Dodging Bombs and Bullets

Ello Fellow Creatures.

Well, I safely got to Hourne Farm and back and spent 6 days there at Community Building in Britain's "Facilitating Ourselves" gathering. It was held at Hourne Farm (or should that be Hourne Funny Farm) near Crowborough in Sussex, hence often referred to as Crowbar 2.



It was only passing through London on the way out that I kept hearing things about do not leave packages unattended due to the heightened security situation. Indeed at Victoria Coach and Underground Stations, such a reminder we got every two minutes.



But get a load of this! Boarded my coach at Victoria and the driver says that due to the heightened security thingy, we were to switch off all mobile phones, personal steroes and lap top computers. Failure to do so could result in being escorted off the coach by the Police. Driver subsequently tells us that some British Muslims from Leeds had been arrested on suspicion of terrorism, and that all our baggage would be searched by the police (some of them armed) when we arrived in Leeds. If we did arrive in Leeds that is, assuming there was no bomb on the coach….. Pretty spooky really. I did feel angry that the said terrorist suspects were described as muslims, I really do not see what difference it makes what religious profession terrorist suspects have. Or, more to the point, Al-Qaeda is a perversion of Islam, or as one muslim put it, terrorism has the same relationship to Islam as adultery has to marriage.

Anyway, as my coach was due to arrive in Leeds after the off licence was closed, I had scored a couple of cans of cider. I was going to need it. I was still in an altered state after Crowbar 2. And to be honest I still am! I am having the time of my life! Or rather I would be if I were not having spasms of that undiagnosed physical pain in my right cheek! Aghhh!!!!

So, likesay, prayed that we would arrive safely in Leeds and that our encounter with the Fuzz would be just part of life's rich tapestry. I had some anxiety that National Express terms and conditions re alcohol mite have included stuff in the bottom of the rucksack. Still, anti terroism police are not supposed to be looking for a can of cider or two.

And when we got to Leeds, nothing, no Police, armed or unarmed.

Got home, checked my Republican Mail, shut door to my room, opened cans of strongbow and wrote in my diary "Splashdown". An unforgettable trip if nothing else. More later.