Open Relationship Benefit #2: Vacations to the destination of *your* choice

Most of us have a limited number of vacation days, as well as a limited amount of travel funds. Therefore, when we make decisions to take time off and go on a trip, we want to make sure that our time and money are well spent. One of the challenges of planning vacations as a couple is finding a location that both people want to go to.  There are probably some places that you and your sweetie enjoy travelling to together.  There's also other places that you'd like to go to that your lover doesn't care for, and vice-versa.  When this happens, one of two things typically occurs:  

• Both people go to the vacation spot.  Hopefully the person that was originally not interested in going ends up having a good time.  However, there's also the chance that they not only don't have fun on the trip, but they resent having to go (feeling it was either a waste of time, money, or both)  
• Both people stay home.  They aren't able to justify the cost of having two people travel when only one of them is truly interested in going.  There is the risk that the person that wanted to go will become resentful.

  In either scenario, one member of the couple chooses to do something they don't want to (either by going or staying). It doesn't have to be this way. There's a third option to consider, one that's possible by having a more open relationship: The person who wants to travel goes on the trip, and the other person either stays home or travels to a location that they're interested in (and the other partner isn't). Let me re-state this: it is okay for a couple to not share travel plans.  To give an example from my own experiences:  Corey is a big fan of Disney World and the other theme parks in Florida. Me? I could take 'em or leave 'em. I am not much of a theme park person.  Meanwhile, I am interested in travelling for the sake of attending conferences or gaming conventions - something that isn't Corey's cup of tea.  Financially, we're not in a position where the both of us could travel to all of these events. There's also the PTO/work aspect to consider. One option would be for us to pick and choose where to travel to together (in which case, one or both of us has to cut back on our travel wishes). The other option is for the both of us to simply stay home.  The third option, which we're doing, is he's going with his dad to Florida next winter, and I'm still going to my various conventions and events.  While we aren't going together, we'd still check in with each other during the trip, and then spend time together once the travelling partner returns home. The other reason why I like this option - it encourages the travelling partner to bring home a souvenir as a gift for their sweetie ;)