Longest time spent away from spouse / partner?

[soccerdad72]

I'm sure there's some pretty extreme examples of this, like military families or people who's spouse / SO travel a lot for work, but I'm curious in everyone's experiences.

My wife leaves Saturday to go to Florida to visit with her mom. As things work out, she is spending 10 days with her mom, then has to go to Arizona for some meetings for a couple days, then to Chicago for a one night visit to meet up with some of her team. Then when she gets home, two weeks from today, she'll be back on the road immediately to go visit our younger son for his fraternity's Mom's Weekend. Before she gets back, I'll be off to the airport with our older son (we're both on spring break) for a short Vegas trip (4 days).

I'll see her very briefly when I pick her up at the airport. but otherwise, it will be about 2 1/2 weeks without seeing her.

While we both used to do a fair amount of travel for business (at various times), I think that might be the longest we will have gone without seeing each other. Was curious what was the longest you've gone in the past?

 

[easyas123]

I think about a week or 10 days maybe? Probably for one of his hunting trips or when he & one of my brothers took a boat over to the Abacos two days after Hurricane Dorian to deliver some generators/check out my parents property and look for some folks who we hadn't heard from... We each travel for work...ironically we work together and the travel is to the same location but usually at different times!

 

[kdonnel]

In the 6 or 7 day range.

I have had some week long business and guys trips and she has taken some week long girls trips.

 

[AnnaS]

I would say a week to two weeks tops (probably a little less than two weeks).

(trying to think - a week with my daughter and her friend, another week for her 16th with three of her friends and my sister, another week or so I visited my in-laws (in Florida/he met me for a few days at the end) and many years ago, two trips to Toronto (his family. )

 

[Lynne G]

Two years. Military wife.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Geeze, really reaching into the depths of time for this, LOL

The ex had a 6 month contract to set up a new restaurant in the US Virgin Islands. It made sense for the children and me to stay at home so we did.

The man and I attended work functions separately and sometimes vacations as well. I doubt either was away from home longer than a month.

 

[summerlyangel]

In our early marriage, about 3 months. But, it was because of an impending 700 mile move. I went ahead and he stayed to close up lose ends.


When my parents needed care a couple of years ago, I spend 3-4 days per week at their house 2 hours away while DH held down the fort at home. This went on for about 1.5 years.

Since then, a few 4 day stretches due to his work travel. I'm away from home for work 15 hr days, 3 days per week and it certainly feels like I've been gone when those days are in a row.

 

[luvsvacation]

Up till now I think the longest trip I’ve done without my husband was 16 days when I took our teenage kids on a road trip out west (DH isn’t big in traveling, especially long trips).

This summer I have 3 back to back trips and will only be home for 1 1/2 days and then 2 1/2 days in a 2 month period of time. I’ve got a week long work trip, home for a day and a half, then taking our daughter to Europe for 5 weeks to celebrate her masters degree, home for 2 1/2 days, then a 2 week work trip (ironically back to Europe, I’m going to have some major jet lag that week!)

 

[#1hoosierfan]

One week - I went on a beach vacation with friends.

 

[Minnesota!]

It would probably be like a week? He moved his family out to California a few years ago and drove them out, unpacked them, drove back. I think it was a week? He went to California for a boys trip when my kids were tiny, too...can't recall how long he was gone then.

I am taking my kid to Florida this summer, solo. So, that will be a week then, too.

 

[Kitty 34]

a week..... DH's fishing trip

 

[RedAngie]

Maybe 15 days. DH went on a business trip for 10 days, and then I left for business a day before he returned.

ExH was in Hong Kong for 4 months. About halfway thru I went to visit for 6 days.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

My husband is a scuba diver and has gone on many dive trips over the past 30+ years. They’re usually a week long. I am not a diver and have never gone with him. It’s usually hard enough to afford for him to go let alone me too. He always goes with his brother and his wife, who I can’t stand. I prefer to stay home and enjoy a week on my own. Next year he will be going for 2 1/2 weeks.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

First time when we were engaged it was 11 months. He took at job in California and I followed later. Then 20 or so years later, 6 months. Took another job and me and daughter stayed in California to finish school year.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Because he had to move for work but our kids were finishing HS and then I started a job while kids were in College and needed my benefits, OMG the whole thing sucked so much. Years with 2 homes, seeing each other every other week with some blips over a month at a time, I am ok being alone and glad I learned that about myself but again suck is the word that comes to mind. When 2020 happened we were all in one place again, it was healing for my little family.

When it gets to be too much say something, it takes a toll to be in that weird space.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

Umm, once we moved in together (1999) The longest we've gone without seeing the others face is 3 days (for my girls or sisters weekends) .There were many weeks when the kids were young and we worked opposite shifts, that we were ships passing, but that's still living in the same house.

 

[ftbaker1313]

When my wife and I relocated to Tenn from Ohio, I spent about three weeks in our new home. My wife stayed on at her old job and helped train her replacement. Outside of that time the longest is probably a week for work.

 

[tasha99]

1 year (military family back then)

 

[ElevationNotice]

Don't have one ! )

 

[Praying Colonel]

If being engaged counts, DW spent a semester student teaching abroad. If we're talking about since being married, about 3 weeks.