what would you say the 2 biggest challenges of LDRs are?

[bluepotato1236]

When we were LD, the biggest challenge is having limited time vacations...

[13000km]

1. Money. Internet bills, phone bills, international airfare and other travelling expenses make it such that we can't visit each other as soon as one of us gets a break from school/work. Spending a short amount of time together is not worth the $2000, so planning visits are very tough.
2. Of course, lack of physicality. A lot of time, when I'm down, I hardly feel like talking. My boyfriend sometimes can talk me out of it, other times I'm just venting and all I need is a hug to make me feel better, a hug I can't get.

[vpavelock]

As much as I like to think a physical relationship is not the most important thing, me and my bf communicate a lot without words, facial expressions and the like. So I really miss communicating with him in a more real way, conversations aren't the same without that component. And I just miss the comfort of his kisses!

[kireinamida]

Not being able to be with him physically. Nothing beats being with him in person. Plus, the time difference and not being able to talk like we used to.

[bigmac62]

1. Saying goodbye. Absolutely awful, no matter who you are or how far apart you may be. Eventually, however, you will have to let them go (for the time being), because they have a life to get back to where they live. It's sad, but it's true.

2. Missing them. It's a sad fact of LDR's: you will miss them, and at times, it will seem like it gets worse rather than better. All I can say there is find something to wrap your arms around until you can wrap your arms around your love again.

[Dziubka]

Apart from the obvious not having him with me when I need it and having limited contact - even though we speak daily and send a lot of texts, I don't get to tell him everything I want and it's frustrating.

It's the lack of flexibility. I'd like to travel to different places in my semester breaks or on long weekends, because I'll probably never again have as much free time as I have now. But all my time and spare money goes into seeing my boyfriend.

[Jonesonaboat]

For me it's not being able to do all the normal things couples do together.

The weather here's been lovely recently and all my friends who are in relationships are going for walks down the beach together, going to the parks and laying together in the sun.

Waking up and not being cuddled up next to him.
Having lay ins together and cuddling and spooning for hours.
Making breakfast for each other.
If it's someone's birthday we can't attend as a couple together, or any event. I want to be going places hand in hand with my man.
Cuddling up together at night watching movies together
Taking one another to bed.

Just, things every couple should be able to do together. And things we used to do every day together.

[NaNi]

What bothers me most? The fact that we can only visit each other once a year. It's not nearly enough. If it were able to meet up more often (like most users on here) it would be way easier for us. Also that we can only talk once a week.

[Leigh]

Not having him around and missing him all the time.

[lademoiselle]

For me, the worst thing is not being around to take care of my SO. Don't get me wrong, he's perfectly capable of looking after himself, but his job takes up a lot of his time and he often neglects himself as a consequence. If I were with him, in the mornings I'd prepare the breakfast which he usually skips because he's running late, and welcome him home from work with the dinner which he's often too tired to cook in the evenings!

Also, I'm a very tactile person and I really miss cuddling, snuggling, massage etc. I genuinely thrive on physical contact and I'd give anything to have my SO close enough to share that with

[erina]

not being able to kiss and hug.
going to sleep alone.
the fear of something happening to my husband and not being able to be there if something did happen. and vice versa.

[marbear31]

Physical affection, especially kissing and cuddling.
Not being able to share the little moments with him in their immediacy.

[lala]

For me, the worst thing is not being around to take care of my SO. Don't get me wrong, he's perfectly capable of looking after himself, but his job takes up a lot of his time and he often neglects himself as a consequence. If I were with him, in the mornings I'd prepare the breakfast which he usually skips because he's running late, and welcome him home from work with the dinner which he's often too tired to cook in the evenings!

Also, I'm a very tactile person and I really miss cuddling, snuggling, massage etc. I genuinely thrive on physical contact and I'd give anything to have my SO close enough to share that with

the same here just being there for the person, when he's ill or when he has stress.. just talking to him and hug him would me great!

[xbriellex]

Right now, time difference isn't so much a problem because I got used to sleeping really late in order to see each other because I don't have work yet.
Another challenge is that we talk to each other every single day, but we run out of things to say

[Larvitar]

For me is the uncertainty and the feeling of loosing time... we don't know when we are going to close the distance, it will depend on his chances of finding a job here (which are really low) and if he can't find something we don't know what's going to happen. On the other hand everyone around me seems to be moving on with their lives and I feel stuck in a nowhere road...