It just doesn't make sense to me that the compromise is each person spending some of their time being miserable while the other one is happy. So for example, I abhor sitting on the beach all day doing absolutely nothing. I'd be miserable doing that. On the other hand, there are folks who would be miserable trudging through museums all day or shopping all day, two things I love to do. For me to make them spend their day doing those things and being miserable, and then turn around spending my day on the beach to make up for it, well, it just doesn't make sense to me.
Truly miserable? There is absolutely nothing at the beach that you could find to enjoy if you went here for *part* of your vacation? There is absolutely no way to find the slightest bit of interest or enjoyment in a trip to the museum?
That sounds like the picky eaters in the OP--they can't set aside their personal preferences long enough to discover that the might actually BE *something* enjoyable even if the basic event is not to their tastes.
(Not that I personally think splitting up is so bad. I just wonder sometimes if there are too many people in our world who want to only ever do things THEIR way.)
Yup, truly miserable. I know because I did it. Once. I spent the day on the beach with two people who loved the beach. It wasn't even a vacation, it was one friend who was in town visiting me and another friend. We live 50 miles from the beach and visiting friend really wanted to go so we went. They spent most of the day in the water. I don't like going out into the water so I spent most of the day sitting under the parasol, hot, sweaty and uncomfortable. I did bring things to do, books, magazines, etc.
But I was still bored stiff, totally uncomfortable, and as it turns out, mildly sunburned at the end of the day because the shade simply does not protect you as much as I thought it would. Yeah, I would have covered up more had I known, but then I would have been even hotter and more uncomfortable. (And I'm dark complected so I don't burn easily.)
I learned my lesson. One hour on the beach is my limit. I will happily occupy myself for that long if my companion wants to frolic or venture out into the surf or take a walk in the sand or whatever. Any more than that and I'm going to have to decline.
As far as others occupying themselves in a museum, I can't really answer that because I love them. But I do know people who pretty much refuse to go at all, so I'm sure that for them, it's equivalent to my experience at the beach. Different strokes, as they say.
I just don't get the idea that it's so important to force yourself to do something you really really don't want to do for the sake of togetherness. It's not so much that I insist on doing things my way. As I said, I'm perfectly willing to compromise in some areas. It's more that I insist on
not doing things that I already know
from experience that I will not be happy doing.