Log-book: 14th August

I didn't sleep very well this night. The Hay Festival’s noise crept into my dreams and woke me up several times with different music, load drunk people and late night telephone calls. Laila was sure she heard techno-psychedelic music – however I cannot confirm this.

Attila, Bálint’s roommate arrived around four o'clock at night he said. He looked quite tired at 8.30 when I met him in the corridor. But happy! I hadn’t seen him for about two years. After a brief meeting at the warm up I found myself in a forest. A very special and noise-forest, I must say. It felt magical and ever changing – It cannot be compared to any forest I've visited before! I heard several rare birds, and I'm quite sure, I heard a mouse. However, when I opened my eyes, I was in an abandoned house with Bence, Zita and Zsófi next to me. Quite a surprise! All together we took upon a journey to a very dusty place in Africa. Smiling and dancing – the day had begun.

We split up into groups, and everybody seemed busy with different missions. The mission I was upon demanded a certain amount of patience. In the burning midday sun we were looking for local people among the great amount of festival people to participate in our short movie. Three travelers are eager to figure out if Joanna Andreaz had been to the seaside. I lost track of time, but mission completed successfully. Soup, bruschettas, beanmix and watermelon was very welcome at two o'clock. After lunch I had a surprisingly relaxing afternoon with three palinkas served by different people.

We had plans to go to the church during the afternoon, but the information in the Magazine Mix was: “priest, crazy, with key, to Campeni!” So instead we shot the “backwards scene” with the guy whose name I'll never be able to remember (Csongor, a szerk.). Romanian and Hungarian names just don't seem get stored in my system. Well, I guess, people who know me, might say that this applies to names in general. However, I do feel that my brain seems to fail even quicker with Romanian and Hungarian names.

Anyway, we had a fantastic dinner which woke up my tongue and made my nose run a bit. Palinka and beer gave me the strength to climb up to the lake where the Hay Festival was taking place. Music wasn't really for dancing, but people seemed to be enjoying themselves and so was I. We left the lake while the party was still on – for us it was way past bedtime! (Esther Kristensen)