As I said in PART 1, I am the OG of festivalgoers. Missed it? Read it here…
To recap: I’ve Trusted in the Dust, watched the Dragon Smoke and even lit the Bushfire in Eswatini. Lucky for you, I have made mistakes on your behalf, and I’m sharing my favourite festival hacks with you! It can be the best experience ever, or it can be uncomfortable, to say the least… Having a great time is pretty much up to good pre-planning and a touch of responsibility.
I’ve focused mainly on the stay-over festivals, but most of the tips are also relevant for day and night events.
In PART 1, I covered the pre-festival tips. Now you’ve arrived, where do you start?
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING!
Now you are there and ready to get the full experience! Whoa, slow your roll. Sorting out a few things before you get going will make life a lot better later on.
GET YOUR SPOT ORGANISED:
It is super-tempting to dump your stuff and head for the front of the stage. Keep in mind that you might get caught up in the moment and the music and you don’t want to have to try to find your stuff when you are tired…
• Sleeping Spot:
Get organised. Pitch your tent, get your ground sail down, set up your sleeping bag, unpack your essentials so you can easily find them later. Give everything a good spray with the bug spray – including you!
• Ablution:
If camping, map the route to your nearest bathroom block and the second nearest one! Hopping around when you are desperate can ruin things quickly…
• Essentials:
Remember those flip-flops? Put them where your feet will find them later. Many campgrounds can be a little stony or thorny… And – without thinking about this too deeply – there are creepy crawlies at night! Put your torch or headlight in a spot where you can lay your hands on it in the dark.
SAFETY FIRST:
Most festivals are pretty safe and have good security, but your valuables and personal safety are still your responsibility.
• Take it:
° This is where that comfy cross-body bag or “fanny pack” comes in. Phones in pockets aren’t clever. Apart from being attractive to any pickpockets, they can fall out and be trampled under all those dancing feet. Any cash, cards, pre-paid festival cards – anything valuable – should be safely zipped up.
° Take your coat. If it doesn’t fold up small enough to go into your bag, tie it around your waist.
° The headgear – take it with you or wear it!
• Lock it Up:
It’s a good idea to bring along a few small locks. You can lock your tent zipper or bag. I’ve found it works to put the key on a safety pin and pin it onto your clothes – lanyards can fly off with enthusiastic dancing! (Most festival organisers will have bolt cutters if you do misplace it).
• Find it:
This one I learned from an old pro… Mark your tent. You can blow up a balloon, tie a yellow ribbon or a flag. Trust me, you don’t want to walk into the wrong tent in the dark!
• Do it:
° Put on your sunscreen, even if it’s cloudy.
° If you haven’t done it yet, take your MYRKL to keep the festive vibes going! It will help slow down the absorption of alcohol and wake up feeling refreshed the next day.*
MAKE YOUR OWN RULES:
Agreeing on a few things with your festival companions upfront is a good idea. It saves a lot of confusion later… These are up to you – as long as everyone in the group agrees, it’ll work out just fine. Not everyone is going to want to move in a pack all the time.
• Meeting Place:
Select a spot where you can find each other if someone wanders off.
• Time Checks:
If you like, set times to meet up and check in with each other.
PRO SECRETS:
On my travels, I’ve come across a few weird and wonderful hacks by learning from my mistakes and the people who cracked them. Here are some of them:
• Hear! Hear!
This one, sadly, comes from a bad experience… Noise levels at festivals can be as high as a power saw! Carry earplugs to protect your hearing.
• The magic “lappie”
A dear friend taught me this one. Your piece of cloth can be as big or small as you like, but the magic lies in the fact that it can keep you warm at night (tied around your shoulders or neck), cool in the daytime (keep it wet and wear or wipe), clean when needed and even work as a picnic blanket or cushion!
• Sacrifice shoes
Take a pair of old shoes you don’t mind giving up. You can wear them in the
water, get them dirty and ruined and leave them behind. (In a bin, of course!)
GO WITH THE FLOW:
I know I suggested quite a bit of pre-planning, now it’s done, have fun! Pace yourself, stay hydrated, relax and enjoy!
Important Notes:
*MYRKL is a supplement designed to support well-being while consuming alcohol and promote responsible alcohol consumption. It efficiently slows down the absorption of alcohol, giving you the opportunity to enjoy your social experiences regret-free. Do not take more than the recommended dose of 2 capsules in 24 hours.
Based on a randomised placebo-controlled double-blind crossover study, conducted with 24 healthy subjects. Subjects were randomised to take 2 capsules/day of AB001 or placebo for 1 week prior to experimental day, where they ingested a light breakfast and drank a moderate glass of spirit (0.3 g/kg body weight).
- Pfützner A, Hanna M, Andor Y, Sachsenheimer D, Demircik F, Wittig T and de Faire J. Chronic Uptake of A Probiotic Nutritional Supplement (AB001) Inhibits Absorption of Ethylalcohol in the Intestine Tract – Results from a Randomized Double-blind Crossover Study. Nutr. Metab. Insights. 2022;15:1-5.
