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28/06/2005: "Long Way Home"
The main theme at Glasto 2005 was water. WaterAid, the main sponsor, had supplied muddy water to all festival goers as a strong reminder of the difficult living conditions in Africa. Access to drinkable water was difficult and required long walks through difficult terrain and long waits to collect a few drops. The anti-corporate were also blaming Bush ("Climate Criminal") for climate change and had provided a handy outlet to our frustrations - a cutout of Bush with a gaping, open mouth at which to throw tennis balls.
I tried all the vegan/ vegetarian/organic/sustainable food I could find (mostly from big supermarkets brands) and I did feel much healthier than when I tried a few meat burgers. What a feeling it is to buy your fresh milk off the back of a tractor early morning and drink it while treading in the mud of a camping field littered with rubbish. I am now looking to keep this habit at the cafeteria by sticking to the less visited queues marked with a big V. I am a healthy guy, Glasto changed my life.
My festival highlights were singing along to unknown artists play in a tipi in front of a doped up crowd (Nathan Keyes) - good vibes, a fantastic time. And listening to advice on how to gather toxic substances legally out of animals, rather than through the traditional green way. How about great reindeer piss? I loved Thirteen Senses probably the best.
But the best part was my return trip to London. Wanting to live the Glastonbury spirit to the fullest, I travelled by train. As I tried to find the bus to take me to the station, I was told that the service had just been stopped a few minutes before (the organisers had got the train schedule wrong). Unable to find a ride, I decided to walk it. I had been walking for about an hour when I was picked up by a local resident who drove me the rest of the way. We chatted cheerfully about how many people get killed walking that road in Somerset.
Despite the man's kindness, I missed the last train to London by 8 minutes. I then hopped on a regional train (out of desperation maybe). As the service terminated, I noticed a large train on another platform - which to my astonishment was in fact my London train. It had been stopped by Glasto passengers who were refusing to pay. I couldn't believe my luck. The delay also caused the train to arrive very late to London - free taxi ride home included, thanks British Rail. (And next year, I'm renting a Hummer - who wants to join me?).
