When H invited me to cruise up the coast with him on a friend’s sailboat, I said yes. I was smitten, and he was talking visits to Australia. But things got weird after we pulled anchor, and by the time we reached our destination, he was acting paranoid, asking where I planned to stay that night and suggesting it not be in X village. It was obvious that something was up, and a month later my suspicions were confirmed by one of his friends, with whom I’d struck up an email correspondence. H had a girlfriend, and the reason he’d sailed up the coast to begin with was to meet the girlfriend he’d forgotten to tell me he had. I was humiliated, not to mention angry that I’d been made an unwitting accomplice to H’s infidelity.Regarding infidelity, let the buyer beware when it comes to travel flings. If you’re in a relationship, whatever your arrangement, don’t be an a-hole: use a condom. I don’t condone cheating because S.O.’s usually find out (“What happens on tour stays on tour” is bullshit in this era of social media), hearts and trust are broken, and diseases are spread. Potentially risking the life of someone you care about (or that of a stranger) is just not cool. If you’re single, be aware that your new friend may not be — no matter what they tell you. Since you have no way of knowing, in the moment, what their situation really is, protect your feelings and your health. I once had a fling with a guy, only to find out later that he was married. I don’t like being the other woman, even if the primary woman is cool with her husband screwing around.This brings me back to condoms. Condoms don’t work if you don’t use them, and if they’re applicable to your sex life, pack them , because you never want to rely on a rusting vending machine in skanky bars or off-brands from developing nations. Of course, condoms aren’t fail-safe, nor do they protect against every STI, but they’re better than nothing. On the related topic of safety, keep your wits about you when traveling, whether or not romance is on the menu. If you’re lucky enough to get lucky, don’t trust that your new partner will be a gentleman during or after the act, no matter how charming or heartfelt he is.