Notting Hill, The V Festival, Glastonbury, Creamfields, The Leeds Festival & The Reading Festival to name but a few...
We are seemingly in the Carnival & Festival season. I seem to keep stumbling upon numerous videos and images of people immersed in the ambiance of events such as those mentioned. Music blasting from overly large speaker systems in every direction, dancing every minute, every hour of every day, losing all sense of pride, hygiene levels deteriorating & finding it a struggle to deal with the norm of everyday bodily functions. Despite the latter points being at first thought sheer hell & thinking why on earth anybody would want to go through the rigmarole of wallowing about in mud and wellies, I haven’t been and so desperately want to be part of a seasonal Carnival!
You can deprive me of my household comforts and my beloved material objects in which surround me (I don’t say that likely... and in-fact I have never said it before) but right now I’m in a state of mind were seeing the chirpy little faces of all those at this week’s Notting Hill carnival & thinking back to the outstanding bootylicious performance by Beyonce at this year’s Glastonbury, I am feeling left out and craving the experience of what only a muddy field and rowdy crowds can provide. I have never been camping at all in my seemingly sheltered little life, though my mind set of camping I can’t see changing any time soon. I do feel like challenging myself to a night or two in the surroundings of an instant pop up tent, a flask of the finest coffee Nescafe can provide & the craving need of wanting to experience the Entertainment an event of that sort can only really provide if you are there within... rather than viewing it from afar through a glass screen whilst you’re lying in your duvet.
Many a person wished for this year’s Notting Hill to be cancelled, fearing the worst after the recent rioting and looting which took place across some British cities last month. Scotland Yard were certainly prepared in case the worse came to the worst, sending over 6500 police officers to patrol areas and show no mercy in immediately putting a stop to any law breaking without hesitation. Overall though the 2 day event went by without much problem, with just 1 person being seriously injured, 59 people being Hospitalized with the need of stitches, 600 people needed Medical treatment there and then... whilst just 214 people were arrested for offences such as: drug possession, public order, theft & even criminal damage. The statistics were down in comparison to last year as then 243 people were arrested for similar offenses.
It seems to me that many where simply hoping that trouble would break out in the streets in an attempt to get the event cancelled. Many were fighting for that and I am personally very pleased in seeing that the event itself managed to prove them wrong by mainly just providing the carnival goers with a fun filled & booze filled (even though I don’t drink) 2 nights of entertainment. Wherever Alcohol is involved anyway and anywhere, trouble is usually set to follow... that’s just part of the norm, just keep yourself safe and your valuables and I can’t see cause for too much concern.
I am still craving for the ultimate festival experience so if any of you have been to an event such as Glastonbury and such do let me know your experiences! Boris Johnson was pictured at Notting Hill, seemingly enjoying proceedings and getting involved in only the best way he can, if he can enjoy it then I certainly hope at some point during my lifetime I will experience the passing floats, the booming music with the drums and base and feel the free spirit of it all at some point... until then I shall wallow in dreams, thoughts, maybe’s and doubts.
Until a reality check comes in of course.
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