DirtyLurker

This year was always going to be a bit different for me; was told I'd fractured my knee just weeks before festival so just going was a bonus in my eyes. Had a rough couple of hours Sat, felt a bit overwhelmed/not up for it, but Sun was an absolute joy. I was back at my campervan around nightfall every night, absolutely unheard of for me but I couldn't risk damaging my knee further with a fall in the dark. So I missed all late night stuff. Totally sedate festival for me but I bloody loved it. To note; people commenting on food queues, there's a queue for a reason, good food is worth waiting for, if you want something quick then you will no doubt be eating something a bit crap.

Kebab Cartel (Gansta Granny😉), famous around the Midlands, def best keebab, ever!

Those muffin cake things from Tiny Tea Tent - so good!

Good luck with tickets. I missed out 19 & only got these in resale, the fomo is real! That then I think has added to my need to enjoy it, I'd waited 5 long years be back here, why isn't it perfect. It was always going to be a different, I buggared my knee a few weeks back & I have to keep reminding myself I'm lucky I'm not on crutches, I actually made it here and I can walk about, I just can't dance and I bloody love dancing. Placed my envelope in the Burning Lotus on Thurs morn and I'll hopefully make it near to the Park around midnight to experience the communal remembrance & catharsis.❤

Yesterday was tough for me, we've all had that feeling, sometimes fleeting, sometimes for a few hours, where it's all a struggle, not quite feeling like you're "doing it properly", having waited so long almost anticlimactic BUT we went & podded in Caberet tent saw Reginald D Hunter and had a giggle. Felt better. Think we are all a bit out if practice at dealing with such a huge volume of people, I went to a couple of small festivals last year but I kind of forgot just how many people 200k actually is. The busy crowds are very courteous & friendly so I believe I feel anxious in the crowds due to my own coping rather than any issues with others - if that makes sense? Today I plan to throw myself in a bit more with the festival, it may not happen, I may still just be floating about on the peripherals but I'm good with that, the small random stuff can be much more memorable.

Acoustic was too rammed to even contemplate Paul & Jackie so walked via Other past St Vincent, very small crowd, onto Sonic for Fatboy which was busy as expected, bit of a pichpoint at the back but stewards did fine moving people through, found a spot to left of tent for a couple of tracks dance/hobble with fucked knee. So yeah, getting stuck in a crowd/pinchpoint can range from uncomfortable to super scary but it can be avoided if you're willing to give up seeing an act you really want to see - for me my own comfort is always more important than seeing an act.

Wrong thread! Acoustic was too rammed to even contemplate Paul & Jackie so walked via Other past St Vincent, very small crowd, onto Sonic for Fatboy which was busy as expected, bit of a pichpoint at the back but stewards did fine moving people through, found a spot to left of tent for a couple of tracks dance/hobble with fucked knee. So yeah, getting stuck in a crowd/pinchpoint can range from uncomfortable to super scary but it can be avoided if you're willing to give up seeing an act you really want to see - for me my own comfort is always more important than seeing an act.

From what I remember there are quite often issues around Arcadia/Park on a Fri night then by Sat they implement a one way system, 2016 I was squashed in the mud up against a fencing trying to exit. I've been keeping to less crowded areas as my knee is fucked & couldn't deal with squashed up crowds, only made it to 2 full sets from our clashfinder but it's cool, just absolutely winging it and seeing things we wouldn't normally see - Beatbox Collective on Sensation Seekers, amazing - yes it's busy but only if everyone wants to see the same acts/sets.

Not seen their tent but we had Crumble - so good btw, cherry crumble & vanilla ice cream, sat outside Leftfield Thurs night and Hare Krishna came past and podded in front of us chanting, their tent may be near there?

Recommends: Leon' s in West Holts - veggie curries & salads - aubergine curry gets a big thumbs up from me (no pics, you can't see flavour!) £7 for a bowl with rice & 2 curries. Veggie Fritter (shack/shop can't remember full name) on the left coming from side of flush to left side of pyramid towards Leftfield - £9 for Dahl, veggie fritters & salad. £5 for veggie fritters & sauce - really tasty, I didn't want a full meal so had the £5 perfect, will go back for full meal! Alice in Wonderland themed Tea & Cake, top of Theatre - oh my gosh the Battenburg cake 😍 £6 for a slice but is massive, homemade, amazing! Support the traders, hospitality is hard, really fucking hard to survive & they pay so much for a pitch here. £10 for a full meal is absolutely not to be sniffed at, you'd pay at least that much for a "meal" in a shitty chain pub where the food is bought in & banged in a microwave/fryer - many, many, many street food traders actually care about what they're cooking, quality ingredients & want you to enjoy it.

Drove down M5 to jnc 23 straight through Glastonbury town, past Tor, down 361 and straight down Stickleball Lane around 11.30am. Walked across Orange 39 car park and into an empty Gate D at 2pm, zero queues and free cans of water. Bushy Ground was pretty full.

Right you lovely lot! I'm off very soon, will try and save battery on phone so not intending to post along the journey but I know I'll get too excited 😉 Thank you for an entertaining 3yrs, it's been 5 since I was last at the farm and I only got these tickets in resales so a rollercoaster of a run! Enjoy you beautiful bastards😋😋😋

Tbf I would've paid it but Wink never got back to me so I booked Willow. Absolutely!

That unmentionable FB group, my partner follows it😉

Willow Meadows... Love Fields were full 😆 and a hell of a lot more expensive!

As I thought, that other lot are not to be trusted!

There's "chat" on another forum that D is open but I've yet to see proof... I'm in bed setting off from Midlands in next couple of hours, our campsite doesn't ooen until 12, was only place I could get a campervan spot.

Batteries/lanterns are charging, bags are by the front door awaiting packing of the Bus, last minute run to the shop about to commence (need more gin!) Just did a 15min yoga session to try and chill my beans but it's not worked - absolutely bursting with excitement 🥳🥳🥳🥳

All the points for People Rain Poncho - totally waterproof, breathable material, made specifically to be worn over a bike, works wonderfully at covering self and rucksack (if you partake in the old backpack wearing) folds up into a sling around your body type bag. Minuses - doesn't actually keep you warm but positives you can wear as many layers underneath as you like. Takes seconds to get it out and get it on😉 Sorry none of that helps with OPs packing dilemma but might help others when making choices or purchases another year.

Same but 15yrs😁 gave my iron away when I went travelling and never looked back.

So many reasons 🏳️‍🌈🌈

Did the shop yesterday - bugger me when did everything get so expensive! Filled the Bus with fuel - nearly fainted, see above comment! Seriously we used to get a full tank, from empty for £80 & could drive from Midlands all way to Amsterdam on that 1 tank, yesterday already had 1/3 tank and it cost £120 🥴 Found partners festival hat, needed rain or shine, this bugger had eluded my searching for 2 days. Found Moth Espresso Martinis in Tesco for £3.90 @ 4 for 3 if anyone still looking for booze deals. Decanting starts this afternoon, as does last clean & empty glass out of Bus & starting actually putting shit in the Bus😁 Last day at work tom, I intend to do a little as possible and bore the lot of them with my Glasto tales & excitement 🤪

I definitely got sunburn in 16 and I was wearing factor 30! Upped to 50 now😉

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Campervan pass for Willow Meadows just arrived - was starting to get a little twitchy. Kit for variable weather conditions bagged up ready to go in Bus - layers, it all about the layers - running kit base layers ftw