To think I can’t be the only one who fantasises about this scenario?

[DidYaMeanChapsWilly]

You wake up one morning and everyone has disappeared. You’re completely alone - you have the whole country to yourself.

Everyone else will come back eventually but for a few weeks, it’s just you.

You can do whatever you want with no consequence. Tear-arse down the M1 at 100mph, have a wander around Buckingham palace … what would you do?

And tell me I’m not the only one who has this daydream?

YABU - it’s just you
YANBU - I have this fantasy too!

Christ! Nobody tell @BloodAndFire the plot of 'Hostel' - she'll be gunning for Eli Roth to be sectioned pronto!

And don't let her get anywhere near BrettEaston-Ellis's 'American Psycho...

I have had similar musings Op - although in mine - everyone is in a kind of stasis, or 'pause' while I spend some time peacefully catching up rather than rushing around feeling like I'm always behind. All society's infrastructure works as normal though. But time is kind of frozen for short periods.

One last question😁 Does the food in the shops stay fresh or will it be rotten in the few weeks and will there be rodents as I imagine the place would become over run very quickly if there is!

I'd go to some luxury hotels, and spas... also I would want cocktails, is there anywhere with a robot bartender? I might even take the train to South of France- would like to go somewhere really hot but not sure how to fly a plane 🤔

I mean my first thought was surely you'd be blown up by all the unmanned nuclear power plants? Nuclear subs?

If not, I'd loot a nice hammock and find somewhere chill out til people came back

I'm not sure I'd like being the only person around but I'd still have a nose in things I shouldnt.

I would like a time where there was just quiet, no car noise, no talking, no other noise but just nature going on.

Bernard's Watch for me too. I'd have lots of plans, but end up using it for napping.

And stealing from rich, but horrible companies/people so I could give up work 😁

I’d settle for just having everyone leave the house for a couple of weeks.
Just the dog and me in a nice, clean, tidy place that stays that way for longer than 5 seconds.

During the first lockdown I could drive on main roads and see nobody for 45 minutes. I used to fantasise about what if everyone had disappeared while I was driving in the car.

I think you'd enjoy Marlen Haushofer's The Wall (Die Wand in its original German). A 40-something year old woman lives out the end of the world in a little cabin with just a dog, a cat and a cow for company. I think the genre is sociopathic 'soft apocalypse'.

We live a mile from the edge of a large forest. I enjoy chatting to fellow dog walkers and ramblers on the busier paths, but I also really love the isolation of the quieter and more remote paths. In my fantasy I have a secret cottage in these woods. The world outside carries on as usual, but I can retire from it unbothered and unchallenged.

I'd borrow a car, head to Mayfair, grab a fancy pen and journal, have tea at the Ritz while I planned my adventures. Go mad in Rigby and Peller, try on lots of clothes, hit high end hotel spas, raid Fortnum's food hall. Maybe some galleries, though that might feel a bit spooky. Go to private members clubs. Definitely nicking your ideas of uncovering state secrets and checking out Buckingham Palace. I might also seek out information that I could use to my financial advantage, a wager or some low key investing. Just a few million, not silly money. Alright, up to £5-10 million (combining my 'suddenly rich!' fantasy in here too). Oh yes, I might try on some of the jewellery in the British Museum. (They won't be damaged).
I'd like to think I'd plan some cross country adventures but I might find the emptiness a bit unnerving and lonely. So I'd probably hole up somewhere in Hampstead, take a spot in a pub right next to a fire. Read some books.
In my version time is suspended for everyone else, I can stop time by like, blinking my eyes a certain way. Can bring them back too when I like.

There's an episode with a storyline along these lines in 'Takes from the Loop' I think - a young couple find a way of freezing time so they can have an illicit relationship I think - worth a watch if you like quirky sci fi anthologies!

Tales. Not Takes - sorry!

I don’t know what’s more fun - coming up with ideas for what I would do in this situation (more of a Bernard’s watch scenario in my head), or reading the replies from the oh so serious who DESPERATELY need to unclench! 😂

One thing I would relish in the temporarily de-peoples world - the quiet. Just time to sit with my thoughts and be completely and utterly still. Sounds lovely.

I'd feel a bit frightened at being completely on my own so I wouldn't like that, but I like the general idea of freedom to go outside the usual boundaries.

I'd probably reframe it as what would I do if I was properly invisible, the sort that other people couldn't any movement caused, ie doors or drawers opening etc. Just properly invisible, and anywhere I thought of.

I'd also like it to know the answers to the big mysteries and secrets, to find out what the real story is, and also more personal ones like where exactly did I lose certain items, and what happened to people I knew from younger days.

Wow there are some truly bonkers trolly people on here! It's a bit of fun for goodness sake. 😂

I agree with PP - the quiet. The lack of demands. The peace. For a few weeks that would be so very lovely. Normally I'd take myself off to this little cottage in the Cotswolds and shut myself away to recharge for a weekend. But in this new scenario, there'd be freedom. I could walk at night without being scared, I could wool-gather and completely decompress.

2 weeks might not be quite enough for me though. Unless it's 2 weeks every month! 😆

Here's a thought, can you imagine if there was a room with all the things in it that you'd ever lost in your entire life, from money to train tickets to toys?! I lost a toy when I was four, and another really important one when I was five. I'd love to see those again.

Now I'm a parent I wouldn't mind the odd full day totally alone to do nothing but eat cheese and read a book undisturbed. (Would go bonkers after more than a few days alone though)

If I was forced to do your scenario though and be left totally alone for weeks, every being on Earth totally frozen in stasis but would come back none the wiser, I'd probably start digging dirt up on questionable politicians and other powerful corrupt people. ;)

My room would be full of odd socks and sewing needles.

I'd be out robbing rich people's houses so I could set myself up for life 😂.The only problem is that I'd probably be too scared to go anywhere cause I'd be remembering the film I am Legend....😱

What an imagination - never thought about this scenario. it sounds bliss but only for a 4 days to a week for me and then I'd like people again 😂😂😂

@illiterato You should read Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift. It is about this scenario - pandemic virus kills everyone apart from one remaining woman. A bit of a disturbing read at points but very relatable in terms of what she does (includes many of the suggestions here).

Day 1, gather equipment and supplies for inevitable power cust and lack of central heating. Top up vehicle.

Day 2 - The end.

Mosey about, skinny dipping, take food from shops, probably take clothes I fancied, maybe some jewellery. Empty a couple of tills for "later"

Nothing dangerous like speed or jump off cliffs because no Dr's and nurses if something went wrong.

But one thing I'd definitely do

Visit the local library and mess all the books around, so nothing can be found.

Only because the librarian once shouted at my ADHD child, when we were in the library during a neurodiverse group meeting. So yeah fuck you Sandra, I fucked all your book system up. 🤣

As long as I know DDs and dgc will all be back soon, and I’ve got my dog, then no problem. I’d take the biggest Winnebago I could find on an extended test drive. Hopefully the self service fuel pumps are still working and it’d be bliss to drive on empty roads and park up looking onto deserted beaches. I’d head up through Wales to the Llyn Peninsular, then north to the Lake District, Scottish Lochs and beaches on the east coast. Lindisfarne, then down the East Coast. Can I keep the Winnebago and not go home?

To be honest, though I’d rather gain the ability to become invisible and to walk around while others are about.

I'd nick all the luxury food and break into some amazing mansion or hotel. Hotel actually, stay in a different room every day, basically live the life I could never dream of being able to afford. Raid high end boutiques/shoe shops as well.