It was the summer of '68 and somehow I persuaded my parents a week at the Urdd centre in Llangrannog would be a good thing.
A nice break for me and for them. Several of my friends were going and I didn't want to be left out I argued. And, I pointed out, it didn't cost a lot - about £8 I think and a bit extra for the bus.
They agreed which is how I found myself on board an old bus heading south from Aberystwyth along the Cardigan coastline (as it was in those days). Health and safety was yet to be created by beaurocrats and we kids hung out of windows which were opened by leather straps like on older trains. Suitcases and sleeping bags filled the gangways and we were excited - for many of us it was our first trip away from home.
Accomodation at Llangrannog in those days was spartan. Boys were housed in tents at the bottom of the field and I was in with Dylan, Keith, Michael John and William, all friends from school. We were near the football field but well away from the girls who were in wooden huts near the main entrance.
Evereone met in the main buildings centred around a big hall and a canteen. It had been a tiring journey and the swyddogion or swogs (leaders) were keen to pack us off to bed. After the nightly eplilogue we were led back to the tents by the swogs using lanterns. We gave them quite a hard time that night with incessant chatter and moving from tent to tent. And it didn't
really change much the rest of the week.
We must have eventually dropped off because I can remember being woken up by the sound of grass being chewed by livestock. This was our introduction to Sugar and Shakespeare, the centre's donkeys.
Despite being August it was quite a sunny week and we went swimming in the sea several times had a picnic on the coastal path; played a lot of sport including a new game called head tennis - a cross between volleyball and football - and made lots of new friends.
It was a pattern which repeated itself several more times although because Llangrannog then catered mostly for the under-13 year olds I quickly graduated to the inland centre at Glan-llyn near Bala.
So it was with great pleasure I attended Llangrannog's 75th birthday party at the Eisteddfod. There was a huge card signed by a tiny fraction of the million or so people who have been to the centre over the years. And a big cake and everyone got a present from Mistar Urdd, the movement's mascot.
Mistar Urdd said things have changed a lot at Llangrannog since the early days. Today's visitors have the benefit of en-suite facilities in the rooms - no more tents. There's a ski-slope and a swimming pool and there's no sign of wandering livestock.
Today's pampered child expects more than we did but the welcome at Llangrannog is still the same and that's the main thing.
It was good to have an opportunity to wander around the Maes today and see some of the varied stalls. There appears to be more of them this year and a much more varied mix than in previous years.
Not that I managed to visit more than a couple because at every turn you see people you haven't seen since last year's Eisteddfod. That's part of the pleasure of these week long festivals in Wales. Walking around a big field seeing others doing exactly the same thing.
The conversations start off in much the same way as well. "What are you doing now?" and "How's so and so?" I won't mention names but some of my former college friends are looking remarkably well!
The Eisteddfod this year is situated on the United Counties Showground next to the Carmarthen mart. Tomorrow farmers from all over the county will attend the weekly livestock sale. Eisteddfod officials are confident the traffic problems of the past two days will not be repeated.
But others are not so sure. As one press corp member said: "It could be traed moch (literally pig's feet but colloquial Welsh for a mess) tomorrow!" After a short pause he added: "And traed defaid (sheep) and gwartheg (cattle)!"
