In short, we started dreaming in a way that didn't feel quite so dreamy anymore.
Then, Omicron arrived and the goalposts to international travel were shunted back. With the sharp rise in cases and chance of being a close contact, even domestic travel can feel too risky.
Omicron's arrival makes it easy to judge those exciting conversations and rose-coloured plans as wasted time. Or, like we should halt all plans altogether.
However, according to science and psychology, planning a trip may be just what many of us need to do. Not months from now but right now.
Why? Because the process of planning and anticipating a trip can be almost as satisfying and joyful as the travel itself and there are studies to prove it.
'Waiting for Merlot'; A study of anticipatory consumption
In 2014, Amit Kumar and Matthew Killingsworth from Cornwall University set out to answer a question; if research proves longer-lasting happiness is felt after spending money on experiences rather than material things, what about the difference in happiness before consumption occurs?
In other words, do people derive more happiness from waiting for an experience or an object? Overall, their study found that, yes, people are far happier when anticipating an experience.
According to Kumar and Killingsworth, those who had plans for an experience in the future felt better about their life, social situation, economic status and overall wellbeing. They also experienced fewer negative or unpleasant feelings compared to those who weren't planning an experience.
The power of anticipation
Speaking with National Geographic, Killingsworth said travel, in particular, could create joyful anticipation.
"Our future-mindedness can be a source of joy if we know good things are coming, and travel is an especially good thing to have to look forward to," he said.
A 2020 study by the Institute for Applied Positive Research also found that 97 per cent of Americans said having a trip planned made them happier.
Writing on the study, bestselling author of The Future of Happiness and member of the UN Global Happiness Council, Amy Blankson, MBA, said while anticipatory happiness isn't the exact same as in-the-moment joy, it is still valuable.
"While planning is certainly a different kind of happiness than physically going on a vacation, the process of finding the perfect route, accommodations and activities can be a temporary distraction from the difficult times we're going through," she wrote.
Blankson added that, because these plans are set for the future, they provide a sustained feeling of optimism and hopefulness by encouraging us to look ahead.
The flawlessness of a fantasy
Another benefit of travel planning is that it kickstarts our imagination.
"In a sense, we start to 'consume' a trip as soon as we start thinking about it," explained Killingsworth said.
"When we imagine eating gelato in a piazza in Rome or going water skiing with friends we don't see as much as we'd like, we get to experience a version of those events in our mind."
Since the brain uses similar neural circuits for perception and imagination, simply visualising and dreaming about an experience can elicit the feelings we would expect to feel while eating that gelato or water skiing.
A 2010 psychological study from the Netherlands even found the joy derived from these fantasies can provide more happiness than the actual travel itself.
Published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, interviews with more than 1500 people found most described peak happiness to occur while dreaming about their adventures beforehand.
Fantasy may not be as visceral as the actual experience but comes with the handy advantage of being free from reality.
As we imagine and visualise that flight to Sydney or cruise around Greece, we can mentally accentuate the positives (stunning window-seat views, crystal blue water, delicious cuisine) without the pesky reality (delayed planes, grumpy travel partners, food poisoning).
Stay vague on the details
Anyone who has attempted to plan a trip, even a domestic one, knows how much more challenging it can be during the pandemic.
Fortunately, Kumar said the benefits of travel planning doesn't necessarily come from nailing the nitty-gritty details but discussing general ideas with others.
Travellers "end up talking to people more about their experiences than they talk about material purchases," he said. "Compared to possessions, experiences make for better story material."
The best tactic, added Killingsworth, is planning a vague itinerary. Instead of trying to book accommodation or a tour, start by dreaming up hypothetical plans of where you'd like to visit and what you'd like to do.
"If the experience becomes more stressful or depressing than fun, file it away for another time," he said.
As travel expert Rick Steves told the New York Times, "this virus can stop our travel plans, but it cannot stop our travel dreams."
