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Prepare for Take-off: Long Flights With Your Significant Other

By The Fighting Couple on September 25, 2014 in General

There’s nothing like a vacation to shake up your everyday grind — but sometimes those shake ups can mean trouble, especially if you’re traveling as a couple. You might have a storybook romance back at home, but the stresses of vacationing (though it might seem like an oxymoron) can really take a toll on relationships. From planning to packing to getting everywhere on time, a vacation requires a lot of cooperation, and without the proper tools and strategies, you might find your vacation beginning and ending with a fight — or worse.

Airports are a stressful place at the best of times, but when you’re trying to navigate terminals and departure gates with your loved one, you’ll probably find yourself even more tense than usual. Many couples find their relationship on rocks even before the flight attendant shows them where the safety exits are. However, there are ways to avoid the headaches that come with flights with your significant other; here are the best ways to plan ahead for a happy start to your vacation.

Make a Budget Together

Money is the root cause of relationship problems in general, but it can be a special sore spot when it comes to trips. If there is an income disparity within the relationship, one partner may be less enthusiastic about the five-star restaurants and guided tours the other partner has planned. It’s important to discuss what you both have available to spend before either of you make any reservations.

If there is any hesitation from one party when it comes to expensive dining and activities, it is best to play it safe and go with cheaper alternatives. For example, instead of booking a week in advance from an airline’s site, use Flights.com to find an inexpensive option a month or two early. That way, you won’t risk any feelings of resentment during the trip.

Bring Distractions

Long flights are torture when you’re on your own, but they can be even worse when you are traveling accompanied. While you know and probably love this person, do you really have enough to talk about to fill five or more hours of dead time? Instead of sitting awkwardly and grasping at straws, make sure both of you pack enjoyable distractions to use during the flight. If you both have music to listen to, it won’t be rude if one of you plugs in ear buds.

You can even bring games or activities that require both parties’ participation, but be sure to bring plenty of individual entertainments as well. You will have the whole vacation to spend time with your loved one, and you don’t want to waste all the good conversation during the plane ride in.

Keep Your Individual Routines

Even though vacations are supposed to get you out of your ruts, it’s healthy to stick to your morning and evening rituals to keep your body on track. You are more likely to get grumpy and pick fights when your body is tired, hungry, or confused, so try to keep your systems regulated by eating and sleeping at predictable intervals.

You might even try to complete your nightly routine if you are going to sleep on the plane — so if you usually wash your face and stretch before lying down for shut-eye, do so, and encourage your significant other to do what he usually does, too.

Avoid Too Much Touching

Every couple is different when it comes to how much affection they enjoy displaying in public. Some couples would rather stay completely sterile, while others seem to be permanently connected by the hands (or lips). However, on the plane, it is extremely uncomfortable to sit in any other position than upright, facing forward. Not only will PDA be difficult to accomplish, but it is likely that neither of you will enjoy the experience.

So, even if you are a particularly touchy couple, try to keep your fingers to yourself until you debark — all that waiting will make the first contact even that much sweeter.

Be Patient and Forgiving

Even if you planned everything to the letter, your vacation is still going to have hiccups. Try not to stress, and never assign blame. Instead, try to laugh it off. In a few years, you’ll only have your memories, and it would be a shame if they were all tainted with resentment and anger. If you keep your tempers under control, you will be better able to relax and enjoy your trip; plus, you might learn something about each other along the way.

Win an Aluminyze Picture with 1000Fights!

By The Fighting Couple on September 1, 2014 in General

The Fighting Couple is teaming up with Aluminyze to celebrate the end of summer! Did you travel this summer or maybe enjoyed a local “staycation?” Memorialize your summer with the Fighting Couples’ “Endless Summer” contest. Courtesy of our friends at Aluminyze, we are giving away an 11X17 of your favorite picture. Here’s how you win:

1. Like 1000 Fights on Facebook.

2. Submit the picture that you want to aluminyze to our Facebook wall.

3. Tag the photo #Fightingcouplesummer

4. The picture will judged by an esteemed and expert panel of distinguished judges (Mike and I ).

5. Contest ends September 30, 2014

We can’t wait to see all the entries!

Here’s one of our favorite shots: It’s the sunrise from our home in Boise. #nofilter Gorgeous!

Long Term Travel as a Couple

By The Fighting Couple on August 23, 2014 in General

Taran and Hannah here, popping over from NomaderHowFar.com, with a little advice post.

Preparing for Long-Term Travel as a Couple, is a topic that we are giving a lot of thought to at the moment. We have been together for not quite 18 months, and yet, in 2015, we are embarking on three years of non-stop backpacking, beginning in Australia next spring. A recipe for disaster? Possibly. A chance to share the most unbelievably awesome experience of our lives, together? Definitely.

Taran and Hannah

Taran and I are best friends. We enjoy each others company and have been getting increasingly excited planning our trip to Oz and compiling posts for our blog. Looking at photograph’s of the stunning beach’s and landscapes in Oz, knowing I will be there in less than a year, makes me giddy, but its even better knowing I won’t be alone. Taran often says, he doesn’t like watching a movie alone, because it’s always better to share an experience, and the same goes for our desire to see the world; we want to see it together, side-by-side.

It’s all great being this positive and seeing our future adventure through rose-tinted shades, as this beautiful and life-affirming thing, but, lets face facts, we are about to spend pretty much every second of every day together, and that is terrifies me. Okay, well that’s extreme, it at least is a thought that is a bit hard to swallow. Why so? Well, I am definitely someone who enjoys my own company and revels in a little me-time. And so is Taran, he enjoys playing computer games with friends and hanging out, not having me there every moment.

So how on earth is this going to work?

Whilst couples who travel do love each other and like having fun together, it’s still not easy to live in someone’s pocket. You are bound to bicker, argue, and maybe even fight, possibly thousands of times ;). You will also see stuff you don’t want to see. When you are full of a very sexy flu virus, or your partner is chucking up their guts onto the tent floor, you both get front-row seats to the freak show. When you haven’t showered for a few days and have started to emit a foul odour, your lover gets to enjoy that. But who said backpacking travel was glamorous anyway.

Traveling long term as a couple..not as easy as it sounds.

And how about the times you just want to do a bit of mindless internet surfing, or fancy reading a book in silence, all things that are best done alone. The reality is that your interests and hobbies will still exist, along with your desire to have alone time in which you focus on yourself and nobody else. I am guilty of looking forward to time alone quite often, yet I often end up missing Taran (eventually).

So the first step to embarking on a couple’s adventure, is realizing that you won’t suddenly enjoy spending every waking moment with each other. Just accept that. You will need to make sure before you travel that both of you are willing to give the other time to do things alone. The truth being you will probably not end up wanting it anyway, not if you are immersed in your surroundings and sharing every moment with your best bud. But at least make sure that you will have the opportunity to go just be you, and you alone. Maybe come up with a word or phrase, or just a particular look, that when given by either party, means it’s time one of you exited the tent for a little while. Hopefully you can prevent any huffy and annoyed walking off from either of you, by simply communicating, thus not creating tension between you and your other half.

There are many obstacles you will have to overcome once you are on your travels, out there in the big crazy/amazing world. But I think its far less scary knowing you’ll have somebody there holding your hand. As long as you prepare for the less fun realities of couples travel before you go, you will have done all that you can to make it a smooth-sailing.

Who knows, you might become inseparably close and attached, going together on what will be an emotional, wondrous and at times, stressful journey. Either way, it might test you, push you to your limits, but any walk of life can do that; a 9-5 life with your loved one can be one of monotony and meaningless arguments over washing dishes or spending too much money. I guess going out into the real world, will put so much into perspective, it might actually mean your relationship strengthens and becomes based on all the awesomeness of travel; fun, beauty and enlightenment.

If you would like to follow our journey, and see us live out the above advice, then head over to www.nomaderhowfar.com or catch-up via twitter, google+ and facebook. We’d love to meet you all.

1000Fights: Thanks again for sharing Taran and Hannah! Give them a follow on twitter: @Nomaderhowfar

40 Keys to Being a Traveling Gentleman

By The Fighting Couple on August 15, 2014 in General

Education begins the gentleman, but reading, travel, good company and reflection must finish him.-Locke

The Gentleman Traveler is a rare breed. In our travels we have identified some traits that we admire in men that travel well. Here are a collection of a few:

1) Open doors

This is first on the list because it is the essence of being a gentleman. Always put others before yourself.

Know your knots

2) Be knotty

Be able to tie the following: Bow-tie, Full and Half Windsor, and Four in Hand. Never, under any circumstances wear a clip on.

3) Listen

A gentleman always focuses on the other person. Focus in on the person reading the menu, offering directions, interpreting the Picasso or sharing her feelings.

4) Golden rule

It applies to all the gentleman’s activities.

5) Tip well

Be well versed in the local tradition, and give a little more than expected. Always reward great service.

6) Look sharp

Always dress a little better than is expected. T shirt and jeans means button down shirt and jeans with no holes. Business casual dinner means khakis, dress shirt and jacket.

7) Know your place

In advance of traveling, a gentlemen bones up on the history of the area. Do not neglect: region, culture, food and customs.

8) Ask deep questions

Gentlemen ask good questions. Travel offers a cold, refreshing, wellspring of knowledge. Drink deep my friend.

9) Hydrate

Speaking of drinking….Hydrate. Basic wellness 101. Water preserves physical and mental wellbeing. Always be on your game.

Always pack the right things.

10) Carry cash

A gentleman’s billfold always has a modest amount local currency. Always have some small bills for tipping.

11) Know the town

In advance of arrival, pull up Google maps and get a feel for the town. Before you land, pull out the airplane magazine, turn to page 53 and find your arrival airport. Understand it’s shape. Identify the baggage claim and taxi stand.

12) Never lose your cool

A gentleman never, ever losses his cool. No excuses. Regardless of how late the plane/food/ect is, you must always be polite, factual and kind.

13) Pack options

On the spur of the moment a gentleman will get invited to an artist’s home for tea in Savannah, Georgia. Be prepared to pull something out of the suitcase that would be appropriate.

14) Minimize

A gentleman, a packrat is not. Avoid carrying too many items on ones person whilst sightseeing.

15) Drive Well

The ability to drive a clutch goes without saying. The ability to drive everything from a Volkswagen bug to a Ferrari 459 is crucial. Be familiar with all kinds of autos. Backing, parking, and winter driving skills are mandatory.

16) Shine your shoes

This falls under the don’t be a slob category. Always have a shine on the shoes

Be able to drive anything, anywhere.

17) Kiss and tell

Never do it.

18) Write right

Own at least one Montblanc. Lend it to no one. Use blue ink.

19) Know your current events

Stay current on world politics. Avoid talking about them.

20) Know the language

You must be able speak the following phrases in Mandarin, French, Italian, Spanish, German and one other obscure language (try Turkish):

Where is the WC?

Please

Thank you

The bill, please.

Goodbye and Hello

You look beautiful.

I love you. (Here is the Fighting Couple’s Cheat Sheet)

21) Compliment

Always look for the best in every situation. Offer honest compliments to those in your company.

22) Be a peacemaker

In disagreements, be the one that offers the olive branch.

23) Be a fighter

How could we not include this? Fight only with your significant other. Pick topics that really matter.

24) Fly spiffy

Be unique. Dress up for traveling.

25) Wear a wristwatch

Time is of the essence. Pick the right one for the right place.

26) Pack a jacket

Always have a sport coat packed.

27) Sweat the details

Have a plan. Use it only if you have to.

28) Have financial options

Your wallet should include options should one not work. Follow our friends World Wanderlusitng on which you should carry.

Be well read.

29) Key reads—

Read the following books: The World is Flat-Friedman, Undaunted courage-Ambrose, Everything by Shakespeare, Who wants to be CEO-Fox, 5 Love Languages-Chapman, Total Money Makeover- Ramsey, Legends of the Fall-Harrison, For Whom the Bell Tolls-Hemingway, Master and Commander-O’brian, She Comes First-Kerner, Heart of Darkness-Conrad, Count of Monte Cristo-Dumas, Gatsby-Fitzgerald AND read Atlas Shrugged-Rand twice.

30) Voluminous vocabulary

Regularly add new words to your vernacular. Avoid words of the four-letter variety.

31) Be noteworthy

Carry simple thank you notes with you and extend handwritten thanks to key individuals.

32) Don’t forget Paris

Visit Paris often.

33) Be a saint

Be well versed in the world’s key religious perspectives. Rarely discuss.

34) Carry a clean kerchief

The accessory of every true gentleman. Wipe a tear or test the oil level.

35) Chameleon-istic

Know enough about most things to carry on a convo with a local: sports, current events, fencing, ect.

36) Early to rise.

Rise Early. Retire Early.

37) Protection

Be vigilantly aware of the surroundings. Do not linger when your spider sense says leave.

38) Listen to the Locals

A gentleman always seeks the advice of the locals….and nearly always follows it.

39) Buy art

The gentleman avoids cheap souvenirs. He is always on the lookout of real craftsman and their wares.

40) Prosper

A gentleman is always planning his next voyage. This keeps him alive and thriving.

Regardless if you are at one of the Luxury Hotels London or on safari on the Kalahari, there is a place for the perfect travel gentleman. Be one.

Did we miss anything? What else would you add?

7 Tips for Stay’n Married

By The Fighting Couple on August 10, 2014 in General

The Fighting Couple has been married for 18 years. It’s a miracle! There were some who didn’t think we would last 18 minutes! When you’ve been married almost 20 years, it makes you think how you’ve survived. Here’s seven tips to stay together, and keeping sane (fighting and all)!

1. Recognize Mismatched Expectations:

This is Mike and I at our reception many years ago. I had a bad perm that resembled a woman’s mullet. Mike looked 12. The next day, the false expectations began.

Mismatched expectations were a huge issue for us. People bring views of how marriage should work from a variety of places: their imagination, their parents, and every form of media from books to movies to YouTube. Wake up call: You married a person, not an idea. When we got married, I thought Mike should be like my Dad, because that’s what I had observed. When he didn’t do the things my Dad did, I was angry. But, I didn’t marry my Dad. I married Mike and overtime, we’ve developed a system of expectations and roles. This took us at least 10 years and a lot of trials in between. With both of us working full-time, we struggled with who should do what. There wasn’t a natural division of labor. Household chores should not be determined by gender, but by what works best for each couple. We split cooking responsibilities. Mike is a much better cook than me! I do the dishes. Mike does the grocery shopping. He mows the lawn, but I control the flower beds. Like most working women, I feel like I do the majority of the housework, but I’m grateful Mike pitches in!

2. Don’t Make Your Partner Guess What You Need:

Marriage shouldn’t be a game of Clue. Tell your spouse what you want, need, and why. When partners say, “You should know what I want.” That’s an excuse because they haven’t done their job of adequately articulating their expectations. If you want something, say it. Mike and I have a phrase that has saved us a couple of times. There are a lot of things that matter and a lot of things that don’t. If we have an event, purchase, or request that’s super important, we say, “This is really important to me.” Code word: pay attention. This request needs to be taken seriously.

3. Spend Time Together:

A divorce lawyer is more expensive than a date. Invest in your marriage, like it is forever. Go on a trip without your children, even if it’s for a weekend. That’s the mission of this blog. It gives you time to reconnect and realize what you love about your spouse. As a couple, we have often skipped dates and expensive babysitters and put that money towards a trip. If you can’t do a trip, make it a priority to go on a date at least once a month. It’s hard to leave your children when you both work and feel like you don’t spend enough time with them, but a functioning marriage is a child’s best example.

4. Fight Fair:

When couples say they haven’t ever fought-then one person isn’t needed. The fact is fighting is healthy. I worry about couples who acquiesce so easily that they don’t even know who they are anymore. You are an individual. You have thoughts: talk about it. If you are going to fight, fight fair. Don’t use the “D” word. Divorce has become the “power” word in arguments. Suggesting divorce deflates your partner. Don’t be mean to be mean. Stick to the issue and don’t get personal. Deal with the here and now and not what your spouse said to you at 3 a.m., 9 years ago.

5. Deflate Not Agitate:

Step away when your spouse is being annoying.

Mike is a pro at this. When I raise my voice or get mad at him over something, most of the time he is calm and works to deflate the issue, not agitate it. This is hard for me, because I am a natural fighter and want to win and win big. But Mike has taught me that drama is only good in the theater. If your argument is getting heated, take a break. Say, “I’m really emotional about this right now and I need some time to process my feelings.” I’ve spent more time in timeout than my children.

6. A Time and Season:

Raising toddlers and teenagers is a full-contact sport. You take it one day at a time. When our kids were little, I wondered if I could make it to the next day with all my responsibilities. Marriage seemed like just one more thing I had to add to the “list.” It won’t always be like that. Shuffling kids to football practice finally ends. Dance recitals mark the end of the carpool. Eventually, kids grow up and you wonder how it went so quickly. There will be times where you wonder, “How will we ever get through this?” You will. Don’t make a rash decision just because of a “time and a season” that will pass. I recently received some great advice: “Don’t make promises when you are happy, reply when you’re mad or make decisions when you are sad.”

7. Recognize the Good:

Easier said than done. If you spouse does something super nice, don’t say, “What alien took over your body?” or “What have you done with my wife?” When your spouse makes an effort to be kind or help lift your burdens, cracking a joke about how pigs just flew out of the house or a meteor struck the earth, doesn’t make your spouse want to do it again. Say “thank you!” instead. Praise your spouse for what they did well. As the old saying goes, “Honey always gets more flies than vinegar.” By recognizing the good, you show your spouse that you are paying attention to their efforts and in return, they will want to do more. These are just a few things we’ve learned along the way. What are your tips for staying married? We’d love to hear them! Comment below!

Fighting Couple Named Tops by USA Today

By The Fighting Couple on August 8, 2014 in General

We love to travel! More than our love of travel, we love the chance to encourage other couples to travel together. Our little blog gives us the chance to share and encourage other couples to get out and see the world together. When we were notified a few weeks ago that our blog had been named one of twenty best travel blogs by USA Today and 10best.com we were floored.

What happened next amazed us.

Our friends, family and Fighting Couple followers rallied and drove us to the top of the pack! We were amazed and humbled. The list of nominees included a number of outstanding bloggers. Many of who we call virtual friends. We received many words of encouragement from fellow nominees. The travel blogging community is filled with kind and caring wanderers. We had a fun and enlightening conversation with our friends Gordon and Paula of Contented Traveler.

Thanks for putting us on top!

On the morning of the announcement, we kept hitting refresh to see the results. We were sooo nervous! The texts and messages flooded in once it was announced that we had won! We were shocked. Our local newspaper asked for an interview, and we end up on the front page of the Idaho Statesman. We don’t have the most twitter or facebook followers. We don’t do the whole blogging thing full time. That said, our readers and friends are rabid! They were on a mission to keep us on top, and we couldn’t be more thankful.

Needless to say, our hearts are full of gratitude to the many friends and followers who voted for us. We offer our congrats to the top couple bloggers! Little things like this remind us why we write. From both us: Thank You!

Keep Fighting!

7 Questions with the Hunter and the Horsewoman

By The Fighting Couple on July 14, 2014 in General

In our never-ending quest to introduce you to some of the best couple travel bloggers, meet Lina and Dave of Divergent Travelers. We have found that every traveler brings a unique background to the travel trail. These two are no different. Join us as Divergent Travelers take on our 7 Questions:

Blog: Divergent Travelers

facebook: Divergent Travelers

twitter: @divergenttravelers

How did you meet?

We met at the county fair in Superior, WI in 1998. I, Lina, was showing my horse at the fair that week and so was David’s sister. During the fair, he showed up to help his sister with her horse and that is how we met.

Lina and Dave Diving on the Great Barrier Reef

How long have you been together? FOREVER. We dated a couple of times after we first met and ultimately got back together in high school. We’ve been together ever since. We’ve been married for 4 years though.

Why do you travel?

Because we LOVE IT. We both have an insatiable lust for the World and adventure. We both believe that life is too short to not follow your own path and for us, that means exploring as much of the World as we can.

1) What is the story behind you blog name? Divergent?

This story starts much the same as every other blog, I suppose. We were trying to come up with something catchy and different, yet modern. David gets the credit for coming up with it, we were shooting emails back and forth one day with various names and plays on words and he sent me that one and it just felt right. The definition of Divergent really hit home for us. Something divergent is moving away from what is expected. Divergent people are changing course- moving off the beaten path. It just seemed fitting as we were leaving the American dream behind to pursue a life on our own terms.

Have you voted for the Fighting Couple in the USA Today Couple travel contest? Please vote for us?

2) If you had to travel with someone else besides your travel partner, who would it be? (this person can be living, historical or mythical?.)

He Said: Michael Weston, you know, the really cool spy guy from Burn Notice.
She Said: My two best friends, Meghan and Melissa. The three of us are like sisters and we are all Geminis, so we just ‘get’ each other.

Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand

3) What has been your favorite destination in your wanderings? Why?

He said: Mexico, specifically the Yucatan. I love the culture and the easy way of living there. Plus, despite what Lina says, I want to live there someday.
She said: This question is SO hard, there are so many. But if I have to pick just one, I am going to say Peru. We did so many amazing things in that country and it was my first time getting a chance to really work on my Spanish, as I was taking classes before I visited that country. Machu Picchu is a given, but we also visited the Amazon which was mind-blowing and we already have plans to return to that same area and do some volunteer work at the Tambopata Research Center.

4) Lina, we understand you are quite the equestrian talent! Wow! Tell us a little about your interest in horses.

My co-workers used to joke that when talking to me, nobody should mention travel or horses unless they had hours to sit and chat. I think that is still a truth!! (you didn’t know what you were getting into with this question!) I’ve been around horses my whole life and it is an absolute PASSION of mine. I love horses and I love the sport of show jumping. When I graduated from high school I spent the whole summer running a horse farm with show horses. For the next 2 years I spent my summers working for some of the top Olympic riders in the USA at Spruce Meadows in Calagary Canada as a professional groom and exercise rider. After I graduated college I spent a lot of time shipping horses coast to coast in America and working on the circuits for prominent riders and I would spend my winters living and riding in West Palm Beach. After all that, I bought some horses of my own and started competing locally and before we left totravel, I showed all over the Midwest in class A competitions. When we left to travel, I sold all my project horses and kept just one horse. He is currently being leased so he can continue to show while I am on the road. While traveling, I have several plans (some already executed) for getting my horse fix.

5) Travel can be tough on relationships. How do you make it work together out on the road?

He said: Let her win.

She said: For the record, he’s a liar… he NEVER just lets me win! We try to make sure we both get to see and do the things we want. Sometimes we just need timeouts from each other too, which seems to help being together 24/7 easier at times. It certainly isn’t easy and you do have to work at it.

Sunrise at Mt Bromo in Java

6) If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?

He said: Come up with a system that doesn’t revolve around money.
She said: I’d really love to see a trash disposal system in place for the third world countries. It is so disheartening for me to see these beautiful locations so littered with trash.

7)You knew it was coming….What has been your greatest travel fight/disagreement?

He said: We had some pretty good fights over where to camp with our campervan while road tripping through Australia! It would never fail that the sun would start to set and we hadn’t picked a place to camp. Knowing we had to make dinner and needed to find a safe, cheap (free) place to camp and make dinner was one sure way to light up the campervan!

She said: When David lost his wedding band in a raging river in Bukit Lawang, Sumatra! We had been swimming in a swimming hole that had currents on the outside of it, he got this bright idea that he was going to ride the current down the river and get out further down. I tried to tell him it wasn’t a good idea, but he did it anyways. Long story short, the current was strong and he had trouble getting out of the water. When I ran down to help him out of the water, he climbed out and showed me his hand…. No ring! While he had been grabbing onto rocks waiting for me, his ring came off. You can imagine how this went down… Lucky for him, the next day we told the guesthouse staff and after an hour of them searching the river with masks on, they FOUND it. No joke, he lost and found his wedding ring in a raging river in the jungle.

A HUGE thanks to Lina and David for taking some time to share a little about their travel philosophy. (If you are wondering David, letting her always win is a great ideas.) Thanks for being one of the very best blogging couples out there.

The Grand Mirage: The Playful Side of Paradise

By The Fighting Couple on July 5, 2014 in General

Bali is a couple’s paradise. With its inviting blue waters, friendly locals, white sandy beaches, spicy cuisine and fascinating cultural and religious dimensions, it has forever won a place in our hearts.

Inside the lobby at the Grand Mirage: a waterfall.

The Fighting Couple spent lot of time fighting about where to stay on our first visit to the Island of the Gods. On one hand, the cultural and handicraft mecca of Ubud called out to us. On the other, the remote northern part of the island seemed to offer off the beaten path peace and tranquility. In the end we decided to spend the majority of our time in tropical paradise of Nusa Dua beach, in the lively village of Tanjung Benoa.

Our next task (see fight) was picking the right place to stay. A location with outstanding ocean front views was non-negotiable. We also wanted a place that had everything: world-class accommodations, amazing food, and of course a spa! Bali vacations fit the bill perfectly!

The Grand Mirage Resort offers a number of different stay options including a VIP all-inclusive, bed and breakfast, or lodging only. Simply pick the one that best meets your budget.

The Grand Mirage has two sister properties in the area, the Club Bali Mirage and the high-end Samabe Luxury Villas. The entire resort system offers a price point for everyone from a pensioner to a princess.

Getting There:

Nusa Dua overlooks the Indian Ocean on the southeast part of the Island and is roughly 30 minutes away from the airport in Denpasar. You can easily take a taxi or arrange for a private transfer with the hotel. This is Bali: almost everything is affordable with the favorable exchange rate from the States or Europe.

If you chose to drive, please check out our 7 Steps to Driving in Bali.

First Impressions:

One would be impressed with just the lobby of the Grand Mirage without ever looking at the turquoise saturated ocean, tropical pool area, or spacious and well decorated guest rooms. The open air, three-storied lobby with marble floors accented with intricate inlaid flower designs, anchored by a waterfall in the center of the building, is a showcase. When you enter, you know you are somewhere special. The staff is attentive and kind. In fact, there is more staff than rooms. We felt welcome at once. At the Grand Mirage, every need, every experience is ready to be met.

The Grand Mirage is its own community. You never have to leave the resort. Board games, pool, indoor theatre for movies, karaoke, kids club where little ones can engage in fun activities sans parents, elegant spa, restaurants, are all on site. It’s a place to make friends or spend alone time as a couple. You literally never have to or want to leave.

A room with a view of the pool and the ocean!

A Room With A View:

Our room at the Grand Mirage was nicer than our home. The corner room showcased two balconies with views of the ocean on each corner perfect to watch the sunrise and sunset. The rooms also overlooked the pool area. The entry way was framed with Balinese sculptures with low-level spot lights. There was a living room, bar area, and separate bedroom with two beds. Hooray for two beds on vacation! The bathroom hosts a giant soaker tub big enough for two and a mosaic tiled walk in shower.

I want a bathroom like this at my house.

Follow the Grand Mirage:

twitter: @GrandMirage

Facebook: GrandMirageResort

Outdoor Activities:

During our stay, we enjoyed several of the activities. The entire Nusa Dua area is a watersports playground. You can take out a sea kayak on your own or join one of the many sea kayak tours offered by the resort. (Don’t forget to pack the sunscreen!) If sitting by the beach and enjoying the sea breeze is your deal, you will not be disappointed. The resort offers lounge chairs and seaside cabanas with drink service if you wish. These do tend to fill up quickly, you may want to stake you claim early, or have them hold one for you. Grand Mirage offers tennis courts, an aptly equipped workout facility, bike rental, yoga, beach volleyball and every water sport imaginable. Every day there is a list of activities for the guests to enjoy. Don’t know what to do? Just look at the activities menu! During our stay, Luci walked the beach, while Mike played tennis. Don’t worry if you don’t have a partner. The Grand Mirage has an excellent tennis player on staff who would love play with you! Mike’s backhand has now been proven ineffective on two continents!

Mike lost again.

Pool Party:

Luci’s favorite part of the resort was the pool. Surrounded with lush vegetation, the pool is shaped like a figure eight with varying depths. The kids side, separated by a bridge, features a basketball hoop and shallow wading areas. The other side has a waterfall where guests can sit and feel the refreshing water fall upon your shoulders. It’s a perfect place to spend the day swimming, drinking, swimming, reading and basking in the Bali sunshine.

The beach view

The Thalasso Spa:

We saved the best activity for last. Connected to the hotel is a little part of paradise, the spa. The entire spa menu revolves around the sea. The hallway floors within the center are covered with sand and small stepping-stones lead the way to the 16 tastefully decorated themed treatment rooms. Even the ceiling has an ocean motif. The moment you walk in, you feel you are peacefully drifting on a warm wave. The spa menu has both depth and breadth. The highly trained staff offer a number of modalities including: Swedish, Balinese, and Thai. Check out this amazing spa: www.thalassobali.com.

Entry into the stress free paradise!

What to Eat?

Buckle up! There are a host of great food options. The resort puts on a wonderful spread of breakfast items every morning. They offer a wide array of fresh fruits and veggies, meats, salads as well as made- to-order omelets. The pancakes, French toast and four types of accompanying syrups were our favorite. There are five restaurants on property for every taste at any time. The Grand Café is where guests have breakfast overlooking the pool. Other options include the Jukung Grill which offers fresh seafood and Australian barbecue; La Cascata with mouth-watering Italian; eat at Chopsticks for Chinese or swim up to the Coconut Bar in the middle of the pool.

Couples Retreat:

Bali is made for couples. The resort offers an on-site, on-beach wedding chapel. Where you can tie the knot or renew you wedding vows. There are even full-time staff members who can assist with all the details from securing a photographer to capturing the picture perfect moment to finding the freshest local flowers. The Thalasso Spa also has as special room for couples! Why not splurge for a couples massage or do like we did and try the couple water treatment? (Loved it!). What is more romantic than a moonlit stroll on the sandy beach? The hotel can also arrange a picnic lunch if you wish to head off on your own adventure.

Our short stay in Bali was truly made an impact on us. We are counting the days till our return. If you have questions about Bali or the Grand Mirage resort, feel free to drop us a line. We highly recommend it!

One more view of the lobby, because we loved it that much!

We partnered with our good friends at this Bali resort during our recent visit. Does this change our opinion of their great service and rates? Nope. Not one bit.

Our 7 Hints for Driving in Bali

By The Fighting Couple on July 2, 2014 in General

Driving in Bali is a choice and rewarding experience reserved for the brave and the bold. Understanding traffic in Bali, you must understand their driving pedigree. The Brits brought the whole, “driving on the wrong side of the road” bit. The Dutch left a legacy of confusing signs and directions. Regardless of foreign influence… driving in Bali is still uniquely Balinese. After our recent visit to Bali, we put together a few helpful hints that will aid you as you begin your four wheeled journey and keep you safe!

1) Be Choosy

Our first couple of suggestions starts at the rental car counter. First, pick the right car. If you are a first timer to Bali, why not rent an automatic? I know, this is a direct insult to your driving prowess. Trust us, one less thing to do while you are driving is a good thing. Car selection is also something to be choosy. Bigger is not better when it comes to the narrow roads of Bali that make quaint English roads look like super freeways. Air conditioning is a must, must, must.

We booked our car through carrentals.co.uk. We found some great rates for the island.

2) Get the Assurance of Insurance

Ok, you picked out the perfect car for your Balinese adventure. Don’t leave the rental counter quite yet. Open that wallet back up and pick up a lot of insurance. If they offer it, buy it. Driving in Bali is in close quarters. Parking lots are tiny. Scooters surround you (the concept of keeping in your “lane” if a foreign concept here). The chance of getting a scratch, bump of nick is better than average. With amazing luck, we escaped without a scratch. The other reality of driving in Bali is the number of people on scooters and motorcycles. Some scooters have an entire family on board while other scooters are carrying cargo. Seriously. The chance that one of these drivers makes a mistake, and heaven forbid you collide, you will want protection. As a visitor to Bali, the idea of exploring their judicial system would be less than pleasant. If you spend a few bucks and get the coverage, you have a guaranteed pro by your side should something unfortunate happen.

You will see a little bit everything driving in Bali.

3) Be Guided

Ok, the last thing to purchase at the rental desk. Rent a good GPS. Our first fight on Balinese soil was when Mike forgot to add a GPS unit to the purchase. Off we went to try to navigate the busy city of Denpasar. We didn’t get very far before we were having a full typhoon level “disagreement” on which way we were going! We hadn’t even left the airport parking lot. We spent 45 minutes trying to get out of the city, only to give up and drive back to our hotel before we forgot how to get back. We called our kind rental company representative and added the GPS to our package. Crisis averted. But having an electronic friend isn’t the only navigator you should have: use a human too. Luci spent much of the trip as a Grand Prix announcer yelling things like: Brake! or “There’s a bike with a baby on your left, car on your left, scooter going the wrong way on the right shoulder!”

4) Hitch a Ride

Our next tip about driving is not about driving at all. There simply are some places you just shouldn’t drive. Case in point: We were planning on having a suit made for Mike in Denpasar. We had done our research and many people had commented on the quality of the suits and the difficulty in finding this exquisite tailor. What was to be done? We ditched the car, called the tailor to send us a car. Boom. There was no way that we would have found this place. Time was saved by not wandering the back roads of Denpasar and Mike is looking rather dapper in his new duds. Most fine metro restaurants in Bali are happy to send their car service to pick you up and back. It’s very common for businesses to come pick you up and bring you back to your hotel. Why waste the time? Hitch a ride. Then head to the beach!

Spend more time here instead of stuck in a car.

5) Distractions

A word about distracted driving in Bali. It is dangerous! For first timers, like we were, it is so easy to let your eyes wander from the road. Distractions are a natural hazard in Bali. The pressure of driving, following the GPS, dodging farm animals, scooters, and other cars is a lot to take in. Leave the phone off. Turn the radio off. Driving in Bali is not for the faint of heart, all kinds of things are going to come at you from all directions. Keep you focus on the road. It’s a full contact sport. Mike has driven all over the world: Turkey, Italy, South Africa, and Bali was the hardest country yet. There are no rules in Bali. First of all, they drive on the left hand side so us Yanks struggle with going the opposite directions. That’s the first challenge, but not the hardest. Cars don’t stick to their lanes, you can see the scooter driver’s nose hairs they are so close to your car. One way roads aren’t really one way, as scooters drive the wrong way towards you frequently. There are also few traffic lights and speeds are fast.

6) Take the Back Roads

Regardless of all of these do’s and don’ts … Bali is a beautiful place. People say that about a lot of places. Sometimes they really mean it. With Bali, we really mean it. It is seriously one of the most stunning couple travel destinations we have ever set foot on. It’s like a carnival to the eyes. A few times during our visit we took they back roads, granted, a few times we got lost, but what we were able to see was worth the fight. The picture below is one we took when we took a wrong turn. We came across some folks harvesting rice. If we hadn’t gotten lost, we would have never been treated to this scene.

Take the back roads!

7) Follow the Flow

We saved our best tip for last. This one is really difficult to describe. Bali has a traffic vibe. You get into a groove once you have driven a day or two there. You gain an expectation of what the other drivers are going to do and when. When it clicks for you the fun begins. Balinese are very courteous drivers if you “follow the flow.” When you upset the flow, you may get a little beep, beep from behind. The easiest way to “get the groove” is to imitate what you see for most of the drivers. You are always going to see some crazies out on the roads, but just follow what the crowd does. You will be fine.

Those are our handy tips for making you driving holiday in Bali both safe and peaceful.

We partnered with our good friends at carrentals.co.uk during our recent visit to Bali. Does this change our opinion of their great service and rates? Nope. Not one bit.

The Kind Innkeepers

By The Fighting Couple on June 30, 2014 in General

“The best portion of a good man’s life? His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”

—William Wordsworth

Travel can be a little impersonal at times. You are no longer a person; you are a room number, a confirmation code, or a “customer.” We love finding places that treat their guests as family. The Bromeliad Bed and Breakfast is just one such place where you arrive a guest and leave a member of the family. The Bromeliad in located in a great spot in a quiet suburban neighborhood of Darwin, Australia.

The pool at the Bromeliad

Darwin, the capitol of the Northern Territory, is perched at the tippy top of the continent. The sundrenched red rock, lively city, and access to world renowned national parks make Darwin the perfect getaway for traveling couples. There are plenty of cheap flights from Southeast Asia including directs from Bali, Kula Lumpur, Thailand and Singapore. Low-cost carriers including Air Asia and Jet Star make adding a quick visit to Australia easy and affordable. When you realize how close Australia is to those places, it makes sense to catch a cheap flight and add a continent to your passport. For us, it provided an easy way to pick up a visit to our sixth continent!

The Kind Innkeepers: Carol and Geoff

The Innkeepers

Carol and Geoff have been running the Bromeliad Bed and Breakfast for a little over a year. They are turning a new chapter in life; both have recently retired and have realized a dream 10 years in the making to open their spacious home to guests from near and far.

Carol and Geoff have been married for over 50 years. Of course once we found this out, we launched into interview mode. We wanted to find out what the secret to success has been for their enduring relationship. Explained Carol, “We’ve never had a huge Barney.” (Now for those of you that don’t speak Australian, like us… a Barney is a fight.) “We usually like to compromise, we try to find a solution that works for both of us.” The two met over a friendly tennis match. Just as in tennis, the couple has found success in the give and take. Key to happiness in relationship is helping each other and breaking down the “roles” that culture has defined. “Geoff does things around the house that his father would never have dreamed of doing,” explained Carol, “What needs to be done gets done.”

We asked her what advice you would give a couple that has hit a rough patch and are not seeing eye to eye. A huge smile came over her face and she suggested, “Take 10 minutes and take a walk.” After a few minutes of reflection, you will quickly find, what was a huge deal, is no longer such a big deal.

Priorities

“Having a big house and a nice car are not all that important.” Says Carol. “What really matters is a car that runs, a roof over your head, and someone to love.” What a great motto! We couldn’t agree more. Carol and Geoff practice what they preach. After their son was seriously injured in a car accident and in a wheelchair, Carol and Geoff remodeled their home and turned it into a bed and breakfast because there weren’t suitable accommodations for his friends who were also handicapped. “We took lemons and made them into lemonade,” Carol smiles.

The gardens around the inn are amazing!

Darwin the Beautiful

The Bromeliad is a great base to explore all Darwin has to offer. You can easily take day trips to either Kakadu or Litchfield National Park. You can read about our Litchfield Park adventure here. The town itself has a wonderful waterfront with public beaches, fun eateries, and one of the best military museums that we have visited. One of the highlights for us was spending the evening market at the Mindil Beach Sunset Market. There was live music, entertainment like fire dancers and whip wielding guys, and every type of food imaginable. When we say every type of food: Greek, Italian, Asian, and of course crocodile dogs! There are lots of choices for those with a sweet-tooth as well. There are rows of fresh fruit, cupcakes, and ice cream. Luci enjoyed Dutch baby pancakes covered in strawberries and bananas with ice cream on top. There are authentic handicrafts like Aborigine art, boomerangs, kangaroo leather and Luci found exquisite jewelry made of flowers from the Outback. The market is held twice weekly. Just ask Carol and she can line you out on how to get there, where to park, and what to eat.

Carol makes the world’s best rosella jam!

Darwin and our good friends Geoff and Carol of the Bromeliad Bed and Breakfast offer a true taste of Australia. Granted, we rested well in their care, but we also came away with our relationship renewed a bit. Only one thing…we still like a good barney!

Just so you know, we partnered with the Bromeliad on our recent visit to Australia. Does this affect our opinion and ability to strongly recommend this B & B to our readers? Not one bit!

Didn’t get enough of Aussie Land? How about Mike eating Vegemite for the first time?

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