The Streets at Truck Festival 2024

Oxford, England, July 28th 2024

We are on a summer holiday in the UK. Me with the family. While we’re here anyway, why not go to a festival. Mark has seen the Streets before. Never at a festival tho, but for my daughter it’s her first Streets gig and first festival ever.

Day 1: We woke up early, drove to Dunkirk, took the ferry to Dover and stayed in Brighton

Day 2: We went to Ashdown Forest. There is Pooh’s bridge and house, Piglet and Owl’s house as well and we went to Brighton. We also watched the Euro 24 finals. England Lost from Spain unfortunately.

Day 3: It’s rainy today. We went to Monkey World and we stayed in camping pods.

Day 4: We went to the Dinosaur museum and the sand cliffs of Broad Church.

Day 5: We went through Dartmoor and saw “wild” Dartmoor pony’s. We stayed in Jamaica Inn.

Day 6: We went Horseriding, We went to St. Michael’s mount and Land’s end in Cornwall

Day 7: We went to Glouchester. We climbed the Jacob’s ladder and visited Cheddar.

Day 8: Diddly Squad farm, horses and mud

Day 9: Cheltenham, Gloucester Cathedral and Nicole!!

Day 10: To Birmingham, Cadbury’s and Lizz!!

Day 11: Black Country (Peaky Blinders) Museum, Also Twiggy and 5 pony’s

Day 12: Tess‘ birthday & Drayton Manor & Shep and Jess.

Day 13: Saying goodbye to Twiggy, towards Oxford and the door of Tolkien

Day 14: A day in Oxford

Day 15: RedBull and Blenheim Palace

Day 16: Festival day

They do maintenance at the railroad next to our hotel. We didn’t hear much from the work they do on the track. We heard them last evening, but now it wasn’t too bad. It didn’t wake us up anyway.

Mark and I wake up just before 8. Mark has to wake Roos up. Then quickly get dressed for breakfast. cos breakfast is until 9am. Only Roos goes to breakfast in her jammies.

After breakfast, Roos is getting dressed. We don’t actually have any plans for the day. We have to take it easy. Tonight we are going to a festival. It’s going to be late, for all of us.

We are going to a Donkey sanctuary. We found on google maps that this is very close to our hotel. It doesn’t open until 11 am, so we have some time for ourselves. We will play games and read a bit.

When we arrived at the donkeys, we were still a little early. We can enter the shop already. At 11 o’clock we go to the donkeys. They are in the paddock. If they want to be petted, they will come to us.

One of the donkeys has sores on his legs. Those wounds have been treated. But flies flock to it. Pretty sad. Another donkey appears pregnant but with a sunken back. Also very sad. All other donkeys look well cared for.

We are surprised that quite a few people come to it. It’s pretty busy. There is also a playground. Roos would like to play here for a while. Mark and I have a cup of coffee. In the shade. Roos joins us, it’s too warm in the sun. there is no shade in the playground.

We get something for lunch at Tescos. We eat lunch at the hotel. Roos is playing star stable on the laptop, Mark and I will take a nap. After an hour We want Roos to take a nap too.

We can’t sleep. We’re getting ready for the festival instead. It’s a 20 minute drive. We have to find a parking spot. We first go to the “purple” parking. That’s for day passes. We don’t have tickets for that. We get send to the “red” parking. That’s for guest list. the box office is there as well. When we get there, they tell us that parking is free. YAY! probably because it’s the last day.

It’s a short walk to the box office. We are not on the list. Tim told me earlier this week to email Jo. I did. But she probably never received my email, cos I didn’t get a confirmation. I’ve send a reminder yesterday. She still didn’t get my email, cos she still didn’t send me a confirmation. The internet and phone connection here at the festival are terrible. I try to reach Wayne, Cassell, Baz, Tim and Jo.

I’ve to walk to the other side of the parking lot to get connection. I get to reach Wayne. He helps us out. He said “I’ll help you, give me 5 to 10 minutes” Thank you so much 🙏🧡 I had to let him know what Mark’s last name is and Roos’ last name and age. I also got an email from Jo. But I told her Wayne had helped me, but probably with help from her.

When we walk back, the box office lady comes walking towards us waving the tickets. Thank you so much!!! She’s very happy for us as well. So sweet. She felt really sorry she couldn’t help in the first place. We get the wrists bands. Our bags get checked. And we’re in. Roos is wearing my very first “2006” Streets shirt. The yellow one with the orange lighter, with palm trees. The security likes it. The guy finishes work in half an hour, he will go and watch The Streets as well.

We walk towards main stage. We sit in the sun, it’s extremely hot again. 3 more hours to go.

We will walk around. Find some food, have a drink. And we buy a cap for Roos. When we found the cap. The guy who works at the shop is Scottish. I heard the accent. He liked my huge Streets lighter. And he asked where we were from. We told him that we’re from Holland. He’s going to Amsterdam in February. He asked if Amsterdam is in the Netherlands. Euhm…. yeah, it is, but if you travel, you know where you’re going right? Especially if you’re from Europe. From America, or Asia I kind of understand. Anyway. He also said that he was going to Defqon in Rotterdam, but Defqon is not in Rotterdam, it’s in Biddinghuizen, next to Walibi (just like Lowlands). Oh well we didn’t explain him that. We did give him ideas, what to do in and around Amsterdam with his girlfriend, other then just visiting coffee shops. We get some food. It’s getting later, so it’s getting a little cooler too. Which is very welcome. We got some chips and a drink. Then it was time to go back to the stage.

People love my huge lighter “that is sick!” or “That is brilliant” or “That is amazing! I really like that” are the reactions.

There are loads of kids at this festival.

Nearly at the end of the set of The Kooks, we go a little more to the front. When they are finished, we are able to get more towards the middle. Of course not right in the middle with Roos, but not totally at the back either. We are standing at the fence.

Great gig. I don’t think Mike saw me, that’s a first too haha. But that’s ok great gig. When Mike walks by to sit on someones shoulders, I can touch his arm. Roos enjoyed herself. Roos sat on Mark’s shoulders for most of the gig. With about 30 minutes to go, Roos needs to go to the toilet. Mark goes with her. Hopefully they can get back. But just before the encore starts, they are back already. I didn’t film the whole gig. I wanted to dance and enjoy the gig through my own eyes. And I wanted to see Roos enjoy herself. Mike mentioned the parents section in the back. We are not in the back.

Fireworks after the gig. We’re too close to the stage to be able to see them. After the gig I go to the middle to try to get the set list. It takes a while. Art hands out 2 to the security, The security gives them to a few others. I call for Art’s name. When he sees me, he gives one to another security guard to give it to the lady with the red top…. That’s me. Thanks so much.

When I’m putting the setlist away in my bag, we meet a guy in an 1988 Holland shirt. He’s not Dutch tho. He wants to swap the setlist for the shirt. No way, I have plenty orange clothing at home. What he doesn’t know is that I have plenty setlists too. I get them from (nearly) every gig.

Then it’s time to put something warm on and walk to the car. Roos is very hyped and jumps the whole way through. And she jumps on a beer cup. That hurts. She twists her ankle. I’m carrying her for a while. After a while she gets pretty heavy. She can walk, but it’s sore. Mark carries her on his shoulders again. Quickly we walk to the car. But then we’re stuck in traffic to get off the parking.

In the meantime Roos has fallen asleep in the car. After 30/45 minutes we leave the parking lot and we can finally drive. It is pitch black outside. An another 20 minutes before we’re back at the hotel. I carry Roos inside, while Mark opens the door. I help Roos getting changed and she’s asleep right away.

I finish this blog. Mark finsihes the Reislogger travel blog. Good night!!

Tim told me to use the email of Jo, whenever I need help. Jo confirmed and gave me her phone number for the future. Thanks so much guys!! See you at Lowlands!!

On July 5th we got a new Album.

Day 17: Towards London (Waybridge)

Day 18: A Very hot day in London

Day 19: Another hot day in London and the Lion King musical

Day 20: Dover, our last full day in England

Day 21: Time to go home. Unfortunatly