Strategies for surviving the 5 days

[Homer]

I used to get up, reach for a can of lager, then smash myself around the head with alcohol until I collapsed after the headliners (or sometimes during). However, in the past few years (I’m 37 now) I’ve realized that if I just pace myself a bit, I can keep going (drinking neat vodka to Quo in 09 was a turning point, though I did still make it through to the end of Blur!).

My only ‘rules’ are that I don’t start drinking until I’ve eaten breakfast and that I don’t start drinking until midday. I also reckon that if I sub-conciously realise I’m getting completely smashed too early, I slow down a bit. I also advise switching to spirits and mixers after dark. My one big problem, though, is that when I get on a roll my appetite goes completely, though my wife pretty much force feeds me sometimes which is helpful. It turns out eating food gives you energy!

(This all goes pretty much out of the window on Sunday, though, when it’s every man for himself!)

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

But it's not a good idea to combine with MDMA or drugs that increase serotonin.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Yoghurt on a Stick

[bigbilly]

Be safe peeps!

[Teddington]

Basically just get back on it asap.

As I am a coffin dodger I have tended to flag a bit by Sunday morning, but a few vodka redbulls in the afternoon and I am set for one last night.

I sleep 2-3 hrs a night from Wed-Mon, I do take a week to recover though......

[FTHC]

My group all swear by jagerbombs before breakfast. I tend to follow that with a growler then get back on it properly.

[blue6field]

always find a large fresh smoothie in the morning with a large dash of vodka and a couple of Solpadine kicks any hangover into touch

[Verbal]

Get up and get moving, dont fester in your tent. I get up each morning, straight to the toilets to clear the crap out, then back at the tent for a wash, cereal bars ect, then a joint and off to find breakfast and enjoy the day.

[Jeffbain]

I always end up getting too excited on the Weds and drinking so much I pass out. Kind of wrecks the next few days. Going to try and avoid the booze etc until Friday this year. I spoke to a few blokes the one year and they don't have any booze before 5pm each day, which helped them last the course.

[Homer]

I spoke to a few blokes the one year and they don't have any booze before 5pm each day, which helped them last the course.

[Jeffbain]

That seems a bit excessive (well, the opposite, but you get my point).

[swede]

But it's not a good idea to combine with MDMA or drugs that increase serotonin.

[swede]

always find a large fresh smoothie in the morning with a large dash of vodka and a couple of Solpadine kicks any hangover into touch

Edited June 7, 2013 by swede

[markm69]

But it's not a good idea to combine with MDMA or drugs that increase serotonin.

[rexclark]

Smoothies are great

always find a large fresh smoothie in the morning with a large dash of vodka and a couple of Solpadine kicks any hangover into touch

[spursfan77]

People who take it easy on the first night I respect you, I just know I wont be able to. I'll be too excited and be a bit hungover Thursday!

[Monkismo]

I tend not to get hangovers at festivals (I think the fresh air helps) but I wake up early every day - pretty much when it's light. When I do, I have a stroll and a smoke which tends to help me drift off again when I get back to the tent. Then I'm done until everyone else wakes up. The best thing I find is that a can of red bull after the last band keeps me awake for night time fun and gaviscon helps with the heartburn from too much smoking, drinking and eating. Oh and paracetamol before sleeping is always key to waking up fresh for me

[scmusic]

Gaviscon, Berocca, ear plugs and an eye mask go a long way towards keeping me in business....

[Justiceforcedave]

I only start getting properly on it around 3 or 4pm drinking straight spirits so I don't have to wee or carry as much with maybe a couple of cheeky beers in the day time. Unless of course it rains in which case I just have to get smashed to deal with it.

[Ponyegg]

So, after many years of not listening to my body the past few times I've been I have listened, though I'm unsure if that made any difference, my liver stops talking to me by the Friday anyhows.

My 3 tips would be:

1] Keep hydrated, I had what I thought was a mild UTI in 2010 but it turned out simply to be lack of water

2] Keep well fed. Seriously, look after your blood sugars, keep something in your belly other than booze & speed etc...

3] Keep your salts in balance. 2010 was a scorcher, the amount of sweating going on with all the trudging from place to place took its toll, something like a sachet of diarolyte during the day and before crashing out, if you don;t want to pay for diarolyte I think i posted a recipe for a make your own a few years back. I'll try and dig it out or repost later.

[Justiceforcedave]

I also drink a barocca/resolve cocktail every morning.

[mail1234]

The simplest tactics work best for me

Down a large bottle of water before going to bed, take 2 ibuprofens but most importantly....start drinking again asap. If I wake up with a terrible hangover forcing the first pint down me is hell but a hour later and I feel absolutely fine. Something to do with the fact that your body only produces the enzyme that breaks down alcohol (which gives you the hangover) when there is no alcohol still entering your system - if you start drinking again your body recognises this, stops breaking down alcohol and you feel better (this is what I read a while back at least....dont quote me on it!)

I tend not to have huge hangovers at festivals anyway for some reason. Might be the excitement, fresh air, exercise of walking a lot, the greasy food on offer, placebo.....who knows.

[Zoo Music Girl]

The simplest tactics work best for me

Down a large bottle of water before going to bed, take 2 ibuprofens but most importantly....start drinking again asap. If I wake up with a terrible hangover forcing the first pint down me is hell but a hour later and I feel absolutely fine. Something to do with the fact that your body only produces the enzyme that breaks down alcohol (which gives you the hangover) when there is no alcohol still entering your system - if you start drinking again your body recognises this, stops breaking down alcohol and you feel better (this is what I read a while back at least....dont quote me on it!)

I tend not to have huge hangovers at festivals anyway for some reason. Might be the excitement, fresh air, exercise of walking a lot, the greasy food on offer, placebo.....who knows.

[TheSeventhOne]

Simply start your day with the hangover cure to end all hangover cures and you should be reet:

1x pint of water

1x rehydration sachet (dioralyte etc)

1x berocca

1x alka-seltzer or resolve

2x zantac

[Nice hymer]

I also have style to not get messy until it gets dark. Gurning around the pyramid fri afternoon is not a good luck when your pushing 40 :-)

[Phil-itfc]

Alka-Seltzer in a litre of water before bed, Berroca boost with a dash of Vodka in the morning. Followed up with Fresh fruit. I used to include something greasy to eat with this, but I've recently gone pretty much full veggie so I think the greasy options will be rather limited.