Let me tell you it was one amazing trip to Brisbane.
We left on the morning of the 26th December. I didn't sleep the two nights before, hence the photo.
This is what people look like when they've been awake almost 72 hours straight (a 2 hour nap on Christmas day morning doesn't count).
The over 3 hour flight consisted of speech practicing and a small sleep time.
Woodford Folk Festival is about 1.5 hours car drive from Brisbane. The heat and humidity was unbelieveable for Mum and I who are almost used to the cold Wellington weather. We started buying water. Just in case dehydration was hiding around the corner.
There were just under 20 speakers like me who got invited to come talk and run workshops for the biggest festival in Australia which alone attracted 3,000+ performers. That's only the performers, not taking into account maintenance workers, drivers, people with stalls, and most of all, visitors. The grounds cover 340 acres of land...or some rediculous number like that. It's crazy!
Here you can see the speaker's tents:
Let me tell you. Our first class tents were amazing. I can tell you that much. I didn't mind the camping part of the trip as much because the crazy school camps are still fresh in my mind as if it were yesterday. To be honest, I was amazed at the amount of room in the two person tent we got. Of course, it was wonderful because we didn't exactly pack light...I can swear to you I have NO idea how that happened...stuff does pile up though don't it.
Hiding in an air conditioned hotel room wasn't an option at this place, so if you got too hot, you could go stew in the tent, or walk around under the sun. If we look at it logically, it would have been worse if it rained. I'd rather die from drowning in my sweat, rather than from pneumonia.
However that's open to individual opinion.
We would keep waking up early. A three hour difference is actually HEAPS when you experience it.
The first couple of days we got everything together - scoped the place out and all that jazz.
We finally found where I was doing my speech on the 30th - it was the Blues and Roots Venue.
And this was the sign for all the speakers (I'm the second one from the top left).
Some pretty awesome people that come to this Festival.
Look - I found a 'Shut Up!' Caravan!
Sweet!
Te festival was amazing.
Met some very interesting people, spent some time with Mum outside of home. It was so good. Although I did have minimum internet and cell phone access, I wasn't using then every day. It was liberating to say the least.
At places like these, what you're presenting really needs to be in synch with the mentality of the people that come to it. You gotta take into account - people that will come to it - are they looking to listen to a whole bunch of scientific facts and research, or have things spelled out? Do they mind moving around with hands-on activities, or would they rather have discussions.
Very very important.
Also, gotta start doing some things...gunna start a sustainability teenage movement this year as well. I have absolutely NO idea how to help the Earth. Being at Woodford though has opened my eyes to a lot of the politics surrounding the economic crisis and global warming, and such issues. The thing is there isn't any more time for Al Gore to come up with another movie about how the world's dying out. There's no more time for businessmen in suits to sit around 'brainstorming' and making plans.
It's time to step up, and do something - do anything, because plans for the past 30 years haven't resulted in radical change for the environment. And all I'm thinking, if action is all that's needed, why can't it be teenagers taking initiative?
All in all, the workshops and speech went wonderfully. Very happy about it, and the book sales over there as well. I think we almost sold everything we sent through.
Sweet!
This trip has definitely made me grow up even more mentally.
I'm an international speaker, since we flew in back to NZ, 15 books have been ordered through the website by people primarily in Australia.
Got time with Mum to learn more from her.
Thanks to the heat, I got to relax for almost a week. Much needed - I feel more energized for this year ahead!
Also I got back one of the most important people to me.
It was a successful trip to say the least.
:)
All the very very very best!
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