Are you confident that you know your girlfriend? How confident are you? If you spend a few nights together a week and have been dating on a casual basis for several months, I would bet the farm that there is more to her than you think. And more to the relationship chemistry than you imagine as well.

Everything is in safe mode at the moment, as you cruise down the honeymoon stage together. But
what would happen to your perception if you decided to take a cruise together? Would the result motivate you to one day go on a real honeymoon?

The one thing you need to get to know a person better is time, and a lot of it at that. How many cumulative hours have you spent with your girlfriend to date? My guess would be not as many as you think.

It always amazes me how people embark on a deeper level of commitment, whether it is marriage or cohabitation, without spending a copious amount of quality time together. The latter does not constitute dinner and a movie, or a marathon night of sex. Those are all great for sure, but the determining factor in relationship success is how you survive the mundane routine and stress together.

The fact of the matter is that if you both spend many hours or days together in concurrence, then you will learn how to compromise and interact with each other beyond the superficial. Most new relationships, and even some that have survived a long time, subsist on shallow and superficial communication. Then one day you realize that neither of you has anything to say or worse, could never tolerate living with the person for more than a week.

So how do you acquire the valuable insight needed to take it a step further with the woman in your life? My suggestion is that you plan a vacation together.
Vexed Over Vacation
How can two weeks of rest and relaxation serve as a litmus test of whether or not you and your girlfriend can last? After all, a vacation is supposed to be fun and the bonus time with your girlfriend can be spent doing more of what you both love to do at home.

While the latter may be accurate, how often have you returned home from an apparent vacation feeling like you needed another one to recover? Travel is a stressful endeavor, regardless of the purpose of your journey. Add another person into the mix and the result could be combustible.

The first potential area of disaster is when you devise the initial plan. How long will the trip last? Where do you want to go? How will you get there? You may take it for granted that an acceptable response can be worked out for each question but for some less fortunate men, the first obstacle to overcome occurs before the plane takes off.

Up to now, the most you and your girlfriend have commiserated on an issue was what film to rent on a Friday night. And even that was touch and go until you relented and let her choose Erin Brokovich . No big deal , you thought at the time, because next week I have first choice . That logic may fly on such a minute point, but on the topic of vacation details, you may not be so willing to budge. And neither will she.


Observe Her And Learn
Let us now assume that everything is a go. The flight has been booked, the hotel has been reserved and you have even planned a brief itinerary together. Congratulations. Did you learn something about her? Of course you did, whether you realize it or not.

How was her mood during the planning phase? Did she appear anxious, stressed or rushed or did she seem to enjoy the process? On a similar note, how did you behave toward her? Did you dictate the pace or was it a joint venture? In my experience, doing something as simple as planning a vacation together has revealed just how the power struggle and relationship chess match will play out in the future.

No matter how much we deny it or how blissful we may feel with our better half, a relationship is just that: a chess match or interplay of give and take. As much as we strive for an equal amount of both, someone always has an edge. And a vacation with your girlfriend will establish whether you have it or not.
Conflict Resolution
Now try to remember that a vacation is about fun. The moment you begin to view it as a test of relationship compatibility, you will taint the final result. Revel in the time you have together without the hindrances of life back home and make an observation from time to time about how you both fare.

Unless you have been through it before, there is no way to prepare yourself for the experience of countless consecutive hours in her presence. There is no escape for you now, or for her. Here you both are in an exotic location, surrounded by a postcard landscape, in a state of contentment.

It is almost perfect. Except for the fact that you are in a disagreement about where to eat dinner that night, what to see that afternoon or how much film to buy for the camera. Perhaps a sunburn has made her irritable and she wants to go back to the room, when all you want to do is swim in the ocean.

Maybe you were caught staring at a beautiful woman in a bikini and you have to engage in damage control in order to have a pleasant evening. The point is that all of the above and more can and will occur the more time you spend together. Because the option of escape is absent from a vacation together, the pressure is on to compromise with one another.

Therefore, a vacation as a couple is a veritable test in conflict resolution. If you have never had a fight during your time dating, I guarantee that your first disagreement will occur during a vacation.

It all boils down to hours accumulated together. The more time you spend together as a couple, the higher the chance that you will run into a problem or argument. Because the rate of increase is exponential, that fourteen-hour mountain trek in the searing heat could spell disaster.

One of you just may end up taking the quick route down. The adjustment could be rather harsh as well for a couple accustomed to the occasional date and overnight stay at a hotel. In comparison, a vacation together could feel like an eternity.

Here's what you have to do if you want to have fun


Advice To Vacation By
To soften the blow and help make the transition less strenuous, I suggest you take the following tips into consideration:

Venture into the unknown
Go somewhere where neither of you has visited before if it is your first vacation together. Otherwise, one of you will take the lead by default and resentment could follow. In addition, nothing is better than sharing in a new discovery together.

Mask your bad habits
Keep loathsome personal habits hidden if you have any. The shock could be too much for her to bear so try to introduce them in phases, especially if she is apprehensive about sharing a bathroom and shower together for the first time. The reverse is true as well. Her apparent guise of feminine grace could go down the toilet the moment you witness her embroiled in her morning bathroom ritual. The point at which you find yourself in the relationship could make all of the difference.

Watch those mood swings
Taking the point even further, a vacation is an opportunity to present her with your entire personality. She will observe you in a variety of different moods, depending on the time of day and situation you find yourself in. Keep that in mind: up to now you have had a night or two a week together but now you will be with your girlfriend from sunrise to sunrise. A lot can happen during that time that has not yet transpired in front of her at home. How will you handle stress in front of her? How will you react if you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and she does not provide you with the comfort you need? The reverse is crucial to consider as well. You will have to establish your level of tolerance for behavior she has not yet exhibited and that you find aggravating.

Be upfront about moolah
Be open with each other about your financial concerns. The downfall of so many couples is money. But the cure is simple communication, as with anything else. Decide before you go how payment for the flight, hotel and everything else will be distributed.

Snuggle or space?


If you have never spent the night together, the vacation could change the relationship forever. Sex is one thing, but when you toss in the opportunity of a night together, the entire dynamic changes. What is your sleep preference? Do you want her draped all over you throughout the night or do you prefer your space? This may seem like a small thing now, but believe me when I say that it will become important the minute you hit the sack. An established couple has determined the ritual at night, with regard to sex and sleep. But a new couple has a fresh trail to blaze and if you fail to express yourself now, you will be forced to forever hold your peace on the matter. Just another way that a vacation could unearth some serious relationship concerns.
Save Yourself Some Time
In an ideal world, I would counsel a new couple to go on vacation for two weeks within the first year of the relationship. Think of the potential heartache that would be saved in the future if that piece of advice were adhered to. So if you feel the need to discover more about your girlfriend and want to put your relationship to the test, book your passage today and prepare yourself for an education.