G'day Brett,

I'm going down early ... Monday afternoon 21 March ... to attend Brian Peters' pre-Easter Master Class in accordion - then photographing through the Festival. (Serious balancing act here: serum donation at Red Cross blood bank, AM ... have to get away early enough for 3½ hour drive to Canberra and booking into camp site ... and must squeeze in proper observance of 35th wedding anniversary - as Patricia is spending Easter with other of our friends ... !)

It would be a good idea to check the Festival web site: (Australian) National Folk Festival to see what camping and ticket prices are like. Most of our local 'Catters will be looking for something less 'tropical' than a "light" sleeping bag (although I will be using one of my light bags ... but I'm a noted lover of cooler climates!). If you are stuck, I usually pack a couple of different weight sleeping bags plus sheeting bags (at least when I'm on my own and have all the available packing space of my Subaru station wagon), so you might borrow either a heavier bag, or a light one to use as an extra cover.

I usually camp with a mob of old friends - (mostly) from around Bankstown, where I grew up - and we grab a nice spot with a metal framework over which we tie some large tarps for session cover ... just into the "Fowls" area (the outer camping, not for rowdy late night types ... but still quite handy to the Festival for those not into trekking!). JennieG usually has her caravan just a little closer.

I couldn't recommend just throwing out a sleeping bag under a tarp in Canberra (a lot cooler than Sydney and, being inland and higher, with a much greater diurnal temperature range!) ... even with such an early Easter - I don't know if we will have any spare space in our encampment, as I don't run the camp or session ... but I can ask those who do.

Regards,

Bob