Larmer Tree Festival

Larmer Tree was sweet, small and safe. There were lots of interesting workshops - we took Lissy to a baby music session and Ella did loads in the craft tent including making a photo frame and a puppet.

The weather was awful - too much wind and rain which really dampened our spirits. Coupled with a teething baby in the grips of a heavy cold the weekend was more trying than fun.

But there were some lovely moments: Ella and I dancing in the woods; escaping from the rain into a yurt where we ended up making friendship bracelets and God's eyes from colourful yarn; doing a Bollywood dance workshop in 1950s fancy dress and wellies and - best of all - Ella refusing to come and watch the headlining band, Asian Dub Foundation, because she wanted to keep watching the performance poetry. A proud moment.

We have now decided that next year we will only do local festivals where we can retreat top the comforts of home afterwards and we will leave ticket-buying to the last minute so we can check weather forecasts. I must be getting old! But it's not as much fun being at an outdoor event in torrential rain - unless you can numb/warm yourself with copious amounts of alcohol, cover yourself in mud and become one with the elements. Something I would opt to do sans enfants...

Six Reasons Why England Rocks and Thailand Doesn't

On honeymoon I truly got to grips with how fabulous dear ole Blighty is. 

For those of you dreaming about paradisical beach destinations, I'd like to remind you of a few  
Photo: I was here, dreaming of cloudy days and decent puddings 
advantages which our own green and pleasant land has over many exotic locations - in this case, Thailand: 

1. Mosquitos are few and far between

They are bastards. I'm veggie - yes I fell off the Vegan Wagon a little while ago - and respect every animal's right to life. I gladly make an hypocritical exception for mozzies.

2. Sanitation

Drinkable tap water+flushing loos=happy campers. 

3. Weather you can walk in

No rushing back to air-con retreats between the hours of noon-4pm for us. A distinct lack of daily sweat-soaked clothes and I've-just-smoked-five-neat-hash-bongs-in-a-row type lethargy.

4. Reassuring National Figures

As a curvy lady, it's easy to be self-assured amongst a wonderful range of Brit figures - mainly pear-shaped, occassionally waif-like. The Thai National Figure is more size 6 - your average English Rose is a size 16. By our standards I'm slim (well, way off the national average anyway), by theirs I'm a heifer.

5. Friends and Family

They're all here, a walk, short drive, cheap phone call, email or text away. I love them. Those I see every week to those I see once a year. I need them all. They add colour and charm and excitement to my life. I can't take them all on holiday with me. J is everything I could wish for - but without Ella, Jules, Anton, Anna P, Sarada, Helen, Sut, Kath W etc my world would be a half-lit, muted place.

6. Decent Desserts
Going out for a meal (albeit a delicious green curry) just isn't as much of a treat without a delicious pud. Banana fritters just can't compete with creme brulee, chocolate mousse, apple crumble and custard, treacle pudding, chocolate cake...I'll stop right there as I'm salivating over my keyboard.

Of course, there's also a lot to be said for sparkling white sands, rippling azure seas and hanging out (literally in my case) in a bikini for two weeks. But if the credit crunch forces you to forgo your long haul holiday this year, take it from me - there really is no place like home.