June 7th 2024.
Deni Jessica, a 30-year-old woman from Swansea, was always captivated by the holiday photos proudly displayed on the walls of her family home. These pictures featured her late father, Clive Smith, and her mother, Ceri Baker, during their trip to Australia in 1990. The nostalgia and wanderlust inspired by these images eventually led Deni to embark on her own journey to the Land Down Under, 30 years later.
Accompanied by her partner, Matt Carcer, a 34-year-old seller hand, Deni set off on a two-year adventure across Australia. Their travels took them to iconic cities such as Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, and Melbourne. During their trip, Deni and Matt made a special effort to recreate the same photos that her parents and grandparents had taken all those years ago.
Deni's favorite photo recreation was the one her mother took in the Blue Mountains. She also posed in front of other famous landmarks such as Uluru and Australia Zoo. Deni shared that the idea to recreate these photos came to her when she flipped through her parents' albums in between her first and second year in Australia. It was then that she decided to embark on this unique project during her second year abroad.
In January 2019, Deni and Matt returned to Australia for a second time, this time with a mission to explore the country in a different way. They bought an old Volkswagen Caddy and turned it into their home for the next year. This van took them to places like Mount Gambier, Port Hedland, and Cable Beach. Deni recalls, "We stayed in the van for the whole year, it was someone's work van – we put a shelf in the back and chucked our stuff in."
Recreating the photos was not always an easy task, as some locations had changed over the years. Deni shared that they had to settle for similar locations when they couldn't find the exact spot. Nevertheless, the project was a success, and Deni's parents were overjoyed to see their daughter following in their footsteps. She mentioned that her dad was especially enthusiastic and would help her go through the albums to find the perfect spot for the recreation.
Sadly, this project holds a bittersweet memory for Deni, as it ended up being the last thing she did with her father. He passed away in 2022 while she was travelling in New Zealand. Deni shared, "I think this project was close to me as it was one of the last things my dad and I did together." This makes the recreated photos even more special and meaningful to her.
Apart from Australia, Deni also recreated her parents' photo from their holiday in Barcelona. She plans to continue this project and recreate their holiday pictures from Europe as well. Deni and her partner now make it a point to take as many photos of themselves while travelling, as she regrets not having enough holiday snaps with her father.
Deni's story is a beautiful reminder that our loved ones never truly leave us. They live on through the memories we hold dear and the moments we choose to recreate in their honor. Do you have a similar story to share? We would love to hear from you. Get in touch by emailing us at [insert email address].
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