London is absolutely full of people. You might not have noticed them. It's possible they've slipped your attention. Maybe you've missed them, in their millions, everywhere you go, getting in your way, acting as though you are in their way, always going somewhere fast but somehow managing to walk too slowly directly in front of you, pressing their bodies against you in bars and tube carriages and public bathrooms, just being their in-your-face human selves all over the damn place. If this doesn't sound horrific to you then congratulations! You are likely the kind of extrovert who thrives on constantly being surrounded by other people and enjoys drowning in crowds. Enjoy waiting in line for an hour to eat dinner and having a stranger fall on your lap during your morning commute. If it does sound horrific to you, then rest assured. Though London is not nearly big enough to contain the 8.63 billion people who call it home (and all of whom seem to live in your building), there are rare pockets of solitude- or relative solitude- where you can get away from the mob. Home may be a sanctuary for some people but it's a rare thing to find someone who can afford to live alone in this demanding mess of a city. So if you need some personal reflection time, a place to read a book or even just somewhere to sit and do absolutely nothing undisturbed for a few hours, try these gloriously solo-friendly spots.
Brydie is an Australian writer and performer living in London and she complains exactly the same amount about the weather as every other Australian living in London. Yes, that is her natural lip colour, no, she will not be taking any further questions at this time.
