The Helpful Tips Page
If this is your first time going to Reading then maybe these little tips can help you. I know tht i read them all i my first time and they help you prepare for wahts going to be a great expirence.
Tip#1 - Arrival Time: the bands don't start palying until the Friday morning, but the gates and festival start on the Thursday morning. The gates open at 11am and this is the time i suggest you get the festival. It allows you a better choice of where to camp, the whole day to set up and then the whole night to get very very drunk, meet lots of uummm interesting people (most people give out a free beer), shout insanity's at the top of your voice and enjoy the first night of happiness.
Tip#2 - Campsite: this all comes down to prefence really. Obviosly you dont want to camp to far away from the main stage and you might not want to camp to close so the choice is yours and if you arrive on the Thursday then you should have no probs choosing your spot. The campsite's a lettered, i dont know why you want to know that, but now you know.
Tip#3 - Tent Place: - dont camp next the pathway, you will be bombardred with mud, piss, vomit, litter and many a pissed dudes falling in your tent.
- dont camp next to any trees. yeah it makes a nice local toilet for you... and the other 100 people in your field. Before you know it you will be sinking in piss.
- I wouldnt advice camping to close to the toilets (smell and leaks) or the refreshments (lots of people=piss, vomit and mess)
- A good tip is to make a small cirlce of tents with your mates and then steal the police tape they have up to show the pathways and wrap it around all the tents creating a spider's web around the tents, this stops many a people from walking straight through your tents and makes your kit much more protected.
Tip#4 - Tent Size: the smaller the better. Its less hassle to carry, less time to put up and down and will fit in the smallest of gaps. (Ask Danni & Lals) about BIG tents!!)
Tip#5 - Equipement: comes down to personal prefence and home comforts. I usually take a tent (well Phiney does), a sleeping bag, some boxers, some socks, some shorts, some t-shirts and a hat. Money and ticket helps.
Other sites will reccomend the following:
Suntan lotion - V good idea as the sun really does boil your skin after a while. (aaahhh poor helen..he he)
Cooking apparatus - your choice really. I would say that the choice of food (chineese, burgers, baquettes, potatoes etc...) around the venue is good enough. Its not cheap, but then food is food.
Flag - good idea. Makes finding your tent at 5am whilst being smashed out you skull so much easier.
A Torch - makes sense i suppose.
Fire Equipement - fire wood is avliable on the campsite to buy, fire starters may help. A decent fire will make the night much better and you will find many a people join you if you have a decent fire.
Alcohol n Fags - are avliable in and out of the campsite. Many people go into town on the Thursday and come back with crate after crate. Essential!!
Cash - is needed for food, beer and souveniers. Cash machines are in town and there's one in the garage outside the campsite which has a 40 min long cue nearly everyday.
Drugs - hhhhhhhmmmmmmmm. I dont think they are too hard to find. Just shout for them.
That's enough tips for now, you gotta go and learn for your self. Go my festival newbies.