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Original poster

Reading festival

97 replies

funnylady · 24/08/2011 08:16

Hi, Our son is going to Reading festival (camping) for the first time. Any tips on how we can survive the worry and tips for his safety etc. Have looked at various hepful sites but any other tips very welcome. Thank you!

OP posts:
BerryMojito · 27/08/2011 22:18

I am sure they are having an excellent time. Just had a text asking to be picked up tomorrow night as they are 'dead and can't deal with the train'! Not sure I really want to haul my butt all the way to Reading because of her self-induced exhaustion!

Ponders · 27/08/2011 22:25

DS2 is at Leeds - he took 36 cans of lager, a bottle of Bacardi, 2 litres of cheap Tesco cola, a 6-pack each of Doritos & Quavers, & Coco-pops & Frosties cereal bars.

& that's it Hmm

Original poster
funnylady · 27/08/2011 22:28

Thank goodness it's only once a year. He hasn't done any others ...... yet!

OP posts:
BerryMojito · 27/08/2011 22:43

DD couldn't take any booze as only 16, took lots of Pot Noodles though! Equipped her as best I could, but not really a camping person ;-) . Reckon the sporks might have come in handy though!!

acsec · 27/08/2011 22:45

The first and last time I ate a pot noodle was at Reading Fest

TeamEdward · 27/08/2011 23:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AuntieMonica · 27/08/2011 23:28

DS1 is at Leeds, he's a veteran since his 1st fest aged 16 when he returned from Ozzfest by falling in the front door declaring the best weekend of his life

he looked fine from the front, but turn him around and he'd been making mud angels!

Ponders · 27/08/2011 23:56

this is DS2's 4th festival, AuntieM Grin

he cut his teeth at V when he was 15 Blush (his big sisters were along too or I wouldn't have let him go)

then he went to Leeds right after GCSEs 2 years ago, & again last year - both times with a group of about 30

he wasn't going to go at all this year - & the group is much smaller - but couldn't resist in the end. might be the last for a while though

lostinindia · 28/08/2011 10:46

Please encourage your children to take their tents home with them or at least donate to charity at the designated areas. It's pretty crap just to leave them where they're pitched and expect someone else to take it down and bin it.

Meglet · 28/08/2011 10:53

I've been watching it from the sofa Envy. I wouldn't camp there anymore though, way too grimy.

We used to go to the nearby Waitrose for food or trudge to Sainsburys in town. I remember hauling huge packs of beer back to the site.

ZillionChocolate · 28/08/2011 11:58

Where do you get hot water for your pot noodles? I've only taken crisps and biscuits and cereal bars for camping.

Ponders · 28/08/2011 12:02

lost, I have encouraged mine until I'm blue in the face, but if it's drowned in mud he will leave it where it is Sad (plus it's a pop-up, & wrestling one of those back into its bag is a challenge when it's clean & dry!)

and his phone is switched off so I can't even nag him about it.

BerryMojito · 28/08/2011 12:32

Zillion, one of the boys was taking a stove of some sort to heat water for the Pots, domesticated, huh!!! I have had a call now saying could I go early to get them as she has been thrown into a mosh pit and her face is all scratched and a bit bruised! Having visions of black eyes now... Will prompt re the tent, lost.

superv1xen · 28/08/2011 12:36

this thread makes me feel nostalgic

i am 31 now but went to Reading festival every year from 1998 - 2005

i remember the hour or trek to waitrose in reading for "decent food"

and sneaking into pubs to do make up/hair in their loos, god knows what the point of that was!

and in 2000 it pissed it down on the saturday and i had a massive strop and declared i was off to book into the travelodge in reading, but when i got there they were predictably full up, duh Hmm so had to shamefacedly return to my friends at the soggy campsite :o

i remember buying more crap from all the stalls than i had brought with me so ended up bringing more home than i had come with :o

the ones i will never forget are red hot chili peppers in '99, rage against the machine in 2000, QOTSA in 2000, metallica in 2003, iron maiden in 2005

hope everyones DC there are having a brilliant time :)

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 28/08/2011 17:24

Was watching some footage of this years festival with my daughter today. She's already planning her first one. She's 8. She doesn't approve of having to wait until she's old enough to go Grin

Cherrytots · 28/08/2011 18:05

I met my husband at the Reading festival 13 years ago today. I would love to go back but 13 years on, the thought of mud, camping and stinking portaloos turns my stomach a bit, even though two of my favourite bands/people are playing. Used to love living on noodles for three days and starting camp fires at dusk. Hope all the kids have a brilliant time and my 10yr old gothlet can't wait to go.

Cherrytots · 28/08/2011 18:06

I saw Nirvana there in 1992...old gimmer

TheSecondComing · 28/08/2011 18:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gerardway · 28/08/2011 19:09

My Chemical Romance ~sighs~, 30 Seconds To Mars ~sighs again~, Muse and The Offspring to name but a few at Reading. weeps because DH, DS & DD don't do festivals I hope all your DC's come home happy, tired and smelly Grin.

Original poster
funnylady · 28/08/2011 19:10

Sooooo want to be there tonight for Muse. Will watch on tv. My parents in their late 70's phoned last night to say they were watching the Pulp concert in the hope that they would see grandson and what was he wearing!! He's still having an amazing time but shattered, will take a week to recover I think. Lovely to read all your messages - thanks x

OP posts:
Claw3 · 28/08/2011 19:42

Ds almost 18 went Friday to camp with about 4 friends, no mobile, havent heard from him. I keep telling myself, no news is good news.

Ponders · 28/08/2011 20:06

he'll be fine, claw - filthy, & smelly, but fine Smile

Cherrytots · 28/08/2011 20:31

My 40something friend went to Leeds AND Reading this year just for Muse...

maddiemostmerry · 28/08/2011 20:37

My 18 year old ds is there too. It looks amazing. My Chemical Romance were brilliant.
Ds took 27 cereal bars too survive on.Smile

Claw3 · 28/08/2011 20:39

Thanks Ponders, im sure he will be too Smile i will be glad to see him though.

The filthy and smelly bit will be a real eye opener for him, we are talking about a boy who cannot even walk to the corner shop without first having a bath, a shave, doing his hair, ironing his clothes, aftershave on!!