“A Kiwi moves to the Big Apple to play jazz…” sounds like the opening of a joke, but it’s actually the beginning of the adventurous romance of Natalie and Jackson, the travel bloggers behind A Pair of Travel Pants. In the last 5 years, they’ve traveled across the globe through profound loss, great excitement, hanger, and just about anything else you can think of, and have made it look GOOD. And the best part is, they’re happy to share their lessons, experiences, stories, and what makes them tick!
What’s your story?
Jackson is from New Zealand and came to New York City to play jazz where he met me (I’m Natalie, a New York local) in a German beerhall in Brooklyn, NY in 2013. After getting married in 2015 we decided the best way to spend our spare time and money was to travel. In 2016, we set out on our first round-the-world trip, followed by a second one in 2018. Travel has become a way to celebrate life, especially after my mother died of cancer in 2016. I can’t imagine not traveling with Jackson: together we make a great team! He’s the micro and I’m the macro, we balance each other out and planning is so smooth.
Do you have the same travel style or different travel styles? How does this impact your adventures together?
Jackson’s really good with details and remembering small things; times, dates, supplies: you name it. It’s amazing how good he is at covering that minutia. I’m more of a generalizer and this makes me better at decision making and grand-scheming. I love to create itineraries and research a region, Jackson’ll find some awesome off-the-beaten-track things to do in that location. Because of our dynamic, we are usually on a fun adventure into places no one ever heard of, like that time we spent 4 weeks in Namibia.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from traveling as partners? What makes your partnership work on the road?
Biggest thing we’ve learned is that mood swings are temporary and not personal. If one of us gets hungry, tired, overwhelmed, etc. and that makes us cranky, that’s not because we’re angry at the other person. Patience is a real key factor to harmony while on the road. Also asking: “are you hungry?” is a good place to start if tempers rise.
What’s the best part about traveling as partners? And the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge is our hunger schedules. I get hungry often and need to eat because my blood sugar will drop substantially. Jackson can go all day and not eat. Because of this, we need to remember to bring snacks because if we are out on a hike and my blood sugar drops I become a cranky bitch.
Based on your experience, what’s the best advice you have for couples who have just scheduled their first trip together?
Our advice would be to remember to be patient. Stress manifests itself in weird ways when on the road and to take it out on your partner is one of the worst things you can do.
Any additional thoughts or words of wisdom?
We’ve met some couples that do not travel together because they both have different styles of traveling. I think this is perfectly healthy and a far better alternative to traveling together because you “feel like you have to.” Some people travel at different speeds and with different needs. If you guys are mature enough to know what that is and decide to travel with other people, I think that’s great.
Don’t forget to share the wisdom!
This Seat’s Taken interview series: Todd & Chantelle of Over Yonda Adventures
Thanks for sharing our story, guys! It’s great to see you guys working so hard and doing so well!
We LOVED getting to know you through your story and your experiences together – thank you so much for sharing them with us!! 😀 safe travels always!