I went for a 1.30am tiddle, only to trip over the unconscious carcass of my beloved which was strewn in our tent’s awning. I attempted to move her to her bed, but she wasn’t having any of it (just as well), so I went about my business and went back to kip.
At 5am I was woken by someone pumping up a deflated air bed. I realise it’s rather mean, but there is something satisfying about listening to someone pumping their mattress whilst I am snug in my own bed. I eventually got up and had a shave shortly after 6am, and then sat with Simon and we giggled as we listened to the various snores coming from the tents around us whilst we finished off the last of the pickled eggs.
First breakfast was rather fraught this morning, as due to an inadvertent gas leak we nearly blew the gazebo up, but soon we were eating fried spuds laced with bacon before following it with second breakfast of sausage and egg sandwiches. And so suitably replete I then sat down and slept until mid day when friends arrived and we broke out the Blokus and tried to get the answers to the warden’s quiz.
Teston isn’t Teston without a sail up the river, and whilst the rear admirals set off, we flew our latest acquisition – the spirit kite. Hand made, it flies wonderfully. We’ve been waiting for the thing for some time, and were very grateful to be able to play with it this afternoon.
And then we posed for the group photo. Despite this being the fifteenth time I’ve camped out at Teston kite festival, it is only the fourth time I’ve been asked to join in the group photo. That wasted a few minutes, and then three of us set off on a mission. We had this idea to have a pooh-sticks race for the August festival, and so suitably armed with a dozen lolly sticks we planned to lob them in at the lock, and see how many made their way to the bridge. There was a minor mishap as one of our number took a tumble at the lock, but all the launched sticks made it to the destination. And so I have ordered two hundred lolly sticks from eBay. A subsequent blog entry will outline the rules of the game.
Back to camp where we found we’d won the warden’s quiz. First prize was loads of choccy cake which we shared out with friends, many of whom were now packing up to go home. And after a few minutes fun bump-starting a car with a flat battery, some of us started packing away our gear. We had this plan to pack away everything we wouldn’t actually need in the morning. And as we packed, the text messages and phone calls came in. So many people warned us of forecasted torrential rain that we began to think about abandoning camp and going home. But then we realised that if we did pack up, we still wouldn’t have everything in the cars before dark. And we’d have all the mucking about to do at the other end, so we might as well stay. And we did, even though no one else did.
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