the festival story...

I left England quite spontaneously 11 months ago with my boyfriend Chris who I met at Bestival Festival a few years ago, leaving legendary friends and family in the cold and rainy place formerly known as home. Our new home is Sydney, a long way away from the previous. Chris and I went to Bestival this September, you may have heard - it was an absolute glasto wash out. We celebrated our anniversary in a mud ridden tent, wrapped in bin liners and sliding dance moves in knee high mud. Serious. But you know, thats love for you.

Bestival 2006 was a different story. I was single. It was sunny. I'd just graduated. I was poor after gambling the last of my overdraft at Monte Carlo casino on a holiday with friends in Venice (lesson learned).

Fern and I were two ladies on a mission to make the most out of the little we had. Which was... a borrowed tent, sleeping bags, tickets to the festival, transport and big smiles on our faces. We had absolutely no supplies. No alcohol, no food, nothing fun to play with except an old pack of cards and we literally both had a mere 15 pounds to spend over the whole weekend.

We hitched a ride to the festival site whilst being treated to beer by the toothless countrymen driving a converted ambulance and made our stake on a 45 degree slope on dried cow shit. Note: Not that we cared. It was sunny and we had our mascot James the parrot (who was later kidnapped, renamed Ian, given a MySpace and still remains unreturned)
The most embarrassing thing that happened to us was when we went to pick up our tickets. We were told that we had to donate twenty pounds EACH to charity in exchange for our tickets. How do you tell someone you have shown up to a music festival with your best mate and a mere thirty quid to survive between you!? Cheeks flushed as I looked up at the lady with worried eyes looking for some kind of understanding... "We err.. don't have 20 pounds" silence fell. To our relief not a question was asked, we looked around embarrassed as we realised we'd been surrounded by bands and press all with a wad of coloured notes in their back pockets and a status to follow it. Not something for we mere students to contend with really, o no. Still. Blessings are in disguises, as the gate lady pulled out 6 glowing colourful wrist bands, which we later learned were AAA passes!!! Legendary.

Desperately hunger driven, Fern and I decided to set up a healing massage stand at the Bollywood tent. So for five pounds a go or 'whatever you think its worth', the sore backs of the festive crowd could have an exclusive back massage - Fern elbowed bottoms and I walked on backs (do not try this at home). We earned enough money to pay for a tasty thai dinner and later on 2 vodkas at the "Hidden Disco".

Its amazing what one does when under the pressure of mere human survival.

The Hidden Disco was I suppose a highlight of the spontaneously fun and exciting weekend with Fernie T, as this is where I met Chris thanks to his best friend (Chris) Pound testing his skills in female engagement with "beautiful" Fern.

Unfortunately for him Fern was already with someone but things turned out pretty well for the two side kicks myself and Chris... Whom of which are still together now... and living happily in Sydney.