Not a fan of big cities to live in per se - though happy to visit (funds and time permitting) and have lived in Sydney years ago. Originally from Europe but even there lived in a smaller town prior to family decision to move away. Prefer the quieter smaller places - easier to get out and about into the bush - and there's plenty of it in Oz. Also love the idea of parking close to as required facilities like major stores, scarcity of traffic lights and parking meters and yet the relative convenience of being close enough if required to a major city.
In the bush here not only can you feel remoteness but have time to reflect on how small and insignificant we are as individuals.
As for water usage, whilst Oz per capita figure is relatively high, there are worse countries than Oz as shown in the following - including the US, where it's claimed to be more than double from that in Oz - :
https://www.worldometers.info/water/
Excerpt:
Aust - 1816l/day
US - 3732l/day
FR - 1236l/day
But then this:
Turkmenistan - 15445l/day
Guess perhaps in Turkmenistan there's a new meaning for 'tap and go'. Maybe that country needs a watershed moment.
Would love to travel Europe using the Eurorail system - a couple of hours and one is in a different country/culture - here in Oz as you know, a six hour road trip is often referred to as 'just down the road'.
Apart from water usage, hand sanitizer usage has become habit forming - almost replacing soap usage - maybe it's not so bad, as at least those not washing hands after a pit stop (plenty don't), at least possibly sanitize.
Enjoy France - a reasonably big country - different - 5 years, so not yet a local? Love to go to a Paris patisserie - of course, I'd wash or sanitize my hands prior and perhaps even learn a few French words.
But of course, if I could visit 'Paris of the East', then learning french would not be needed and
that Paris is somewhat smaller but still full of history.
