top tips for festivals

[dwukky]

some of these tips are very graphic indeed

but on the subject of graphics - take a photo of you and a second of your phone number on every digital card you use - if you lose it you might get it back

and be sure to stick your friends numbers in your mobile for the same reason

if you have any medical condition, write it on a paper and put it in your wallet with ICE on it (alongside name etc) to help the medical staff

zip your pockets up before going into a long drop / similar to ensure only what you want to go down there goes down there!

[dwukky]

dont complain too much if you get splashback whilst using a long drop - with bluetooth / camera phones in everyones pocket - your picture could be transmitted around the site and onto youtube faster than an alleged secret gig notification

[fairyinboots]

Keep a complete change of clothes in the car to wear home if everything gets wet.

Also some food and a drink incase you get caught in long queues to get out of the carpark.

[dwukky]

no matter how "confused" your substance of choice gets you dont fall asleep in wet clothes..... it could be very dangerous for you

[glastofreak]

When relaxing during the day don't lean on anything as the green police can not be every where at night. :angry:

Pack everything in bin liners (even in your rucksac this will keep things dry.

small kiddy padling pool in the porch of your tent to take off your wet waterproofs in to stop the rest of your tent geting wet

[jamseyboy]

One for the lads.....If you need a slash and your standing in the middle of a massive crowd watching a set, grab a paper cup off the floor and relieve yourself into it(no one will notice). After be sure to place it back on the floor so you dont drip it on anyone.

[jamseyboy]

Small wind up torches are excellent.....very cheap in tesco! You can also get wind up tent lights....last half hour with one go. Saves on batteries and very green.

[Elfy]

Excellent tip about cameras and taking a pic of you and mobile phone no - thanks :angry:

[Laura_Babs]

Excellent tip about cameras and taking a pic of you and mobile phone no - thanks :angry:

[tinpottery]

Take lots of sweets (its the only food i take) sugar in the blood gives you the energy for the whole day, no prep time, no cooking, spend more time recovering from the hangover :angry:.

Start practicing hovering over the toilet now, work the calfs.

[markeee]

If your taking your kids write your mobile number on there arm in that Henna dye along with a message 'ring this number is you find me lost' !!, or something like that.

Can also be used if you have friends who get completely wasted and get lost all the time :angry:

Its great stuff because it wont wash off.

[markeee]

Small wind up torches are excellent.....very cheap in tesco! You can also get wind up tent lights....last half hour with one go. Saves on batteries and very green.

[Sam Crawley]

if your tent floods your important stuff stays dry

[markeee]

agree with a lot of these

don't take too much, a lot of people take wayy too much in my opinion

take some crisps/pringles/cereal bars etc for snacks

take a torch, small one

don't take all your cards, only take 1 debit/credit card - don't take everything i.e. gym card/reward cards/other bank cards if you lose your wallet it's a chore sorting things out same goes for ID, in wouldn't take ID personally unless you are quite young and are really worried about being ID;d - else for me it's not worth the risk of losing an important document

bring some of your own alcohol obviously if spirits, it should be in plastic bottles!

bring some jogging bottoms with you, can wear them back at the campsite/to sleep in & if it rains and your jeans are soaked through!

Edited May 17, 2009 by markeee

[Madabout G]

DO NOT buy or accept drugs (chemical) from a stranger. There is lots of sh*t out there and your festival (and life!!) could be ruined by a moment of madness.

[muddyslingbax]

Take lots of sweets (its the only food i take) sugar in the blood gives you the energy for the whole day, no prep time, no cooking, spend more time recovering from the hangover :angry:.

Start practicing hovering over the toilet now, work the calfs.

[Mellon collie]

I personally take small packs of tissues but if you prefer taking a toilet roll collect a a few half rolls rather than just taking one full roll. This way it fits into a pocket etc easier and you don't run of toilet roll if it gets wet/dropped/lost.

[18Alex18]

Just wanted a few opinions on bags etc.

I've not a clue what the situation with this is - but is it pretty much vital to have a bag with you throughout the day with drinks, snacks, extra clothes, etc in?

Also, there will be 3 of us. If, indeed a bag is necessary, would it be important to have one each or could we get away with sharing a bag and therefore sharing the carrying (bearing in mind that we may split up at certain points so if there was only one bag someone would be isolated from it). Alternatively we could have 2 between 3 and then if we split up then there's likely to be access to a bag for everyone.

To summarise - No bag? One bag? 2 between 3? A bag each?

And to develop the idea - what exactly would be the essentials for this bag?

[r0cky]

I've taken to carrying a very small backpack, less than 10 litres (actually one of those hydration packs, but without the water bladder).

Sometimes in the evening I leave it at the tent, and just carry around things in my pockets (like car keys, camera etc.).

I am envious of the people who don't carry a bag around with them. But it's nice to have somewhere to keep your waterproof and a micro fleece, and a place to keep some wine, and a water bottle.

I also have a spare mobile battery, car keys, packet of tissues, alcohol based handgel, 1xAA LED torch, paracetamol and some hay fever tablets (for some reason I suffered really badly last year, but none of the previous ones).

Maybe some other crap in there, depending, like a £1 disposable poncho, small notepad/pen etc.

E2A: will probably be carrying around some glowsticks and other random LED trinkets in there this year as well.

Edited May 17, 2009 by r0cky

[flibbitybob]

Just wanted a few opinions on bags etc.

I've not a clue what the situation with this is - but is it pretty much vital to have a bag with you throughout the day with drinks, snacks, extra clothes, etc in?

Also, there will be 3 of us. If, indeed a bag is necessary, would it be important to have one each or could we get away with sharing a bag and therefore sharing the carrying (bearing in mind that we may split up at certain points so if there was only one bag someone would be isolated from it). Alternatively we could have 2 between 3 and then if we split up then there's likely to be access to a bag for everyone.

To summarise - No bag? One bag? 2 between 3? A bag each?

And to develop the idea - what exactly would be the essentials for this bag?

[sashabella]

I always take a surgical face mask for trips to the toilet! Ask your local dentist for a couple!

x

[mouth]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Eastpak-The-One-Trav...%3A1%7C294%3A50

this is the bag i use, holds baccy, rizla, phone, camera hand gel, car keys tissues etc.

[bombfrog]

If you decide to piss into a 500ml bottle in your tent to save yourself a trip to the loos then make sure you have a second empty bottle handy. It's possible to pee more than half a litre and it's difficult to stop mid flow.

[LilMissSmiley]

Definitely take mini packs of tissues rather than the roll, nothing worse than soggy or dirty loo roll left lying around the tent and think wer ru going to put it while u go?

Lots of baby wipes and hand gel take lots of cereal bars/nutrigrain type of stuff for when u get the munchies!

It gets ridiculously cold at night, if your camping with ur partner or a good friend and no matter how many layers or how high u zip ur sleeping bag up i found it better to unzip two bags so its like a double sheet and blanket so u benefit from the body heat

Keep everything valuable well hidden and tie the zips together from the inside with a shoe lace, we were walkin round on the thurs morning at 5am and had someone ask us what we were doing as a few people had been robbed near our tent :S

Take an over the shoulder bag if u worry about back packs in the crowd it doesnt have to be big but its enough to get ur phone, camera, money etc in .... on that note if your not in the tent take everything with you that you wouldnt happily leave in a hotel room!

[Bradders]

Don't worry about all these tips too much. Just have fun