Mini-Mooning It.

6 months into our relationship, Hunter and I spent a month backpacking Europe together. It was one of the best times of our lives. It was also an amazing opportunity to get to know each other in a new way. Being together 24/7 for 31 days, navigating foreign countries in foreign languages, in the biggest heatwave of the decade was a true test of our strength. I really believe that traveling together should be a pre-requisite of marriage. There would probably be a lot less divorce that way.

(Collobriers, France 2003)

As evidenced by our taste, we’re big fans of the cultural and artistic influences of Asia, but neither of us have been there and we’re desperate to remedy that situation. The honeymoon seems like a perfect excuse. But affording a trip like that on top of a wedding is…. laughable in our circumstances.

So, we’re planning to visit either Thailand or Bali for our 1-year anniversary. It will be nice to do something special for the occasion, and I’m excited to have something to plan after the wedding, during my anticipated post-wedding slump. It will be a welcome diversion, I’m sure.

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In the meantime, we both feel its really important to take at least a few days after the wedding to get away, slow down, and enjoy eachother as husband and wife. Enter the mini-moon!

Originally, we thought Napa was the obvious choice. We’ve always wanted to go. We love wine. The French Laundry, aka mecca for foodies, is there. Its purportedly uber-romantic. I hear tell of a wine train which sounds like lots of fun…. or a bicycle wine tasting. Idyllic right?

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But we began to question it when we went camping on Catalina Island for the 4th of July. Its just a short ferry ride away from the California coast, but it feels like a cross between Cape Cod and the French Riviera! Very quaint and romantic. Wouldn’t it be fun to take a family trip out there one day after the wedding, and then just stay behind for a few days of lounging, hiking and romance?

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The last wrench in the wheels is that Hunter has spent 2 out of the last 4 weekends in Las Vegas for various bachelor parties and family stuff. He’d never been there before and really enjoyed it. After seeing a dance performance on from the upcoming Criss Angel/Cirque show (choreographed by my hero, Wade Robson), I started to think it might be fun to go out there and see some shows, eat at some of the amazing restaurants (Thomas Keller, again), and lounge by the pool.

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What do you think… Wine? Catalina? Dancing Rabbits? Which would be most affordable? Memorable? Special? Grrrr…. Too many options for this broke-ass to decide…