Tent Sniffing for Beginners

So I expect you are all wondering, did I manage to see all of the things I hoped to at the Curious Arts Festival? Well, no. But I experienced all I needed. We arrived on the Friday and the cricket match was in full swing already, sadly it's a short walk form the camp site and the main festival site, and after pitching the tent in the scorching sunshine all I fancied was a snooze and an ice cold beer! Couple with the fact we had the small puppy with us (and she was panting in the shade) we decided to miss the cricket in favour of total non exertion.

I’ve been quiet on the blog lately. It’s summer time (yes really, despite the weird weather) and so it is my favourite time, Festival Season. I started in May of course, then there was a long gap  (picture my sad face here) but then it was July and at the end of it there was Camp Bestival! Yippee! This year the headliners were the Kaiser Chiefs so with a huge dose of over excitement I had bought my tickets as soon as they were available. I once thought DD had grown too old for Camp Bestival, after all it’s Bestival’s younger sibling; a festival that caters for breastfeeding mums, tiny babies, toddlers, and over excited 4 year old Mr Tumble fans. But since the arrival of the Den and this year a really excellent lineup (my teen demanded a T shirt with the band list on the back this year, a sure fire way to check if your festival is ‘cool’) we are both back in love again, in fact DD has declared it once again has the top slot in her ‘favourite festivals’. We arrived on Thurs...

I thought I'd join in with Throwback Thursday today. Sparked mainly as DD and I were poring over some old photos of festivals we'd been to. So it's not a picture of me, but DD, that graces the blog today. DD declared this her favourite photo of herself at a festival. She was about 6 and it was at Eastern Haze , in 2007, the first festival we attended and the one that got us hooked. A gorgeous summer, with rain and mud, great music, icecreams, drugs (in the air, we didn't partake), light sabres and funfairs. Isn't she a natural hippy?

Top 10 essential things to know, do or bring to, Camp Bestival With just over a week to go I realise the blog tips have become rather large and unwieldy for the novice festival goer (eg my brother, who is accompanying me this year with his family - an entire family of festival virgins!) So here is a mini list (with links to more detail where necessary) of the actual vital stuff you need to know. First off. While Camp Bestival is a music festival that is far from all it is. It was begun as a spin off of Bestival as a cross between a Holiday Camp, and a festival. They even have their very own Blue Coats! Of course this means there is loads to do, plenty of comedy, films, shows, circus acts, craft areas etc for children from as young as babies to teens. This year there is also a teen Den, just for those 13 - 17 to hang out. Perfect for the festival goers of tomorrow to get a feel for festival life away from their parents. As the site is a castle they also have a jousting are...

I thought it was time we heard from someone else! I hunted about for a willing sacrificial virgin, and found one in the shape of Mamafurfur on twitter , a self confessed festival virgin! Off to Latitude this year and who knows where next year? I asked her a few questions about why she decided to take the plunge... Tell us a bit about yourself I'm 32yrs old new Mummy to 1/Wife to 1/Step-Mummy to 3 who sidelines as an IT sales executive during the days. Background in Electronic Engineering, but since having small dude last June, love to write about my experience of life since then and in my world in general. We also share our home with 2 rescue cats. Do you think of yourself as a country or a city sort?   City girl that enjoys the country, and the freedom/peace/silence it brings   Have you been camping before? If so where and what did you like/dislike about it?   Used to go caravaning as a child with my family, but nope never been camping before in my life. I ...

Festival season is upon us! Glastonbury is kicking off and my post today is a lazy one. Here have a peek at Camp Bestival's 2013 video highlights via this handy Youtube Video. (Not filmed by me) Take 6 minutes to feel the sun on you, and hear the sounds... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLNGoK4DaIg And yes this does sum it up, it really is this much fun.

Ice Cream is also good for keeping cool - according to DD I mentioned weather before but I talked about rain , it's what festival goers often fear. At Camp Bestival for the last 5 years I've attended we have had glorious weather. I'm pretty sure Rob Da Bank organises that - he organises everything else! So I shall be planning for the worst (ie taking wellies etc) but also expecting and planning for the best! Take sunscreen. Take enough for the whole family, for lots of flesh on display, for the whole 4 or 5 days of the festival. You will be able to buy it at a festival shop (assuming they don't run out) but it will be expensive and the range will be limited. Take some sort of cooling device. Take a tent style sunshade for example for babies, a fan, a water spray bottle, an umbrella or sun shade to carry, maybe sun hats (you can often include them as part of your fancy dress) Dress accordingly, take some loose long sleeved stuff in case it really is baking,...