Gen Z Woman Decides To Travel Europe, Tears Over Who She Takes With Her
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A 22-year-old woman's dream trip across Europe has become an emotional journey due to an unlikely companion.
Lilly Cannavan chose to honor her late grandmother by embarking on the adventure with her beloved grandad, already creating memories that have captured hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok. She spoke to Newsweek about what her 77-year-old grandfather, Dave, means to her, and what they're both enjoying on the six-week trip across the pond.
The inspiration behind the trip came from a place of love and remembrance.
Photos from Lilly Cannavan's TikTok video of her and her grandfather preparing to travel Europe together.
Photos from Lilly Cannavan's TikTok video of her and her grandfather preparing to travel Europe together.
@lilcoombsy_/TikTok
"The trip was inspired by the recent passing of my grandma around this time last year," Cannavan shared. "I grew up with my grandparents, so to honor her, we decided to go explore Europe together—something she would have always wanted, but could never do, considering she hated flying."
Currently in Ireland, the duo is set to travel across various European destinations before returning home to Australia on September 9. Despite the generational gap, their journey has been remarkably smooth and filled with joy.
"We have so much fun together," Cannavan said. "We have our fair share of fights, which usually results in me yelling and grandad sulking, but we always get over them and in a way that brings us closer."
Dave, who just celebrated his 77th birthday in June, brings a youthful spirit to their travels. Cannavan affectionately described him as "a 25-year-old stuck in a 77-year-old's body." This means plenty of lively experiences, often involving Cannavan trying to keep up with his pace, enjoying new acquaintances and immersing themselves in local cultures.
"We push each other to do more," Cannavan said, recounting a recent evening where she had to "drag him home from an Irish pub close to midnight because he was having too much fun chatting to the locals over one too many pints."
The adventure has profoundly strengthened their already close relationship.
"Dave is my best friend, and this experience has solidified that for both of us I think," Cannavan said. The passing of her grandma brought a stark realization about the preciousness of time.
"After my grandma passed, we realized how little time we could have left together, so to do something like this, go see the world together, it's unbelievable and something I'll never forget," she said.
Cannavan said she hopes that others following their journey on TikTok will take away a crucial message. "Cherish the time you have with people around you, not just your grandparents, but everyone," she said. "You never know when things will change—for the better or the worse—so you need to embrace every moment with your loved ones. Life is so short, after all."
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