Last month we talked about the issues that long-term travelers have when they’re trying to transition back to “regular” life after a big trip. But there are things that can complicate the other end of the trip, too – things that can make leaving your “regular” life in the first place really challenging. Specifically for BootsnAll member globetrekker, the issue is that he’d be heading out for a year or so and leaving his girlfriend behind.

For about the last two years I’ve been going over the idea of buying a one way ticket to Thailand, travelling around SE Asia and anywhere else I decide on for about a year or until money runs out. My friends and family (and my girlfriend of over a year) haven’t been very supportive and think this is a pretty wild idea. I’m fortunate to work in a field with good job oppurtunities so I’m not really worried career wise. I’m pretty sure I would be able to stay in touch with everyone else. The issue with my girlfriend is that she has a young child from a previous marriage and won’t be able to go with me.

Getting out and seeing the world with no time limits may mean just booking the first cheap airfare you find and throwing your passport in a backpack, but unless you’re a hermit at home you’ll have other things to think about before you go. Now, there are some who might say that if a significant other isn’t supportive of your travel dreams, they shouldn’t be your significant other any longer. But in reality it’s just not that simple. Yes, with technology today it’s easier (and cheaper) than ever to stay in touch with the folks back home, but that doesn’t mean the ones you leave behind are going to be particularly happy about the distance.

So, globetrekker asks, “Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did you handle it?” If you’ve got any tidbits to share from your own experience, please stop by the BootsnAll boards and add your two cents to the conversation.