We all wished we lived the romanticised version of our lives—swimming in cerulean waters and chasing sunsets with our soulmate—I daydream, as I type this story from my first-floor office in Delhi. But let’s face it—relationships, travel, and even love can be messy and tiring. A few years ago, influencer couple, Prachi Dhadwal and Harsh Pandorwala left their nine-to-five life in India to travel the world, while finding home not just in a place, but in each other. They have since hiked across Argentina, done game drives at the Masai Mara, and spotted humpback whales in Antarctica. But travel doesn’t just offer them scenic views and unforgettable experiences. It offers a space to make mistakes and amends in a relationship, to reflect and reconnect, to sometimes fight on a 12-hour-long road trip through Iceland, but mostly to fall in love with each other a little bit more each time.   

As they make their way through New Zealand in a camper van, I speak to them about what relationship wellness means to them, the rituals that keep them grounded in love, how even after spending nine years together, they never run out of things to say and how travel brought them so close that all it takes is a side-eyed glance to know exactly what the other is thinking.   

Excerpts From The Interview With Prachi And Harsh  

T+L India: People often say that if you want to know if the person is right for you, spend 12 hours with them on a road trip. What makes travel a powerful tool in understanding and loving another person?   

Prachi and Harsh: Travel has definitely brought us closer together. For the first five years of our relationship, we were broke college students and not traveling much at all. We loved each other, but we didn’t really know each other’s ins and outs the way we do now. Since we’ve started travelling together in 2021, we’ve gotten to know each other so much better. Now, one look or an eyebrow raise is enough for us to know exactly what the other person is thinking. It feels like our connection has deepened to a point where there are no secrets. There’s nothing left unsaid between us.  

T+L India: Tell us about a travel experience that brought y’all closer?   

Prachi and Harsh: It’s hard to pick just one, but our most recent trip to New Zealand definitely stands out. We rented a camper van to live and travel around the South Island for a month. We’re usually used to a bit more comfort when we travel, so the whole camping side of it has been very new for us. Living in such close quarters could’ve been a challenge, but really, it felt natural because we’re so used to being together all the time. And what really made it special was the perfect mix of adventure and romance—waking up in the middle of New Zealand’s rugged, wild beauty, making matcha in our little van, and just spending time in nature together brought us closer than ever.   

T+L India: What does relationship wellness mean to you? What are some habits or rituals you practice together while travelling?   

Prachi and Harsh: We’re really big on habits and rituals as a couple. One of our favourites is our Thursday date nights. It might sound funny since we’re always traveling and going out anyway, but when you run a business together and live together, lines can become blurry. You end up talking about work at midnight in bed, and that doesn’t feel good. So, Thursdays are strictly for us as a couple—we’re not allowed to talk shop. We dress up and go out like we would when we had just started dating.  

Also, we can talk endlessly. Even after nine years, we never run out of things to say. I [Prachi] love asking fun questions to spark conversations. On our first date, I had brought a list of 36 questions to make Harsh fall in love with me, and that’s still part of our rhythm as a couple. So, for us, wellness is about being intentional and making space for rituals, conversations, and some fun.    

T+L India: What is one destination that you would associate relationship wellness with and why?   

Prachi and Harsh: For us, that place is Bali. It’s the one destination we keep going back to because it makes us feel good, both individually, and as a couple. We love doing yoga classes together, and spending time meditating. It’s such a spiritual place, that it always brings out a calmer, more intentional side in us. We get to go to the beach for sunsets every day, try new things, and just enjoy life together. Every time we’re there, we feel really connected to ourselves and with each other.  

T+L India: How do you navigate through conflict while on the road?

Prachi and Harsh: Navigating through conflict on the road is pretty peaceful. We’ve realised over the years that most of our little disagreements happen when we’re hungry. Frequent meals are a big part of our conflict management. If we’re getting snappy, it usually just means it’s time to eat. Besides that, most of our disagreements are about work rather than our relationship. We’ve been on a road trip in Iceland or hiking in Argentina, when suddenly an email or a business decision comes up, and our opinions can clash. When that happens, we keep calm. We don’t raise our voice. Instead, we take a little time apart to clear our heads, journal, or go for a short walk. Then we come back, hold hands, and talk it through. The thing we love most is that nothing is off limits between us. We can talk about anything, apologise quickly, and let go of any ego. That honesty and respect can even make conflict feel like something that brings us closer rather than tear us apart.

T+L India: What have been the best lessons travel has taught you about love?   

Prachi and Harsh: One of the biggest lessons travel has taught us about love, is self-acceptance. In the early years of our relationship, before we started traveling, our insecurities would show up a lot—and quite often at that. But when you’re on the road, you can’t escape yourself. You have to face those insecurities head-on, and for us, that turned into a journey of self-acceptance. We realised that the more we accept and love ourselves as individuals, the better we can show up for each other. It might sound cliché, but if you don’t love yourself, you can’t fully love someone else. So, travel hasn’t just taught us about the world, it’s taught us about ourselves, and it’s what has brought us even closer in love.   

Related: How A Year In Travel Helped Me Rediscover Romance

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