Untamed

I attended my first ever festival on 12th-15th May!! At the age of 42!

Earth Frequency Festival in Australia that has around 5000 people attend, in Queensland. This festival is normally held in the bush, but this year, due to weather conditions ruining the site of the festival, it was held in Ipswich on a raceway.

I loved every minute of it. I went with one of my close friends and we spent the days relaxing outside the tent, walking through the markets, cooking food at the campsite and dancing until late at night in the different music venues. We gained early entry to the site and set up amongst our fellow festival goers and met some great people! One was a 25 year old lad who came alone, so we cooked him meals and he helped us set up our tent and pack down. The other side was a gorgeous couple, she was from Finland and he was English, so we had that in common! Then randomly, I met some people that I knew from my small town of Bellingen who were camped 2 tents from us, so we all hung out together.

This festival gave me so much inspiration for writing. From the diversity of people that I met, people who were so comfortable in their own skin that they were naked apart from body paint, people dressed in different costumes and families. All mixed in together. I didn’t see one bit of violence or hate the whole time we were there, just everyone happy and loving on the dancefloor. Then there was Joey and Faith who we kept bumping into on the dance floor. Joey was going round fist pumping everyone with a fake little fist and a large fist in his hands… He remembered us and came for a chat while we were swinging in the hammock. Faith called us onto the dance floor every time she saw us and we had group hugs.

I felt so good for these few days, like I had found part of me. I have been inspired by not only the people but the surrounds of nature, the connection between people and the sounds of the music. The lights from the stages were mesmerizing and so vivid. I was able to lose myself in dance and let my mind be free. I felt like I could just dance forever and listen to the beat of the music that carried me.

It also gave me a lot to think about, about myself, which I am working on slowly. I discovered that I actually find hugs uncomfortable if they last for too long and in some instances, I actually needed to pull away as I got too emotional. I am pondering what it was that made me feel free that I am unable to feel otherwise? What I need from my life and what I crave to do. My family and what we all mean to each other, how I love them dearly, but I needed that time to myself to refocus. I had the typical festival come down, where I cried for a few days and felt lonely and down. But seeing photos online and chatting about it has helped me relive those memories, plus keeping in touch with a couple of people we met has been nice.

So, my inspiration for my writing this last couple of weeks has come from this festival and all it helped me discover.

Until 2024! – Earth Frequency Festival, I will be back!