Tête en bas

After spending so much time with my travel companion, as friendly and amazing they can be, I was feeling that I might need to be alone for a little while. At the same time, I wanted to stay with them, and to go on my own way. I take thursday really easy, just relaxing, without taking any decision… I finally decide, late in the afternoon, to take my back back, and go. Trying to hitch hike to the festival. I was missing hitch hiking… I didn’t have much food, but I decide to trust Rachel for that. Quite an unusual thing for me! Leaving Alice hitch hiking was little bit difficult… but as soon as I was out of town, every thing was easy again, and I arrive at the Wide Open Space festival. Maybe a little bit later than expected.

It was the first time I was working as a volunteer on a festival. I had too. My bank account doesn’t really allow me those kind of spending anymore. And apart of the financial aspect, the human aspect interested me too. But not on the first evening. I was looking for loneliness. To stop and relax, just by myself. I tell who I was, build up my tent, and went to bed.

What can I say about the Wide Open Space festival… i had a lot of expectation when I went to Confest. And I came back a little bit disappointed. By people, who were not that much into meeting other, and were way to serious about what was happening, and by the event itself, who didn’t do anything to gather us all together. There was no real reason, for us, to be there.

I went to the Wide Open Space with no expectation. And I came back completely and totally amazed, by an overwhelming experience. First of all, it was not a big festival. 500 people. Maybe 600. A little site means that you don’t have to carry all kind of stuff with you always. When your camp is 2 minutes walk from the main stage, you can easily forget something. But it also mean that you also see the same people. You smile to them. You start talking with no reason. And you’re quickly a part of a big family.

No workshop where you learn how to be happy. Nop. At WOS, people knows how to be happy, without having someone telling them how. It’s a big fest, where everything seems to be about happiness.

A few art work, here and there, different clothing style… as in Comfest or Burning Man, you have to live the experience to really understand it. It’s definitely not easy to talk about the openness of people, the happiness that was radiating from them. The laughs that were everywhere…

Someone told me not to have any expectation about music. I’ve bee nicely surprised. All the bands had something to offer. And there was all different kind of music. From metal to reggae, from electro to the single singer with is guitar. Everything, for everyone. I was a little bit worried about the reggae/hip hop first night, no much quiet for me… but on saturday, the music definitely evolved to something way more dynamic. More electro, more energizing. And on sunday… well, I start dancing around 2PM because the music was so intense…

Just for the pleasure of finding a negative point, I would say that once again, didgeridoos were missing. Like in Comfest, I felt like if I was the only one… I’m looking forward an opportunity to play with a few others!

Apart from the music, the “closure” ceremony was the other gathering element. When a group of people start climbing up the small hill, on the site of the festival, to watch the sunset. There was no burning giant piece of art. That was not a problem. Everyone was gathering at the same place, for the same reason. That’s all I was missing. All I was waiting for, in order to conclude those 3 days of magical happiness. Three days of dance, music, quick meeting and smile sharing.