So yeah, I kept seeing these epic pics and videos from places like Glastonbury, Coachella, Tomorrowland, you know the big ones. FOMO hit me hard. Wanted in on that crazy energy, the music, the whole vibe. But man, it seemed super complicated and expensive. Total mystery box.
Started Diving Into Research (Avoiding the Hype)
First thing? I stopped just drooling over Instagram reels and got practical. Grabbed my laptop, opened like twenty tabs. Started checking festival websites directly, no middlemen. Looked at dates, locations obviously, but also the real important stuff: ticket types, payment plans they offered, refund policies if life happens.
- Skipped the “VIP everything” nonsense right away. Looked at basic entry tickets, maybe with camping included.
- Checked local travel forums. Real people talking about buses, trains, cheap carpool options to the actual festival grounds.
- Peeked at past years’ weather reports. Packing for Glasto rain is not the same as packing for Burning Man dust!
Big goal? Find one that actually fit my budget and didn’t need a private jet to reach. Settled on a smaller-but-still-cool one in Europe for starters. Way less intimidating.
The Money Part (Not As Scary As I Thought)
Okay, tickets booked. Now the panic about cash. Everyone makes it sound like you need gold bars. Nope.
- Set a tight daily spending limit right from the start.
- Figured out food: Festival eats are crazy priced. Packed loads of energy bars, nuts, dried fruit. Only bought maybe one hot meal a day inside. Huge saving.
- Accommodation: Went cheap and cheerful. Camped! Split the tent cost with a buddy. Did I sleep luxury? Nope. Did I have cash left over? Yes!
Honestly? Just planning this bit felt like I unlocked a cheat code.
Packing – Seriously, Pack Light
Wanted to take everything. Then I remembered hauling a giant backpack miles to the campsite. Yeah, no.
Absolute Essentials Only:
- Tent (Shared with mate = smaller/lighter)
- Sleeping bag & pad (Trust me, comfort matters!)
- Good walking boots (Not new ones! Broken-in was key)
- Rain poncho / Warm layers (Weather flips like a switch)
- Reusable water bottle (Free refill stations = life saver)
- Power bank (Phone dying = nightmare)
- First aid kit (Plasters, painkillers, the basics)
Forget cute outfits. Comfort rules. Everything stuffed into a single hiking backpack. Felt free.
Finally, Actually Being There!
Got there early, pitched the tent quick. Then? Pure fun mode.
- Used the map app. Found water points, loos, stages without wandering lost.
- Made friends with camp neighbors. Shared stuff, hung out. That’s half the fun!
- Didn’t sprint stage to stage. Picked a couple of must-see acts each day, chilled the rest. Saw amazing artists I’d never heard of just by wandering.
- Hydrated constantly. Sounds lame, but it keeps you going and feeling good.
- Phone went on airplane mode mostly. Saved battery, actually lived the moment.
The key thing? I stopped stressing about “doing it all perfectly.” Just soaked up the music, the people, the crazy atmosphere. It was messy, a bit muddy, totally exhausting… and absolutely incredible.
Honestly? Jumping in felt huge. But breaking it down step-by-step made it totally doable. You just gotta ditch the fear and start planning simple. Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can. Go for it!
