Alright folks, today I’m spilling the beans on my attempt at tackling international theater festivals. Sounded fancy, right? Reality check – it turned into a wild ride full of hiccups. Here’s exactly how it went down, step-by-step.
So first off, I got completely overwhelmed looking at all these big festival names. Edinburgh? Avignon? Spoleto? Yeah, heard of them, knew zero details. Felt like staring at a menu in a language I don’t speak. I just sat there scratching my head, wondering where to even begin. Realized I needed a proper plan instead of winging it.
The “Planning” Phase (Use That Term Loosely)
I grabbed a notebook – real old-school stuff, folks – and decided to pick just one festival for starters. Settled on Edinburgh Fringe because everyone talks about it. Mistake number one: thought it was one event. Turns out it’s a bazillion shows crammed into one city. My eyes practically glazed over looking at the program listings online. Filtering options? Might as well have been hieroglyphics.
Right, needed flights and a bed. Big surprise: everything was either crazy expensive or already gone when I finally got around to booking late. Spent hours clicking through travel sites feeling increasingly desperate. Found a “bargain” flight with two layovers longer than the actual flight time. Lodging? Ended up renting a tiny room above a pub way out from the main action. The description said “cozy,” smelled suspiciously of ancient chips. Already feeling the “budget” trip biting back.
Landing in the Chaos
The flight was predictably awful – cramped, noisy, zero sleep. Stepped off the plane into Edinburgh looking like a zombie dragging my suitcase. Found the bus stop easily enough, then got immediately confused about the right bus number. Stood there holding my printed directions looking lost. Some kind soul took pity on me. Bus ride was slow; city looked beautiful though, gave me a tiny spark of hope.
Found the pub, climbed creaky stairs to my room. “Cozy” was right. Room was barely bigger than the bed. Shared bathroom down the hall. Dropped my bag, realised I hadn’t eaten proper food in like 18 hours. Stumbled back downstairs, ordered the greasiest burger known to man. Brain still foggy, needed fuel.
Festival Frenzy (Mostly My Own)
Next day, armed with my thick festival brochure, I headed out early. Felt ambitious. Streets were already buzzing. Saw queues snaking around corners – turns out you need tickets way in advance for popular shows. Rookie error. Ended up just walking around, soaking up the street performers and the energy. Grabbed a coffee – cost more than my lunch back home. Ouch.
Finally managed to book two random shows for that evening based purely on short descriptions. One was experimental physical theater in a damp church basement. Interesting? Maybe. Understandable? Not really. The second was a one-man comedy show in a tiny pub backroom. That one was actually hilarious. Small win!
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Key Realizations Smacking Me in the Face:
- Book WAY Ahead: For anything popular, it’s gotta be months before, not weeks. Sold out signs everywhere.
- Location Matters (A Lot): Staying miles away meant constant travel, missed stuff because buses were full.
- Brochure Overload is Real: Should have researched specific shows/genres I actually like before landing.
- Comfortable Shoes are Holy Grail: Cobblestones and hills = destroyed feet after day one.
- Budget Blows Up Fast: Food, transport, coffee, last-minute tickets… adds up scary quick.
The Unexpected Twist (Because Life)
Remember my “great deal” accommodation? Halfway through the trip, the pub had a huge plumbing issue. Sudden gurgling noises, questionable smells drifting up. Got told late one night I had to clear out temporarily while they fixed it. Total panic. Ended up spending three hours in a cafe charging my phone, desperately searching for anything available nearby. Found a ridiculously overpriced last-minute hotel room. Paid through the nose. Slept maybe two hours that night. Stress levels maxed out. Felt like my grand plan was falling apart.
Wrapping Up (Barely)
The rest of the trip was a blur of trying to cram things in while recovering from the accommodation fiasco. Saw a few more decent shows by sheer luck. Ate way too many pastries. Walked until my feet screamed. Lugged my suitcase back to the airport bus even more exhausted than arriving. Felt like I’d run a marathon.
Overall? Experiencing an international festival is INCREDIBLE – the vibe, the sheer volume of creativity. Did I nail the trip planning? Hell no. Got knocked sideways by expensive flights, poor accommodation choices, location hassles, and booking way too late. Learned it all the brutally hard way. The biggest tip? Start planning early, I mean seriously early. And maybe choose one thing less chaotic than Edinburgh Fringe for your first try! Next time? I’m aiming for slightly more sleep and less panic.
