Spirit Travels ~ Sanctuary in the city

Allison comes to check on my room.”I really like the park views,” she says.

“Me too,” I reply. “The city lights keep me company and I can keep my eye on the Adelaide Hills.”

While for most people finding a sanctuary getaway usually means a cocoon far from a bustling capital city, after the bushfire on our farm in December I stumbled on the OAKS self-contained apartments in Glenelg, one of Adelaide’s most popular seaside suburbs.

I have every convenience which helps me out having hastily packed to leave the farm and forgetting important items like a toothbrush and my favourite coconut oil.

It offers a stark contrast to the dried out Murray Mallee, parched for rain with dry lightning storms, an excruciatingly hot summer and extreme winds we have never experienced this time of year. In Glenelg the salty ocean breeze means the air doesn’t feel as dry and it even rains against the windows on my second night.

In my apartment, I finally find myself feeling safe enough to sleep – not worried at any moment another bushfire will spark from the still smouldering Eucalypts in the front of our farm house. I am exhausted from weeks of being on fire watch, staying awake until 4am during 60km winds to watch for trees flaring into fire again as they did on Boxing Day. I am dazed, overwhelmed and a sleep-deprived nervous wreck.

The suburb of Glenelg is rarely a place I envisage spending much time.

Now, it is my refuge.

I am partially surrounded by soothing ocean. A bustling jetty road with shops open seven days a week; oodles of cafes and restaurants; two supermarkets and an almost circus-like atmosphere along the foreshore with children’s activities and thousands of daily visitors mean I don’t feel strange or alone in a big city. I have every convenience which helps me out having hastily packed to leave the farm and forgetting important items like a toothbrush and my favourite coconut oil.

I notice loads of country people take advantage of this beachside residence to enjoy time away from isolated townships or labour-intensive farm work. For country folk, the big city offers a place to get a whole load of things done – whether work meetings, medical, shopping or visiting.

The constant ocean breeze clears my lungs and sinuses of smoke and allows my mind to recover from weeks of panic. I use every convenience from the in-room washer and dryer to the full-size modern kitchenette to normalise myself. After just a fortnight I feel more at ease.

Being in the city means I can easily access massage, acupuncture, yoga and meditation classes – all would have required a four-hour round trip had I stayed on the farm. I catch up with friends along the Marina pier. I take the tram into the Adelaide CBD to meet up with former work colleagues. I can even go on a late-night munchie-run.

loads of country people take advantage of this beachside residence to enjoy time away from isolated townships or labour-intensive farm work.

I drive past my favourite coastal suburbs of Grange and Henley Beach and notice the popularity of Henley Square with its updated cafes; popular stores; delicious new eateries and hundreds of locals and visitors enjoying the atmosphere. I drive past the West Beach upmarket caravan park and cabin resorts seeing they are bursting full with people from all over the state of South Australia enjoying the relief of the beach in our record-breaking summer heatwaves.

And while staying in the city seems like the antithesis of what a sanctuary should be, I have found a place that feels completely comfortable and safe compared to the dangerous weather conditions and constant fire risk of being on the farm this summer.

While staying in the city seems like the antithesis of what a sanctuary should be, I have found a place that feels completely comfortable and safe.

I wonder at all the people enjoying the beach – playing, swimming, fishing. It is absolutely lovely to be around people indulging every moment, eating ice-cream late into the night and feeling secure in a sanctuary of our own choosing, even in a busy city. A sanctuary is after all a safe haven – whatever that means to each of us at any time of our lives.

I photograph a stunning sunset. I could be anywhere – a tropical island, a private resort, a holiday hideaway. But I am in the Australian urban suburb of Glenelg. Right in the heart of the city of Adelaide I still receive nature’s promise of a new day to come.

Warmest, Renee

Disclaimer: this blog post is intended as a beautiful and thought-provoking article for entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and cannot substitute for medical care.  No representations are made as to the completeness of any information and the author is not liable for any losses, injuries or damages from the use of this information.