I had been looking forward to camping. It's been a while since I have spent the night in a tent (
think this was probably the last time and it's
three years since I bought the thing), but once we (and by we, I really mean my girlfriend) had erected our home for the night, I got inside and was whisked back to the mid-80s when I had inter-railed round Europe and hitch-hiked round the UK and done archaeological digs and spent a fair few nights under canvas. So it was a little time machine taking me back to my youth and some terrible, wonderful and fun memories and the (very) occasional fumblings towards carnal knowledge.
Now I am in my 40s my back is not what it once was and the ground felt very hard. But nonetheless I had fallen asleep almost immediately, but was woken at 6 by a full bladder and the sunlight filtering through. But it was too far to the toilet block to get up and too bright to risk weeing alfresco, so I just snoozed on.
Incidentally I have managed to stick to my resolve and have not had a drink since the eve of my 43rd birthday. Even in the sun at this festival I resisted a cooling beer and I didn't miss it.
Soon enough we had to get up and get packed up (again my girlfriend managed this on her own whilst I queued for the toilets and for a coffee) and head back to London. We somehow found a sneaky route down country roads and avoided the queues. We were driving the same road, almost a week later to the minute, as we had driven last week and it seemed a lot more enjoyable and less like Hell than last time.
We were home by 2 and with plenty to get on with. I had had such a great time that I wondered about keeping my cloth Latitude bracelet on my wrist to remind me of the good times. But was also conscious that whilst it hurts to leave it all behind, it is just as sad to keep the thing on for too long (especially as a man in his forties). I mentioned it on Twitter and was impressed by the staying power of some of the correspondents who have kept on festival bracelets for years, until they hare rotted off. I knew if I didn't cut the cord now that I would possibly never do it. So it got the snip.
I headed out to the Comedy Store to do a benefit gig for the brilliant
Scene and Heard and the current fun times of gigging continued with a really fun night. My contentment levels of remaining fairly constant and I am lucky to be doing the kind of gigs that most comics (including me) would dream of. An amazing bill of Mark Allen, Jeremy Lion, Pappy's, Tom Basden and that man again Daniel Kitson ensured a top night and lots of people came to see us so we made some money too. We were also asked to make some T shirts which will be auctioned via the internet at some point soon. The kids who write the Scene and Heard plays make similar shirts for themselves for each performance and whilst my lack of artistic skills meant I didn't really relish making one of my own, I decided after aptly reading my childhood stories to put one of them on my shirt and it turns out I can still draw like a 6 year old so it worked out OK. It's a one off that I am sure some of you will covet, so I'll let you know when it's available for auction.
I am really enjoying compering now and was playful and relaxed and had some fun bantering with the audience. Kitson pushed them to their limit with some inappropriate material, but was a joy to watch as he dug himself into a hole, got everyone including himself squirming, dug himself out and then decided just to jump back in again. This man, as I may have mentioned, is a genius. You must see him whenever you get the opportunity.
As I rode the tube home I looked down at my sun burned arm and realised that a white band of skin remains around my wrist where my bracelet had been. This is probably a better way to remember the festival, with this temporary tattoo which will fade with my memories. Back at home I sent an email to someone I had bumped into at Latitude in the morning. It seemed impossible to believe that this was the same day. It already felt like a dream from a week ago.
But this mini-break had been just what I needed.
I am going to work less and sit in the sun some more. You know. Once all my work is done.
So in about July 2011.
Next Latitude then.
