h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As a silly thing to do for a weekend, a small, rag-tag band of Birmingham User Group researchers spent the first weekend of September just outside Oxford for a weekend of Folk Music, Beer and Steam at the young and up-and-coming "Wallingford Bunkfest"

Camping is available on a local sports & rec ground (the clubhouse gets turned into an after hours nightspot) - there's a branch railway line, complete with steam engine (The Bunk) and "Singing Train", lots of Morris Dancing (lots and lots and LOTS of Morris Dancing), plenty of music, activities, beer tents, pubs, odd things to buy and eat and classic vehicle rallies in the delighful settings of the village of Wallingford.

If it helps, there was music from all around the world but the headline act this year was Chumbawumba!

Small enough to walk around the activities, though this year there was a classic routemaster bus covering the route, cycling around would be a breeze. We got to the town by a combination of train & bus, there was all sorts of cars / caravans / camper vans, even a Honda Goldwing at the campsite

The idea is there's plenty for everyone to see and do off their own bat, come, do your own thing and we have the odd get together at the bigger gigs and the campsite, the 'organisers' (me at the minute) would have their tents readilly marked. They have plenty of toilet facilities on the campsite too with pitches kept for disabled campers nearby (though I have to pinch one, what with my trouble and all).

A lot of it's free, there are tickets for the bigger concerts, or you can buy a weekend pass which gets you into everything (including the train rides etc) - and a small fee for camping, and cheaper if you buy in advance (as a guide, the 2004 prices were £40 for a full weekend pass and £8 camping). You can come along just to a specific gig or the whole shebang, or anywhere ese in between. Nothing to stop you trying to find a local hotel or B&B if needs must but I recommend you do so EARLY!

This isn't an _organised_ HooToo meet as such, more a kind of let's get as many down there as wants to come as it's the kind of thing many researchers would love

So we get a rough idea of who's coming, I'll set up a proper page though it is in reality a free for all - so you can keep your eye on things, see the previous years events, maybe even find pictures of your very own
Vip, Z and daSilva, here's the website:

http://www.bunkfest.co.uk/

Who's game?

Mmmm, Chumbawumba! I bet a great evening's left wing sloganeering was had by all.

Boy was that ever a show! First time I've ever seen the _band_ scared

It was a bit scary. Has made me determined to see then *properly* one day though!

I mailed the guy at The Robin in Bilston suggesting it

Oi! What're you doing here anyway!?

They make me come to Uni for rehearsals, and make me wait around to speak to people, go to more rehearsals, that sort of thing. There are only so many hours a day that I can practice (and these practice rooms are awful).

Hey! I'm a ! I wouldn't know a conservatoire from a conservatory, let alone a conservative

Don't even start...

Talking of Consercatives, there was an interesting programme on last night. The Neoconservatives of America and the Islamic Extremists of the East. Interesting comparisons drawn.