….the rest is history!
Where was your first destination together and tell us about it?
We spent two years together working in London and holidaying in Europe including, Barcelona, Rome and Turkey but after much deliberation our first stop on this trip was Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur! We had originally planned to go straight from Heathrow to Delhi but after speaking to friends and having a reality check we thought we had better ease ourselves back into travelling life and leave India for another day! Stepping foot off the plane in KL was an awesome feeling; the smell, the noise, the humidity and the perfect chaos are all things we had both missed more than we remembered and we slipped backed into travelling with an unconscious ease!
How do you share your work on the road? Who does what?
Its very much a joint effort keeping on top of the blog and social media sites! Josh writes a lot of the content with Charlotte chief-editor to reign in the ridiculous stories and terrible punctuation! Photo editing and Instagram is very much Charlotte’s domain but whoever is in the right mood takes over and puts some time into it. The hardest part is finding the time/wifi to update content regularly! When your travelling in very remote parts this can be tricky, but we’ve found a lack of electricity often provides great time to sit down and write some cool stuff (hopefully)!
How do you make decisions together for next destinations?
We said before we left we would not be bound by specific plans and would move depending on work, who we met and what we discovered through talking to other travelers! If one of us reads something on another blog, sees some Insta-inspiration or hears about a cool spot we will go and check it out and see what it has to offer! We are currently in the process of organizing a trip to Vietnam to meet Charlottes family which is going to be epic as its their first time in Asia!
Have you noticed any changes in the relationship since you started traveling together?
Spending everyday together means you get to learn EVERYTHING about each other…everything! You have to embrace this and relish the change it brings. We left our comfort zone in London together and we welcome the changes that we see everyday in our personalities and surroundings!
Living and traveling together 24/7 can sometimes be stressful and relate to moments of disagreements or misunderstandings. How do you cope with these situations?
Luckily for us we share exactly the same weird sense of humor so in times of stress and indecision it can be the smallest detail that will bring us both into fits of laughter. Don’t get us wrong the tough times can be tough but that’s all part of getting to know each other and learning how to deal with each others annoyances! One thing about travelling is that you have to make decisions constantly and this can be tricky to handle. However, we get to know who makes good decision in which situations and then we go with it and trust each other! Even if it’s the wrong decision, we embrace it and make it work…sometimes this can lead to the best memories!
What is the most beautiful moment you have experienced together while traveling?
While working on Mantanani Island in Borneo we had 5 guests at our Lodge. It was a perfectly calm evening on the Island so we headed to the beach, got a bonfire going with the driftwood and chilled on the beach with some drink. The sky was so clear you could see the Milkyway and endless amounts of stars. While sitting stargazing together we saw tiny bursts of light on the waters edge, which turned out to be tiny jellyfish illuminating as they hit the oxygen…with the heat from the fire on our backs, the flashes of jellyfish in the sea and the Milkyway in the sky…that was special!
What do you like the most about traveling as a couple?
We have both travelled alone before and so we find that the best thing about travelling as a couple is that you always have someone to share the amazing moments with. Plus, its great to know that you will always have someone there to rely on in the tougher times – we can always count on each other!
What do you like the least about traveling as a couple?
Sometimes we think people assume we are less approachable as we may be a couple on holiday and don’t want to be disturbed or interrupted which is definitely not the case…a couple of beers and starting up random conversations soon puts an end the that though!
How do you keep the relationship spark alive on the road?
I guess this is pretty similar to most couples on the road but we make sure we have a couple of nights a month out of a dorm! Go to a cool hotel and spend a little more money on ourselves than normal…Its amazing what a slap up meal and comfy bed will do and is essential to not getting into a monotonous routine. Its always nice to be able to have a hot shower from time to time too!
What is one piece of advice you’d give to any couple wanting to travel together?
If there’s ever a time you think you should go travelling….go! No regrets, no second thoughts. Travel the world and live life to the full while you can. Travelling with the person you love is a completely liberating experience and gives you the opportunity to remember why you love them everyday! However….remember its not all sunshine and light. The hard/tough times make you stronger as a couple and make the easy moments even more incredible!
Get to Know the Couple:
Charlotte & Josh: @thespindrifters
Travel Blog: thespindrifters.com
Twitter: @thespindrifters
Youtube – The Spindrifters
No Comments