Home at last!

Hello readers, well I have finaly returned from the Reading Festival 2005...

At 06:00 on Thursday I went to pick up John, Adam, Gemma, and Jo. I loaded the car with their camping gear and we set off down the Motorway at about o7:00. We got in to Reading at about 09:30 and were parked within about 15 minutes. We set up our tents in "Orange Camp" in a little circle with a space for a camp fire in the middle. We then had to find some means of passing the time as the music started on the Friday so the Thursday was spent getting to know where things were. We discovered that the toilets were horrible (they had no flush it was just a seat with a giant pit underneath. Very smelly and very unhygenic) and that the refreshment stand selling burgers and hot-dogs was next to the toilet block... Which was a little worrying (I refuse to do any "Brown Sauce" jokes at this point for the sake of good manners) we went back to camp and in the evening lit a camp fire to sit round before going to bed at about 03:00

And then it was Friday. Well we woke up and got down to the arena for 11:30. I wont give you a complete run-down of every band we saw but I will list them for you.


The Black Velvets
Your code name is: Milo
Goldie Lookin' Chain
The Coral
Queens of the Stone Age
The Killers
Pixies

Gemma was particularly excited about seeing the Pixies live as she is a huge fan. They came off the stage at 00:00 and we went back to the tents for another camp fire and a chat before going to bed at about 04:00.

On Saturday we got up and headed to the arena, on the way we walked passed someone dressed as a giant bottle of beer... We turned round to look at him and it was non-other than Adams brother, Luke! We couldn't believe it, but at the same time, not surprised either.

The bands we saw on the Saturday were:

Million Dead
Capdown
Hot Hot Heat
All American Rejects
Biffy Clyro
Razor Light
Kings of Leon
The Foo Fighters

The Foo Fighters were excellent and were my personal favorite of the festival. It was then back to camp for yet another fire and more drinking before going to bed at about 03:00

On the sunday I think everyone was looking forward to coming home to have a shower and their own beds. I offered to drive back Sunday night and not Monday morning like most people do. So Sunday went as followed:

We saw Funeral for a friend but then went back to camp to pack and get everything in my car except the tents. We then went back to the arena to see:

Iggy Pop and The stooges
Incubus
Marilyn Manson

Iron Maiden were headlining but no one really cared and just wanted to go home. We went back to finish packing, chatted to the people who were camped next to us for a bit (who always had a bigger fire than everyone else) and then started the long haul home.

Gemma was directing me from the back seat as there are, quite literally, no sign posts in Reading town centre apart from the ones telling you where the station is... Which didn't help me in the slightest. Fortunately, Gemma has a fantastic sense of direction and told me where to go.

I got home for 02:30 Monday (i.e. today) morning and got up at 11:00. It felt good to sleep on a mattress and to have a shower! I will post some pictures when I get the cameras back (I didn't risk taking my digital camera, I used disposable ones.)

Before I go I will say a big thankyou to Adam, Jo, John, and Gemma for a lovely weekend and for putting up with my antics (I can be a pain in the ass, but they seemed to manage ok)

Also, It is Kate's birthday today so Happy Birthday to her. I am going to Alton Towers tomorrow (I am driving! d'oh!) and I need to get her a card and a little present.

Right, thats me done. Check out Adams Blog and Johns Blog via my links section for more info' on our weekend in Reading and look out for pics' appearing very soon.

TTFN readers