#16- Camp for a night

Wow, sorry for the flurry of posts. I'm trying to get as many posts done before I leave next week! I did warn you there'd be a surge of posts at some point! Ha!

So unfortunately I was not able to camp with the girls this year at the annual youth event, but instead camped with my sister and one of my closest friends at the Mumford and Sons Stopover in Lewes in July. I love the band so much and actually saw them the week before at the Queen Elizabeth Park with a friend from church and another sister. I was so excited for my friend from uni to come down and visit!! I knew we were going to have an incredible weekend!

We got the train down on the Friday (which was packed with other festival goers) and arrived at Lewes with plenty of time to set up. We made the mistake of taking the wrong route to the camping site and ended climbing the steepest hill with all our stuff! We eventually turned back and found the entrance, but before we saw that, we saw the queue. It was crazy long! Extending from the campsite down the road and opposite some houses. We jumped in and waited. A good 25 mins later (not bad eh) we were searched, wrist- banded and made our way to where a sea of tents that was beginning to spring up. We started to put up our tent.

An hour later, with half tent missing and with the help of the lovely group next door,  we were ready to eat and explore. We headed back up the hill to 'Ask' (how camper-y) where we indulged on pizza and for me, my trademark rum and coke. Mmm. Deeelish! We bought some drinks and then made our way back to the tent to chill before the concert began! Headlining on the Friday was VAMPIRE WEEKEND. I am a new but huge fan and it was awesome to see them for the second time this summer at Lewes. I screamed the lyrics of 'Ya Hey' and 'Diane Young' and danced to 'Walcott', 'A-Punk' and mine and my bestie's song 'Cousins' which takes us back to dancing in the indie club back in Hull. It was a brilliant night!!

After the show we made our way back to our tent. We had no idea where it was though as there were thousands. Eventually we found it. And then came a problem. It was freezing cold. Like I actually thought I could freeze to death. We looked around for any blankets or clothing we could use to keep warm, but alas there was none. My friend ended up sleeping on her (single) blow up mattress and using just my towel as warmth. My sister and I even caught colds from in the night! It was ridiculous. Then there was another issue- where were the toilets?  My sister decided to brave it at 4am and try to find the loos. I waited, and waited. At half 6, she arrived back at the tent. I was having none of it and walked through the campsite to the main area where there was NO QUEUE. What I loved about the campsite also was that they hosed down the toilets every hour or so, so the porta-loos were mostly clean. Not only that, but breakfast stands were available serving everything from bacon sarnies to pots of organic porridge! What a great way to wake up...to the smell of sizzling bacon! Mmmm. 

The following day had it's ups and extreme lows. Especially waking up early in order to find breakfast in town (the queues were too long at the campsite) to waiting an hour and a half for a full English in a pub to find they'd run out of food!!!! Crazy. We spent the Saturday in the main area to watch Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, The Vaccines and, finally Mumford themselves. I can only describe that night as phenomenal. I am slightly obsessed with each band that played and I can't believe I had the pleasure of seeing each twice now! I loved it. The atmosphere was something else- I didn't realise it, but I'd been standing for over 8 hours it was that good! The Very Best Sound System blasted out a great dance set after Mumford and everyone partied on (we went to get fish and chips  at one of the stalls) and had a chill out session afterwards. We then aimed to go out and find a pub in town, but all fell asleep before we could do so; only waking up to the warmth of the following morning and the feeling that a great time had been had, absolutely. 

Camping is an ordeal. But with the right people and the right atmosphere I truly loved my first 'camping festival' experience and I hope to go to Coachella, Benicassim and Tommorrowland in the future!! Watch this space.

Here are some pics to add to the mix.

 <<<< Our tent- called Bertie. 

This doesn't look like it, but we were so close for Mumford's set!!

This is how far away we were for Vampire Weekend's set! #fail

The sea of tents! Literally thousands...

How tents...get it?

-Ama

ps. I went one better and camped for two nights. *high fives self*

#6- Attend Somerset House Film Festival & have a picnic

WAY WAY BACK on August 13th we took a trip down to Somerset House to enjoy a lovely evening of picnicking and outdoor cinema shenanigans. After waiting for an HOUR AND A HALF I met my sisters in Christ in the queue outside the beautiful venue. Carrying 7 bags between us and 4 blankets, we endeavored to find a decent spot to sit and watch the film. After a few minutes, we found one! Unfortunately a couple was taking up a good two thirds of it, so Nay insisted they move or we'd have them thrown out of the venue. She's so harsh sometimes. Scared to death by her constant threats, the couple moved and we made ourselves comfortable.

All three of us were ravishing at this point (it had been a longggg day) and decided to pig out!! We started small- coleslaw, couscous...the healthy stuff. Then came a whole roast chicken (Nay breaking it apart with her bare hands was a sight to behold), wraps, lemonade, strawberries, cheesecake, bread sticks, dips, crisps...endless amount of goodies. It was a feast fit for a King.

After this, a copious laughter and entertainment in the form of not being able to hear or understand each other, the film started.

The Way Way Back.

Amazingly, the director and writers were actually there to give a little introduction and introduce the film!! They were hilarious and showed their passion for the story they were about to tell.

Then it started...

I have to say, as one of the first people to see this film in the UK (it was the first showing here before release this week) it was a truly inspiring and beautifully written film. I laughed so hard throughout! It was my sense of humor spot on. I also have so much love for Steve Carrell. He is one of the many celeb crushes I have. Shh! Shtoom. I know he's old enough to be my Dad. But no. He's hilarious and one day- it could happen, I'm just sayin'. Don't judge me. Back to the point, I absolutely loved it!! I'm hoping to see it again and then get it on DVD.

All in all, we had a fantastic time!! The atmosphere was incredible and just made for such a special evening. I would strongly suggest going to the Somerset House film festival hosted by Film4 in the future. Guys, it's a great idea for a date, girls, it's a great place to watch people on dates, especially if you're not on one. And especially if Jess hogs the blanket and the couple in front are all cosy and warm. Wow. This has taken a turn. I'll leave now.

Here's the trailer for 'The Way Way Back'- enjoy!

-Ama

#10. Ride the Emirates Air Line (cable car)

I thought I'd be cool. I thought I'd be real cool, but as we ascended (at some pace) above the Thames, I could not keep my cool. You see,we were riding the new Emirates Air line cable car from North Greenwich to Custom House. On the ground, it looks like a very unique way of seeing London, I mean, we've already got a massive Ferris wheel right? You can even use your Oyster card and travel card to get a discount on a ticket! What a great idea. But when you're dangling above the Thames, high enough to take a picture of the roof of the O2 arena, these perks seem like a distant memory.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the hysterical screaming kind and I haven't had a fear of heights for years, but knowing that mere air stood between me and the Thames below was a feeling I may not repeat for a while. Nevertheless, I loved it! The views were incredible (see below) although my camera quality was appalling- Blackberries are not known for...well...anything. I was comforted knowing that Naomi and Jess were having the same mini-panic attack in their heads too!

I think it is a imaginative and very different mode of transport and it's in an excellent location. Just, don't look down.

Oh and I HIGHLY recommend it! ;)

- Ama

#14 Reconnect with a childhood friend

So by chance I actually semi-fulfilled this one without even thinking about it. I met Holly when I was at a friends birthday party at the age of 7, we were in year 2. It was a sleepover at her neighbours, my school friend's, house. We did the standard little girl sleepover activities...eating junk food (melted icecream was my fave), gossiping (I know bad...I don't do that anymore) and jumping on beds. My clearest memory of this night was breaking a camp bed by bouncing on it, not me, someone else, but I'd bought the birthday girl a sewing kit type of thing so we tried to sew it up..OK I'm getting off topic.
Anyway, that was the last I saw of Holly until year 7 when we ended up going to the same senior school. We made friends properly in the next few years, but then I left in year 9 to go to a new school and really haven't seen much of her since. We somehow ended up keeping in casual text/facebook touch, I think purely because our parents were friends.

Fastforward to 2013. It's a week before Hillsong Conference and I have nowhere to stay and considering my 7.30am call time, travelling from home was pretty infeasible. I managed to get in contact with Holly, now studying at uni in London, and got to stay in her family's flat..10 minutes from our church conference venue, the O2 Arena.

We plan to meet up in September to hang out properly!

I hope this counts.