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top tips for glasto


Guest mkgirl1981

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so i had a look through some old threads and tried a search and couldnt really find what i was looking for so i thought hey i will start a new topic

so anyway as this is my first glastonbury this year i was wondering what everyones top tips for a good experience are whether its your top 5 must bring items, best places camp or just some random little thing you found last time you were there that was amazing

i can't wait - bring on june 24th!!!

:D

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I was asked on Facebook for some advice by another newbie, so I've copy pasted my reply below for you, hope you find some of it useful!

The best resources on the net for Glasto info are www.glastoearth.com - if you check out the FAQ section and read from beginning to end it gives you pretty much all the info you need along with pictures, it's really good! Also http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/glas...9/lineup.shtml# - the line up on here is updated daily and everyone who is TBC are pretty much certain to be playing, just stage and time to confirm! The forum is also very addictive, lots of things going on there, info, meets, events etc. Also very good for getting answers to questions.

In regards to the camping, Kidney Mead would be a good spot, Pennard Hill is very lively and friendly (I've camped Pennards before and it was awesome!). Just make sure you are quite a distance from the toilets and walkways! Plan the layout of your tents carefully as you'll not have more than 1 meter between tents and any decent space you leave around could have a tent in by time you return from a day out! Kidney Mead and Big Ground are nearest to entrance B which you'll come in if you park on the East side and are meant to be really good. I personally prefer the camping to the South of the site, especially as all the late night entertainment goes on in the South East part and North fields are a proper trek! If you can manage to take a camping stove for tea and coffee and hot choc at the least you'll appreciate it first thing in morning and last thing at night. If you can take any food that will also save money as you can spend a fortune buying breakfast lunch and dinner there! Make sure you do look around at the food though, the choice there is absolutely incredible!! Don't leave anything valuable in your tents, use the lock ups, they are really good and you could leave whatever you liked there! Some people take all their cash with them then leave it at the lock up in a bag and withdraw money daily. The queues for the cash machines can lose you an hour of your life! When sleeping put your purse in the bottom of your sleeping bag. It has been known for people to be robbed while they're sleeping. Don't worry about security too much though, the chance of you having any hassle is slim to none but better to be safe than sorry. Make sure everyone has a decent sleeping bag, air bed/matt, blanket and ear plugs! Though if anyone gets cold while there they can buy blankets very cheap from Oxfam.

You don't get a choice of car park, you will be directed to a car park depending on which way you come in from. You'll also be parked by attendants in massive fields, make sure you remember your car park location down cause they can be a nightmare to find again when you leave!

Have you brought trolleys yet to get your stuff in? They are so handy to have. Make sure you get a sturdy one, not one of these fold away ones, many are seen buckling under the weight. Also bungee cords to keep everything on the trolley. Don't bother with carry bags with little wheels, they won't manage through most of the site. Remember though that you can make multiple runs to your car so you don't have to struggle in one trip! Once you've queued to get in you don't have to queue again, you have a different entrance separate to those who haven't got their wristbands. Make sure if you're going to go out an exit to have your ticket with you! Bear in mind when you queue the first time you will be queuing for ages so have water with you.

When you do get in and set up find a wood pile and stock up on wood for fires. It disappears very quickly! If you don't manage to get some though you can buy it in the festival. A fire late at night if it's a bit cold is magic.

Explore the site as much as you can on the Wednesday and try to get familiar with it as it is huge!

On 3pm on the Wednesday you should get yourself down to the Pyramid stage arena as there will be an event on there with music and a England V Rest of World charity match going on, it's going to be big, very funny (the game is being played with an inflatable ball or something) and I'll be cheerleading for a laugh! It's going to be covered by Q magazine and maybe film crews as well. If you come down and spot the cheer leaders just ask for Jenni!

Last year Orange had an application for mobiles called Glastonav, if you or anyone in your group can get it - do it! It announces secret gigs for big names so is priceless. Also make sure you get the Q paper daily as it also tells you about other events you'd otherwise miss. You can get it from the information points.

Check out the videos on this link, they'll get you excited but also give you an idea of the other strange things that just happen at Glastonbury, like the laughter workshop! I'm going to try and find that this year. /index.php?showtopic=116832&hl=video">http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/index.p...32&hl=video

I think that's enough for you to be reading through for the moment! If there is anything else that springs to mind do ask and if I think of anything else I'll drop you a line. I think I've told you a lot of the things I wish I'd known for my first Glastonbury!

P.S. If someone offers you a hug - take it!!!

Enjoy x

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Welcome mkgirl1981

*THIS FAQ* may give you a few ideas.... [As suggested above by kyjenni]

Enjoy your first Glasto - it won't be your last ! (hopefully anyway) :D

I'm sure other people will give you lots of tips but I would suggest digging through the threads here and on the main Glasto Forum as there is a wealth of info available. :D

Finally I would suggest watching some of the Glasto youtube videos to get you in the Festival mood ( and don't forget the Glasto spotify playlist either ) !

Edited by DaveMac
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My advice is, don't try too hard. You don't need to read up on it. Just turn up and enjoy yourself. You won't be able to help it.

Even if you don't explore, you'll have fun. But do explore.

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Saved these gems from 2007 forum posts - Contributed by 'El Scumbag'; Some good ones here - I was

the one with earplugs and eyeshades - Worked as you get total blackout and silence when coming in at 4 and wanting to sleep till 11 whilst earlybirds are up all around you

1. Arrive in daylight. Preferably in the morning.

2. When choosing a camping spot, choose it carefully. Everywhere has it�s pros and cons, but one of the most draining aspects of glasto is lack of sleep so maximise your chances of at least a few hours kip each night. Pitch your tent, entrance sloping downwards, somewhere that�s gonna be in shadow when the sun comes up. Near the trees is ideal. Take a compass, remembering that the sun rises in the east, and you�ll get a good hour or two more sleep than anyone else. There�s nothing more draining than waking at 6am in a brightly lit very hot tent, poached in your own sweat.

3. If you have those eyeshades that you get on planes, take them. They�ll enable you to sleep longer. Believe me, it might show how hardened you are if you survive on nothing but beer and speed for 4 days, but sleep�s good for you. Failing those eyeshades, a thick black woolly hat is excellent, not only for keeping your head warm on those cold cloudless nights, but you can pull it down over your eyes and kip in lovely darkness.

4. Earplugs. Not for the bands but because of the nice people that have an all night party next to your tent. Worth their weight in gold.

5. When you arrive it�s dead exciting, but resist the temptation to skin up or get out the drinkiepoos straight away. There�s several reasons for this and that�s because setting up a tent, particularly if it�s a new one, take concentration and needs a clear head. You�ll get it done in half the time it�ll take you when stoned. Don�t do it when you�re set up either. When your tent is erected, stand up and look around. Look in each direction for landmarks like unusual flags, stalls, trees, where roads lead to, signposts, etc. It�ll look vastly different around you as more people arrive so spend an hour getting your bearings. Go in each direction (N, NE,E,SE,S,SW,W,NW) from your tent in a straight line until you�re just out of sight of your tent, then walk back. It may seem a waste of time, but it�s not. You have to know the lay of the ground intimately, because the chances are, you�ll be trying to find it in the dark, after losing your mates, off your face, with your phone battery dead and a thousand new tents to navigate around. Don�t assume that you know where it is � make sure of it. This will take an hour or so, but by the time you get back you�ll a) have an idea of where you want to explore later and someone else will have skinned up.

6. Take a torch and spare batteries. Invest in a good one, not rubbish from the poundshop.

7. Wellies. If you only take the footwear that you arrive in, make sure it�s wellies. Never mind the forecast � they�re worth their weight in hash.

8. Waterproof jacket with a hood, waterproof trousers and a small gents brolly. See �Wellies�.

9. A roll of binbags and at least one more toilet roll than you were planning to bring.

10. Headache pills

11. DON�T take anything that you either can�t afford to lose or is too cumbersome to carry. You�ll have a lot to lug over that mile or so from the car park to the campsite, so don�t make it harder than it has to be. A typical example is instruments. It might be cool to have your guitar with you but unless you�re gigging, leave it at home. There WILL be somebody camping nearby with one that will allow you to borrow it for a while, so use theirs. It�s also a great way to get to know your neighbours, and knowing your neighbours makes your belongings safer because they can always keep an eye on things for you.

12. Wet wipes and antibacterial handwash are vital. Particularly if you�re planning to do things like eating.

13. Don�t bother with the hashcakes you get offered by shady chaps. They rarely contain any, so if you want some, make and bring your own.

14. Don�t try and see loads of bands. Plan to see maybe two or three per day, and let whatever else happens, happen.

15. Get naked and go for a walk at least once

16. Take a money belt and just in case, a �false� wallet with a fiver in, just in case some scally demands it from you. Use your imagination when storing your cash � inside tent poles, buried underneath your tent, sewn inside your trouser turnups, anywhere except where people might actually look.

17. Condoms. Even if you aren�t planning anything, it could save the life of a friend. Plus, they make very useful waterproof covers for your mobile, money, last pair of clean pants/socks, torch or anything that you want to keep dry.

18. Get one of those bags that old ladies carry their shopping (and small rodent-like dogs) around in (usually of tartan design). The advantage is, they have wheels and it�s easier to drag a bag with wheels than it is to carry several heavy holdalls.

19. Drink plenty of water. Obvious I know, but you�ll last longer and won�t feel so ill in the mornings.

20. Poo in your tent. Re-sealable freezer bags are ideal. You can seal in the smell and dispose of the bags later, in the backpack of that git who�s constantly poncing drink, smoke, food and stuff off your group but contributes nothing in return. You can do it in comfort and it�s less disgusting that the real bogs.

21. Find the stall selling the �orgasmatron� and have a go. It�s dead nice.

22. Don�t get a piercing. You won�t be able to keep it clean enough.

23. If everyone took a slash in the hedgerows/streams/on the ground just once during the festival, it�d poison the environment forever and give ammunition to those who want to see Glasto stopped. So don�t.

24. Take only photographs and leave only footprints. For 50 weeks of the year this is an actual farm with cows and things. It takes long enough to clean up the litter, so don�t add to it.. Use the bins.

25. Smile at people, show them respect and spread peace and love everywhere you go.

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Saved these gems from 2007 forum posts - Contributed by 'El Scumbag'; Some good ones here - I was

the one with earplugs and eyeshades - Worked as you get total blackout and silence when coming in at 4 and wanting to sleep till 11 whilst earlybirds are up all around you

1. Arrive in daylight. Preferably in the morning.

2. When choosing a camping spot, choose it carefully. Everywhere has it�s pros and cons, but one of the most draining aspects of glasto is lack of sleep so maximise your chances of at least a few hours kip each night. Pitch your tent, entrance sloping downwards, somewhere that�s gonna be in shadow when the sun comes up. Near the trees is ideal. Take a compass, remembering that the sun rises in the east, and you�ll get a good hour or two more sleep than anyone else. There�s nothing more draining than waking at 6am in a brightly lit very hot tent, poached in your own sweat.

3. If you have those eyeshades that you get on planes, take them. They�ll enable you to sleep longer. Believe me, it might show how hardened you are if you survive on nothing but beer and speed for 4 days, but sleep�s good for you. Failing those eyeshades, a thick black woolly hat is excellent, not only for keeping your head warm on those cold cloudless nights, but you can pull it down over your eyes and kip in lovely darkness.

4. Earplugs. Not for the bands but because of the nice people that have an all night party next to your tent. Worth their weight in gold.

5. When you arrive it�s dead exciting, but resist the temptation to skin up or get out the drinkiepoos straight away. There�s several reasons for this and that�s because setting up a tent, particularly if it�s a new one, take concentration and needs a clear head. You�ll get it done in half the time it�ll take you when stoned. Don�t do it when you�re set up either. When your tent is erected, stand up and look around. Look in each direction for landmarks like unusual flags, stalls, trees, where roads lead to, signposts, etc. It�ll look vastly different around you as more people arrive so spend an hour getting your bearings. Go in each direction (N, NE,E,SE,S,SW,W,NW) from your tent in a straight line until you�re just out of sight of your tent, then walk back. It may seem a waste of time, but it�s not. You have to know the lay of the ground intimately, because the chances are, you�ll be trying to find it in the dark, after losing your mates, off your face, with your phone battery dead and a thousand new tents to navigate around. Don�t assume that you know where it is � make sure of it. This will take an hour or so, but by the time you get back you�ll a) have an idea of where you want to explore later and someone else will have skinned up.

6. Take a torch and spare batteries. Invest in a good one, not rubbish from the poundshop.

7. Wellies. If you only take the footwear that you arrive in, make sure it�s wellies. Never mind the forecast � they�re worth their weight in hash.

8. Waterproof jacket with a hood, waterproof trousers and a small gents brolly. See �Wellies�.

9. A roll of binbags and at least one more toilet roll than you were planning to bring.

10. Headache pills

11. DON�T take anything that you either can�t afford to lose or is too cumbersome to carry. You�ll have a lot to lug over that mile or so from the car park to the campsite, so don�t make it harder than it has to be. A typical example is instruments. It might be cool to have your guitar with you but unless you�re gigging, leave it at home. There WILL be somebody camping nearby with one that will allow you to borrow it for a while, so use theirs. It�s also a great way to get to know your neighbours, and knowing your neighbours makes your belongings safer because they can always keep an eye on things for you.

12. Wet wipes and antibacterial handwash are vital. Particularly if you�re planning to do things like eating.

13. Don�t bother with the hashcakes you get offered by shady chaps. They rarely contain any, so if you want some, make and bring your own.

14. Don�t try and see loads of bands. Plan to see maybe two or three per day, and let whatever else happens, happen.

15. Get naked and go for a walk at least once

16. Take a money belt and just in case, a �false� wallet with a fiver in, just in case some scally demands it from you. Use your imagination when storing your cash � inside tent poles, buried underneath your tent, sewn inside your trouser turnups, anywhere except where people might actually look.

17. Condoms. Even if you aren�t planning anything, it could save the life of a friend. Plus, they make very useful waterproof covers for your mobile, money, last pair of clean pants/socks, torch or anything that you want to keep dry.

18. Get one of those bags that old ladies carry their shopping (and small rodent-like dogs) around in (usually of tartan design). The advantage is, they have wheels and it�s easier to drag a bag with wheels than it is to carry several heavy holdalls.

19. Drink plenty of water. Obvious I know, but you�ll last longer and won�t feel so ill in the mornings.

20. Poo in your tent. Re-sealable freezer bags are ideal. You can seal in the smell and dispose of the bags later, in the backpack of that git who�s constantly poncing drink, smoke, food and stuff off your group but contributes nothing in return. You can do it in comfort and it�s less disgusting that the real bogs.

21. Find the stall selling the �orgasmatron� and have a go. It�s dead nice.

22. Don�t get a piercing. You won�t be able to keep it clean enough.

23. If everyone took a slash in the hedgerows/streams/on the ground just once during the festival, it�d poison the environment forever and give ammunition to those who want to see Glasto stopped. So don�t.

24. Take only photographs and leave only footprints. For 50 weeks of the year this is an actual farm with cows and things. It takes long enough to clean up the litter, so don�t add to it.. Use the bins.

25. Smile at people, show them respect and spread peace and love everywhere you go.

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My tips:

Take a spare set of dry clothes and leave in your car or in property lock ups, this means that if everything gets wet, you will have something dry to go home in!

Earplugs are a fantastic invention and really do help get you some decent sleep!

Get to know your neighbours, not only will this mean people will look out for you, but you will also make new friends... ahhhhhhh :blink:

Go take a walk around the Greenfields, you will be suprised at what you find. Also don't be a slave to the music (very hard on your first year!), there is so much to see and do. Have a cup of tea in The Park's tree tea house or an organic handmade (fresh) pizza next to the tiny tea tent.

Gaffer tape, gaffer tape, gaffer tape! Take some as it fixes everything (even bin bags to my hubbys feet!).

Take a hat, scarf and gloves for those late night walks - it gets really cold.

A solio or other solar charger is brilliant for charging phones etc.

Be nice to the super duper Oxfam staff, give them a smile and a wave - they are lovely ppl!

Most importantly, chill... theres no need to stress coz you're at Glastonbury!

Have a good one!

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it may sound really sad, but i always take a book to glasto with me. there is never a lack of entertainment at the festival but sometimes i just need a little time out! (i realise this isn't for everyone, before i get flamed for being a boring old git).

also, if you're a smoker then please please please take a portable ashtray with you. i get mocked for rooting around in my bag for it everytime i have a fag, but every butt has to be picked up at the end of the festival (which can't be much fun)

most importantly just enjoy yourself! accept in advance that you're not going to be able to do everything, there's always next time... :blink:

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Hi mkgirl1981

1. Don't plan to do to much as this is your first year and you will be overwhelmed by the size of it!!

2. Come to the Glasto World Cup on the Wed afternoon and meet lots of lovely people!!

3. Come to the cider bus meet on Wed night and meet even more lovely people!!

4. Bring lots of socks!!

5. Have fun!!

:(:D

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:D

Can't help myself....it's time for my annual repost on toilets (possibly first on this forum)...really can't help it...toilets...gotta love 'em!

With apologies to Mary Schmich and Baz Luhrman...

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2009. Take a crap.

If I could offer you only one tip for the toilets....crapping would be it.

The long term benefits of crapping have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of a dump; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of a dump until it has faded.

But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of a long drop and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous that dump really was. Portaloos are not as messy as you imagine.

Don't worry about the shepees; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; that wet patch on your leg that someone points out to you at 4pm on some idle Thursday. Wear dark trousers.

Do one dump everyday that scares you. Sing. Don't be reckless with opening long drop doors, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss. Ouch.

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. the race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself. The person next to you is not having a better dump.

Remember the clean portaloos, forget the dirty ones; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, use them as toilet paper. Stretch. Don't strain, it'll give you piles. Don't feel guilty if you don't know where you want to do your dump. the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 where they wanted to go, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to the back of your knees, you'll miss them if you go properly. Maybe you'll dump every day, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have diarrhea, maybe you won't, maybe you'll squeeze one out at midnight, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken trying to avoid the seat. What ever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your aim is half chance, so is everybody else's.

Enjoy your dump, do it every way you can: don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it's the greatest dump you'll ever take. Dump. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own tent. Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they are too slippy to use for wiping. Get to know your flushing loos, you never know when they'll be backed up for good. Be nice to your neighbours; they are the best link to your tent and the people most likely to stick with you in the next five days.

Understand that long drops come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to keep the door closed while perched over the gaping hole.

Camp in Pennards once, but leave before it makes you hard; camp in the backstage area once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, it will rain at Glasontbury, fields are muddy, you too will need a dump, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young Glastonbury was sunny, fields were green and toilets were always sparkling. Respect the hedges.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Hover over the seat on your own. Maybe you have a roll of loo paper, maybe you have a box of wet wipes; but you never know when either one might run out. Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time it's Saturday, it will look rough.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth. Like a wallet from the long drops. But trust me on taking a crap.

:(

The above is a hastily done adaptation of the Mary Schmich article in Chicago Tribune which was turned into a song by Baz Luhrman which you can find here...

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