One of the realities of the full-time RV lifestyle is that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, you are within shouting distance — frequently within striking distance — of your spouse. Think about that before you step inside your motorhome and hit the road for an indefinite time.
Big is a relative term. In motorhomes, 35 by 8 feet is big, but as a living space, it’s quite small. For two people to live in that space full-time requires a lot of tolerance and understanding, giving and taking. To get along successfully, a full-timing couple must basically like each other. Love is nice, but they should be best friends first, lovers second. In a “regular” life, time and place are prescribed by one’s work and family obligations, whereas the full-timing lifestyle leaves much of one’s time available for an endless array of choices. Deciding where to go and what to do can be a source of friction for people who don’t bend easily to the suggestions of others if they have contrary ideas. Couples who really like each other respect each other’s likes and dislikes, and they are happy making their partners happy. They can ask, “What would you like to do?” and mean it. It’s a practice that every successful full-timer follows regularly.
In a lifestyle with a maximum of freedom, the major cornerstone is to avoid friction with your traveling companion. Although most happily married couples already know each other’s preferences, it is a good practice for full-timers to review their activities regularly and make sure both are getting what they expect from their lifestyle. They definitely should plan together for the places, people and things that they want to enjoy in the days ahead.
