Sziget 2009

[Bonanza*]

We're on the 2pm flight from Manc, arriving at 5pm - at least that's what my boarding info tells me!

Bonanza* - last year the site was very dry, it's basically parkland so it's grass but obviously as the week wears on, the grass gets trampled and it gets very dusty. By the end of the week, you could see little dust storms blowing up as people were leaving the site on Sunday.

We're staying in the city so our plan is to wear sandals/flip flops and take trainers with us for later in the evening. I am a soft shandypants southerner and I feel the cold so I need to bring trainers and a sweatshirt or something for when the temperature drops and the alcohol's not keeping me warm enough.

The Oktogon area has loads of restaurants and bars, and a lot of them are open pretty late. I don't have any recommendations for clubs, but this webpage provides a useful list of places to avoid!

[allantrotter]

1 of the lads we are going with has caught swine flu. how unlucky.

got them Tamiflu tablets for 5 days and we dont fly till next tuesday morning so he should be ok.

bad crack like

[Minkster]

I'm not going to Sziget this year, although I have been the last few years (to be honest, I'm not overly impressed with the line-up this year). But I thought I would give my top Sziget tip to people who are going for the first time....

If you are staying in the city, take the 'Radio 1' boat to the island. The first year I went, we travelled via metro/train to near the site and walked the rest of the way in. In the second year, we discovered the boat - which goes from the Danube, just a block away from Vaci Utca (main shopping street). Its worth getting the boat for two main reasons.... a) You go through wristband exchange in the city centre, saving time and queues at the festival site and :angry: The boat drops you on the island right in the heart of the festival. It costs next to nothing, and has the bonus of providing a beautifully relaxed ride down the Danube en route. Once discovering this, we never went by train again...

To all the peeps going this year - have fun. The weather is often amazingly hot, and the festival is by far and away the best I've ever been to in terms of amenities and a friendly international crowd. Use the opportunity to explore some of the more east european/balkan music - as its great party music. Especially check out the world stage and the Roma tent. I haven't been to Sziget without 'discovering' some obscure but brilliant act I would never have heard of back home. So don't just hang around the main stage. Oh, and the roast chicken they sell from a stall near the Wan2 stage is faaaantastic

[Bonanza*]

I'm not going to Sziget this year, although I have been the last few years (to be honest, I'm not overly impressed with the line-up this year). But I thought I would give my top Sziget tip to people who are going for the first time....

If you are staying in the city, take the 'Radio 1' boat to the island. The first year I went, we travelled via metro/train to near the site and walked the rest of the way in. In the second year, we discovered the boat - which goes from the Danube, just a block away from Vaci Utca (main shopping street). Its worth getting the boat for two main reasons.... a) You go through wristband exchange in the city centre, saving time and queues at the festival site and The boat drops you on the island right in the heart of the festival. It costs next to nothing, and has the bonus of providing a beautifully relaxed ride down the Danube en route. Once discovering this, we never went by train again...

To all the peeps going this year - have fun. The weather is often amazingly hot, and the festival is by far and away the best I've ever been to in terms of amenities and a friendly international crowd. Use the opportunity to explore some of the more east european/balkan music - as its great party music. Especially check out the world stage and the Roma tent. I haven't been to Sziget without 'discovering' some obscure but brilliant act I would never have heard of back home. So don't just hang around the main stage. Oh, and the roast chicken they sell from a stall near the Wan2 stage is faaaantastic

[Madalien]

I love that Chicken stall!

[sionell]

Metcheck says it's going to be a scorcher so pack your suncream!

[allantrotter]

factor 50 on stand by for us gingers!!

[snipe]

Thanks for the Ferry info. I somehow missed that our hotel is only slightly over 1km from the pickup. Thats going to be really handy. Website says it runs 12 to 4am. Price is 600huf which is about 2euro 30.

I assume you can get the Ferry from the festival as well? Any idea if 4am is the last boat returning from the festival?

[Cactusgirl]

has anyone got their forint yet? What exchange rates are you getting? I remember last year it seemed hit and miss whether my bank card would work - sometimes it did and sometimes it didn't so was thinking of taking some out for the first few days!

[sionell]

has anyone got their forint yet? What exchange rates are you getting?

[Bonanza*]

has anyone got their forint yet? What exchange rates are you getting? I remember last year it seemed hit and miss whether my bank card would work - sometimes it did and sometimes it didn't so was thinking of taking some out for the first few days!

[JEFHungary]

JEF - Young European Federalists can be found at this year's (2009) Sziget Festival as well. We are looking forward to seeing you guys at our tent in the sector 'Civil Sziget'. Throughout the entire week we'll offer you FREE SMALL GROUP VISITS TO THE CITY in English, German, French, Spanish etc, so that you can get to know the genuine Budapest feeling, with some of the hidden treasures of the town and some of the classiest bars around. Don't forget, if you're looking for official and guided sightseeing visits to see all the monuments, you're at the wrong place. For such needs 'Magyar Turizmus Zrt' will also be present. This is about having fun, seeing a bit more of the capital besides the festival, feeling its captivating atmosphere and hanging around with nice young people - that is to say, with the members of JEF!

Hope to see you there. Cheers!

JEF is not some political partys youth organisation or something. More on the NGO at:

http://www.jef.eu/index.php?option=com_con...&Itemid=295

Hungarian contact email: info@jef.org.hu

Edited August 5, 2009 by JEFHungary

[Cactusgirl]

thanks Sionell and Bonanza for the tips re currency.

I really cannot wait now - especially as it is warm outside, get me to that beer tent!!

[Minkster]

Thanks for the Ferry info. I somehow missed that our hotel is only slightly over 1km from the pickup. Thats going to be really handy. Website says it runs 12 to 4am. Price is 600huf which is about 2euro 30.

I assume you can get the Ferry from the festival as well? Any idea if 4am is the last boat returning from the festival?

[guitarbaz]

i like the sound of the boat i must admit. does it have a bar? heh heh

looks like no big names on Zero day anyway, get cape wear cape fly and bits of babyshambles was about all i recognised in the lineup.

i shall watch from the bar

[guitarbaz]

oh and got me forints yesterday

exchange rate seems better than last year, for once we might be better off!!

[Mullin]

Out of curiosity (as I got my Forints a couple of weeks ago), what exchange rate did you get them at?

£1 got me 337.53 HUF.

I'm really excited for Sziget now - started packing last night (as I've 2 full days in work before leaving). Travel to London on Sunday and fly out Monday morning, arriving at lunchtime in Budapest

[Cactusgirl]

Out of curiosity (as I got my Forints a couple of weeks ago), what exchange rate did you get them at?

£1 got me 337.53 HUF.

I'm really excited for Sziget now - started packing last night (as I've 2 full days in work before leaving). Travel to London on Sunday and fly out Monday morning, arriving at lunchtime in Budapest

[*Luckyman*]

My heads a bit all over the place, I've just gone and booked myself a ticket to Sziget!

Has anyone flown with or are flying with 'Wiizz Air' from London Luton to Budapest? I can't get through on the phone to see what the deal with trying to take a Tent is... has anyone taken a 'pop-up tent' on a flight before? Do you have to pay extra or can you just tie to your bag and it counts as one piece of luggage?

Or have people bought a tent out there before? are they as cheap as decathlon here?

I'll be getting to budapest monday night about midnight, how best to get to the festival at this time? should I just sleep in the airport and wait till morning? If there is away of getting there then are the ticket/wristband exchanges open all night?

Just read about where to get best priced currency so cheers for that!

Any advice, much appreciated.....

[williams997]

all i can say is when we flew to beni last year with a pop up tent we had to pay i think 15 pound extra to take a tent and that was with ryan air, but obviously don't know about wizz air.

Just a few quick questions about the fest now so excited, firstly are mosquitoes or any other type of midges around the campsite? should i bring some repellent.

Secondly i take it drugs like mdma and weed are easily accessible at the festival, any suggestions where and what best to buy

Thirdly, obviously its really hot, what is the plan for cooling off, the danube cannot be swam in, and the swimming pool is in the vip section? so is it just showers or the baths in central budapest

And final question on the map there are like camping by nationality areas, do people keep to this?

Any responses much obliged can't wait for a great festival

[guitarbaz]

Wow where did you go for that exchange rate?? The best I can find is about 296

[sionell]

firstly are mosquitoes or any other type of midges around the campsite? should i bring some repellent.

[sionell]

places advertising good rates then hammer you on commission.

[Cactusgirl]

I got bitten last year - but then I always get bitten so the best repellant is to stand near me!! My choice of perfume will be deet all week!! Lovely!

Just checked in online, printed off boarding pass and festival ticket. Off to get my currency at lunch. It is starting to feel very real!!

Bring it on!

[Cactusgirl]

is really just a sprat to catch a mackerel.