Experts often say travel can either make or break a relationship.

Whether you’re aiming for a romantic weekend getaway or a grand adventure, hitting the road together can brings up a slew of issues that never seemed to be a problem at home: planning stress, exhaustion and tight spaces (suddenly, those hotel bathrooms seem to have amplified acoustics).

Within months of getting together Taylor Grant and her significant other went big on their first joint trip: Australia, Bali, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. A year into the relationship, they tried it again, this time hitting up London, Dublin, Berlin, and Prague.

Check out some of the lessons she learned along the way:

1. Establish guidelines before you go, but not too many.

You may be able to ignore your partner’s bad habits at home, but once confined to each other 24/7, those habits will become much more noticeable.

I’m a nail biter. Only having been together for a short time, my boyfriend never really noticed how often I chewed on my nails, or just how annoying he would find it. This of course all came to light when we headed overseas on our first long-distance trip. He found himself constantly shushing me and swatting my hands away from my face.

For our next trip, he begged me to please cut down on the biting and, in return, I asked that he refrain from singing. Of course we weren’t able to stop our habits completely, but it helped us cut back and made a notable difference throughout the trip.

2. Don’t expect him to carry your bag every time.

Before packing every last item into your suitcase, assume you’ll be the one carrying it.
As an extreme over-packer, going on any length of trip requires a lot of time sorting and re-sorting my bag to make sure everything fits and won’t exceed the weight limit.  After packing a heavy bag on our first trip to Asia, I was surely going to pack lighter for Europe … at least, I tried.

After sitting for hours in the airport due to a delayed flight, we finally arrived in Dublin from Berlin.  However, this time we were staying with friends, and no hotel means no hotel staff. Maybe he was moody from the long day of traveling, or maybe he was trying to teach me a lesson, but either way he made me responsible for my own bag.

After staring up the three flights of stairs, I lugged my bag up, up, and up again.  I’ll admit that I brought several outfits and even a heavy pair of shoes that I never wore so this time I finally learned my lesson. I hope.

3. Hunger and exhaustion can—and will—lead to bickering.

After a long hot day of browsing through the gorgeous temple ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, we were exhausted and hungry.  Heading back to the main street in town lined with restaurants the question arose, “Where should we eat?”  With so many places to choose from, it seemed easy enough.  However, after going back and forth, it quickly turned into a heated conversation filled with, “Whatever you want,” “I don’t care.”

On our second trip, we decided to take turns deciding each time we went out to eat, and the solution worked amazingly well.

4. Always have navigational backup.

If you’re letting the other person navigate, don’t rely entirely on their sense of direction. Keep a map or GPS on hand.

The streets of Prague, although gorgeous, tend to look very similar.  After touring Prague Castle, I followed him through twists and turns and after an hour of letting him insist that it was just “a couple more blocks,” he finally looked to me for help.  Together, with the help of my map and asking a few people, we made it back.

By letting him be the guide but offering support as backup, I avoided an argument and only paid the price of somewhat sore feet.

5. Don’t delve into serious topics you’ve never discussed before.

Although traveling gives you a lot of alone time to talk, telling him this would be a perfect spot to get married or envisioning returning with your kids can  put a strain on the trip.
I wouldn’t be so foolish, right? Well, at one point I made the very bad mistake of bringing up an ex-boyfriend. The mood changed completely and I knew I done something very, very wrong.

The same rule applies to political views if you’ve never discussed them before. Vacations are stressful enough, so save the heavy topics for when you return.

6. Even if you’re on a budget, opt for a private room.

In pricey London, we made the mistake of reserving a shared room in a hostel. After all, how bad could it be for a few nights?

Of course, sharing a space with other people is a real crapshoot, but there was another issue we hadn’t considered: bunk beds.

After the third or fourth night, the annoyance of the sleeping situation crept its way into our daily lives. The day became marred by incidents of misdirected frustration.
However, with a situation so easily avoidable: even though it may cost a little more money, it’s worth investing in a private room or a standard hotel.

7. If you’re trying to meet locals or other travelers, be extra sociable.

Strangers rarely feel comfortable approaching couples so it’s up to you to make the first step. Otherwise, you may end up feeling like you’re on the outside looking in.

People seem to be drawn other seemingly single people, whereas couples usually give off a more “leave us alone” vibe. Fortunately, other travelers tend to be the welcoming type, so being friendly and approachable is usually all it takes.

8. Make sure to have enough money.

Keep a credit card or cash stashed somewhere besides your purse or pocket. It’s always a bad feeling having to borrow money and then keep track of who owes what—suddenly you’re back to having an allowance every day or week? No, thank you.

I learned a tough lesson when I got my purse stolen in Thailand, leaving me without cash and credit cards. For the remainder of the trip, my boyfriend constantly had to dole out money to me.

When I spotted something I wanted to buy, he would, of course, lend me the money, or even possibly offer to pay for them, but I still needed his permission. This feeling of dependency and helplessness was something that followed me for the rest of the trip.

9. Dealing with the all-important bathroom issue.

If you’re still trying to maintain some sense of decorum about morning rituals, establish some habits early in the trip.

When one person heads in to do their business, step out for a few minutes to pick up coffee or a newspaper. Or, as a foolproof backup, the TV on and the volume up.

10. Spending that much time with anyone is tough.

Make sure to schedule in some alone time long before the inevitable annoyances begin to emerge. Because they will.

Even long-terms couples aren’t necessarily used to spending every day and every night together.  That amount of time with anyone is a recipe for, well, I won’t say disaster, but definitely disputes.

My solution was to get into the habit of of having coffee on my own every morning.  Whether it was a little shop down the street or the hotel lobby, it gave me a little time at the start of the day to myself.  I would read my book, write in my journal, or simply sit for 20 minutes by myself. Just that little time alone every day was a huge help.

Bonus tip:

When asked, always say it’s your honeymoon, or at least don’t offer to correct others. You never know what free stuff/upgrades you’ll get and people always treat you a little more nicely. We certainly enjoyed our free upgrade and bottle of champagne!

By Taylor Grant for PeterGreenberg.com. Visit Taylor on the Web at www.thefunemployedlife.com.

Related links on PeterGreenberg.com:

• Romantic Travel section
• Sexy Hotel Getaways and Romance Advice for the Road
• Romantic Getaways
• New York’s Standard Hotel Attracts Exhibitionists, Voyeurs, Attention
• 10 Tips for Single Parents Traveling With Kids–And a New Significant Other