A Love Letter To Sydney In The Heart Of A Pandemic

Flights are grounded and borders closed with families, friends and lovers forced to decide where to put down their roots for the foreseeable - no life, career or relationship immune from COVID-19's contagious spell.

With governments urging citizens to return, I was one of the thousands of Brits living in Australia asked to answer the heartbreaking question: "Where is home?"

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Six months ago, my four-year relationship broke down and depression finally reared its ugly head, unleashing its wrath on my health.

So I fled London for new beginnings in Sydney with nothing but a one-way ticket and a whole load of emotional baggage in tow.

It may have been an Elizabeth Gilbert-inspired expedition to "find myself" but it's the best gamble I've ever taken with nothing more satisfying than creating a life for yourself in a country you'd never stepped foot in before.

With a newfound circle of lifelong friends and thumbprint-laden disposables I can't wait to share with future grandchildren - I've not once looked back.

That was until my first trip back to the UK in early March, when the imposing threat of the coronavirus pandemic weighted on my plans.

I had a decision to make - either book an early flight back to Australia and bid goodbye to life down under or retreat in the blanketing comfort of my British hometown.

After a lot of tears, rushed hugs and cancelled flights; I cut my trip short and touched down in Sydney just shy of two hours before the border closed.

Let me tell you, the 32-hour journey has never felt longer with an all-too-familiar twinge rocking in the pit of my stomach - homesickness.

But my first jet-lagged day back reminded me why I gave everything up for the shot at something new.

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Much to my delight, a friend I made out here just mere months ago turned up on my doorstep - her arms bursting with self-care goodies, local groceries and seriously good coffee - all designed to see me through isolation.

When life takes an unexpected turn, you see things from a new perspective and I've never been more grateful for finding somewhere to call home on the other side of the world.

Over the last month, I've watched Australians handle the global crisis with a comforting sense of authority. Irresponsible sunbathers have been called out, beaches have closed and communities have pulled together to help support local businesses.

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With no chance of retreating to the UK, I've never felt further from what I know but I count myself incredibly lucky for the home I've found here and am grateful for the simplest of pleasures that are suddenly beyond our reach.

I wake every morning to candy-tinged skies that see me crave pre-quarantine beach days, my skin hot and salty from the waves.

I miss my friends, both old and new.

I miss taking photograph-after-photograph of the Harbour Bridge to further clog up my camera roll.

I miss road trips to fairy pools and secret bays.

I miss getting hopelessly lost and windswept on coastal walks.

I miss toting books down to my local beach with nothing but dips in the sea to tease me away from the sand.

I miss good coffee.

But most of all, I miss the people I'm lucky to call family here and can't wait for the day we can all reunite.

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Travel is a privilege far too many of us take for granted and it took a global pandemic for me to appreciate how lucky I am to slip into any home I have around the world.

When the city wakes up from what feels like a bad dream, I'm sure we'll all take a moment to relish the little things we never thought twice about: dinner with friends, bad dancing in bars and hopping on a flight somewhere far-flung and new.

Bondi Beach will be swarmed with hot and happy bodies hoping to get that shot of the Icebergs, music drifting from the Opera House will never have sounded sweeter and nobody will ever moan about their morning work commute again.

When that day comes, I don't know what to tackle from my ever-growing bucket list first but I'll make sure to relish every moment.

Danielle Fowler

Danielle Fowler is a contributor at marie claire Australia.

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