Early in the pandemic, when I missed out on a trip to Italy, I called it ‘delayed grativacation’. At that point, I could not have imagined we would be at home every day and every night for seven long months and it’s still mind-blowing when I think about it. I took 5 international trips in 2019 so all this home time would not have seemed possible. Are you feeling it too? Like so many of you-clients, friends, and blog readers- who have had to postpone your travel plans, we feel for you and have recently done the same.

As I shared on Instagram, my husband and I made the difficult decision to postpone our long-awaited ‘wanderlist’ trip to French Polynesia for our 20th wedding anniversary. We had plans to arrive today to enjoy the beauty of Moorea and Bora Bora, experience those aqua waters in overwater bungalows for the first time as we toasted our anniversary. As you can probably relate, the delayed gratification is not easy, especially when you are looking forward to the change of pace, ease of stress, a new adventure, and reconnecting with nature, yourself, or someone you love.

But for now, it feels safer to postpone, so we pivot. We feel the disappointment and move those plans further back on our ‘wanderlist’ calendar. Bora Bora will have to wait until July 2021. And then we make some new plans. For us, it needed to be something meaningful, something worthy of our 20th celebration and it needed to feel safe in these COVID times. By sheer coincidence, and a webinar I joined with preferred travel partners, the perfect destination fell right into place. The answer, it seems, was hanging on the wall in my husband’s home office all along.

My dress for our anniversary dinner is more coral than red, but Scott and I will lounging on this very balcony, and enjoying a stay at this residential-style boutique hotel in the Napa Valley later this week. Auberge Du Soleil, “Inspired by the south of France. Infused with California soul'“ will be perfect for our celebration. With a bit of planning and creativity, we have another ‘wanderlist’ stay on the horizon for this milestone and I hope you do for yours.

Stay safe and cheers! Heather

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View Auberge Du Soleil and contact us at Curated Travel for more information and to book this or any of the Auberge Collection Resorts.

Painting by California Artist: Michael Flohr