Leaving UK

Bristol

After I got fine, there wasn't much craziness happened. Maybe like, I couldn't do much stuff. Writing blog, playing guitar, watching anime, and had some BBQ with my friends. Summer was close to the end, the weather got worse and worse each day. It was getting colder so I bought some clothe and shoes. When I wear them, everyone was laughing. And that was the end of my hippy days. There was a food festival in Wales once. I have done some house parties. There some mushrooms were served couple of times. And the last day, I went to golf with Finn. Said bye to everyone. Packed up. Two weeks in Bristol has passed like that. And I took a bus to Lonodn.

London

Five days to flight to Berlin. I spent the last days in London. My friend Mateo from Italy came there as well. We stayed in Teretko's (friend from Sydney) flat for the weekend. It's been a long time to meet them so that I was happy to see them.

Begging of October, it was unexpected weather for the London. Every day was hit on perfect blue sky, the temperature was over 27C and I had perfect farewell time in UK. Jamming with friends, making sushi and walked around the town. Camden town was really unique and fun to walk.

Finn and Raf, Jo has came down to london, we had a house party on my last night. The music has kept on till morning, had a great time. Took out a blanket to the backyard and welcome the sunrise with Maddy. Went to have some pizza for the breakfirst. Said promise to meet next summer and good bye. The day was fun but sad. Head back to Teretko, picked up my backpack and hit the road. The new journey to Berlin has started.

In the end of summer, Bestival

Early in the morning, said bye to Raf's family and head back to Finn's. Packed up my stuff and pushed them into a van. It was really hard just to close the door of the van because the van was completely full with other stuff. Stayed in Finn's for the night and we headed out to Bristol next day. Ben and lucy has joined us in Bristol, we had some fish and chips for the dinner and hit the road with 3 vans, Raf, Ollie, Finn, Lucy, Ben, Joel and Jo, to the location “Isle of Wight” the island in south England in the evening.

It was about 4 hours to get to the ferry port, took an hour of break at there, took another hour of ferry ride to the island and got lost on the way to Tesco wondering around for couple of hours, it was after 4 in the morning that we arrived in the car park of the festival. We had about 4 hours of sleep in the van and I woke up in back pain and shake of van.

The hurricane, the Ireen has come down to UK. The rush of the rain and the violent wind attacked our camp site furiously and we prohibited to go inside of the Bestival site. The radio told us the horrific news of hurricane, the cloudy dark sky gave us bad mood and the days of living in van made our back in terrible pain, we were absolutely not in the condition for the festival. Apple and chips wouldn't filled up our tummy so that we went to town for more sandwiches and coffee. In the end, we couldn't get in all day long. We stayed in the vans for one more day.

Next morning, we had a clear sky after the hurricane then we rushed into building up the Cafe Tango to get back our one day delay of work. When we get out of our van, it was the moment the I feel so much happy about stretching out my back and legs that completely frozen from sitting in a suits for two days.

When every one was working on building the cafe, I was playing guitar an gave them some tunes to cheer them up. The kitchen was done by the evening and I made pasta for everyone. Jo, Jon and I slept on the floor of the kitchen for the night and we started to work early next day.

The first day, Cafe Tango has started business nicely. We did have a Cafe Tango juice bar this time right next to each other. So our crew was around 20 people that I could change shift and had break as I want thus I enjoyed the festival well in Bestival. It was over 60,000 people participated in this event and I couldn't see the edge to the edge in the camp site. Too many stages, cafe and work shops, but the main thing of the festival was the artists in Bestival. It was just awesome.

First night, I went to see “Santigold”. It was a really huge stage so I only could see from the distance. But, she was impressive. Thousands of audiences were looking up the stage fanatically, the powerful sound of Santigold was shined in color in the big blue marquee and the bass was reverberating all around the stage. I was in the middle of the insanity, lost my friends and ripped off my memory, and the night was passed away.

The second day, actually we have been there for four days, I woke up in hunger and made my instant noodle for break fast. I was surprised how busy the break fast was. We set up Cafe Tango right in front of the camp site so that there were many people for breakfast and coffee. Anyway, this was the busiest breakfast in Cafe Tango. I manage to make my space and squeezed in my pot of noodle on the stove and threw into my damaged stomach.

Compare to breakfast, the sells of pizza was much less and quiet so that I could take some break in the afternoon and I went out to take shower. I haven't take shower for almost a week so that moment of the refreshment was like in heaven. Even though the shower room was 30 minutes walk away and it was cold water.

I had a couple of hours of break so I put out card board and blanket on the glass, had some nap under the lovely weather with Marla and we had nice chat about how happy I am to be there and all.

In the evening, “Danny Byrd” was playing so I asked my shift to my friend and I took away to the concert. This time of the day was bit busy so I had to go the concert by myself. It was completely opposite side of the site so it took me about hour of walk to get to the stage. I made it on time and Danny Byrd has started in a small marquee.

With the rhythmical sound of drum and bass, all the audiences have gone mad and the moshing has began. I run into the crowd as the insanity sound, push and scream, gone berserk. Covered in sweat, somebody stepped on my foot, some elbows hit my face, but get involved into this riotous crowd with joy. I wonder who did started, the violence would be justified by the music. But also nobody come here to fight. There wasn't a single hater but everyone's got satisfied in smiles.

When the bass sound fading out, everyone kept some distance, made a circle and take a look around. Suddenly, the sound would come back in rhythm, then all of us went back in to the mad moshing. Moving my conscious and body as I feel like and jumping into the sound of bass hard. Was I stupid to other's? Pushed so hard that got me out of the space, stepped so bad that ripped my shoes in pieces. Got really tired and the sweaty heat steamed me like chinese food. I squeezed out from this stifling stage and came out to the refreshing breeze after moshing till I died. I felt so content. But my shoes was torn like cloth. I walked back to Cafe Tango on bear foot but my agitation would not stop that I showed my shoes to everyone and talked about great moshing and played more drum and bass tune at the Cafe Tango. I changed the shift so I had to work till close but I worked like I was still in the concert. The constant pure ecstasy filled up my conscious, I was dancing and jumping till 4 in the morning in Tango.

Next day has also started like the day before, hangover, instant noodle and busy work. But this time we had lot crew and the day has gone smoothly.

“Diplo” was playing for the night and we all got together and seen his act. Diplo was also great and I had friends so that we all got high together. I lost the one another colorful night, only the anacatesthesia has staying in my memory. I got lost once and wondering in the thousands crowd. When Jo found me in the wonderland, I was impressed of the chance of encounter in the crowd. We all back to Raf's tent, drunk till we don't remember.

The finale is always.

I could get out of the work by 9pm, we went to see the long waiting “Bjork”. It took me a while to convince everyone to go but we made it on time. We have seen her from distance but I was laying down on the mysterious sound of Bjork and my mind was dancing in the air. After that, Sarah has a friend “Ben Haward” who's performing in Bestival so we all went down to his little stage.

A guy plays acoustic guitar and sing, and a woman plays cello. It was surely an art. The melody was flowing through my exhausted mind beautifully and cured my messed up conscious. All the audiences were sitting down on the ground, some were looking up Ben Haward like goddess and some were closing their eyes and seeing something invisible. The line of the note was written in the air slowly in front of the stage, it was like that I found the calm ocean in a dark forest.

It is interesting to describe about music. It's like to express something that I don't understand, it is also luck of the clearness although it can be a way of a communication without a word even if it's incoherent. It is simply complacency expression if other's complain, but I can not write for the other's sympathy. When I write the impression of music sincerely and accurately, the beautiful scenery will appear in my mind. This is the reason I started to like writing.

Anyway, after the concert of Ben Haward, we did some wrestling on the ground for pump up. We were all tuned down by beautiful melody. This was the last night, we had to go for parties. It was fun fight. When I got Ben in crossed arm, everyone's yelled for me. It was cool. And then, we all head to a marquee and got dance together. We all back to Raf''s tent and played with balloons till we passed out.

Monday, I always be surprised but the when I got out from the tent, the camp site was completely different world from last days. Most of the people has gone back to home, there weren't much people around us but rubbish. I had an illusion for a while that I came to a different planet or its the world end. The tents lost the weight of the bags and people inside, the remaining power of the hurricane blowing though the entire field and no one would care to stop things flying anymore. Then, the tents were rolling around involving more and more tents and shit. Most of the trees were dressed in colorful tents, mysteriously beautiful. And the shelter-belt tree was like a bank filled up by the non stoppable flow of the rubbish.

We kept packing up in the dark night and we head back to Bristol around 10 o'clock.

It is really straight and long highway in the night time, and the reflecting lights on the side of the road continue forever in the darkness. That brought us the drowsiness and the mental fatigue inevitably in the car which running high speed on the plain highway. The unchanging view of the front gave me the suspicion whether if it's going forward or not. I could feel a magical power in the car engine which runs without effort of mine, made me believe that I was on a flying carpet heading towards to a magical land. I listened carefully to my breath in between dream and reality and I saw the illusion of the traveling through the time in the flowing light. The well designed buildings from the world expo appeared all around me. Raf was driving the van and Ollie was sitting next me but they come out in front of the front window, wearing clown clothe and jumping around the highway. The brightest light came into the darkest sky, then I feel that I can go further than here. But there was weird feeling from my instinct that I should not cross the line. A circus started with cheerful music. There was a paradise reflecting on the front window much clearer than I could say its imagination.

In a moment, I woke up. Raf was also exhausted that he parked the van and having a rest. After that, we all got to Bristol at 6am. Safe journey and the comfort of bed, I still appreciate that feeling.

I took a rest for three days like a hibernating bear.

A slice of Wales

After three days of rest, we have been invited to a rave party. I was just getting better that I really couldn't feel like a party yet but the energy of Walsh is madly kept on going. Anyway, it was a somebody's 40^th birthday party, so I expected that will not be too crazy. I underestimated Walsh people. It was somewhere but nowhere in farm, in a birthday person's house but the area was bigger than football feild. They used a massive shed for concert area, a stage and a bar. Nearly hundred of people and some performances and live bands were playing the loudest music I could image for a house party. Finn's dad, Raf's mum were having fun in between the youngs and everyone was having a great time. It was too big for a 40^th birthday. Well, that's Walsh rave party. There were people that I met in festivals so that I can get involved nicely. And the party went on till the morning. It was an event that I learnt an English culture.

In the mid day, the party was over and everyone's got slightly showing the exhaustion. Raf and I decided to knock off from this madness and we head down to his house. The path of Wales is narrow and very windy. But Raf drove there near 100kh, told me that he used to do some racing in that area. It didn't sound safe to me either proud but we arrived in his place safely.

Raf's mum is an Italian and very cheerful and fun to talk to. The house was the best house I ever seen in my life. It was very old house but has beautiful atmosphere from wooden made wall, roof and all catering stuffs are hanging down from ceiling. It was really beautiful house so that I thought it could be a national heritage. There are so many old houses in Wales. I dreamt that I really want to live place like this when I get old. I had a dinner with his family and stayed the awesome house for the night.

Shambala festival

I bought a ticket for the first time for a festival. It was 125 pounds. I thought it was bit expensive but Shambala festival was one my friends recommended also all the Cafe Tango crew was going. So I decided to go. And, I don't have to work so I can enjoy as much as I want without worry about anything. This Shambala festival was one of secret festival that the location was hidden and all the artist weren't announced that made me so curious but also anxious.

On the afternoon of Friday, Raf drove Fin and me to the site. We got lost on the way, took us about three hours to get there and it was raining when we arrived.

While I was carrying my stuff to the site, I was really shock that I spent money on this festival. We don't have Cafe Tango, so we have to walk quite long way to get to camp site, and I had to set up the tent in the rain. We don't have kitchen to hang out nor cook something to eat. I had to walk with lots of my stuff, its getting dark and cold. I talked my friends little bit. And at the night, Finn, Imogen and I walked around a little bit and I wanted to do something but I was too hungry to do anything and it was rain outside. So I went to bed early.

I woke up with sunrise and went out for a walk. Everyone was still sleeping but the day has changed to a beautiful sunny day, I had to do something. I wanted to eat but I didn't want to spend some money. The festival was not so small but its also not big either. Took me about couple of hours to walk around and seen briefly. I went back to tent to cook some lunch. I borrowed a cooking stove from some people that I met near my tent and made a noodle soup. Shambala festival is also has lots of events and shops. There were hand craft course, Indian curry and small stages so on. It also has a forest behind a lake. In the lake, there was a submarine (it was not real) and a windmill. In the forest, it was like a maze and this was my favorite stage that made out of a tree house. The time has flown to evening without notice. I went back to camp site. Finn and I got out to eat diner together and had some curry, we went to the forest and saw a concert that played on the tree house. It was a live concert of a harp and an acoustic guitar. The melodious sound of the instrument was flying throw the air softly and the view of the tree house with sunset at the background created the world as a fairy tail, made my world so peaceful and dreamy. And we went to a concert of the Correspondent. I have seen him in Edinburgh but the stage was massive in Shambala that it was not considerable to Edinburgh. Correspondent was really great but then I heard that Lamb is playing after. I was really happy. I didn't expect that at all. I told all my friends that we have to be there and we have to go crazy.

After a while, Lamb has come to the stage. It was the best thing I have been and seen in my life. I was just stunned. The sound of bass and melody; the trip hop, involved everything around me and I was shaking all over. We got circle, hugged each other, closed our eyes, and be together. Sound of Lamb has penetrated my body like lighting, I closed my eyes until I can not see anything. I could not feel anything but steps that we rhythm. Have I ever loved a music this much? I got intoxicated by my own happiness and faced to beauty of music. Maybe I heard it from somewhere but I was sure at this point that if there is a God, he must be a musician. As the live finished like waking up from sleep, it was truly like a dream.

Then the massive wooded horse was on fire as it celebrates the Shambala. The fire got around within a second and it became seriously hot. The fire has risen up tens of meters and got everyone in chaos. People from near the fire wanted to go out but the people from distance they want to come closer. That was a horrific moment of the festival. We were in the front but it was hot enough to burned my friend Amelia's eye blows from the heat. Anyway, nobody get hurt seriously so it was alright.

Then, we head to a stage called Kamikaze and the drum and bass concert has began. I totally forgot about the line-ups but its the my favorite genre, moved my body in the rhythm. I got confused that it was the beginning of the day. The fierce sound of the bass run throw my head after I woke up from the dream that I just had. Everyone got together on a little stage. When I got on the stage, I could see the whole floor and the people who attracted into the DJ delightfully, bouncing with the sound of bass in the flashing light disconnectedly; it was like a stop motion film, they were able to be seen in sharp detail but in a same time they were in a blur memory, surely it was like still in a dream. It was the world of motion of rhythm and the moment of the lighten ecstasy.

It was about 3 in the morning, the concert of the Kamikaze has finished without remaining in my memory but my friends were talked about this hidden stage. They opened up one of a fence, and there it was. A small path to go throw to a back stage. We passed through like we were going to wonderland and we found the little stage. The stage was made out of a police car, the DJ were wearing police uniform and playing awesome tunes. It is an English humor and quite funny. They making fun of the London riot which just happened two weeks ago. Some raged people has come out and attacked the police car, then some police officers came down to assault them. It was news that closed to me so that made me laugh a lot.

When I looked upon the air and gazing into the darken sky, a bright meteor dashed through my mind. The empty space took my attention for a while and my conscious has gone away for instance. When I realized, the sky was lightly bright and the number of the stars has disappear. When sunrise has come, we took our way back to tent. But the party has kept on going in Raf's tent till the mid day.

The sunday is the final day, I woke up in the afternoon and scrawled out from my tent. I can hear some music from distance. Again, I borrowed the cooking stove from neighbor and made myself some instant noodle soup. It was only 18 penny a packet but made me feel good. I had it with couple of porched eggs and spinach. I felt better but went back to tent again and I slept till evening. We went to a live band from Bristol “Disraeli and the small gods”. It was really cool tune but the stage was just too crowded that we couldn't dance or even move. Then the firework started for finale. The firework was quite nice but I was looking at them over the lake so that the energy of the fire was really nothing compare to yesterday's burning wooden horse. Then we went back to the Kamikaze stage but it was also similar to last night; felt like luck of chemical, it has gone without climix. At last we went to a DJ set in a small marquee and there was projection of mysterious arts on the ceiling in black and white. But it was just looked like an old TV. Maybe I was bit tired but also that the Saturday night was just as best as it could get. We all went back to Raf's TP and stayed and chat. And my sight has faded away with blink of my eyes.

I realized myself in the afternoon, most of the people were packing up and heading back home. We didn't have Cafe Tango so that we had o go out of the festival as same as other people. Some were still sleeping and some were still drinking. I was just impressed. I looked around. There were countless broken tents and colorful rubbish all around; it was just like a dump world. I found myself as an empty bottle in the empty field then I push myself forward to pack up and go. I remember as a flash but I felt it was taking us forever to leave that place.

I am impressed that Raf's energy that still able to drive car back to Bristol. I was worried about his driving skill with his exhaustion but I fell asleep just after we got on the car. We straight to hit to a bar in Bristol and had more beers and chat about the festival. I am completely amazed their stamina.

Soon after, we went back to Wales and prepared for next festival the “Bestival” but I got sick and stayed in bed for three days while Raf and Finn were packing up.

London tour part 3

We woke up 4 in the morning for Cecile's flight from London 9 am to France. I throw my coffee into my sleeping head and said bye to Jack, got on the car with Cecile and Jack and head to London. I am amazed by Cecile's driving with such a sleepy head. We arrived in London about past 5, said bye to Cecile and Fredric and I went to Victoria station and had a nap on the floor. We killed some more time in MacDonald when the rush hour started and he went to airport to go back to Norway. And I walked to a backpacker near the Hyde park, left my stuff there and visit Teretko. She is also old friend of mine from Czech that we live together for a year in Sydney. I haven't met for 6 years about so it was really exciting to meet her. I had a dinner with her and talked about past six years, plans of futures and life of London.

Next day, I met another friend from London that I met in China while I was traveling through Yangshuo and had a lunch together in Bond. He showed me around the center of the London a little bit but he got a work so I couldn't stay with him long. I walked around the town by myself and went back to backpackers.

The reason I visit London town once again is that my mother she was visiting London for holiday and I was there for tour guide and as a translator. But, I didn't even know much about London, so well, I just wanted to touring around this expensive town with mum. I got a call from her about 7 in the afternoon, picked her up from her hotel and took her to a Moroccan restaurant. We had some wine and nice meal, talked about travel and family, had a fun.

My mum called and woke me up 9 in the morning next day and the busy touring has began. I am not used to waking up early so it was bit tough but she got short time in London so it has to be in rush. We passed through the Hyde park and visit a shop called Liberty. The shop was built from a battle ship dismantled into pieces, and rebuilt to the Liberty building. So it has unique atmosphere of old wood and black metal, and the inside was decollated with lots of fabric and ornament. It was beautiful and fun to walked around inside. We had a lunch in a pub, walked through SOHO till Thames river, took a boat and slowly traveled throw to London bridge, and in the night, we went to a theater to see a musical “Billy Eliott”. It was recommended by a lot of my friends that I totally enjoyed the show as well; the kids characters were truly talented. Even my mum without understanding a single word, but she was impressed as well.

Next day, my mum had a class for flower arrangement and I had to come around with her for road guide and translate. It was about half an hour away from London by train, in a little village surrounded by the beautiful hill and lake. Our lecture came to pick us up in the train station, drove us around the town and took us to her house where the tutorial was held. It was massive house with amazing garden and sunny room. My mum, I and one more girl from Japan were the only student for the day. Flower arrangement was more interesting than what I was imagined of playing flowers. Anyway, we had tea and cakes in her house and we went back to London town. After the dinner, mum went back to hotel, and I went out with some friends that I met in last London trip. From this morning, my mid finger was swollen up badly and I couldn't take it anymore. So I decided to cut this pus out of my finger in the night. Got myself a razor, antidote, bandage, and a bottle of vodka, then we started to drink and drink on the street of London town. After I got really smashed, the operation has began on the street of London town. Jez was the doctor in charge, Paula from Spain, she took in charge of a nurse, and I give my finger to them and playing doctor has started as earnest. After disinfecting, Jez cut the pus in a flash, it bled thick blood slowly, I screamed in the dark and Paula gave me sanitizes gauze, had a puff and shot of vodka then I started to play guitar and shout some tunes. It stays in my memory like flashing lights, awesome memory of London experience has gone in the dark with my blood on the road.

Waken up by a call from mum in the morning, met up in Kensington park and had chinese together. I didn't feel like London tour because of loss of blood and hangover so that she went to shopping by herself and I spent couple of hours laying on the park under the beautiful sunshine. She came back from shopping and showed me some souvenir happily. We went to an Italian restaurant and I had some seafood pasta and a bottle of wine. I had it with great appreciation of having mum and family. And then again, I hanged out with friends in the evening. We got kicked out from the street we were drinking this time, so we decided to go to Kensington park to drink. It was closed at the night but we sneaked into the park throw the gate, sit near the lake and we had some drink. It was pinched dark and there was nobody but then I put out my guitar and played random codes. We put meaningless lyrics on to the tune and yelled. The melody flowing throw in the quiet park made the lively air with friends and lovely evening has gone with the wind. The faces in the dark has shined by the hazy moon light but I could clearly see them through the laughing sound. The stars were shining brighter than usual and we created our own perspective of the world and the party was kept on going throw the night.

When I woke up from the dream, I got confused what the hell is happened on the bed in the room of 21 people. The mobile rang and I turned back to reality. Checked out from the guest house and caught up with my mum in the park. We walked around the flower garden and chilled out on a bench. I saw her off till her hotel and said good bye. Bond street, SOHO, London bridge, sightseeing boat and good restaurants so on, it was the week that I become a true tourist. I took a bus to go back to Bristol and I had some rest in the end.

Bristol

Its been a while that I have a proper place to live and bed. I spent time quietly, writing blog, playing guitar and drawing pictures. Got myself a ticket to Berlin and Shambala festival. It will be chaos in three days, I had nice resting days in bristol.

Brighton

It took me about 10 and half hours to get to Brighton from Edinburgh. Because I haven't traveled for so long time since India, when I arrived in Brighton with sea breeze and beautiful sunrise in 9 in the morning with sleepy head and pain in my back. Brighton is located in south England on the coast, the weather is nicer and warmer and it has beach in the town. The longing blue sky made my first impression of Brighton comfortable and I hit to the street. I came here to meet Cecile a French girl that I used live together in Melbourne for two years. I haven't seen her for over two years so it was quiet exciting. Cecile and her friend Jack came to pick me up from bus stop by a rental car. We went down to the beach and had a cafe. It is famous that Brighton has a beach but this beach is not sandy but it is a rocky beach. Millions of colorful rocks are covered the beach. It is kind of beautiful but not comfortable to walk around. Also, it was warm but just warmer than Edinburgh that I would not swim in the beach... We were going to drop my stuff in Jack's house but when we got to place where Cecile parked her can, there wasn't one. It was not parking area and the car has towed away without a trace. Jack talked police officers and explained whats happened, call a number that they gave him, hit to a bar chilled out a bit with some beer and took a bus to pick up the car and Cecile paid massive fine that I felt bad about, and my first day of Brighton has gone. In the evening, Cecile and I went to airport to pick up friend Fredric from Norway and we all went out to drink in the town. Mostly, we were drinking in a park just in front of the bar and got smashed. We stayed in Jack's room and all four of us squeezed ourselves and slept in the room. It was a tiny space but its free, I can't complain.

The following morning is also sunny day, the comfortable Saturday has began with music bass noise from a distance. I heard it in Edinburgh that Brighton is a town for gay and hippy. There was a biggest parade in the town, gay pride was held. There was massive parade on the street for miles and miles. The street was decollated in lots of colors, hundreds of gays and lesbians were dressed up in fetish and many crazy looking vehicles like bus and even police cars were driving down the street slowly. The parade has gone hour and hours, and we went down to a park had some beers on the glass. We hit to a pub at the night and got drunk till we fall.

Another perfect blue sky has come upon us but we were having a hang over so we just stayed in Jack's house and chilled out in the garden for whole of the day.

The day has began with another perfect blue sky, we decided to go to beach and swim. In the morning, We had beer on one hand and in the other, but the beautiful sunshine has replaced by the cloud from the sea in the evening. The wind started strong and cold, penetrated our skin, ruined our plan completely. Cecile and Jack went away for car move and talk about work. Fredric and I stayed in the beach waiting for them but it was freaking cold. Evacuated into a pub had couple of beers with jazz live music then couple of hours later, Jack and Cecile came back with the costume. I was a monkey, Fredric was a devil, Cecile and Jack were tiger. We put on the costume and head down to the town. Everyone was laughing but it was really cool in the town with costumes on. We went to Jack's friends house and they feed us with lovely roasted dinner. Four whole chickens and vegetables, there were so much that we couldn't finish them all but it was really awesome. We talked about music, hippy and hand crafts till early in the morning and the day was passed me by.

Next day, John came to visit us and we walked around the town but the weather was still shit as England weather so mostly stayed in and chilled out whole day. We watched a movie “Happy Feet” and fell asleep.

Back on a street Edinburgh

I regret that I booked the flight to Edinburgh right after the festival. I was in pain all of my body and not ready to carry big luggage at all. But I had to go on. John gave me a lift to airport and I arrived there an hour before the flight. But the flight to Scotland was an international flight even though the currency is same, able to go by bus and not even need a visa. When I showed my ticket, they got really in rush and tried to get me through the line. I had to pay for the excessive luggage fee 25 pounds but there is not time to argue. I run into the line of custom and took me long time to got through, went to the gate number that's written on the boarding ticket and there was not a flight. I felt shit “did I miss it?” Then I asked. The gate has been changed. There was 10 more minutes before the flight. I run and run to the gate but the gate was way too far. I was sweating and exhausted. I was the last one coming up on board. But I made it.

I was on the bus after the flight, going to Edinburgh town. It is one of the world heritage town and I was just stunned by the view of the Edinburgh. When the bus reached the middle of the town, I could see new town on the one side and the magnificent view of old town. There was a castle standing upon a hill majestically, and its surrounded by massive wall of the stone. The town was built by stones and rocks, colored in calm, gives me the impression of hundreds of history in behind.

This time I used the couch surfing for accommodation. Because of the fringe festival season, it was really hard to find one in Edinburgh but I finally found one in town. Although it was only for two days and I had to find another couch for after. Anyway, the host was Vic a girl from Lithuania. And she came to bus stop to pick me up. She showed me around the town a little bit while we are walking to her house and I was just stunned by the atmosphere of the Edinburgh town. She gave me a mattress and a blanket in her house. And she took me to a cafe and we had chat about Edinburgh and the day has gone.

Next day, Vic went out to find a job so I went out to the town by myself for an adventure. Well, this is still Scotland. The weather was cold and the sky was cloudy in grey, and rain has started as soon as I got outside. And also the color of the town which comes from mold on rocks gave me a mournful feeling in my eyes. But, Edinburgh has unique air of UK that carries my foots on road and took me into wonder the little allies and get lost enthusiastically. I visited a national museum. It was huge and got lost inside again and I spent about couple of hours easily. After couple of hours of getting lost, I finally manage to find Vic's house and we had a light dinner together. The main events for the day was the concert of “The Correspondents” in voodoo lounge. It started about 12 o'clock and it went on till the sunrise. I have gone crazy with this Electro Swing sound and dance till I die. Rarely, I met a Japanese girl in here and we had a cafe next day.

From this day, I had no place to stay in Edinburgh. I looked around the prices of some guest houses but it was about 30 to 40 pounds a day. I totally feeling not to pay for that. I decided to think about it later and I hit to the town. There was the biggest performance festival i the world “Fringe festival” was held in Edinburgh town and the street was filled up by the performers and tourist from all around the world. It was really huge festival and lively in whole the whole town. I went some comedy shows that day and had a bit of laugh. In the night, I went to “Bongo Club”. It has a theme for the night and it was “Confusion is Sex” everyone was wearing the unique clothe, fetish dress, and some gays and lesbians were wearing only under wear and some costumed into some kind of monsters then the party was really bouncing by the craziness. Luckily, I get along with the DJs and their crew and I had a really wicked night. There were some performance by the strippers, dancers and singers in the dance hall. When I scrawled through the crowd of ghosts and monsters, I found many strangers with horrific make up were dancing in the hall. There were colorful lights reflecting from the mirror ball flashing through the foggy dance floor and lighten up the beast instantaneously. The real characters created by the artificial faces, showed me the individuals truth of humanity hide behind the society. And the human klesha revealed out, scratch down by the madness. All the people there were filled up with ecstasy of realm what they want to be. The party was insanely fun and kept on going till morning. Then we went to house party after.

I woke up in the afternoon in the house which I have no idea where it is, and the house was in silence with messed up trace of the party last night. Then I met a friend from yesterdays party, found out that he is living in the house. And I asked him whether I can stay in his place for some nights. He kindly accepted my needs and told me he was going to London for a whole week for work and I can use his room till his come back. I was going to Brighton within a week so it was perfect. Whether he trusted me or he is not cautious, but he said bye and took off to London leaving all his valuable stuff with me. He met another share mate and had a chat for a minutes and he also went out to work. Well, luckily I had a room and house for entire days I stayed in Edinburgh. The day I just lay down on a couch and chilled out, recovering my mess from the party.

Nest day, it was a heavy rainy day so I just spent the day writing blog, playing guitar and drawing a pictures in the house.

With a little bit of blue sky and a nice hot tea, I started another day in Edinburgh and went out to the town to enjoy the fringe festival. I got a call from Kara that she was coming to Edinburgh so the plan for the day was decided. She came with her friends Pete and Megan and we chilled out about an hour in a park in between old town and new city, talked about the shows that we go. Thanks to the sunshine, it was really different from most of the day of Edinburgh with cloud and cold; toured the town into lively atmosphere with many performances and tourist all around, and the beautiful fun day has began. The fringe festival is the biggest performance festival in the world; the whole town is the site for the festival so it is really huge. We got lost in the town to begin with, running through the town and late for a show, refused to go in cos we were late, a 5 pound ticket was gone without used. Well, we could just laugh about it and beware for the next. We saw some shows in the after noon and we met one comedian from Australia Dave Eastgate, he said that he used to do comedy shows in Japan and after we talked, he gave me two free ticket for his show. Me and Kara decided to go together and we spent some time walking around the town till the show. The show with no expectation nor reputation turned to the best show I have seen in fringe festival. His energetic talk and performance was involved with all the audience constant laughing. After the show, we chilled out in a bar and the day has gone contently.

We again gathered up in the town next day, walked around the town and enjoyed some shows. They had to go back to Bristol next morning, they went to sleep early in the evening. I decided to go home and I called Sadiq whether he is home or not. He was in the town seeing a show. I didn't have a key so I head back to the town looked for Sadiq. Accidentally I met him in the town and he took me into a show. I sneaked into the show and I surprised. It was a gay comedy. There were gay with just an underwear dancing on the rope and pole, jumping and scrawling into the audiences and it was really gay. But the talk and show was really funny and impressive, I think it was also one of the best show I have seen in the fringe as well. Sadiq and I went to a club called Cabaret Voltaire venue and had a drum and bass concert till late.

Next couple of days also miserably rainy and cloudy. Blogging, watching anime and drinking were filled up my last days in Edinburgh and I prepare to go down to Brighton. This 9 days experience in Edinburgh has gone by like a flash to me.

Womad festival 2011

As soon as I arrived, I got call from Finn that I have to be in the Womad camp site by tomorrow. Since I was expecting the break from all those hectic day, I felt shit with that call. Wake up in the next morning, tried to find the train to catch, called up John and asked him to pick me up, the another busy and chaotic days have began without listening to my condition of body. John and I stopped by a little town near Swindon to do some shopping for our dinner. The atmosphere of the town was really beautiful. I really wanted to stay for a day just to walk around. It was very old, traditional and calm. The sunset was laying my shadow down in red on the street has no name, the buildings are standing up through the time and I asked myself who I am. It was the moment that I recall my purpose of living to find out my value of myself and I drew me on the street as a traveler.

When we got to the site, Raf, Finn and Jo finished the marquee and I was relieved. I was too tired to build these things for the day. I past out right after the dinner and had bid of resting night.

The busy day has began. My role was in painting and I liked it. While everybody else was setting up the kitchen, I got massive board for front of the cafe, four ads board and have to fix some of the font and prices. For the massive board, Finn asked to draw anything I want. But I got only a day to finish them all. I was in a hurry for design and drawing and took me till 10pm about but I managed to finish them all. I would not say its a masterpiece but nobody complain so that I was happy. The has fall with sunset and a glass of vodka orange.

Day 1, Thursday. The goal is at least 200 pizzas to make it even. Since our cafe has been quiet in other festivals so that we have to sell 200 on Thursday 400 – 500 on Friday and Saturday to make it even. The business has been really hard on Cafe Tango. Finn counts on all the cost and divides into one portion for each pizzas. We were right in front of the main stage. We have a chance of success. The matter was that can we run this place that fast or not. John, Raf and I come down to cafe two hours before to make our work easier and prepare for the chaotic service. There were some costumers were walking around for curiosity and starvation and asking when the pizza starts. We all got together and prepared. The temperature of the oven went over the 350 degree. There were queue for the pizza so we started the pizza 15 minutes earlier than opening hour. It was busy starts. In the rhythmical drum & bass sound, we worked as fast as the tempo and danced, jumped and served the pizzas. The time flew like a wind, pizzas were never stopped even once to be carried into the oven and taken away with the flavor of pleasant on an assembly line system. The sun was colored in red on the east sky and suddenly I realized that the time has gone so far. Finn came back from his van after he count the number of the sell. He smiles and says that the sell was twice more than he expected. Everyone was tired but happy. We closed the cafe earlier and went out for celebration. We all went to a stuff party and got smashed in the venue. I was dancing around till I got lost from everyone and my memory. Suddenly I woke up with the heat of the tent, realize that I wasn't in my tent but someone's. There were two other girls around me but it seems nothing happened. I just lough to myself. Then I have to go back to work. Said bye to the girls and head back my heavy mind to Cafe Tango in the perfect sunshine day.

Everyone was suffering from hang over. We all were waking up in the table biting breakfast together slowly and unconsciously. I stretch my stiffed body and ready for work again. Played some up beat tune and jumped in the kitchen. We want to sell the pizzas twice more than yesterday yet have to ready for the chaos. We opened the Tango hour later than the business hour due to our painful condition and the hectic has began with massive queue for our pizzas. I have no idea how long we have been serving. There were no time for wee or smoke, not even a sigh. I took a glance at Raf, he was in a same movement like a robot making pizzas. That made me lough a lot. And told him, don't forget to put the most important ingredient the “smile” into pizzas, he was pressured a lot but hope that made him relax a bid. Anyway, the music has been up beat all the time, my legs and back are in pain. When I noticed, it was the sunset time. Tried some vodka, the strong alcohol actually woke me up and made me work hard, time to fight with mass production line of pizzas. I felt like the order will not stop forever. We all started lough because of exhaustion and alcohol. Finn smiles from income we making. The beat of the music was also got faster and faster towards to the madness. The alcohol went all of our mind. Gradually, the kitchen has become a party stage and we all got chaotic. Dnacing, Jumping and hustling. I was throwing pizza dough to Raf. He catches them nicely but blindly, put topping like a jazz pianist. Ben picks them up like a road labour shovels up ground, slicing them and packing them in the pizza boxes like a flash. Everyone was insane but pizzas were taking out like a music note flying in the sky. I wonder that has any one seen the kitchen with this hectic and musical. Cafe Tango was shaking in the tune with madness. The service went on till 3 or 4 in the morning. The sells was over 700, twice more than we expect. Its about that we served one pizza in a every minutes. We congratulate ourselves and I have passed out. Raf and Jo carried me back to my tent and I had really deep sleep with dream of making pizzas.

On the last day of the festival, the exhaustion, the pain and my conscious reached the limits of my tolerance that I felt absolute dead. Still, the weather was perfect in blue that made me feel awake. Then we put some crazy tune back again, we moved our mind back in business. Again, there is an endless queue of costumers. The day has began just same as yesterday. But, this time, we got more help from everyone that made our work much easier. It was about 10pm, we've been working like shit so that Raf, Jo, Marla and I fucked off from work and went out to enjoy the festival. We walked around, saw some concert and we went to play ground. We ride on spinning chairs and some other attractions. The view from the attractions, high up in the sky that I could see the entire festival site, accelerate in high speed that I could feel the fear of death; turned me back into kids and we totally enjoyed them. Those attractions are still entertaining even now. The night I spent time like a kid, I went to bed like a baby and took my conscious away into deep sleep.

I drawn in the dream of wonder and woke up in the heated tent with sweat all of my body in the morning, and I asked myself what the fuck just happened. I crawled out from the tent and the sun was welcoming me to the brand new day. I moved my ass to tidy up the Cafe Tango. I was having a breakfast in the same time. My sleepy head was too slow to act for anything. Took us about 5 hours to pack up everything, and there was not a trace of Tango but the square of dried out glass in yellow. John drove me back to Bristol and caught up with others. We had some beers in a pub and Indian take away. All I remember of the day was that the curry was yummy but bit too spicy.

Next day, we had a BBQ in a park called St Andrew's in Bristol with Tango crew and their friends. The park was crowded with lots of couples, families and people who practice juggling and some sort of dance. We just rested our fucked up body on the glass till the sunset with some meat and beer.

A weekend in London

I have finally decided to go to London in the afternoon of Wednesday. Took my backpack, get out from the room and started to walk towards London. Put my thumb up to the cars passing, tried to hitch a ride in a perfect sunny day. I didn't get a luck for first an hour about, but I managed to got till high way. So many kind people got me lift but never till the London. The pouring rain came down on me one stage and I completely regret that I did hitch in England for a while. But I made it. After 6 hours about, I finally made into London. Took me a while to find a hostel as well but found some backpackers near hyde park and I found a place to live in London. London is expensive to live. It cost me 14 pounds to 20 pounds about a day for room for 14 to 20 people. Also, it was pretty full by booking so I had to change the room as well as hostel almost everyday. I should have stayed on the road... But anyway, London life has began. There are filled with tourist in that area. Mostly, Italians, Spanish and French that I did hanged out with. But most of them can not speak English well. I had some comminucation problems for a while, but it was solved by the alcohol.

The first night, we crashed in the bed like a baby. I guess I was tired from hitching.

Next day, I walked around the town and waited for the the night. Had a bottle of vodka with myself, chatting with mates from Italia with limited English. I met Jez from France and had a conversation about music and he told me about the concert in a club called Fabric. He said DJ Marky is playing that night. I have straight to decide to go there for the night. We had drinks and talk for hours before and I get along with all Italians as well. I made up a language said “Italianese” technically it was just a fake Italian word in Japanese accent. I loved doing that. Then the Fabric. There were maybe about 100 people were waiting on the cue, the time was about 12 mid night. The time to party. I don't remember how long we waited because we were really drunk. But we got in finally. The place was mazed by tunnels goes underground. I got lost so many times but also found so many cool gigs. Many rooms, and stages were hidden everywhere and got me confused. Maybe I was really drunk too. If you lose your friends, it really hard to find them again. Still, it always losing and finding. Go outside for a puff, come inside and lost in maze. And DJ Marky has started. Again, I lost everyone but I can not miss tis guy. In the massive sound system, the samba rhythm took me to dance floor. The atmosphere was covered in madness, I was swam crawling in the heavy bass sound. Met my friends back again, and we all got drown in the music. After the concert, the extreme heat got us sanity back, we head out to outside world. The morning blue sky stubbed our eyes like a rainbow and the cold fresh air flood into our dehydrated lung like an ice. Its the end of the day and begin. After we killed some time in Mac, I had crashed into my bed with being content.

When today starts like a yesterday and gathering up with same people and do the similar thing, the day runs simple and will not stay in the memory clearly. The day with cloudy sky is gloomy and doesn't go well with lazy hang over day. The exhausted body is heavy and more alcohol was actually killing my tummy. Still, the time would pass us by and the body forced my feeling and pushed me out to town. Apparently, we walked around the Old Street and had some fun, but I don't remember any of it. All I can remember about the night was that I get on a bus to go back, I fell asleep for a minute, wake up and misunderstand that I missed to get off, so I get off straight after. My friends were surprised and looking down from the bus. Then I had to go back all the way on foot from east London to west London. Took me hours and hours, wondering and looking for Hyde park. The shaky view would not reflect into my sight, the view I can not see would not stay in my memory. It is not fun to drink too much in the city you don't know well about.

The morning I realized myself was perfect sunny day. I head to park for refresh. The Kensington park is really huge and gives me my space. A family having a picnic. An old man feeding birds. Young people playing music and reading books. Kids running around and playing roller boarding around. Running, cycling, soccer and badminton, the beautiful life style made me alive back again and a day has started nicely. Its funny that the weather can change our life this much. Walked around the town and head back to backpackers. My friends were worried about me and asked where have I been. Made me lough. That night, I decided to take it easy, and swear to catch up again and head back to bed.

I spent about 200 pounds within 5 days... It was totally out of my budget but its the London, I sigh into my wallet and be happy about the experiences in London town. I met a man who just came out of jail and had a chat about tough life of labors in high society and people who left behind in the changing time. It was interesting especially that a week after about this conversation, there was the massive London riot. I was intended to go back by hitching but I got really tired and I waited for an hour but I failed. So I took a bus to go back to bristol.

Outside of festy life

Back in Wales

It is fast to heal exhausted body in the quiet and nature atmosphere in place like Wales. I cooked breakfast for everyone and we decided to have a barbecue on a beach of Wales for the evening. We got some meet and fish on the way and straight down to beach. The view of the beach was stunning. It is unique beach that straight down from the 20 to 30 meter up hill coast, reminds me the Great Ocean road in Australia. There were some fur seal come out from the ocean and got attention from us. However, the summer of UK is really bad and cold. We freeze ourselves but jumped into the water and swam for a while. While we were freezing in the water Finn has prepared the barbecue. We wormed up around the fire and enjoyed the meal. We haven't had meat because of veggie cafe we work so the longing meat was really filling and satisfying in our appetite. Also we had some mackerel from Raf's friend, mmh, it was yummy. We played frisbee and succor on the beach after the berbecue. I surprised that the tide difference. When it high tide, there was a meter of beach but after 5 hours about later, there was massive beach for few kilometers wide. Great for succor it was. After the sunset, we set up bonfire and wormed up on the coast with beautiful stars on the sky and stayed out till mid night.

Back in Bristol

While I was thinking about the next plan, I spent a week in Bristol. More barbecues, played some chess and poker, and night out in Bristol on the weekend. Josh got drunk till he throw up from his window. We also visited climbing gym few times and put some pain in weaken muscles.

Small Nation festival trip

The Small Nation festival has held in a farm surrounded by beautiful green hills and mountain of Wales near tiny village with old houses. Its about 400 to 500 people in this festival, it is really tiny compare to Glastonbury so I was quite surprised by difference between the biggest fest to smallest. There were only two stages, I could count the number of shops and places to eat and mostly young kids and family in the field. It was lively with performances like poi, juggling and fire show outside and some music till it gets dark. When the night has fall, it becomes really quiet and only the moon light was shining softly in the Small Nation field.

Three nights and four days, the Cafe Tango was the one most lively and opened till late, having some party its own. A path of one life is funny, this time we had Kara, who used work next door of my work Borsh vodka & Tears in Melbourne and her friend Simon, Lisa and Dain who I met in north India with the crew of Cafe Tango. And with Fin Jo John Raf and Josh, we made the best party out of the festival. The first day, we made the kitchen, painted the advertise menu and connecting gas and water blah blah blah has been busy. This time, we were making pizzas for the festival so that everything has been different from the Glastonbury. We had a wood fired oven that can go really hot so that we could make a pizza in 90 second in the oven. That was quite impressive. Then we had couple of drinks and the night has fall.

Next day, because of there were more catering business than we expect and much less people in the event we started the Cafe Tango really quietly. Still, we the Cafe Tango crew played great tunes and dancing and jumping, busting the small festival and whooped the atmosphere up into chaos. While I was free “it was quite free but” I went out to see some live and I did actually impressed by the local musicians from Wales. All day all night we sang songs, danced to noise made chaotic moment with everyone. We kept on going till sunrise, ended up with throwing chairs from cafe into the sky, tackling each other till we died.

The third day was also quiet as it was. But we all were tired from partying all day long. We passing out in the cafe during the running but it was really nothing we can do. Even the music was playing softly, and the small festival was even smaller as the faded memory of time we spent. We decided have a quiet night for the first night. Had some dinner together and we were chatting. Suddenly we got this idea of making a mushroom pizza. And Raf and Dan brought up mushrooms. Then Cafe Tango night has began. We sat for a while and chat to each other for a while. Then the moment of musical and magical time of trip has come. We brought some stuff from kitchen and started make some rhythm. The tune with whisk and strainer, rids of pots, tomato tins and wooden spoon. We were just so stupidly creative. Then Dane brought the singing bowl from Tibet out. That was the instrument of the night. The melodious tune of bowl has called Buddha from the rainbow, flying around like a goddess, burnt in my brain with color of rainbow, and every time when its singing tune gave me great trip and evaporated my mind into the other side of the world. If I say, it was about three, the tremble breeze from field invaded into the world of conscious waking us up from the sound of melodious bowl so we tried to make some fire for the heat. Although, when the city people do some bonfire, we do it in a tomato tins which Lisa has claimed but it did actually worked and we made our worm circle of friendship. Also we were attacked by manchies so we use slow brain to cook something out of left over from pizza and sticked them on coffee stirrer and had BBQ on the bonfire in the tomato tins. That was quite creative. Lisa brought some mash marrows and we made up this awesome pizza named Midnight Marador the mash marrow pizza with choco and nut topped with honey. Mmmh, that was something. Early in the morning, the field was surrounded by the fog which has been colored in deep blue and it welcomed the elegant sunrise for us. We looked upon the sky and waited for the sunshine to fulfill the day to finished. The vapor trail flying through the sky like massive a meteorites that can change the world, the warmth sunrise poured into the freezing air and the morning has arrived like nothing has changed.

It is a deserter to have perfect sunny day for live in a tent. The sunlight upon the tent changes the inside to hell of heat and wake up my exhausted body with sticky sweat. Heading towards my heavy body to a shower. The cold water gives me fresh feeling and had a breakfast with Jon. Then we started to tidy up the cafe slowly and slowly. The four days of beautiful sunshine days has gone like a typhoon and the square trace of the cafe was like an exit of a wonderland where we can not go back anymore as time and space and gave me creeps. And after, we all head back to Finn's dad place. It was the end of Small Nation trip.

Bit of Wales and Bristol

Wales

Tuesday, and Wednesday, we packed up the Cafe Tango kitchen into van and head back to Finn's dad house in Wales. This place was just as I needed. There is nothing but bit of forest and massive field with sheep and nature. Silence and fresh air treated me nice. Nice bed and huge space. After I lived in the tent, dirty and small space, I really had nice rest in Wales. Slowly, we packed out the stuff from the van and I had quiet days. I stayed in Finn's dad house for couple of days for the recovering from all those chaotic experiences and we head out to Bristol where Raf, Josh and Finn lives.

Bristol

It is a nice little town in England located in south west. People are friendly, the town is quiet and surrounded by lots of green hills and parks. It used to be a industrial place in the old days so there is a big port and many closed factories. And now, it became more arty and musical town in England. The houses, pubs and shops are colored with much street arts and beautiful paint, if there is a tunnel, there are covered in canvas with unique art. Lots of artist were born here as well. I am really glad to settle down here for a while instead of hectic London town.

When I arrived in this town, its about couple of weeks ago, there was a carnival called St Paul's Carnival. Which is completely chaotic street festival in Bristol. I stayed in friend's house during the day for recovering from Glasto hangover. I had a little bid of vodka and coke to started with, and head out to street. I could hear the music from the house, I had to see it even I have massive hangover. The street was packed with so many people, dancing, drinking and chilling out everywhere. The whole street was closed and open for festival. Lots of shops with food and drinks, massive speaker playing lots of different genre of music loudly, the street was really alive with madness and happiness. We hanged out in a park for a while, sitting, chatting and drinking. I got really drunk as soon as I started. Suddenly I woke up in someone's house party, I am not so sure how I get there but Finn was there and carried me home. That was my first impression of Bristol.

Next day, I had massive hangover, as well as Josh, Raf and Finn. We just sat down in backyard and killed hours and hours. I couldn't stop do things when I'm hangover so I decided to go for a bike ride. I was convincing share mates to go out for a ride but none of them wanted to go at all. After hour of persuasion, I finally convinced Raf to go out with me. He took me up to a hill and showed me the town from above, it was a de javu. A freakin beautiful town. Thats what I thought. We sat ther for a while then Raf found a mobile phone on a ground and we returned it to the owner. He gave us a pint of beer and had some chat in a pub. Then, we back down to town and Raf went into shops so I was waiting him on a street. Then coincidently, I met Kara on the street. She used work next door of Borsh Vodka and tears in Melbourne where I worked for a year. That was really funny encounter. We had a little bit of chat and I asked for work in festival cos Finn was looking for one more waitress for the next festival “Small Nation” on the weekend. It was cool, she was looking for something like that and she jumped in the crew for the small nation.

Next couple of days, I was just sitting on computer and looking for a van to own. But none of luck has happened. We had a BBQ in the house. The house mates made a BBQ crap out of bricks and it looks ridiculous but it did work well in the end. Had some meat but we didn't have any alcohol that night. We were pretty fucked. Then I spent couple of days doing relax, making accessories, playing guitar, like nothing just happened.

Fin and I went to shopping for Small Nation festival, food, catering and drinks to some kind of massive hippie ware house. It was cool to know those kind of mega store where people have dread hair, tattoos and fun attitude. After the shop, we head out to Wales, and o the way, we drop by someplace to pick up his sister's trailer. The road was beautiful, surrounded by the green farm and deep forest. Crossing the small villages with old housings.Then Fin's car was towing the trailer on a highway about 60miles a hour. The van just passed a corner and going down a hill with awesome views around. Suddenly, the van has started to wobble. Bit of shakes, going on other side of road, felt a bit of excitement. But, when I looked at Fin, his face was not joking. The trailer lost its control and started to pushing the van we on. Wobble and wobble, going over the road to the other. I never seem a drivers got such crazy handling in terms of balancing. The gravity was pushing me side to side. Then, BANG. We heard the massive sound from back of the van. The trailer came off from the van. Fin fixed the van's balance and back on the road, straight to stopped the van on the shoulder and looked behind. The trailer was crashed into a bush, the tires were squashed as a rubbish and we were completely anxious like a christ. I was glad that there wasn't any car coming towards to us at that moment. Fin called up some help. Couple of hours later, a massive towing trailer came to take the trailer out and we head back to Wales and finished the days. I am so happy that I still survived.

The Maddest Bestival "Glastonbury" experience

Glastonbury

Packed my stuff into John's car in a rainy Monday afternoon, we head to Glastonbury. My mind was full of excitement and curiosity. Glastonbury festival is my first experience of any kind of festival and European culture. I haven't been in UK either EU for only four days in my whole life and I was already heading to Glastonbury festival. It was a such a lucky opportunity of mine. As well as I got work and made friends before the festival, that made my days in Glasto so special. We were heading towards to this massive cloudy sky with heavy rain, bit disappointment and anxious on my mind but still happy in sides. When we got there, the famous Glasto sticky maddy field welcomed us straight. Greeting with Finn and we set up our camp tents on the green field in the rain. My tent was 1.5m by 1.8m square, it was really small for me to stay for three weeks but what can I complain. Packed out most of my stuff and squeezed into this small hole, pumped up the air bed and through down on the space, I got really excited. We didn't have to do much on that day so we just chilled out and had couple of drinks with Greenpeace people with bonfire in front in the night.

From that day, my conscious has slightly loosen with 9 bottles of vodka flied into the sky with some balloons filled with dreamy memories.

Each day, the field has built up bigger and crowder, filled up with lively and noisy people and construction noise. We walked around place called Shangri La, they had some massive things like broken space ship as a diner, mechanical face stands up middle of nowhere and a rusted aero plane. The stage for the concert looks like a futuristic planet and some gypsy camps. The whole area was built up with insanity mind set. We walked up to the stone circle and chilled out some times, looking down the whole area has been changing every hour. BBQ was absolutely stunning. Working with Greenpeace people was really fun and thoughtful. Everyone was really friendly and cheerful, also they have something very interesting life in each individuals. I had really good fun with them.

Cafe Tango had definitely the best crew. Everyday, we worked slightly hard, listening to nice music, jumping and running around. We got really nice sound systems in the kitchen and beautiful tunes all the times. Quite often, we had own time to break and I walked around the Glastonbury festival town. It is so huge that we call it town. There is many many shops, restaurants, cafes, massages, handy crafts, antique, arts, buildings, bars and fields to chill. My favorite place is that its up on the hill right next the field from stone circle. There is much less people and still has green glass and be able to chill out from the chaotic mess of festival people. I have walked around with Daisy once and had rest for an hour, that was absolutely awesome. Unfortunately, the Cafe Tango was located in bit quiet Green peace field so it has been quiet most of the festival but we were all rocking the place.

Two day during the preparation, I had some painting days for Cafe Tango logo for the front. I got stressed out about finishing and made mistake with spelling and so on, but I had lots of help from Hanna and made it through ok. It was a bit of fun.

The Thursday, the festival began to mess. I went out with some of the crew from Tango, visited a bar and Sarah gave a balloon for the night. That was really fun. I got little hole in my wellington since the day two but it got worse and started to leak lots of water in... I always had wet feet and made massive blisters on my feet. That was horrible but during the night, I had so much fun to forget about them. Couple of nights I have passed out but the crew looked after me so nice.

Friday, I went out with Bexy from Tango 2. We had really nice dancing night out, walked around everywhere in the Glasto and end up in a small bar dancing just two of us with nice rockabelly tunes. We caught up with Raf, Hanna and Marla and danced in the Arcadia stage. It was really maddy stage and we were dancing on the mad like retards, stumping on the ground and fell over couple of time. Next morning, when I got up, I had so much mad on my sleeping bed and was really disgusting but what can I say... so much fun.

Saturday, the festival got really bigger and more crowdy, after work, we straight hit the concert of Chemical Brothers. Me and Daisy lost rest of the crew while we went to toilet then the live has began. We walked through the crowd till we can not move any farther, started to dance like crazy people. In the display of the stage, there is some light coming out as light dancers and big faces laughing and made us feel great. We head to Arcadia after but the road was closed. Although, Daisy was crazy enough to walk through the side, so we sneaked into the stage and there goes the party. We went up to the stage and started to jump around with nice electro tune. We both danced till the end of the energy we had.

Sunday, the best and the last. The restaurant got really busy for the breakfast and lunch. People were getting exhausted from this whole week of madness. But this was the last day of Glasto so that we push ourself one more level and everybody got mental. When the job is done all the crew from the Tango got together, decided to hit the road to Arcadia. The road was mess but the weather was perfect. We closed the cafe about 10 o'clock and we all got to Arcadia. Moving around with lots of people was mess, waiting for another friends, toilet and filling up more alcohol and stuff; takes time. We managed to arrive in Arcadia about mid night and the show was about to start. We squeezed into the massive crowd and got to the front line. The show started with a violinist with beautiful dress played some note into electro tune, they colored in blue and smoke, a silence and heavy bass, the violin penetrates the sound of silence and a singer with beautiful voice moving towards the music. It sounds weird but I felt like it. Then suddenly, many people appeared on the stage dancing with rope. three rings was on fire in the sky, dancers were dancing in the rings like mysterious cats, then the monstrous fire blowed out from the top of this massive spider looking metal stage with sound of heat. We could feel the heat of sound underneath my skin running through my face, arms and hands where exposed. The show was really magical and tripping. Then we moved to the other side of stage where we found more friends dancing and jumping. We were screaming and greeting, that we glad to meet them on the site. Hours pass by as the sound of speed. Balloons were flying in the sky in between the fire and sound of bass, feeling numb on my legs but the crystal energies kept me stands and dance. Jumping on sky to people, music was really great that went into my ear in silent. I couldn't hear any more but the vision of sound made me smile. Everyone was there, the Cafe Tango crew and Greenpeace crew. Everyone was happy, screaming and shouting, jumping and hugging. Everyone was there till the sun came out. I went far out from the stage once for the wee, the site was full of people surrounding the firing stage with chaotic pleasure and sound. The light of the the stage was flashing the crowd in the middle of field turned them into massive music guru. All the people was gone into the stage of level where people meets heaven.

When the sun light shine upon us, we found ourselves in the atmosphere of end of the gig or shall I say art of music. The stage was full of mess and tension of silence in the head. The air was filled with morning fog and it was like in the dream of an end. We head back to Cafe Tango afterwards and had a little chat. I passed out but some people went to stone circle for the sunrise. That is the end of the big event of Glastonbury.

Monday, after couple of hours of sleep, I woke up with the heat of tent. It was beautiful sunshine day. Had a shower and went to Cafe Tango, had breakfast. We just chilled out for the day around. I couldn't do anything.

Just like that, one of my craziest experience of bestival time has gone in maddy field, stayed in the dirtiest place I lived where the smallest tent space for three weeks.

New journey began from UK, England

England

London

Arrived in England, Heathrow air port 12:30 pm through Russian airline, stop over in Moscow for couple of hours. As I always do, I had two meals in the air plane. If you ask if there is some left over in the flight, they usually do and give them to you. If you are on budget travel, you should ask for that. Then I had some roasted pork. Since I haven't had any pork in India the meal was really filling. Anyway, I was bid worried about immigration in England because I heard that it is difficult to cross the boarder since I didn't have any ticket to go out of the country and some people who didn't have ticket they have been sent away or forced buy another ticket in airport. But when the serious looking immigration man asked me about what's the reason that I want to stay in England for 6 month, I answered that I play music with my friend and showed my guitar he suddenly laughed and gave me a stump. I was really lucky I guess that I got through with any troubles.

As soon as I got out from the gate, John was there to pick me up. We haven't seen each other for over three years, I really glad to meet him. Jump on his car, hit the street and we had lots of talk about our journey. But also, I was really excited about England views. We walked through the town, got on tubes “English people call tube as subway” in the shitty English weather.

We stayed in his sister's place in Notting hill. First night, John, his sister, and her friend and I went out for drink in the area and got really drunk. It was really fun but realized me that England is really expensive place to live. Next day was really cloudy, had bit of rain as well but we walked around and did some shopping for the rest of the days we stay in London town. That night I got diarrhea. I guess I wasn't ready for the London water.

Another day is also quite a lot of rain came down on the town. We just chilled out for the morning and went out to see John's friend in the evening. I met Max and he is a film maker in London and had a nice chat. We all went to BBQ for the night in their friends house, had lot of meat that night and I was really happy.

The Sunday has come and that was really nice sunny day. There was a weekend market on the Notting hill town and we walked around the town. It was really great. Since England has got really shitty weather through the year, when the sun comes out, people come out to enjoy the day. The market was filled with people and very arrived with various shops. And lots of international people are waking around the shops and having great time. I was really amazed by this multicultural place as well. So many races and age groups are mixed in London. We went to shopping for the festival and bought a sleeping bag, shoes and air bed so on made me so excited about the festival. I was still having the trouble with my tummy so I had relaxing day for the night and we were ready for the next day to hit Glastonbury.

Ending my journey of India

Bakso

12days was little bit too long for me to stay here. I did nothing but drink and sing some songs and mostly smoke everyday and night. Its a pretty place if I got into to some Bakso's thing “skill” like meditation, yoga or making accessories. Quite a lot of people do those things and stuck in Bakso for months. But my first intention of staying here was to just drink for 4 to 5 days before I go to Varanashi. I had some real fun there and gave up on going to Varanashi which I now regret quite a lot. But can you actually plan which you never regret??? My answer is no. And this time is also on one of a situation that I felt regret... I am now in Delhi and waiting m flight which in two more days and thinking back about Bakso and imagine up about Varanashi. Well, I have to go on with it.

Bakso is a little town with many travelers who practicing skills for their lives. It is really easy to stuck there and do the days. I was staying a home stay and the family was nice but the accommodation itself was bit boring. Nobody was there when I got there. I arrived this town with Elyse and Lore but we split where we stay. They were doing some accessory course and each day they had something new that they made. I should have done that course as well. After couple of days of drinking and jamming, Med, Coleen and a german guy “I am so shit with names...” they moved into the home stay we hanged out together. Med plays guitar well so we get along well.

Long story in short, in Bakso, I had a pretty simple life style.

In a morning, wake up and practiced juggling.

Go down to any of cafe in town, eat and smoke. Its a really small town so that its easy to find friends.

Couple of hours later, we changed the cafe and have some chai and smoke in the other place. Most of the time, we go to see movies.

Couple of hours later, we talk about where we go for dinner.

Dinner and jam session. Wasted and sleep.

Lore has amazing voice. During the jamming, sometime she made audience stunned. We made a song but its never been recorded. Hope to do in Belgian...

I never took any photo until the last day that I regret as well...

I should have stayed in Daramka as well, if I knew that I would stay that long... Its a smaller town just cross the valley.

Well, the 12days was like that. Now I have to wake up from the laziness and get active. I am heading to London, one of the busiest and expensive town in the world. I am so looking forward to it. Got myself a job, ticket to a festival and meeting an old friend knows me from Australia that I really want to talk about travel.

I am ready for EU.

Delhi

Actually, I quite liked it. People told me about all sort of stories about Delhi weather, hustle and craziness but I did enjoy staying there. Come down from cold Bakso life, the heat in Delhi was extremely hot and dried. People were more aggressive and the population was massive. But the little ally for shopping, the food and the insanity of the town get me really excited about there. I didn't travel much but lots of shopping for jewelry. There are lots of places for shopping and they are so cheap!!! Everyday, I walked around the little allies and negotiate with sellers, had some chat and eat street food. The guest house was bit horrible but can't complain about one of the cheapest place in Delhi. I suffered through the night the most that I woke up with this heat. Wet my sarong, watered my room and took shower every hours to let me have good sleep. I stayed in Delhi for 5 days but I really enjoyed it. Then I took a flight to UK with lots of stuff and full of excitement.

Heading up to north India

Bikaner

I am writing this in Vashisht in Manali, I could see snowy mountain from the cafe where I am staying. A lot of green, peaceful atmosphere, less hustles, and slow life style. So I haven't touched blogging for almost a month now and I have to remember all those past days. Shit shit shit... Well, in Bikaner, I did camel safari and spent a night in desert. The trip was one of a kind that have to do it. Its awesome but, it is also depend on people who you travel with and what kind of guide you get, plus what they do with the tour, like food and smoke, even drinking. It doesn't matter actually about how much you are paying... I spent 1200R a day and it was ok kinds... I heard awesome story about camel safari and they spent about 700R a day. So it is just depend on luck or friends recommendations.

Anyway, after the camel safari tour, I moved to another place and explored the town. There was a huge fort in this town as well, but 300R for entry and I was again traveling myself so I skipped it. In my guest house, there was nobody so that I did more of editing of my videos.

I went to the rat temple by a local bus. That was the feature of the town I guess. I never seen anything like that. It looks like a nice temple from a distance, but as I walked in, the smell of rotten food and shit and some sort of disgusting that I can not even express in here... filled up the atmosphere that I could feel with my skin of my face. And then, so many rats are running around, I mean soooooo many. They don't even scare people so some times they did run over my foot. And I could see the rats so close that I could see their eyes starring at me, nails, and all detail of hair they have. Woo fu fuf fu... that was horrible... But the local people worship the rats and feed them, and treat them like gods. Yep, the culture is really hard to understand most of the times.

I went to post office on the next day, and this is also quite interesting experience. I found the post office easily and I just wanted to send a letter and some tea to Japan. The letter was fine but the tea... I was expecting at the office that they have some boxes or some sort of envelope that I can buy and pack them and send. But they had nothing... So I had to go to some shops to pack it. But not many people speaks English in this town and took me a half hour to find this book shop. Then they said that I have to rap up with cloth. I could have done that faster and better but they took my tea and started to sawing. Took them more than an hour, in this hot weather... in between many Indians... in a busy shop. They some times pass around the sawing responsibility to others in terms of taking care of lots of customers. Then, I didn't have enough cash on me... So I went to find some ATM but most of them didn't work. I walked around for another hour for finding ATM. Took me whole day for sending a package and that was my day.

I explored the town next day but there weren't much to do there...

Amritsar

There wasn't sunrise yet, with the yell of people asking about rickshaw I woke up in a bus. Bus ride always make me tiring. Had a cigarette and a chai, got on a rickshaw and found a cheap hostel, and straight fallen down to bed. But then the extreme heat did wake me up within couple of hours. Then I hit the street. There is the golden temple in Amritsar. I walked in the one of the most extreme street to get to the temple. I hate Indian drivers. I say they are worse than Vietnam traffics. In Vietnam, traffic is crazy but the drivers are good enough to avoid pedestrians but Indian divers are always try to run into people. Fuckin shity traffic. In contrast, the golden temple was really peaceful and nice. It is surrounded by water and white buildings. Entrance was free, and there is free food to serve for everyone as well. The food was really nice, probably it was one of the best that I had in India. Apparently, they make over 10,000 meals a day for 24 hours. I have seen the kitchen and it was really chaotic. A guy stirring a massive pot, A MASSIVE pot, hundreds of people are washing and throwing dishes that make crazy noise, and tons of chapaty is on hot plate making a nice smell. The place was really fun. I walked into the golden temple, there is musicians playing music for all day long and a guy was reading huge book and the decolation of the wall and the inide are really nicely done too.

One of a night, I stayed in the temple. There are free space to stay for all people. All the Indians are sleeping on the floor, squeezing each other. The view of hundreds people laying in such a area is quite interesting. We stayed in a dorm where all the foreigner stays, there some beds and we also squeezed in the bed as well. Interesting experience.

We went to Pakistan and Indian border ceremony while we stayed in the temple. It was kind a weird. They played some Indian pop music and suddenly all the woman started to dance. Its like a street festival and the army guys do some crazy marching. Amritsar was really cool place to hang out but nothing much to do.

I was going to further north but I caught up with nice people and heard about place called Dahransara then we headed to east from there together.

Mcleod Ganj

The bus was filled with all foreigners, I have never seen so many tourist in local bus in India. The place is over 3000m above the sea level, as fur as we go, the air gets colder and cleaner. Fresh chilled wind was blowing in to face, nice chat with all travelers and good feeling about next place gave me the wonderful journey.

On the bus, I was talking to a Canadian girl Jeni sitting behind me. She was kind of harassed by the Indian guy sitting next her. That was horrible. And the bus ticket inspector came in. She hasn't paid for the bus ticket yet but not intentionally. Then she was accused for 1000R fine. But there were many tourist in the bus. We all got together and argue with this shittiest inspector and convinced him it wasn't her fault which is true but the whole argue was quite a fun.

We arrived in the town after the sunset. The place is also full of tourist but its got nice atmosphere. We were walking around the town to look for some guest houses but it was really expensive, so then me, Jane Rob and Shane all from Canada got shared room but it was really fun. As soon as we arrived, we got some beer and a bottle of whisky and we made some musical party in the room. Jane knows most of the songs I play so it was really fun to jam. Then we went to eat some dinner, on the way back, we met these guy just got out from a bar. And they saw our guitar, started to sing loud and hit the street for party out. We were singing on the street till two or three in the morning. Yep, I love this place.

Next day, while had a lunch, we played some card game called 500. It was really interesting game. I really want to play it again but it was really difficult rules that I can not remember now...

In the afternoon, we headed to waterfall, swam a bit but the water from snowy mountain was really freezing so that we just hanging out around the water for the day.

We went to a Japanese restaurant in the town and it was quite impressive for the Indian standard food. Also there were some Japanese people are working in the restaurant.

Jeni fixed my dread hear while we watching The Social Network. Then we had a rest.

Next day, I had a shopping day for on my own for the day. We caught up in the night for drink and had some awesome jam session again.

Stayed in Bakso next day but I had terrible tummy troubles in the afternoon. But I head out to Vashisht for climbing in the night. I still regret that I stayed such a short time in Dahransara. I am in Manali now and planning to go back within couple days.

Old Manali

It is freaking freezing here in Manali when I got there. It was about 5 in the morning. The sky was gray, little bit of shower and there was no way to go up to the Vashisht in that time. With lack of choice, I went up to Old Manali for the night with some people. Got myself a jacket still regret that I spent so much money for that but it was really cold. Its been a couple of weeks past and this place getting warmer each day that I don't need the jacket anymore and have to send it back to Japan now... Coz anyway, I like it.

Vashisht

Here I am, sitting in the porch of my guest house, writing a diary of the past lazy day of my journey. But one of the most exciting incident that killed my interest of traveling around india is that I got a ticket to go to London. It started with a message from J Ridley that lived together in Melbourne for couple of month, offering a work in London as a cook. First, I was bit worried about visa and expenses but the work was in the Glastinbury festival. Sweet as!!! It is the biggest fest in UK and I really wanted go someday. He's offering a pick up from airport and place to stay and most importantly free ticket to the festival. Again, SWEET AS!!!

To comfirm and get myself the ticket, I had to stayed in the internet for days. But finally now, its settled.

Anyway, that was my early days of Vashisht.

I had to move some places in terms of expenses and shitty owners. But I found myself a comfortable and cheap place “50R a night” with nice people.

Vashisht is a town surrounded by snowy mountains all around and lots of green forest with bit influence from Tibetan culture. That makes this little town so peaceful. It is quite disgusting but it has a hot bath to relax as well. I don't have shower due to cheap rent so I go there everyday. Its also bit chaotic with all those tourist but its worth it.

I had couple of days of hiking up to waterfall from he town and the waterfall is really impressive. On the way to the water fall, there is a guest house and I met some Japanese people and had some conversation about traveling.

I met some climbers and now I have been climbing around the town.

I met Lore and Hana from Belgian in a cafe, they told me about a music festival in Kosal and they were doing the bike ride so I jumped on the back of Lore's bike and head to Kosal for the music. She has driven for two days and I was the first person who got on her back of the bike. Especially in the street like in India with full manual bike on dozy street up and down, turns left and right sharp with stupid traffics. As I am writing this diary now so you know we survived. But the bike ride was awesome. Riding down between the beautiful valley, a beautiful weather and lovely Belgian girls, that was fun. The party was better than I expected. We had to walk through the muddy forest in the dark with no path. We sneaked some Vodka and local whiskey, listened to trans music in the forest, dancing and jumping. It's been a while I had a such night. But the party was stopped by the polices by 10pm. They came up with sticks and yelling that “polices your friend, go home now, I can help you”. That was quite weird but we had some fun. The village is also quite sweet. Small and pretty. On the way back of bike ride, the bike run out petrol twice, middle of the nothing. First one I did hitch for some help. There were nice Indians who gave me a lift to gas station. Second time was already in Vashisht so I just gave back the bike.

I had couple more days of climbing day around the town with Marcus from Switzerland, another Marcus and yan from Germany and Lore. It has been a pretty nice days.

Most of the night in here, we always go to the same restaurant and hanging out with same people that reminds me the day in Hampi lifestyles give me the atmosphere of family like.

We had couple of jam sessions as well but I miss the chemistry of the Hampi music sessions.

Anyway, we had a Japanese food night, Korean food night, and we just chat about us a lot. Not much drinking or drug has been going on between us so I felt so healthy after all.

One the last day, we went to Solang again and for last climbing. I have made two problems that I haven't been able to climb so that made my Vashisht journey satisfied. I had this feeling of achievement and kind of grown up filled my mind and I was good to go to Bakso. I said bye to all people that I met and left Vashisht with Elyse and Lore. I miss that place now and I appreciate the people who hanged out with me and support for my climbing days.