I quite enjoy shrugging off the micro-judgements of others. I go into restaurants alone, order food and drinks and then the head phones go on and the iPad comes out and I either watch a movie or TV while dining with half of a couple or a bored member of a social group nearby clearly wishing they could do the same.

I once had an enthusiastic Swiss lady proposition me while her less enthused husband grimaced from the next table. FT rules forbid me from quoting her but it was worth a giggle.