Gatchacaz's "Mega" Download Review [Part 5]

Sunday 14th June 2015

We had planned to chill out in my brother's tent when we got back to the camp, but I didn't feel very well. I don't really want to go into any details on here, but I had a little 'accident' in my tent which made me feel quite miserable and by the time I settled down to sleep, I think I'd had enough.

I didn't want another night in this tent … I wanted to go home.

I didn't get much sleep.  The jocks' were at it again!  In fact, when they got back to the tent they started on the drinking, smoking, shouting, swearing etc… and didn't stop until gone 6am!!! 

Someone was playing music again, but I didn't mind that so much.

The day before, my brother had suggested that (depending how we all felt), he thought we should pack up and come back late Sunday night.  I hadn't given it much thought yesterday, but having had such a bad night, I was all up for it. 

When my brother suggested it again, the decision was unanimous … we all wanted to go home early.

So, after breakfast and a change of clothes, we started to pack up.  Some stuff was being left behind, like my now "smelly" tent and our fold up chairs.  Rubbish was bagged up and we tried to leave our little patch of campsite as tidy as we could as we started the long trudge back to the car park.

In an effort to soak up some of mud, the organisers had put straw down, which was fine, but the trolley wheels didn't like it as they kept getting clogged up and my brother and "BIL" were forever stopping to clear them.  Spare tent pegs came in very handy for this!

It took an hour of trudging through the mud to get back to the car.  When we got back to the car, we decided that we would spend some time there to chill out. It took a while to get stuff back in the car, despite having less stuff!

We all cracked open a can of cider, and I took the opportunity to call home and let my other half know I'd be home late tonight.

We'd agreed to meet up with my bother's friend in the arena by a red and white lighthouse (a fish and chip stall).  Whilst we were waiting, we all got hungry!  My "BIL" went off to get some paella and I chose sausage and chips!

The bands we wanted to see today were not on until later in the day, so we had time to kill and spent it looking round the stalls again. 

The heavens had opened again, but I had no waterproofs with me.  My stuff from Friday was still wet through, and my over-trousers were caked in layers of mud from yesterday so I could not use them again.  The poncho I had been wearing yesterday had become a casualty of my 'accident', so I had to go and buy another one.

The stalls were doing a roaring trade on ponchos and sold out quickly, so I was lucky to get hold of one (actually it was a plastic rain coat).  The rain became intermittent as the day progressed, but thankfully it kept me dry!

At 4pm, we were watching Billy Idol on the main stage.  One of my mum's favourites, my brother gave her a ring on his mobile so that she could hear him playing J

Slash followed at 5.20pm.  In front of me a young lad was asleep on the floor.  He must have been cold and muddy, but that didn't seem to bother him.  He certainly became a point of amusement for other people as they stopped to take selfies.  I was more mindful about not stepping on him!

When he woke up I asked him if he was okay.  He gave me a puzzled look then went back to sleep again!  Five minutes later he was awake again, and he got up to re-join his friends.

After Slash's set had finished we headed off to get coffee and doughnuts!  It was my first hot drink in several days, so it was very welcome indeed.

This is the point where we would be splitting up and saying goodbye to my brother's friend.  With me and my "BIL" off to watch Motley Crue and Kiss, my brother and his friend were going to watch Lamb of God and Suicidal Tendencies.  We would of course see my brother again at the car park later, but my brother's friend has parked in a different car park.

Motley Crue were playing their final UK festival at Download so my "BIL" and I were looking forward to watching them.  They didn't disappoint, their set was really good.  I didn't know all the songs they played, but some were familiar and they even did a cover of Sex Pistols "Anarchy in the UK"!

So another festival was almost over … there was just one more act left L

After Motley Crue had finished their set, we to get some food.  Tonight, tea would be spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce (yum yum yum). 

Back to the main stage and the last act of the day was the mighty KISS!

To get us in the mood, we took a silly selfie:

KISS had promised to put on a hell of a show and they really didn't disappoint.  It's hard to imagine that these guys are all in their sixties!  Strutting around in all that glam make-up and seven inch heels.  I guess though, they've had a long time to get it right J

There was lots of theatrics too from flame throwing to riding zip-wires and over the top fireworks, they were pretty amazing.

We didn't see the whole set though because we had agreed with the others that we would head back to the car park at 10.30pm.  We might not have seen the end of KISS's set, but their over the top fireworks lit up the car park on the walk back!

My "BIL" and I got back to the car first with my brother meeting up with us about ten minutes later.  We sat and chilled for a bit, waiting for the stream of cars leaving to ease.  Actually, we had parked near to the entrance so we didn't actually have much trouble getting out!

Finally we were on our way home.

When I got home, it was gone midnight.  My brother and "BIL" helped me back into my flat with my essentials.  He would drop my food and booze off in a day or two when he'd had a chance to sort it out.

I didn't go to bed straight away…I was still buzzing and I sat regaling my weekend to my other half for some time before I went to bed, tired and smelly (according to my fiancé)!

Despite the weather and my tummy upset, it had been a brilliant weekend.

Will I do it again?

Probably :)