Indeed, the car adaptor did work, and worked well. Had a cup of tea before catching a bus to the festival site (nothing much going on there) and then getting another bus to Cambridge city centre. I forgot how lovely Cambridge is, almost rivalling Norwich for historic loveliness. And I forgot how big it is.

Toured a few bookshops (Waterstones had a display of “Matt’s Japan Books” which was strange) and ended up at the market bookstall, where I picked up William Gibson’s Idoru and the minor Japanese hit phenomenon, Train Man. “You could only get something like this from Japan,” said the stall owner. “Yeah, I know. I’m going there in October,” I said, as I tell everyone. “Ah. I’ve always wanted to go,” said he.

Then we discovered a wonderful bookshop called Heffers. Borders had loads of Japanese books, and Heffers had just as many, but they also had Japanese For Busy People, the… the bible of Japanese learning books. They also had a rather nice book called Japanese The Manga Way, which as suggested taught Japanese through manga. Japanese For Busy People looked informative, but JTMW looked fun. So I got that. Hoping to find a wi-fi equipped pub for uploading of entries so far, and downloading the piddly 17kb file that will hopefully let me use my phone as a modem. For want of a nail, the horse was shoe.

(edit) Found pub, but pub was closed. Luckily, wi-fi signal leaks over to pub next door!

(later edit) Used wi-fi in pub to get the scripts to use my phone as a modem, also had a drink or two, before catching the bus back to the campsite. Incredibly, I got my phone working as a modem first time, allowing creamy internet goodness as long as I don’t download too much. Internet from middle of field — mmm.

Anyway, it was down to t’festival to see Sharon Shannon: yet more Irish folk. It starts to all sound the same. Then Oysterband, who were great: sort of folk, sort of also 80s-ish English rock ala the Jam or something. Sounded great.
After that was Under One Sky, a ensemble commissioned by the festival or something including not only John Tams but also Graham Coxon of Graham Coxon and Blur fame. Graham Coxon! He hasn’t changed a bit. They was great.
And then Show of Hands: English folk, playing English folk. Hoho, see what I did there? They were also great to watch. Good evening so far.

After that, Steve Earle: very much like Bob Dylan. Gravelly voiced American, guitar, harmonica, bit of a hippie… but good tunes.

The final act were the Waterboys, who were really good: giant keyboards and such, stage antics, good tunes. Hopefully I should now get the reference in an episode of Father Ted which my sister says is there.