Our first holiday as a couple

The first holiday you take as a couple is a quiet milestone. There’s no big announcement, but you get a chance to see your partner in a new environment, as the holiday version of themselves.

For TUI Travel Advisor Sadie, and her boyfriend Jayden, that moment came in October 2022, when they boarded a plane to Cyprus. Here’s what she had to say...

“It was our first time navigating a country by ourselves. We were still so young, but suddenly we were making decisions together. It felt like our first taste of independence.” She’d just turned 18 and started working at TUI, spending every day talking to customers about dream getaways.

But Paphos wasn’t just a sunny, safe choice for the young couple – it was already woven into Jayden’s family history.

“Jayden has been going there since he was a kid –some of his family live out there, so he’s been to weddings, family celebrations and got to know the destination quite well.”

The moment they reached the airport, their holiday personas appeared.

“He went full airport dad mode. I’d not seen that side of him before, but he had documents organised, timings memorised and had pre-empted every possible situation.”

“He made us get to the airport five hours early. But now we have a compromise – he’s not allowed to moan when I spend all that extra time looking around duty-free shops!”

Sadie admitted that the trip helped her see new sides to her partner, mostly in the form of his holiday habits.

“At home he’s so loyal to a rum and coke, but as soon as the sun was shining, he became a full-on cocktail enthusiast. He wanted the colourful straws, the mini umbrellas – the whole lot!”

Looking back, Sadie believes that first holiday did more than just give them a week in the sun – it helped them understand each other in unexpected ways.

"I was able to see him when he was more vulnerable, especially with his airport anxiety. He was very open with me about needing to do things a certain way, and that made me more understanding – it really did bring us closer together." After a few days of settling into holiday bliss, the couple had co-created a holiday rhythm that they still return to now – breakfast at the same local spot every morning and sunset dinners along Paphos Harbour every evening.

Since then, the couple have explored Tenerife, Iceland and Amsterdam together, as well as taking their first cruise as a couple.

"I think because that first trip went so well, there were no hiccups, no arguments or anything – it gave us the confidence to keep going away. And I think that's probably why we do go on trips as often as we do."

Although they love exploring new destinations, Cyprus has evolved from a first holiday destination into somewhere that feels closer to home. They’ve already been back twice, and their longest trip yet – 14 nights – is planned for this July.

Don’t overthink the destination

Write down ideas and pick one out of a hat. Honestly, most arguments start before you’ve even chosen where to go.

Be patient with each other.

You’re both figuring it out. Trust each other and be patient – you’re navigating a new territory of holidaying together. There will be people around who can and will help if things aren’t perfectly smooth, but you’ll learn as you go.

Understand your differences

I’m laidback, he’s organised in a way that borders on chaotic – but it works. You learn how to travel together.