I'm going to be in London for a week in June and feel a little excited/nervous about travelling alone for the first time. Any special advice/ sightseeing tips for this freelance writer who is venturing abroad?

Pubs are great places to soak up the local atmosphere - don't feel intimidated going in on your own - go up to the bar, buy your drink and then find a seat - take a book to read/note book to jot down thoughts - listen to the conversation and have a great time

I've traveled to London alone a few times and I've also do some freelance writing. My favorite area in London is the SOHO area; it's funky. But I think you will find the city to be an inspiring place to be and I wish you good luck on your mission.

Here's a freelance travel piece I wrote in Paris (but really, I don't do too many -- only a few each year. It interferes with my TRAVEL! LOL!):

http://tinyurl.com/fd7ur

Have a wonderful trip!

Wow, nothing like proofing errors from a would-be writer in a short post! MY KINGDOM FOR AN EDIT FUNCTION! But for other writers who ever want to brainstorm: [email protected] - remove the x entries).

Walking tours with a literary theme - or just about any theme?
http://www.allthatwomenwant.com/londonwalks.html

Dickens's house:
http://www.dickensmuseum.com/
Dr Johnson's house:
http://www.drjh.dircon.co.uk/
British Library exhibition galleries:
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/homepage.html

Do you have an assignment? Or are you pursuing a particular angle? The local tourism people can help with introductions to people for interviews--and maybe you'll make a few new friends.
Vera

I found looking for a nice crowded pub around quitting time is a great time to meet people -- you can share a table with someone and a conversation is bound to happen.

I find being alone actually makes you much more approachable, so I was never lonely for long if I was quick with a smile and a "hello". Even in Paris, where I couldn't speak much French -- I learned enough to be able to apologize for not speaking French, and ask if they spoke English.

Enjoy your trip!

Jules

sadly, the posts that portray london pubs as being friendly places for foreigners to meet people are grossly inaccurate. most central london pubs are disasters. if you do manage to find one of the minority civilised places (probably tucked off in a mews) you will find a less intimidating atmosphere but no friendlier. however, a few of these tucked away places are featured in tour books and therefore do get some tourists who may be interested in meeting other people. in short, central london pubs are either:
-heaving and intimidating-filled with those who come into london to do some serious drinking.
-local and introverted serious drinkers
-the few well balanced places that get enough tourists to keep them friendly and enough locals who aren't too local.

thank you to everybody who has responded with their thoughts. Any suggestions for a decent place to stay in the Bayswater or Paddington area?

Walkinaround -- what you say can be true, but it isn't always, although I must say I found New Yorkers to be much chattier than any other big city bar crowd.

That said, as a woman, I found sitting down with other women in London especially good. The last time, I met a couple of gals who had come down from Manchester to meet their boyfriends, who both work in London for the Labour Party. We ended up having a very nice 1-hour conversation until the boys arrived, then I excused myself. Ironically, that bar was just steps between Picadilly & Trafalgar Square, two of the most touristed areas in London.

I'm sorry that you find pubs to be so dismal, but I find 5 p.m. to be a good time to find people just stopping in for a drink before going on to whatever they want to do for the evening. In that case, I wasn't looking for a night's entertainment, just a little conversation, and in my experience it's been a pretty good success.

Jules

I can't say I know of any hotels personally, but Sandra Gustafson's "Great Sleeps in London" mentions several hotels in the Bayswater area. You might find the book at your local library. I've found some hotels in other parts of London through her book, and trust her recommendations.