91- Dreamers

Monday, October 10, 2016

The Gladstone's Land Rover has become somewhat of a character at The Good Life Experience...
OK, this is the fourth fifth time I have re-written this post now. I find myself brimming with sentiment, but unsure how to voice it on this occasion.

I want to write something brilliant and worthy, of both the people who work so very hard to put together a great line-up year on year and pack thought and beauty into tiny details all around to make it such a special time and place, as well as of the lovely bunch of attendees.

I want to write about how the rows of canvas tents give a feel of how I think an old time jamboree or summer camp would look and feel.

I want to write about the campfires and how we are all drawn to them like moths or the historic cave dwellers that we evolved from (and sort of still are).

I want to write about the learning and newness of so many things.

About the food smells drifting around and the tasters of so many dishes on offer from camp fire cookery demo's.

Most definitely about the hundreds (thousands?) of adorable dogs that have caused a petition to be started in our house in favour of becoming dog owners by the time the next GLE rolls around.

I want to write about how it is a meeting ground for old friends and a brilliant place for finding new.

I want to write about the inspirational impact that people like the Meek Family have on others.

I want to write about the joy of packing everyone else off to bed and heading back out on my own to wander the site watching bands with a hot chocolate in hand, meandering between tents and fires and feeling the joy of freedom after a tense day of arguments from over tired children.

I also want to write about Michael from Best Made Co who flew over from NY. Who brought with him a suitcase full of s'mores ingredients for everyone's enjoyment. It would not be The Good Life Experience without the s'mores and fires...

And, of course, I want to write about Ben Fogle's amazing legs...

Most of all I want to write about dreamers and passion. Every person who turned up to perform or talk or teach or show did so with such amazing passion that you can't help but get a little bit "infected" by it.

The four founders drive for putting the whole thing together and daring to dream of a different kind of field based, music infused experience (don't call it a festival - it's more than that...) and seeing it through the tough times (councils unhappy about fires amongst other ridiculous things, I don't want to start on how silly rules and regulations have become...) as well as the fun.

The little girls prancing and dreaming of being ballet dancers whilst The 12 Ensemble warm up.

The crafters who quit their day jobs because they dream of a simpler life where the important things take centre stage who come and inspire everyone else to be quitters too.

The music makers who tell their stories intensely with instruments and lyrics (and in many cases a good ol' knees up of a dance to boot).

The cooks and chefs who take ingredients and turn them into something truly wonderful with gusto and love, teaching people not just how to feed themselves and their families, but to nourish their souls in doing so.

The inspirational people who are passing on their knowledge, not pulling secrets safely to their chest but throwing out their arms and saying "look, this is what I've learnt and know and I want to share it with you...".

So many dreamers and doers with rocket fuel like enthusiasm for what they do and sharing it. I can't help but feel that any words I write will not even begin to give the true flavour of not only what it is to be at The Good Life Experience, but also what you take home with you after the last camp fire has gone out.

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TGLE team did too good of a job at putting on lots of interesting things and making everything look wonderful this year (and the weather was just spectacular too), I started to sort through photos to include in this post and have whittled it down to 90 and will have to work at cutting that down... Photos and highlights coming in the next week or so.

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This was our third year at TGLE and next years date is already planted firmly on the calendar. Join in the fun - as I write, super early bird tickets have been extended - book them now and give yourself something to look forward to as the colder days set in...

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