Secret Garden Party 2012

[Aby]

Just a few hours up from London depending on traffic

I have a load of pals coming from Ireland and am meeting them there! Whereabouts in Ireland?!

[lucyginger]

Just a few hours up from London depending on traffic

I have a load of pals coming from Ireland and am meeting them there! Whereabouts in Ireland?!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I started packing last night and will be finishing it off tonight. That will leave tomorrow night to sort the drink situation out. However, I seem to have masses of stuff to bring for some reason. I'm only going camping for 4 days so shouldn't need all this crap, but I'm loath not to bring it all in case I need it. I'm going to have to make two trips from the parking area to the camp site which is going to be a first I think.

One more day of work and then it's party time (hopefully!).

[lucyginger]

Its so easy to just pack 'stuff' and think, will I really need it?!? I shall try to not take too much, but at least its not a glasto type trek to the car (or so I've been told)

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Yeah, I think I might have a re-think on the stuff that I've packed. I seemed to manage at all previous festivals with one large rucksack and a few bags in my hands. Not really sure what's adding to this this years baggage. Going to have to take it all out and start again me thinks.

[Spiritof1976]

This'll be my first time at SGP, getting pretty excited.

Naturally I respect the rules of the festival on alcohol limits, and have not been buying capri-sun pouches to fill with vodka and stash in the depths of my rucksack, no sirree.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

The SGP stipulate that you can only bring alcohol in on the first visit to the site. It then goes on to say that soft drinks can be taken in as long as the seals are intact. What it doesn't say is whether soft drinks can be taken in after the first visit. Does anybody know if they can be taken in after the first visit?

[Miesh]

The SGP stipulate that you can only bring alcohol in on the first visit to the site. It then goes on to say that soft drinks can be taken in as long as the seals are intact. What it doesn't say is whether soft drinks can be taken in after the first visit. Does anybody know if they can be taken in after the first visit?

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Hi.

I am sure soft drinks are fine second entry. What a palava, I am sure it will be worth it!

As for us, leaving in the morning, car is packed except for us and the cool box!

We will definitely need to do two trips.

I guess I should sign off now, otherwise I will be so excited I won't be able to sleep.

I love how excited I get before a festival.

So, have an amazing time everyone, see you in the garden xx

[Katster]

I am getting giddy now

Bit scared/nervous about going totally alone and not knowing anybody but sure I will make friends soon enough and if not an early night won't hurt lol.

See you all soon folks

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I am getting giddy now

Bit scared/nervous about going totally alone and not knowing anybody but sure I will make friends soon enough and if not an early night won't hurt lol.

See you all soon folks

[samweston]

Thanks to lucyginger here is this year's site map: http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/7753/areamap6.jpg

[Katster]

I generally do make friends easily, I am a sociable person, but it's just that being totally on my own is a weird feeling. I normally know someone who knows someone kind of thing but apart from a few numbers and some tiny pictures of people to go off, I know nobody.

I quite like putting myself in these situations though

I am doing the final packing and sorting now, then to tesco for one bottle of wine and six cans......then I will be hitting the road, in the rain.

See you all soon

[lucyginger]

Have a great time!!

Thanks samweston for posting that, I really couldn't work it out!

Ooh I need to do my booze buying later too....

[sashabella]

Hi,

Just read that you need photo ID to get in. I have work ID will this do?

Thanks,

xx

[Helsbels]

WOW!!! Just got back from my first SGP and had an absolute ball. I knew it was going to be good but totally exceeded my expectations. Everyone I met was so friendly and loved all the random goings on. Will be back next year for sure and I'm actually sacking Glasto off until 2014

Only bad thing didn't happen to me but a friend from home that we bumped into got robbed which was bad enough but it was his neighbours who then taunted him about the design of his car keys among other things and security just didnt want to know. As if it wasnt bad enough robbing him in the first place. Just hope karma gets them in time

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

WOW!!! Just got back from my first SGP and had an absolute ball. I knew it was going to be good but totally exceeded my expectations. Everyone I met was so friendly and loved all the random goings on. Will be back next year for sure and I'm actually sacking Glasto off until 2014

Only bad thing didn't happen to me but a friend from home that we bumped into got robbed which was bad enough but it was his neighbours who then taunted him about the design of his car keys among other things and security just didnt want to know. As if it wasnt bad enough robbing him in the first place. Just hope karma gets them in time

[eFestivals]

Only bad thing didn't happen to me but a friend from home that we bumped into got robbed which was bad enough but it was his neighbours who then taunted him about the design of his car keys among other things and security just didnt want to know. As if it wasnt bad enough robbing him in the first place. Just hope karma gets them in time

I'm thinking that the thieving was perhaps the worst ever of any festival ever. I was aware of how bad it was by 8am on Saturday morning, from people having contacted me to say. Some had even left site, no so much because of the thieving itself, but because of their disillusionment at the lack of response & concern by security. One even commented that security did everything they could to try and persuade a victim to not report it to the police.

[si_t]

I'm thinking that the thieving was perhaps the worst ever of any festival ever. I was aware of how bad it was by 8am on Saturday morning, from people having contacted me to say. Some had even left site, no so much because of the thieving itself, but because of their disillusionment at the lack of response & concern by security. One even commented that security did everything they could to try and persuade a victim to not report it to the police.

[si_t]

Bearded Theory was very bad too - I think it's fair to say this is big business now, pretty sure its organised groups who are not attending the festival and do a trip on the friday night purely for this reason, and are gone by sunrise.

Is the secret garden one of those where you can access the camping area without any sort of ticket?

Having had my wallet robbed from out of my jeans, which were about 2 foot from my head, in the sleeping compartment of my tent, I'm going to be extremely careful from now on.

This is now a fact of festival going, We all just have to be ridiculously aware of it as we call it a night on the Friday. Wallet / phone etc going next to my feet in the bottom of my sleeping bag from now on.

Sorry to hijack the thread - but this winds me up

[eFestivals]

This is now a fact of festival going,

it always has been, but it's actually probably the case that things are well down since it peaked (the best part of ten years ago now I'd say).

What sounds so bad about SGP this year, from what i've heard directly and what got posted above, is the fact that 'security' sound completely pointless.

[Paul ™]

One even commented that security did everything they could to try and persuade a victim to not report it to the police.

Edited July 24, 2012 by Paul ™

[si_t]

it always has been, but it's actually probably the case that things are well down since it peaked (the best part of ten years ago now I'd say).

What sounds so bad about SGP this year, from what i've heard directly and what got posted above, is the fact that 'security' sound completely pointless.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Is the secret garden one of those where you can access the camping area without any sort of ticket?

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I forgot to say that having a tent with a porch area might be a deterrent to would be thieves. I know they can slice open a tent with a knife but suspect they mostly access tents through the doors. If you have two doors in the way then they can't see in immediately to see what they are up against. With a tent opening straight outside then they can pull the zip down and run straight off if they come up against any resistance.