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?).
At long last, I am there! What an amazing place, what an atmosphere! 3 days of artistic performance with 150'000 people. More from me soon...
You're in Heaven on Saturday night, chilling with friends... And I'm here in London, trying hard to create my own english version of it. Quite successfully, a surprise. Friends from Kazakhstan, Ukraine and others, some who've come as part of a classical orchestra (fun dancing with them to pop music at O'Neil's in West End!) Miss u 2
