Chichester and Arundel Lifestyle May - Jun 2021

“SURFERS RODE
THE WAVES WHILST
LONG-BILLED
CURLEWS ON THE
SHORE MOVED UP
AND DOWN THE
SHORE FEEDING
FROM THE WET
SAND.”
before going back to my new overnight
stay at the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort.
A quirky traditional seaside property
with spectacular views of the Pacific
Ocean from my balcony Cavalier
Oceanfront Resort is a cosy contrast
to the contemporary Hotel Cerro. The
log burner in the corner of the room
was welcomed juxtaposing the chill of
the sea breeze. The sound of the sea
and roaring fire sending me to sleep
with ease. As it was dark I could only
hear the sea, however on waking in the
morning how close the sea was to my
balcony was a stunning surprise. It was
only a short walk away - perfect for a
pre-breakfast stroll. I ate breakfast at the
resort which, like the decor of the guest
room, had a traditional American feel.
Fuelled with berry waffles I booked myself
onto a Yoga and Meditation experience set
in Cambria’s pine forest with yoga teacher
Terri Harrington. The dappled light in the
pine forest was mesmerising, closing my
eyes and embracing the sounds I could
here connected me to the land as the
sunlight touching my face felt magical.
From yoga to freshening up back out the
hotel, I stopped briefly at The Truck in
Hearst Winery. It was here I had my first
‘proper’ American burger and I am still
thinking about the lunch as I write this in
the UK. It was everything I wanted it to be.
Departing Hearst Winery I made my way
to Hearst Castle, stopping briefly at Piers
Blancas Rookery, to see the incredible
Elephant Seals and their families along
the coastline. Close-up these magnificent
mammals were larger than I had first
imagined, almost rock-like in the flesh,
you could easily mistake them from further
afield. Meandering up to Hearst Castle, its
presence became apparent as it stood tall
and grand, overlooking the land. Hearst
Castle’s architectural brilliance flowed
from the exterior all the way into the
interior walls. It was breath taking - and
made me realise how such a piece of
architecture had now become an iconic
visit of California.
That evening me and my company had
our last evening dinner of the trip, saving
the best dinner location to last. Robin’s
Restaurant! Handcrafted comfort cuisine
in the small historic village of Cambria felt
like the perfect time to take a breather and
reflect on my time in San Luis Obispo.
Hours past, delicious dishes flowed, our
own wine served and everyone was united
over what an incredible trip this has been.
Dessert was served, a rich chocolate tart
and small espresso left my belly full once
more and I went to bed feeling content.
Cambria Cafe was my last morning stop
in California, based on the main street in
Cambria. Fusing American and Mexican
food staples together this breakfast felt
more like a brunch in comparison to
traditional American fayre. A short stop
away on my journey to the airport was
Cayucos, a nostalgic California beach
town full of charming antique shops,
boutiques and local eateries. I stopped
briefly at the Brown Butter Cookie
Company and tried some of their famous
sweet treats, a salty yet sweet fuse of
shortbread textured cookies. They were
too good to not fill the remainder room of
my suitcase and one packet whilst walking
along the pier and sea front. Surfers rode
the waves whilst long-billed curlews on
the shore moved up and down the shore
feeding from the wet sand.
Waiting for my flight home, I could
only think about what an extraordinary
opportunity to experience such an
incredible place is. I only wish I could live
there. I really do feel like San Luis Obispo
has consolidated a life that is too beautiful
to rush.
Find out more at www.slocal.com
Hotel Cerro - rooms from £340 per night
www.hotelcerro.com
Cavalier Oceanfront Resort - rooms
from £150 per night
www.cavalierresort.com
TRAVELLING AMIDST
COVID RESTRICTIONS
At the time of writing, leisure travel is
not permitted from the UK. However,
when these restrictions are eased,
it is vital that you are aware of the
conditions of travel both to and from
the country. It is likely a negative,
laboratory-approved PCR test certificate
will be required for travel. Airlines may
also insist upon a negative test result for
return travel.
Finally, prior to arriving back in the UK,
you will need to book tests for Day 2
and Day 8 after you land - these are
through government-approved suppliers,
a list of which can be found here.
www.gov.uk/guidance/providers-of-day-2-and-day-8-coronavirus-testing-for-international-arrivals.
Then you
must isolate for 10 days at home.
If you are not travelling from a ‘red
list’ country, you may be able to use
the ‘Test to Release’ service, which,
provided you have a negative test on
Day 2, allows an additional test on Day
5, which if also negative will allow you
to end your home quarantine early.
We recommend Eurofins for both the
Test to Fly and Test to Release service
- they are reliable and competitively
priced. They have postal kits available
from £44.90, and special VIP concierge
services for £150 where a test will be
couriered to you, collected and tested
on the same day to ensure quick results.
Find out more at www.eurofins.
co.uk/pcr-testing-kits
www.minervamagazines.co.uk | 25