The Big Freeze Has Been Thawing Out Londoners

I’ve noticed something pretty remarkable today: that despite the Big Freeze (and it is so flipping freezing that my right hand went completely numb earlier to the tune of -3 degrees) these beyond cray temps have brought people together. Southern inhabitants of the metropolis of London no doubt, together too. Even as I type, I’m laughing with people sat next to me on the Waterloo to Windsor train about the fact we’re all going to clap like grateful people on planes, when we finally arrive at our destination after a snow-induced delay on the tracks.

Eye contact and communication, usually the reserve of the unhinged and unwanted attention feels meaningful in public. Like everyone wants to be friends in this winter wonderland. Romanticised yearnings, perhaps but I like how I feel right now.

I was even asked out on a date earlier by a random guy when my train got in. The snow is seemingly giving people (snow) balls #soz.

People are being friendlier and warmer though- strangers are smiling at one another more, exchanging commenting in public toilets and over their tables in restaurants, musing over the weather and whether it will last (the Brits fave topic of convo) or remarking how pretty the snowfall looks…Londoners are brilliant at coming together when adversity hits and the weather here has somewhat shocked us to be fair. A cabbie told me earlier that in all the years he’s been on the roads n London, he’s never seen a slow blizzard quite like it.

London has never looked prettier at least.

I’ll take my cold hands any day of the week if it means connecting with strangers on trains for the foreseeable.

Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to jump into the comfiest onesie I own and I’m cranking the heater up high.

Thank you London for bringing me joy today.

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