If I’m really honest, I’m quite worried about getting back to the Glastonbury festival and diving into that sea of humanity and mud. We’re all two years older than last time we were there – and that really counts when you were old anyway, so I’m not sure my back and feet are going to be up to all that standing, singing and walking. There are rumours of secret sets – Harry Styles? (woohoo!) Red Hot Chilli Peppers? (woohoo!) – both have a Worthy Farm sized gap in their tour dates – anyone heard about any others?
NO single use plastic allowed this year and of course always no glass, so I’m off to buy my boxes of wine soon (which you remove the cardboard from and carry the bag around with you like an udder.
The weather was looking hopeful, but now rain is predicted and how are we all going to get there with a train strike going on? Hope it’s not going to be too chaotic a journey for everyone.
Anyway, here’s my basic list – it’s not dissimilar to the lists you can find on the Glastonbury website, but there are a few additions required when your older and I hope you find it useful:-
YOUR TICKET AND ID
Goes without saying.
PHONE
Goes without saying and download the Glastonbury app to make sure you don’t miss your chosen bands. Helpful if EE is your network of choice
PORTABLE CHARGER(S)
These are essential as phone charging not easy and if you vape you also need a charger.
GLASTO APP
Download it – a smart tool to help you create a line-up you can share with friends and get reminders when you’ve totally forgotten who is next on your list to see.
BIN BAGS
Loads of them – used mainly for stuffing muddy wellies and clothing into for the long journey home.
TENT
The team are recommending this year that you buy a solid, long lasting tent that you can take home (if you can find it).
ROLL MAT
Waterproof and as thick as possible so that you are not too Princess And The Pea-ish every morning – you’ve got a long day ahead of you, you need to be able to sleep well. I picked up a tick last time so make sure you check your bedding.
INSECT SPRAY
Because of the above point
SLEEPING BAG
It gets cold at night – put it in a bin bag during day so that it doesn’t get muddy. The mornings can bring dew so things get a little damp too.
EYE MASK
You will want to stay asleep long after the sun comes up as you will have only just gone to bed. Trust me. This is essential.
EAR PLUGS
I know I’m sounding really old now and will have to pass them to all my fellow travellers to avoid waking them up with my snoring, but the music literally goes on all night so you might not want to stay up until 6am listening to electronic music (OK, that’s just me then).
TORCH
I know you think you will use your phone torch, but your battery will be dead relatively often and this is necessary to get yourself out of the tent and off to the loo (OK another old comment as probably most of you won’t need to go to the loo in the night).
NO GLASS
A Glasto rule because of the cows. Not even glass perfume bottles or mirrors.
WELLIES (AND COMFORTABLE SOCKS TO GO WITH THEM)
If you are taking wellies the socks are essential for the 50 mile walks you will be doing every day and trust me, even if it’s not muddy, the loos are revolting and wellies are useful (and maybe support inserts as not good for plantar fasciitis!)
WALKING SHOES
Timberlands or DM’s – possibly or Converse or Veja style shoes if it’s not been raining!
BLISTER PLASTERS
Helpful
FLIP FLOPS
For that night time wander off to the loo and a morning shower if you’re lucky!
SUNTAN LOTION
Ever hopeful!
HAT
Ditto
MEDICAL KIT
OK so my kit won’t contain contraceptives or tampons but apart from that the contents will be similar: painkillers, insect repellant and itch cream (trust me, you need insect cream, strange bugs there), Berocca (trust me on this – or Dioralyte or similar for rehydration in the mornings, of which there will be many), plasters (loads of walking in wellies!)
WATER BOTTLE
Reusable water bottle required as they’re not selling plastic bottles of water anymore.
HIP FLASK
As above, but not to fill with boring old water
CHEAP WATCH
For when your phone has died and you’ve got to get to your favourite next band.
DAY BACKPACK
You won’t be going back to your tent much so you need a bag with your days provisions in.
LOO ROLL
Essential for obvious reasons and they don’t want you to bring wet wipes this year
MAKE UP AND TOILETRIES
Keep it simple – make up essential obviously. As is dry shampoo, a hair brush, TOOTHBRUSH and TOOTHPASTE, DEODORANT and maybe perfume, but not in a glass bottle. You can get the biodegradable glitter when you’re there (not recommended if you have wrinkles though)
CLOTHES
We don’t do the crop tops and the tiny bikini tops (no explanation required) but this year I am going to bring a few sparkly items to get into the spirit! Otherwise, just enough clothes to last the four days (with a few spares for the rain and the mud).
BUM BAG
If you don’t have pockets this is good for your money, fags, hip flask, drugs etc.
FLAG
We didn’t really need one of these as we weren’t desperate to get to the front, but if you’re in a group who are planning to do this, then a flag really is the only way that you will find your tribe. They have to be very, very tall too (the flag that is, not your friends, who you can’t find).
CASH
Even post covid, not everywhere takes card apparently.
DISPOSABLE CAMERA
I probably won’t do this and will hope that I can rely on my phone, but it’s a risk. So take it if you want to be sure of securing your memories!
PJ’s
Or something to sleep in – or is that only if you’re old and have to go off to find the loo in the middle of the night?
WARM JUMPER
You can never rely on the British weather and also I had to wear something extra at night as the temperature dropped significantly.
WATERPROOF CAGOULE
Again essential – I usually take a full on down to the ground tent looking thing as nothing going on underneath that I need to show off to the crowd and therefore if it rains then your bag is protected too – even if you do look like The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. Obviously you can’t use umbrella’s, so think about waterproof trousers too if it’s short.
GLITTER
Looks gorgeous on all the young things. But in our age bracket face glitter causes eye infections and gets stuck deep into the wrinkles and will live there for the rest of your life.
TOWEL & PILLOW
Towel essential and pillow a lovely home comfort if you can manage them
COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES
You clock up a lot of miles and you will also be dancing so comfortable shoes essential (as well as wellies in case it’s more muddy than you think).
Don’t take valuables/laptops/cameras etc – things go missing and/or get covered in mud.
Two of my kids will be there this year – hopefully I’ll find them at some point!
This last photo just makes me laugh every time I see it, the outfits are brilliant and extraordinary!:-
SEE YOU THERE!! HAVE SO MUCH FUN.
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