What's your exit strategy?

[Sasperella]

8 minutes ago, mouserat said:

I did the lockup trick last time I went and found it worked a charm. This year, I'll probably do the same. Also considering leaving on a 4am coach rather than sticking it out until 9/10am. Don't mind staying up all night but that final night normally peters out before dawn.

This does sound like a great idea, but I can imagine if for some reason staying up all night suddenly wasn't working out, it would be horrendous if you didn't have a tent to kip in while you waited for the coach. I think for me, leaving before 9am is too much, I like the morning chill. 2017 was the first time I had a chance to get some brekkie before leaving, much better. 

[Hugh Jass]

Depends entirely on what time the coach back is.

[stuie]

20 minutes ago, Rubber Soldier said:

This. Absolutely blows my mind that folk leave after the headliners, or take it easy and leave early. That’s a good chunk of the festival proper you’re missing out on. 

^^ This.

I'm not going anywhere until the last beats have stopped, the sun has risen and I've had a sleep.  I always make this explicitly clear to anyone I give a lift to well in advance of them coming with me!

[BambooShanks]

It completely depends on when the person I'm grabbing a lift with decides to go.

Most stressful exit was 2016 as the people I was supposed to get a lift home with left on the sunday.  Between a heavy hangover, the ground conditions and that, it nearly made me collapse, vomit and cry.

Fortunately I managed to get a lift of my mates Dad who was with Oxfam but it was one of the most intensely stressful hour I've had in Glastonbury.

 

Generally though, I tend to do as much packing as I can on the sunday and leave when the driver feels its time.

It doesn't really matter what time you leave if it's between 10am and 3pm, it's going to be slow as until you get past Bristol.

 

[rubick]

Largely depends on afternoon flight time. 

Word of advice to WV campers that have to make the airport - the shuttle buses from WV back round to the coach gates on Monday morning are sporadic so don't rely on the times - we have had to walk across the site WV - Other Stage - Silver Hayes - Coach Pickup twice to make sure we got our 9.30am coach to Bristol. One of these trips included the joys of 2016 mud. 2017 was actually quite pleasant, relatively speaking. Takes a good 45-50min walk at pace. 

Think we've sorted a later Monday afternoon flight home this year. 

[Quark]

Personally couldn't be doing with packing up the night before and leaving it in the lockup, for 2 reasons:

It would take a chunk of time out of my enjoying Sunday afternoon, and would mean I'm already thinking about leaving.  It'd be like getting all my work stuff out and hung up ready for Monday morning at midday on a Sunday.

And if I hit a point on Sunday night when I want to go to bed, I REALLY want to go to bed.  How late I can stay up enjoying myself can vary wildly from midnight to 7am.  The thought of hitting that wall on a Sunday night and not having the option of lying down and getting shut eye, no thanks.

Being on the coach last time and this year makes it much easier, just get the coach you're on!  Got a 10am this year and think it was similar last time.  I'm resigned to spending time on the 303, so now I know that it just is what it is.

Will pack up most of my stuff the night before so I haven't got a mad rush in the morning. Leaves time to wander out, find coffee and a cheese toastie, and get the tent packed up before zero hour.

Kudos to anyone who's up and gone at 6:00am. Fuck that.

[Mardy]

23 minutes ago, jparx said:

That was my first choice, but it made the price of the overall journey much more expensive. 

Is the train to Bristol that bad then?

not terribly bad, no, but you'll be queuing for a bus to Castle Cary, then on the bus, then queueing to get on a train, then changing at Bristol anyway (if I've understood your post correctly). Surely you can go straight to Bristol on the bus and use your ticket from there.

[bennyhana22]

Depends on the line-up for me.

2017 - I knew that the dance line-up on the Sunday night wasn't stellar (for me). I'd gone very hard for three and a half nights. I had an allocated return coach at 0415h and had booked an 0800h one back too. I ended up giving the 0800h one to a camp-mate (because I'm lovely) after forming my master plan. I got back to my tent at about 7am on Sunday morning after a belter. I slept until about 10am, got up, packed everything up and had everything in the lock-up by 1100-1130h.

I then had a fab Sunday, saw everything on my list for the day(as gods intended), and then went out dancing. I finished in The Temple at 3am, said goodbye to pals, went to the oock-up and picked up my stuff and made a lovely, gentle stroll up to PGA in the night air. It was amazing to walk up there, seeing all of the festival still going, but getting slightly less frantic, up past the Beat Hotel etc. I knew that I'd maxed out everything I possibly could from the festival, so leaving at that time 'felt right'. I was in my own bed, bathed and joyous' by 9am!

Now, that might not work every year. I'm dearly hoping that this year's line-up has me sold until 5am on the Monday, but if it doesn't I'd be happy to do that again, rather than trying to force myself to enjoy stuff, just because there's still stuff going on. And, of course, this model avoids having to participate in/witness that horrendous Monday 7am camp break, the silent shuffling of 1000s of wasted/exhausted/sad people at the end of the best week of the year!

Ben

[BlackHole2006]

2008 - went back in dads car

2009 - went back in dads car

2010 - went back in dads car

2011 - went back in dads car

2013 - dad gave me a lift back

2015 - dad gave me a lift back

2016 - dad gave me a lift back

2017 - got fucked up on sun, 4am coach, vommed on coach journey home

2019 - fuck knows

 

[Mezhyp1]

This is particularly unenjoyable living in Glasgow, the coach home is fucking murder for want of a better phrase. Considering flying home this year, just to spend less time actually travelling 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Mezhyp1

[Quark]

1 minute ago, BlackHole2006 said:

2008 - went back in dads car

2009 - went back in dads car

2010 - went back in dads car

2011 - went back in dads car

2013 - dad gave me a lift back

2015 - dad gave me a lift back

2016 - dad gave me a lift back

2017 - got fucked up on sun, 4am coach, vommed on coach journey home

2019 - fuck knows

 

Plus it take you longer to leave because you have to go and say a sincere goodbye to all the hippies in the Green Fields

[mike86]

37 minutes ago, Rubber Soldier said:

This. Absolutely blows my mind that folk leave after the headliners, or take it easy and leave early. That’s a good chunk of the festival proper you’re missing out on. 

That's what makes Sunday the best night. So much room for activities. 

[BlackHole2006]

Just now, Mezhyp1 said:

This is is particularly unenjoyable living in Glasgow, the coach home is fucking murder for want of a better phrase. Considering flying home this year, just to spend less time actually travelling 

You should do it mate. Coach home was torture for me in 2017 so can’t imagine what it’s like going back from glasgow

[jparx]

2 minutes ago, Mardy said:

not terribly bad, no, but you'll be queuing for a bus to Castle Cary, then on the bus, then queueing to get on a train, then changing at Bristol anyway (if I've understood your post correctly). Surely you can go straight to Bristol on the bus and use your ticket from there.

We could, but it's another expense on top of what we've already booked. I'll have a think and weigh up the cash vs how arsed I will be!

[BlackHole2006]

1 minute ago, Quark said:

Plus it take you longer to leave because you have to go and say a sincere goodbye to all the hippies in the Green Fields

hahahaha. I got a clip board so I can interview the traders askin how many people laughed at em over the course of the weekend  

Edited April 29, 2019 by BlackHole2006

[Sasperella]

3 minutes ago, Quark said:

And if I hit a point on Sunday night when I want to go to bed, I REALLY want to go to bed.  How late I can stay up enjoying myself can vary wildly from midnight to 7am.  The thought of hitting that wall on a Sunday night and not having the option of lying down and getting shut eye, no thanks.

 

1 minute ago, bennyhana22 said:

Now, that might not work every year. I'm dearly hoping that this year's line-up has me sold until 5am on the Monday, but if it doesn't I'd be happy to do that again, rather than trying to force myself to enjoy stuff, just because there's still stuff going on. And, of course, this model avoids having to participate in/witness that horrendous Monday 7am camp break, the silent shuffling of 1000s of wasted/exhausted/sad people at the end of the best week of the year!

Very much enjoying the juxtaposition of these two approaches. 

Gotta say though...I'm with Quark. My tent needs to still be up by 7am and I need time to have breakfast. Purely anecdotal, but I did this in 2017 and didn't puke the whole way home, which stands in stark comparison to 2014 (the less said about that the better)

It's actually the ability to have a chilled morning that makes the coach the best exit option IMO. Book one for 9am or so and there is no pressure to leave early to get in the train queue/get out of the car park. Although, granted, this is helped massively by the fact I'm happy to camp in Rivermead/Pylon

[Quark]

Have to say that by Sunday night I'm less about wringing the last big fun out of it, and far more inclined to find a spot where you can work through the last few beers, have a smoke and gradually wind down. Last year on the hill with @H.M.V @Gnomicide @Keithy and others was pretty much a perfect way for me to finish.

But who knows, this year might be different and you might find me out of my tree in the naughty corner with @bennyhana22 at 3am!

[Sasperella]

4 minutes ago, Mezhyp1 said:

This is particularly unenjoyable living in Glasgow, the coach home is fucking murder for want of a better phrase. Considering flying home this year, just to spend less time actually travelling 

Oh really ? I was hoping I could just get on, have a sleeping pill and wake up in Glasgow (not doing it this year, but in future glastonbury's I will be). I guess ten hours is pretty long though!

[Funkyfairy!]

36 minutes ago, Rubber Soldier said:

This. Absolutely blows my mind that folk leave after the headliners, or take it easy and leave early. That’s a good chunk of the festival proper you’re missing out on. 

yeah me too, I hate seeing people on Sunday moring trudging back wiht their stuff, feels as if its nearly over when theres a whole day and night to do, We have a golden ticket and unless I HAD to I love leaving on Monday afternoon/lunchtime, by then it feels all over ....

[Mardy]

3 minutes ago, jparx said:

We could, but it's another expense on top of what we've already booked. I'll have a think and weigh up the cash vs how arsed I will be!

Ah, yeah, sorry, hadn't figured in the extra cost. Fair point

[Avalon_Fields]

When it's over it's over, so I prefer not to hang around. I have an easier Sunday night, and get up early Monday (Anytime from 4-7am) and miss the queues, usually driving out the festival to the main road in 10 minutes, last time I was back in Manchester for midday.

One because of the rain-soaked ground I left 10pm Sunday night, I've promised myself not to do that again. 

Part of the reason I leave very early morning is I don't want to see the festival site as just a sea of trash.

[jparx]

I'd love to get the coach straight back to Notts but I just get horrifically travel sick on coaches. No chance would I make it back alive ? That would definitely be the preferred option otherwise. 

[Mezhyp1]

2 minutes ago, Sasperella said:

Oh really ? I was hoping I could just get on, have a sleeping pill and wake up in Glasgow (not doing it this year, but in future glastonbury's I will be). I guess ten hours is pretty long though!

One year i feel asleep in the bus park and woke up at whatever northern service station we had trundled into, so that year wasn't absolutely terrible and if you can get to sleep I can imagine it being the same, just after 5 nights of debauchery 10 hours on a coach really isn't what i want to be doing.  

[mashedonmud]

Nobody needs to worry, we all have an amazing inner compass. Just as good as a racing pigeons.  You always return home, even those times when the journey is somewhat hazy. You'll all get home just don't make promises as to day and times. ?

[tumbles]

8 minutes ago, Funkyfairy! said:

yeah me too, I hate seeing people on Sunday moring trudging back wiht their stuff, feels as if its nearly over when theres a whole day and night to do, We have a golden ticket and unless I HAD to I love leaving on Monday afternoon/lunchtime, by then it feels all over ....

But not all of us are actually going home. Just makes it easier to stay on longer in evening and then leave when we've had enough be it 10pm, 1am, 7am.. packing up is the worst so I get it out of the way early doors while little else is going on!