Paris the city of love!

Whilst places like Athens and Rome make you stop and imagine what history must have been like, Paris is different — it makes you feel it, like you’re actually part of it. There’s something about the architecture, the sheer opulence, and the constant buzz of the city that just pulls you in. You don’t just look at it… you live it.

It’s good to be the king

We took a trip out to the incredible Palace of Versailles, which honestly feels like the ultimate statement of wealth and power from its time. Every room, every hallway — it’s all designed to impress, and it still does.

The times, they are a changing

What really struck us though was how much things have changed since we were here 20 years ago. Back then, we definitely felt the language barrier. We had a little notebook with a handful of French words scribbled down and did our best to get by — and to be honest, the locals weren’t overly warm to us either. This time around, we came armed with Google Translate, ready for anything… but interestingly, we didn’t need it nearly as much. English seems far more widely spoken now.

We had a great chat with a young African guy who told us he’d learned French and German formally, but most of his English had actually come from social media. Bit of a sign of the times really — the world feels a lot smaller than it used to.

Then there was our visit to the Louvre Museum. That was a bit of a reality check. Last time we came, we just wandered in, bought a ticket at the counter, and took our time. This time, it’s a whole operation — booking online, selecting a time slot, and then queuing until your exact entry window opens.

And the biggest difference? The Mona Lisa.

When we brought the kids all those years ago, we could walk right up, stand there for a while, and really take it in. This time… it was more like a mission. Push through the crowd, get the photo, and move on. Honestly, I don’t think I saw many people just quietly appreciating it — and if they were, they were getting nudged out of the way by the next wave of i-phones.

It’s still an incredible place, no doubt about it — but it feels like the experience has shifted a bit from soaking it all in… to capturing a selfie as quickly as possible.

ANZAC DAY – Villers-Bretonneux, France

This morning started well before sunrise, one of those early wake-ups where you know it’s going to be worth it. We made our way out to the dawn service at the Australian National Memorial, and even in the dark you could feel how significant the place is.

As the first light crept in, the crowd grew—Australians everywhere of course, but also people from all over the world. It’s hard to explain, but there’s something pretty powerful about standing there, halfway across the world, and seeing how many people turn up to remember. It’s quiet, respectful, and you can feel the weight of it all without anyone needing to say much.

The town itself, Villers-Bretonneux, really wears its heart on its sleeve when it comes to Australia. There are murals, flags, little figurines—reminders everywhere of the connection. Some locals even go all out decorating their homes for ANZAC Day. You can tell it’s not just history to them; it’s something they genuinely care about and continue to honour.

After the service, we spent some time visiting a few of the memorials around the area. They’re incredibly well maintained, which makes a difference—it shows the respect hasn’t faded.

A few of the statues had clearly been “visited” by some local birds, which gave us a bit of a quiet chuckle, but it didn’t take away from the moment. One that really stood out to me was the memorial to the animals of war.

The statue of the horse is beautifully done, and when you look closely, you can see engravings of a bird and a dog in its mane. It’s a small detail, but it says a lot about how many lives—human and animal—were caught up in it all.

We also went back to the British Military Cemetery at Pozieres, which we first visited back in 2006. This one is a bit more personal—Digbys great-grandfather’s name is on the wall, it is a pretty special moment, and you could see it meant a lot.

All up, it was a quick trip into France, but this stop was never about sightseeing—it was about being there for the dawn service, and I’m really glad we made the effort.

From here, things get a bit more open-ended, the next leg is very much a “let’s see where we end up” kind of adventure… so we honestly don’t know where we’ll land next, makes it a bit exciting, really.

Will keep you posted on where we end up. Cheers!

© Michelle Brown 2026. All photographs and content on this blog are the property of the author and are protected by copyright laws. Unauthorised use, reproduction, or distribution is prohibited without prior written permission.

FRANCE - 2026

MOROCCO - 2026