✨ Family, Photos & Fairy Lights – My Europe Adventure ✨ By Jaz

Three weeks across London, Manchester, Scotland, and Paris—capturing moments that will last a lifetime.

What started as a family holiday became something deeper—a journey stitched together by history, music, laughter, and fairy lights. Photography has always been my passion, but on this trip I discovered that my camera doesn’t just capture places—it captures people, emotions, and the fleeting magic of being together. This is my Europe story. 

✈️ From Melbourne to London

Every epic adventure begins with a boarding pass. Our trip started with a 7-hour 55-minute flight from Melbourne to Singapore, followed by a 3.5-hour layover, and then the long 14-hour journey to London. 

By the time we checked into our hotel, jetlag had taken its toll. Yet when I pulled back the curtain and saw Big Ben framed in our window, fatigue melted into wonder. That was my first real pinch-me moment: I’m here. I’m in London.

📸 “Buckingham Palace may be grand, but nothing’s grander than family.” 

🇬🇧 London – A City of Contrasts

The next morning, we hopped onto a classic red double-decker bus, weaving through the city as familiar landmarks suddenly felt larger-than-life. The London Eye turned slowly over the Thames, Buckingham Palace stood stoic behind its gates, and the manicured gardens invited us to linger. 

A full-day trip took us further afield, to Stonehenge and Bath. At Stonehenge, icy winds whipped across the plain, but clutching a hot chocolate, I felt anchored in the moment. The stones stood silent yet spoke volumes, their mystery older than memory itself. 

Bath charmed me in a completely different way. Its honey-colored Georgian houses, Roman Baths Museum, and winding streets looked like they belonged on a movie set. We ate pastries warm from the oven, snapped photos of ancient doors, and marveled at how the past still lives here.

📸 “From the top deck of a red London bus to the golden gates of Buckingham Palace, the city felt like it had stepped out of history just for us. By afternoon, icy winds swept us across the plains of Stonehenge, hot chocolate in hand, before Bath charmed us with warm pastries, honey-colored houses, and stories older than time.” 

🎶 Music & Magic in London

London has rhythm stitched into its streets, and we felt it on our Rock & Roll Tour. Standing outside Abbey Road, hearing stories of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, even seeing Michael Jackson’s guitar on display—it was like paging through music history. 

And then, the moment of the trip: a surprise from my parents. Tickets to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour. 

As the arena went dark and the opening chords echoed, the crowd roared. When Beyoncé sang If I Were a Boy, her voice rang out with raw power that silenced thousands. For me, it was more than a concert—it was a once-in-a-lifetime memory.

📸 “London has rhythm stitched into every street—from crossing Abbey Road and hearing Beatles stories to standing in awe before Michael Jackson’s guitar. But nothing compared to the beat of the night my parents surprised me with Beyoncé tickets. When she sang If I Were a Boy, the arena held its breath, and I knew I’d never forget that moment.” 

🚗 Road Trip North – Manchester, York & Scotland

Our next chapter took us north on a four-hour road trip to Manchester, where my brother and his girlfriend live. More than sightseeing, this stop was about reconnecting—shared dinners, movie nights, and catching up on all the little things you miss when you live far apart. 

From there, we headed to York. Walking along its medieval city walls and peering down crooked lanes felt like stepping into a storybook. Then came Scotland, where the wild landscapes seemed to breathe differently—sharper air, endless skies. 

We stayed in a castle with its own golf course (yes, really!), visited the towering Kelpies statues, and feasted on hearty meals that warmed us after long, windblown walks.

📸 “In Manchester, it wasn’t landmarks but laughter that mattered—shared meals, movie nights, and time with my brother and his girlfriend. York unfolded like a storybook, its crooked lanes and city walls whispering tales of the past. Then Scotland swept us away: castle stays, wild skies, and the Kelpies rising out of the earth like steel guardians.” 

🇫🇷 Paris – Where Every Corner Shines

Finally, Paris. Just a quick 1.5-hour flight but a world away. At night, the Eiffel Tower shimmered with golden fairy lights, a sight that no photo could truly capture—but of course, I tried anyway. The Moulin Rouge, glowing scarlet against the night, felt both theatrical and timeless. 

Paris was made for slow wandering: strolling along the Seine, tasting croissants so buttery they melted instantly, and photographing every café, bridge, and balcony. Here, even the shadows feel poetic.

📸 “Finally, Paris—just 90 minutes in the air but a world apart. The Eiffel Tower glittered in golden light, the Moulin Rouge glowed deep scarlet, and every stroll along the Seine felt like stepping into a poem. Croissants melted on the tongue, cafés begged to be photographed, and even the shadows seemed to tell their own stories.” 

💌 Coming Home

After Paris, we circled back to Manchester for one last goodbye with my brother and his girlfriend. Goodbyes are never easy, but there was comfort in knowing we had created memories that would carry us across the distance until next time. Our return flight to Melbourne was quieter. Luggage heavier, memory cards full, and hearts fuller still.

E📸 “After Paris, we returned to Manchester for one last goodbye with my brother and his girlfriend. Goodbyes are never easy, but the memories we made will carry us across the distance. The flight back to Melbourne was quieter—bags heavier, memory cards full, and hearts even fuller.”

✨ Reflections

Looking back, this trip was more than a checklist of landmarks. It was: 

• Holding hot chocolate in the freezing winds of Stonehenge.
• Watching my brother laugh across a Manchester café table.
• Hearing Beyoncé’s voice shake an arena.
• Watching fairy lights twinkle across the Paris night sky.

✨ “Landmarks fade, but the laughter, music, and magic we capture with those we love become timeless. Through my lens, I’m not just photographing places—I’m preserving love, time, and togetherness.”

Written By: Jazmin