The festival season is starting, with events like AfrikaBurn, Coachella or the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival coming soon. This is the right time to live out your partying needs pushed back during the winter, let out the energy you have stored and feel great. Still, with all the feeling great (which usually involves alcohol and dancing, among others) there are still things to do and keep in mind when traveling to a festival abroad.
1. Before you go
When planning to attend a festival abroad, first of all make sure your passport is still valid – there’s nothing more unpleasant than canceling your plans when you are waiting to board the plane. Make a photocopy or take a photo of your documents, and write down their numbers in case you have to show them to anyone. If you travel to Europe, obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – this will entitle you to emergency medical attention at any state hospital within the EU.
2. When you arrive
Make sure your belongings are stored in a safe place. Most festivals provide safe storage spaces for valuables, where you can leave your passport and credit cards while you immerse yourself in the good feelings and the crowd. Mind your pockets – festival crowds attract pickpockets which can disappear in no time with your cash, phone or camera.
3. Intoxicate
Most music festivals involve heavy use of alcohol and other substances – more or less legal. If you can help it, stay away from illegal substances – these can get you in all sorts of trouble, including having to do with the police and the shady place with iron bars that is far from being happy.
The next morning make sure to have enough fluid to drink and enough shade to rest in – it’s much better to spend a few hours playing online video poker games at au.royalvegascasino.com in the shade than to being forced to visit the medical tent of the festival (or worse).
+1 – Explore the surroundings
If there are no concerts to attend, with half the festival sleeping, the other half being hungover, explore the surrounding towns for sightseeing – and, if necessary, for locating an ATM. Not all festivals have means to retrieve cash from your card, so if you run out and need more funds urgently it’s good to know where to run. Besides, you might see some very interesting things during the day, too, not just during the night.
The festival season has just started in the Northern Hemisphere – so there are a great variety of cities to explore, concerts to attend and cultures to meet. Keep safe, keep healthy – and feel great!
