Travelling with your family means one thing: you will NEVER run out of stories. This Europe trip was exactly that—equal parts magical, funny, stressful, and unforgettable.

Paris – The Dreamy Beginning

We started our adventure in Paris, the city that glows even when it’s cloudy. Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle right in front of my eyes felt unreal like the movies, but better.

At night, we went to a techno club and trust me, if you haven’t danced like a maniac in Paris, have you even lived? The music, the vibe, the people 10/10 recommend. My legs? Not so much.

After soaking in all things French (especially pastries), we left for our next country…

Italy – Pizza, Pasta & Plot Twists

Rome – Lime Riders in Training

Our first city in Italy was Rome, and this is where the real comedy kicked in.

My highlight?
Riding a Lime scooter with my younger sibling.

But here’s the plot twist:
Before the ride we were like, “Easy yaar, what’s a Lime? Just press a button and go.”
During the ride we were like, “Why is this not moving? Where is the brake? WHY IS IT GOING SO FAST NOW?!”
If anyone saw two confused tourists trying to figure out how to even start a Lime… no you didn’t.

Rome’s Pizza–Pasta Monopoly

Rome was beautiful, but the food?
Pizza. Pasta. Pizza. Pasta.
Everywhere.
I swear if someone had offered me biryani that day, I would have cried happy tears.

The Once-in-25-Years Church Miracle

We visited a famous church whose gate opens only once every 25 years, and we were lucky to be there at the right time.

But of course, my family cannot leave a historical monument without adding a personal twist.

Our “miracle”?
An accident happened there…
Not a holy miracle
My dad lost ALL his cards right there inside the 25-year-old gateway.
I guess the gate wasn’t the only thing that opened that day so did my dad’s wallet. 😭

And before even we realised the cards were gone, I was out there dreaming about shopping like
“Gucci… Prada… Dior… where are you, my loves?”

And then:
Boom.
Reality.

The 12-Euro Notification

We discovered the missing cards ONLY when my dad got a bank notification:

“Someone is trying to charge €12 from your card.”

That card thankfully didn’t work internationally, so it declined.
Dad panicked, rushed to the hotel, and blocked everything.
Me? Still thinking…
“Shopping ka kya?”

I’m telling you, my priorities are clear in life.

The Car Rental Drama

Somewhere in between all this, we went to rent a car.

I proudly said, “I have an international license!”
The manager: “Yes but you must be 30+.”
Me: “Excuse me? I’m already 20.”
Him: “Exactly.”

That was the moment I realised Italy doesn’t believe in Gen Z.
Honestly rude.

Florence – Wine Windows & Wallet Wounds

Next stop: Florence.

We shopped a little… actually, VERY little…
Because—surprise—no cards.

But Florence was all art, history, and of course, food that wasn’t NOT pizza/pasta.

We also tried the famous wine window which was super cute and aesthetic.

And our daily ritual continued:
Gelato… every city, every day.
No one can stop us. Not even missing cards.

Venice – Say Cheese!

Driving in Europe was another movie.

Every time a traffic camera came near us, the whole family screamed:
“Say cheeeeeseee!”
Code word for “SLOW DOWN, PLEASE!”

Venice was dreamy, the canals, the gondolas, the little alleys.
After roaming around like crazy, I declared:

“I NEED A SPA.”

So the next day, my cousin and I went for one.
The spa lady thought I was a child and asked me for ID AGAIN.
I literally told her “I’m 19,” and she still didn’t believe me.
Is this my villain origin story? Maybe.

But the spa + jacuzzi = heaven.

Then we got ready and drove 3 hours straight… still learning how to fill fuel because, of course, India didn’t prepare us for European petrol pumps.

Milan + Lake Como – The Perfect Ending

Finally, we reached Milan.

We visited Lake Como, and let me tell you—
That place is SO pretty it looks like someone added Instagram filters in real life.

In Milan’s streets we played Crazy Legs, sang antakshari, acted like total filmy Indians, and had the most fun.

And then…

In the end, we packed up our chaos, our cute moments, our jokes, our shopping dreams…
and left for the airport. ✈️