The main concern for the day was this awards ceremony we had to hold at the finale lunch, with awards of our own invention. Every group did something funny and cute with their award, except for us - I think we were the most nervous. I certainly was, having been determined for the duration of the festival not to meet any famous writers, in fear of making a fool of myself. I will go well out of my way to avoid awkwardness.
Our award was the Optometrist Award for greatest insight. I read out the winning quote, from Alexis Wright:
'You've got to take control of your future... you can't have someone shove your future on you and say "this is how it's got to be"...'
Alexis Wright was in the front row; when we filed off the stage she held my hand and said 'thank you', and, of course, I did make a fool of myself. I was all flustered and nervous and squeezed her hand too tightly and said 'thanks!' before rushing off.
After the awards we had nothing much to do, so a group of us drove out in two cars to the sand dunes, picking up beer and cider on the way. The dunes were beautiful, almost bright orange against the hard blue of the sky, but also a little creepy because of the possibility of lizards and snakes. But we made jokes and drank and played with our shadows until the sun went down and it got too cold.
Then we spent the rest of the evening at a pub until it closed at the unlikely hour of nine thirty.
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