Or "There is a lot of mixed views, here is mine."

Well finally. It's my V edition. Not too sure how to right this, or how it will end up. But here goes.

Friday
Waking up early Friday to finish off my packing. Mainly the beer and food. It started to rain. Not just rain rain. But heavy mother hubbard thunder rain. I, for some unknown reason, decided to not wear my hiking boots and to stick with my trainers.
I set carrying two huge bags. Well, I was dragging one and had the other other my shoulder. These bags had all my camping gear, clothes, food and beer for the weekend and were exceptionally heavy.
So I eventually got these two heavy bags to Braford having walked to/from teh train station in the above mentioned heavy mother hubbard storm rain. My trainers were already getting soaked. My jeans were soaking up water too. I was thinking that my whole wardrobe was just plain wrong.
I got to the coach in Bradford and looking very wet and miserable and slung my bags on the coach, the driver stopping to ask "Is all this equipment just for you?" I think he said this just so I felt a little more paranoid that I had massively overpacked.
The coach was nothing like I had expecting. It was tiny, cramped. A few people where in groups talking to each other/sleeping/reading papers. The only people in a similar situation as myself, ie alone were sat further away and wearign head phones. Not being very sociable.
I did manage to make conversation with some people on the coach, mainly about the traffic. Despite the coach taking a "special" entrance to the park, it still took over 5 hours to arrive. One traffic jam was caused my an over turned lorry, on the other side of the motorway, that people were slowing down to look at causing massive gridlock.
Some people I spoke to who took there cars said it took up to 11 hours to arrive on site. At a lot of points people had almost given up and gotten out of their cars and chatting/eating/partying at the junctions, leading to V.
On the way there a blog "friend" had sent me some photos of the stage as he was setting up the fences. His photos of the rain from the main stage were sent simple with the text "Monsoon I hope you brought your wellies" I was regretting my footwear choice more and more.
When we eventually arrived the rain had stopped and the sun was creeping out of small cracks in the clouds. Put everyone in a bit of good spirits. Especially after that long journey.
But then I had to drag my massive, heavy bags through mud, causing my back to ache loads from all the weight. Passing a few campsites I finally found a spare space on the last campsite up a hil. How anyone found a campsite after 3pm on Friday is beyond me?
I got pitched pretty easy, introduced myself to the neighbours and headed down to the village and arena. I picked up a program for a tenner. And despite paying £10 to see the times of all the bands, I did get a ncie magazine (which I havent read yet) and a bag.
When I eventually found myself outside the Strongbow room I seen that I had missed Grandadbob. This is a group I seen at Wireless that I thought were, not only amazing, but the best live act at Wireless, which also had DJ Shadow and Massive Attack playing.
But even if I had been on time, the tent was over spilling with Happy Campers. So chances are I wouldn't of got in.
I had some tea and wondered around. I was suppose to meet up with some people from a V festival forum site. But all that fell through, but I did spend the last night having a bit of a dance in the indie disco and was back in bed before the cinema started later that evening.
So I retired to bed, thinking that things at the festival were already over crowded. Not just the music tents, but also the campsites. And with massive queues for almost everything, including the toielts. And this was just with the campers, and no one dayer's. Plus despite a few random short conversations with a few people, it felt lke there was someone missing from the beginning.

Next issue
Faithless, getting to sleep and more rain.