Glastonbury 2005

I know it happened a few weeks ago but as I explained in an earlier post I haven't been able to access my photos of late, but never fear I'm back online.
Here's what I wrote in my book about Glastonbury:
On Friday morning rain bucketed down, loads of people lost their tents when they were swept away. We were camped up on a hill so we didn't have that problem. I got stranded in the rain in a foolish attempt to go to the toilet when I woke up. As I was making my way back to my tent 2 hours later, drenched and cold, the rain eased and a spontaneous cheer erupted across the festival site.
The sun came out just as John Butler Trio took the stage. I've seen them once before at the Sydney Entertainment Centre when they were supporting Powderfinger. I really like their music and I love how their songs seem to go on and on but not in a monotonous way.
Friday afternoon I got separated from my friends. With only 6 quid in my pocket and a ridiculously long line up at the ATM truck, I decided to buy 2 beers instead of dinner.
The White Stripes were fantastic that night. I really love that Hotel Yorba song and they played it much to my delight. Watching Jack White on the xylophone was mesmerising. I was to the left of the stage near a big screen. Seeing the way Jack and Meg look at each other while performing was amazing and slightly disturbing too. They seem to be able to communicate so much to one another with just one glance.
My wellies were an absolute godsend. Forget the shares in Coca-Cola, the £9.95 I spent at Millets on those simple little boots was the best investment I've ever made. Going to the toilet was a nightmare, ridiculous queues and grubby portaloos. Then, we discovered the "She-Pee", a disposable cardboard funnel that allows women to pee like a man at a urinal. Brilliant!!!!! I was suitably impressed with our generation's commitment to dental hygiene. We'll booze it up all night long, eat crappy food, smoke cigarettes and engage in all manner of tooth destroying activity and then always brush our teeth when we get up in the morning. I had to laugh as I surveyed the camp ground to see so many people cleaning their teeth each day.
All in all Glastonbury is a very well organised and executed festival. I had such a good time but boy was that shower enjoyable when we got back to London. I don't think I've ever seen so much mud in all my life.

Setting up camp 

There's no escaping here 

Wading 

Mud 

Tents were swept away 

What is this guy doing??? 

RIP Woody - poor guy didn't stand a chance... 

After the deluge 

Brad, Liz and Craig 

The crowd at the main stage 

You are here 

Chris Martin and his "Make Trade Fair" hand 

Impressions of London "after the events of last Thursday"

The English stiff upper lip is alive and well. And in some ways I'm thankful, I think it's made it easier to deal.

I wrote this next bit last Friday but haven't had a chance to post it:

The Show Must Go On...
The majority of West End theatres were closed last night. The show at the Piccadilly was back on tonight. I rode the tube to work with my friend Robynne. My heart was beating fast and we both felt uneasy. So much so that Robynne and I had to get off at Embankment to get some air, before jumping on the next tube.
People were clutching their bags as if to say 'This is mine, this is not a suspicious package, this is not a bomb'. Eyes were darting back and forth, around the carriage. It was altogether an unsettling experience.
As I sat in the auditorium I thought of an interview with Jennifer Aniston I once read. She said that when they recorded the first Friends show post 9-11 there was a feeling that the audience needed it, the release, to laugh and distance themselves from what had happened (or something to that effect). I really feel that was true of the show tonight. People just want to feel normal.

But after taking a late night stroll along the Thames last night, one week on - London is alive and well, stiff upper lip or no, I love it here.

Excuses, excuses

Hi there loyal readers,
I must apologise for the lack of entries lately. We've had painters in which meant that our computer with all my photos on it had to be packed away in Harry's cupboard under the stairs. It's quite disappointing really because I have some great shots of the flooding at Glastonbury and Mum's first couple of weeks in the UK. As soon as the computer is reassembled I'll post the photos.