Wyn has always wanted to get to a WOMAD music festival, but New Plymouth always seemed so far away. Then, when we were sorting out dates to start work in the Bay of Plenty, we soon worked out that we could stop off at WOMAD on the way. The timing would not have been better if we had planned it. WOMAD stands for somethig like World Of Music Art Dance, and it’s a wonderful showcase of world music. And it starts today…..The wind had dropped a bit overnight, and it had mostly stopped raining. The weather is picking up, just in time. It was warmer overnight, 18 degrees inside first thing. Our breakfast entertainment was watching a ship come into port out our back window. There were pilot vessels, and tugs, and the ship looked like maybe a navy supply ship. We got out of the camp at 10.10am, perhaps a record for us. We made a beeline for the WOMAD camping site which is the racecourse behind Pukekura Park. There were a few people set up already, but we were able to get a good spot on the edge, in case the grass turns to a bog. The forecast is for good weather, but this is Taranaki.
Gradually through the day the racecourse has filled up, with campers and motorhomes and all sorts. The sun has shone a bit, although the mountain is still in a cloud. We’ve had a lovely slack afternoon, with time to catch up on the blog. So now it’s up to the minute. The first act starts in less than an hour…..