Can anyone give me any thoughts/advice/experience with a business partnership?

Ive been a Sole Trader before, ran a business from home and it did pretty well. The biggest downer was not being able to get away from it AT ALL. If I wasn't there nothing got done etc, if I wanted a week off unexpectedly I would pay for it 2 months later when the time off 'showed'.

After a really crappy return to 'work' I am again convinced my future is to be my own boss again. I'd really like a partner - the upsides being I could have someone to bounce ideas off, have strengths where I have weaknesses and the reverse, have someone to cover for me and me them etc.
I don't want to run a purely 'from home' business, the things I am interested in involves me getting out and about, the kind of thing I have in mind requires 2 like-minded people.

I know there may be downsides, the reason I am second guessing myself is that my father (and I take his opinions seriously) thinks a partnership is the worst idea ever.

WDYT???