The stress of travel makes many couples split up before the trip even ends. Photo: IC

Wang Xueru almost broke up with her boyfriend over her period. It was not, she said, because her mood was bad. Rather, her boyfriend blamed her for planning a visit to a hot spring when her period was due, and then refusing to go into the water.

"My boyfriend was not happy, saying that I should have taken my period into consideration beforehand. If so, we could have planned a trip to another destination. I am also very frustrated because I love hot springs, and planned the trip for quite a long time," said Wang, a 27-year-old working in Wuhan, Hubei Province.

The subject of breakups during vacations became widely discussed after writer Hu Yu wrote a story called "Road Test," which proposed that taking a vacation with your partner is a good way to determine whether you are really suitable. The article, originally published in China Business Network Weekly, has been forwarded on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo thousands of times.

It said many people cannot even wait until the end of a vacation to break up, because they cannot deal with problems that keep popping up.

Wang met her problems traveling with her 28-year-old boyfriend surnamed Li during the New Year's Day of 2013. 

"I was very busy with my work every day and it was hard to find time to travel with my boyfriend," said Wang, who cherished this opportunity very much. But she did not expect that one little trivial thing could cause so much conflict.

During the three-day trip in January 2013, they went to the Country Garden Phoenix Hot Spring resort in Xianning, Hubei Province. But after they arrived at the destination, Wang found that her period had come and she could not enter the water.

The couple decided to change their original plan. They spent most of their time trying different local cuisines, and went on a trip to the historic Dingsi Bridge.

"It become a food and history trip," she said, adding that arguing over the failure of their initial plan could have easily ruined their relationship. She suggested that once problems appear, a couple should quickly distract their attention from the problem and make a comprise, choosing a plan B. Wang thinks that the most significant thing about travel is to relax and strengthen the relationship.  

"Just like this case, every couple or lover has beautiful ideas and visions of their trip, whether it is a short or long one. But when traveling to a different place, the journey is full of surprises, which could cause a breakup - or keep romance alive," said Shao Tong, founder of the private Deyu Female school, and a marriage analyst.

Especially for those who have not been married yet, when they travel 24 hours a day and for several days, there is no escaping irritants. One just has to learn to live with them. Only those who can work around these annoyances and adapt to them can get through the annoyances while traveling, added Shao, who

has given counseling to many customers whose relationship has worsened after traveling with their partners.

Ma Rui, a national psychological consultant and a writer on relationships, using the alias of Lao MM, said that there are potential risks of traveling with your partner. But Ma said traveling can help a person to discover his or her real self.    

"It is hard to disguise oneself when the unexpected things happen. So it is a very good way to find the new sides of your familiar partner while traveling together," said Ma.

Many people are concerned about how to avoid the threats to relationship during travel. But Ma said that there is no escape from risk.

"You do not have to worry that the relationship may deteriorate. Actually, being yourself and trying to put yourself in the other person's shoes is the most important thing," said Ma.