My two-day trip to Paris – the city of love – was an eye-opener to say the least and made me realise one huge plus to travelling so spontaneously
2025 is the year of spontaneity, at least for me. I told myself that I’d say ‘yes’ to doing things that I usually wouldn’t agree to do – no overthinking and simply just doing it. Six months into the year, I have zero regrets.
When the opportunity for a spontaneous weekend trip to Paris came up, of course, I said yes. For a little context, out of nowhere, my parents decided to go on a weekend jaunt to celebrate Mother’s Day. Paris is known to be ‘the city of love’, and it’s not too far from home, so I decided to join them for a literal 48-hour trip. Leaving on Saturday early in the morning, we drove from London to Paris – yes, drove – and came back on Sunday, just past midnight.
London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. So, I thought, if I’m going to spend £100 on a night out, why not go abroad, instead? Plus, the weather in Paris was so much better and warmer than London, so that gave me the ultimate push.
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When it comes to holidays, it’s hard to see and do everything in one trip. On average, UK travellers spend over a week on their holidays abroad. Thankfully, I had already been to Paris, so there wasn’t anything in particular that I wanted to see. Just be there and enjoy the moment.
My really good friend joined us on the trip, and funny enough, she had also been to Paris, but didn’t get the chance to see the Eiffel Tower. I mean, who could miss the 1,083ft tall structure the city is so famous for? So, we made it our mission to visit it – and it was probably the thing we ended up seeing the most, if not the only tourist attraction we beelined.
We walked around the city, sat in coffee shops, did some shopping, and even bar-hopped during the night to make the most of the ‘happy hour’. And honestly, excluding the accommodation and the travel expenses, I don’t think I’ve spent more than £100 – which it got me thinking, why am I not doing this more often?
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We all know that things in 2025 have become much more expensive than they were 10, 20, and even 30 years ago. Going out during the weekend in London has become an occasional treat for many. Let’s be real – the price of drinks, public transport, club entries, taxis, cigarettes… You always end up spending outrageous amounts of money, so is it even worth it?
What a night out would cost you is a plane ticket to a European country, and the expenses are more likely to be less than London prices. Plus, if you want to go abroad without using your annual leave, weekends are the perfect time to do it.
In the end, it wasn’t just about saving a few extra pounds or going on a holiday. It was more about saying yes to things because some of the best memories come from impulsive decisions. Here’s to many more spontaneous last-minute trips that will cost me less than a London night out!
