Lessons for next time:
- Tongs and/or poking sticks are useful
- The longer it's in there, the better
- Good ventilation isn't enough, and blowing on it probably isn't healthy, figure out how to build bellows
- Actually convincing the thing to light is surprisingly difficult. It took sawdust, candle wax, and tree bark to finally get going. Figure out how to automate the process better (blowtorch? lighter blocks?)
I'm quite surprised that the kiln got up to those sort of temperatures given its size. At 10 bricks + a paving slab, it's the sort of thing you could fairly easily carry to the beach or some other isolated spot if you live in a flat and don't have access to a garden or yard (check your local laws to make sure you can do it legally, of course). Also, barbeque charcoal is cheap and easy to come by (maybe less so in winter admittedly).