Coming from U.S. Loads of Questions

[delerium626]

Hello,

I am planning on coming out to the festival this next year and hopefully someone can answer a few of my questions.

I will be traveling from California and plan on renting a car once I arrive in London. Are there hotels near by or do people usually just camp? I also see comments that if you are not a UK resident there is some difficulty in obtaining tickets. Is this true? If camping is the only option do people offer up room for others to join? It's quite difficult for me since I don't know anyone in the UK.

Thanks!

[sweet and tender hooligan]

Hello,

I am planning on coming out to the festival this next year and hopefully someone can answer a few of my questions.

I will be traveling from California and plan on renting a car once I arrive in London. Are there hotels near by or do people usually just camp? I also see comments that if you are not a UK resident there is some difficulty in obtaining tickets. Is this true? If camping is the only option do people offer up room for others to join? It's quite difficult for me since I don't know anyone in the UK.

Thanks!

[Freewheelin]

There's details on the Glastonbury website on how to buy tickets from outside the UK under the info/tickets/international bookings thread. I'd guess overseas buyers get thrown into the main scramble for tickets at 9am(BST)on Oct 3rd, may be dedicated phone lines but I don't think there's X thousand tickets allocated for overseas buyers.

Camping is definately the way to go, I think Millets usually offer a deal where you can buy tents etc and collect it when you arrive on site. Going offsite to a hotel would be exhausting and a nightmare of trudging and traffic jams, plus you'd miss so much, at least half the fun is in the wee hours when the big stages have finished and the site goes bonkers!

There's usually loads of messages on the boards nearer the festival date from people who are flying into London from the US and elsewhere, then heading down to Glasto. Keep an eye on the threads and I'm sure you'll spot info about what to bring or buy when you get here, maybe somewhere to share a ride.

Good luck on ticket day!

[musky]

I seem to remember that someone said they couldn't use Millets as they don't take orders from overseas. Seems a bit ridiculous that an official sponsor can't take orders from those most likely to want to use the service.

There are Bed & Breakfasts (sort of cheap hotels) in the area but they tend to get booked up very early, especially by the likes of the BBC. I know there's at least one in Pilton, but any further and you'd definitely need a car. As others have said, it's really not worth it.

[Gnomicide]

When you get over here, look for a shop called Argos. They're everybloodywhere. You'll be able to get a cheap tent from there. Alternatively, there's Millets or Halfords if you want a cheap tent.

A few places have offers on before the festival. Keep an eye out on the forums, any offers will be highlighted. I can't remember the exact details but Q magazine had a voucher for money off at Millets last year. It may be worth buying the magazine just to get the voucher (I can't really think of any other reason to get it any more). I think a couple of newspapers also had money off coupons in the weeks building up to the festival.

[LusciousLucy]

It would make so much more sense if there was such a thing as people offering a spare room up in their tents but sadly this doesnt really happen.

There are a few people from the US that have come over in the past few years to the fest. Dorgon came from Cali in 08, camped in and had the time of his life. BigJT was over this year and had a bloody marvellous time. I think the poster called Bort(?) is also from the US and has written a stunning blog from last year. You could try private messaging all these guys to get some advice and I should think they would be happy to offer advice and info of their experiences.

If you are successful in getting a ticket and want to camp with faces you have never seen but have made friends with over the next 9 months, do consider camping with the Efesters who head to Pennards en masse to camp together. It goes by the name of , exactly why is only known to a couple of people but the rest of us have gone along with it for the past 3 or so years. It basically a base for forum types, with a vague set up of a central area for people to be sit in and converse in both in the day and night time.

Each year is different with how it pans out, the camp evolves and changes year on year (in size/scale,attendees, attitudes and location - which is dependant on the earliest arrival!) but most people have a pretty decent time staying around the area. There has always been an Efests camp traditionally in the camping field that is called Pennards. The CT behemoth is just something that got big from 08. Its organised by whoever wants to take the task on but I will say now, some of the best memories of the G for many of us have come from camping with fellow efesters and as for friendships made, we have a forthcoming wedding on the weekend of the fallow year of the G following the couple meeting via CT, many people are real world friends now, we banter via FB and party at other festivals together and even meet up outside of festy season!!!

Just stay on these boards and you will be taken by hand and guided through the next 9 months of preparation and excitement.

[Greenish]

you won't be needing a car for the 5 days of the festival, it'll just sit in the carpark, which seems a waste of money. there are plenty of buses and trains running from london to glastonbury, which should work out cheaper.

[TheBigJT]

you won't be needing a car for the 5 days of the festival, it'll just sit in the carpark, which seems a waste of money. there are plenty of buses and trains running from london to glastonbury, which should work out cheaper.

Edited September 24, 2010 by TheBigJT