The V Festival was my first taste of the festival experience and it was one to remember. I have never been attracted to festivals as the prospect of a weekend with sub-standard toilet and washing facilities is not something I relish. However, I was persuaded to give it a try and face my worst fears.

Predicatably, the toilets were disgusting unless you could time using them straight after they were cleaned, the washing facilities weren’t much better and the idea of actually washing there wasn’t a pleasant thought.

The atmosphere was amazing and the performances second to none. The crowd of all ages was initially a surprise. But what happily unites is a shared love of the music - a fact which should encourage anyone who has ever wondered if they are too old to experience what a festival is all about to put these fears aside and just go. Everyone is really friendly and open to chat, which adds to the atmosphere and makes you feel worlds away from a night out in London. (Just watch out for the odd open bottle thrown about by a stupid few who think this type of thing funny - until one lands on them).

A real minus however is the poor choice, quality and inflated cost of the food on offer - when the street food/ food truck market is booming - this is unacceptable. Basically, everything is either wrapped in bread, fried (or both) with no healthy options available in sight. Poor.

But to sum up, the sacrifice of a decent diet and basic hygiene standards for a day or two was a worthwhile one. The step change in pace that the weekend brings is a welcome one and I’ll return to V fest next year … and a few more festivals too.

One question though, has anyone seen Sam?

Watch V Festival on youtube.