Day 10 - leaving beechen and heading to hell



Right, its 7.45 and we are up, Not had time for a shower, we just dumped
our main luggage on the coach, and had two other bags, one for the vigil
in the field and one for when we stay in the convent. Mass went well,
said by the bishop of the Bechen diocese, although he put Father Simon
on the spot by asking him to translate. Father Simon was trying his best
when the bishop said something like 'very loose translation' then
struggled on in his own English, however Father Simon did much better
afterwards and finished with applause. We then ran for the coaches, I
grabbed some bread rolls on the way; I can see me being very hungry over
the next few days. It is now 10.26, we are getting the coach as far as
possible, they are cutting of an entire motorway to use as the car-coach
park. We are then going to have to walk the rest of the way.

Ok its 12.44, and we have arrived in the rough area, but where the hell
we go, no-one knows… We can’t even find where we are supposed to park,
in fact there are more coaches going in the opposite direction.
Typical... All part of the fun though I suppose.



Well we've arrived, the walking turned out to be 8km (6 miles), we are
all very knackered, we have set up camp and are awaiting the vigil, I
just need to find a water point.

Ok, found the water, the grid system is quite good once you get you're
head round it. The queue for the toilets is getting ever longer. The
field is nearly full, capable of holding 2,000,000; I can not describe
the magnificence of the event. Food was supposedly ticket-based, that
went right through the window. Being nice I was not pushing in, but
everyone else was, and as I was responsible for the whole group’s food I
barged in and got a load. Well, after the fight for food was over I
returned to the camp, got lost on water trip, but this time I had it
sussed. An ocean of people with no stars.

I’ve been chilling with some music and sun whilst we wait for the vigil
to start. The sunset is lovely. I have spent two hours looking up at the
clouds pondering my existence etc.... Very relaxing, yet I must not
forget why I am here.



Ok, its 20.00, and the holy father has just arrived. The vigil was
brilliant, with English translation on the radio. Its starting to get
cold now.