How things have changed....

[Landlord666]

I was wandering how people have changed since they started going to the festival, and how their experiences have also changed. My first was 1998 and have been to all since then. It was a muddy one - I turned up with a single skin Argos tent (20 quid), no waterproofs, no Welles, and a holdall that I lugged down and the up the hill of death! I went with about 12 mates and sent most of the time drinking scrumpy just left of the mixing desk at the other stage! Now, I go with my wife and her mates and their other halves, we have a vango 4 man super deluxe tent, berghaus waterproofs.... I guess that is progress! I still get the same buzz from glasto as always though - even though it is more tiring than when I was 24!

[gorbag]

My first was 2002 and this'll be my eighth since then. To be honest we'll be doing it pretty much the same way as we did back then; just me and the missus and a few friends and as little baggage as possible. The only real difference will be decent boots.and the knowledge that we'll see much more by not rushing around trying to see everything

[ninetyeightytwo]

I suppose the main thing that's changed since my first Glastonbury (2007) is my attitude to live music itself.

Back then, like everyone, I'd go to as many gigs as I possibly could. Regardless of who was playing and where, I had the insatiable live music bug.

Nowadays, partly because of money, partly because of work commitments and partly because of where I'm now living, I'll only go and see bands I really want to see. The result is that gigs feel more like events and less like standard nights out. I tend to enjoy myself more.

I've no idea how this will translate to Glastonbury. Either I'll use it as an opportunity to see as many bands as possible (as I so seldom get the chance nowadays), or I'll find myself less bothered by live music for the sake of live music and have a wonderful time just bimbling/choogling.

I can't wait to find out!

[caroldecker]

The first time I went in 2007, it was me and my friend, and she took a single skin tent which ended up leaking (even though i told her it was rubbish beforehand, she thought the little vent at the top made it OK, the idiot). I didnt have a rucksack, sleeping mat, or sleeping bag actually. I just slept wrapped in a blanket, but i was completely monged the whole weekend so didnt bother much. I didnt have a waterproof jacket, I just used a bin bag and a big jumper, and i still stayed in front of the pyramid half the day waiting for the Who!

These days, I have a proper rucksack and tent with my partner, weve just invested in self inflating ground mats, I now own a sleeping bag and I have a big army jacket as my waterproof (my OH kindly donated it to me, it does the job)

I probably picked the worst year to be so terribly unorganised, but i survived!

[Spindles]

I hadn't been in years and started going again in '09, now I've built up a decent kit selection it keeps costs right down and allows me more luxury than I am used to (an airbed! I'm so frickin bourgeois)

These days I go with my kids and both are established festival goers, having caught the bug from me (although I did offer them tablets to help with that) and plan with military efficiency, in comparison to 2000, where we decided to go the night before and took my 2 person poundstretchers dome tent (which managed several festivals and never once leaked) a sleeping bag and some t-shirts, only realising on the second day that I'd not brought long trousers and had to buy some from a stall (which I still have and wear today, although they are cut down to shorts now).

Bleh, I could reminisce all day

[grumpyhack]

Our accommodation has become more comfortable as we have aged. Started with a big tent, graduated to a trailer tent and this year, for the first time, I'll be taking a rather old two berth caravan.

Our home comforts have improved over the years and we try to pace ourselves a little better but other than that it's much the same festival.

[Who2002uk]

Every year since 2005 my hangovers have gotten worse and worse.

[Glastonlocal]

I first went in 1987 aged 11 months. Changed a bit since then. Missed one in 2005.

[boglin2]

1987, a bin bag and a bottle of Cider! 'soul food' for 1 in the travellers field with a hot knife chaser.......and a dog to keep me warm. Things have moved on to camper vans and solar showers! However this year due to Gearbox will be back to my roots but one notch up in a tent!!

[scarletmist]

I first went in 1982.

Mobile phones have transformed things - before they were invented then there was a distinct possibility of getting lost for the whole weekend. I can't imagine how we survived.

The other major major change has been that Glastonbury was initially very subversive and non-mainstream. I wouldn't have told anyone at work that I was going to it, it was too unconventional and political - especially with the close links with CND.

[boglin2]

Yes the only way to communicate was by putting messages on boards!!

[just-spence]

our first glasto was 2002 . stayed in kidney meed and have camped roughly in the same spot ever since .

we had 5 in our group .. this year our group is around 25 .. we have met people at the festival and have stayed good friends since and our glasto family has grown each year .. some how we all manage to get tickets .. first year we came we brought tickets about 1 month before the festi .. now its some kind of military operation to get them .. .

and this year we are not camping ..we have rented a campervan and are glampiing it up .. just about had enough carting all our stuff in in 2011 that we said we would never do it again ..

we hadnt been before the fence so really nothing has changed other than our income to do things in a little more comfort .. gone are the days im drinking warm flat white lighting and eating pot noodles for breakfast ..

[Bexxxxx]

I first went in 1982.

Mobile phones have transformed things - before they were invented then there was a distinct possibility of getting lost for the whole weekend. I can't imagine how we survived.

[Bexxxxx]

I first went in 1993, aged 13, loved the festival but hardly saw any music. I camped for the first time in 1997 (the year of much mud) as a music loving teenager. Between 97 and 02 it became more about the music for me. After that, life got in the way and I had a break for a few years, returning in 2008 (and wondering why on earth i'd been absent for so long!).

These days I go with my husband, and as the years progress our experience of the festival changes. From 2000 to 2009 it was still mostly about the music and five days of freedom and lazy drinking. These days we take in more of the different entertainment every year, and the bit I love most is bimbling around and seeing what you stumble across....

We've graduated from a 3 man tent to a large tent you can stand up in and now go in our VW camper. This year we'll be taking our 5 month old son with us - a very different festival in store....

[swede]

My first was 1999, I had a traditional shaped one man tent, 4 cans, some clothes, 1 roll of bog roll and no water proofs. It didnt rain luckily.

2011 I took the wife, my two kids aged 2 and 4, and the in-laws. We had two family sized tents and that much stuff it took us 3 trips to and from the car.

[rmcoboy]

My first was 2004 with my other half and 6 month old daughter. We've been in 07, 10 and 11 and the main difference is everyone arriving earlier every year

[Spindles]

My first was 1999, I had a traditional shaped one man tent, 4 cans, some clothes, 1 roll of bog roll and no water proofs. It didnt rain luckily.

[glasto-worker]

my first one was 1979 so it must have changed but its a gradual change so you don't notice if you have been lucky to attend every year but someone who had a ten year gap would notice far more .

[mazola]

first was 2008, the main thing that's changed is I leave about 3 hours earlier every year, and it's fuller each time I arrive!

[Gnomicide]

I've only been going since 2010 but attended many other festivals over the years. Used to go in a transit van with 15 others, no tent, spare pair of socks and a shed load of snakebite.

As far as how far Glastonbury has changed, I was talking to someone yesterday who used to go years ago. She asked me if I was going down Thursday night or Friday morning.

[pedmills]

I think every year people get 'better' at doing the Glastonbury experience. They turn up earlier, leave later, go to bed later, try out more things.

[IbizaPrincess]

First in 2000, last year before the fence, my sunniest Glasto and believe it or not we didnt get there until Friday morning and still found a fab camping spot despite the 1000s extra without tickets.

The years later until 2011 was always a Thursday arrival, now theres no way id get there any day other than Wednesday.

Over the years, ive accumluated then upgraded my bits and pieces so this years investment of the self inflating mat maybe my comfiest as ive never managed a lilo or airbed without a hole in it argghh!

This will be another classic year, hopefully weatherwise it wont repeat 2007 or 2009!

[verrymerry]

I first went in 2007, even in that short space of time a lots changed! Bye bye Lost Vagueness and hello to this huge crazy world that goes on at the end of the railway!

It's also become progressively harder to get tickets, I'm sure one year we forgot and didn't log on til about midday, must be imagining it though

[guypjfreak]

been going since 97 ..no tent nothing since them ive fallen of a 50 foot cliff and broke my back had 2 nervous breakdowns smashed my ankle [ in the mud 2009 ] and am now a very proud gran father ......

im in camper nowadays but still have a tent in my old camp with family and have gortex everything but it takes ages to get any where and cant handle the hangovers [ although this doesnt stop me drinking ] and the drugs are just NOT the same so dont really bother ..

[glasto-worker]

As far as how far Glastonbury has changed, I was talking to someone yesterday who used to go years ago. She asked me if I was going down Thursday night or Friday morning.