Five cities where I’ve felt the most alive.

We are constantly lulled by routine and the hum of everyday life. It’s comfort and enclosure, all in one. Do I feel truly alive every day? Bursting with energy? No. But I've had some humdingers. Here are five cities, where I've felt the most alive.

Westminster Abbey* (London)

Even though I have my faith the abbey wasn’t a monument I was rushing to see when I first visited London. As I pottered around the city with my map, the massive line caught my eye. Walking in, I was not prepared for the drenching of emotion I would feel as my eyes gazed skywards. Growing up in Adelaide, I’d never been exposed to any structure like the abbey, so I was completely floored at the height, the detail, the magnificence of it all. There was something about that place. I felt small, insignificant, but also so incredibly grateful to be within a space that had held so many sacred whispers and fervent prayers. I added my own.

Walking on the decorative stone floor, worn down through centuries, I was amazed at the human skill. How did they make this? How on earth did they get that up there? How old is this again?

It completely overwhelmed me and I cried. I was lost in the moment, completely aware and shaken by my surroundings.

Going back the next day for mass was one of the most sacred moments of my life.

*I know, this isn't a city, but it is too special for me not to be included.

Varanasi, India

Words can’t really describe Varanasi, it needs to be seen and felt, firsthand. It offers a complete saturation of each of the senses. Smokey incense is heavy in the air, along with dense pollution from cremations. Bright, colourful garments and flowers are abundant. It bustles and buzzes and brims with energy as people come from all areas to visit the sacred River Ganga. The most overwhelming part is the humanity. My heart felt as if it was bleeding, seeing people crawl on their hands and knees, as a symbol of complete submission and praise to their holy god, with their family slowly walking behind them as support.

Being there with a friend made it ever more magical. Accompanying her as she plunged three times in the River Ganga as part of her daily devotion, as the sun slowly rose, was almost out of body.

New York City, USA

Travelling to New York for work was a terrifying and exciting adventure. Meeting and networking with top tier industry contacts in slick skyscrapers, rubbing shoulders with prime-time TV deity, it was incredibly thrilling. The jet lag, lack of proper coffee (drip coffee with creamer will never cut it), and fast-pace had my adrenaline working over time. Although maybe not all the time, as I once had a micro-sleep in the middle of a meeting. But none of that mattered, I was in my 20’s in New York, and loving every New York minute of it.

It was also the first time I saw snow. Looking back it was reasonably pitiful, piles lumped up against a kerb outside of my hotel room, but nothing could contain my excitement, or my camera.

Sydney*, Australia

Feeling alive doesn’t necessarily mean feeling happy. For me it is being completely absorbed in the moment, all senses blaring and nerve endings on fire, cheeks blushing, that kind of thing.

Sydney has only ever delivered such a feeling. The many iterations, houses and suburbs I have lived in here have forever kept me on my toes. What’s that noise? Yeah that’s your heart beating out of your chest with stress.

Lovers won, lovers lost. Bad housemates, no housemates, can’t find the right housemates. But there is such an allure to this shiny city. It’s all here, if you want it. And what is it? It can be connection, it can be career, it can be community.

*No photo, I know. But if I did include one, would it need to be of an ex?

Lumbini, Nepal

The birthplace of Buddha, Lumbini felt slightly off the beaten track, and offered a rural reprieve from the bustle of Kathmandu.

I will never forget how the air smelled there. It was so sweet, like a thousand cherry blossoms were surrounding you. I remember not being able to understand it, there were no flowers around, yet it was enchantingly aromatic. I've never visited a place like that since.

A thousand prayer flags were strewn from tree to tree, gently flapping in the warm breeze and the afternoon sun.