Saturday 9 July 2016

Camp Bestival - Let The Countdown Commence



With than twenty days until Camp Bestival I am trying very hard to get organised.  There is a bag parked under the stairs that I gradually filling with some festival essentials and making lists like a crazy woman.  Packing for a festival is slightly different to holiday packing.  But with a few years of festival family fun under our belts I feel we have made progress in narrowing down the essential kit and much more besides.  A few days ago I tweeted the link to my essential Camp Bestival list, but this was compiled two years ago, so I feel a little refresh is required!

Obviously there are some things that should be on your list but here are some you may have forgotten.

- Matches - to light the stove
- Gas - for aforementioned stove
- Loo rolls - carry these with you at all times, although last year seemed to be restocked reguarly.
- Sleeping bags - obviously! Or a duck and down duvet if you have room in the car!
- Suncream and wellies - this is British summer time!
- Warmer clothes for the evening - as much as the many Pimms or pints of cider or fabulous      mummy    dancing may keep you warm the evenings do get chilly. Don't forget a cardi or jumper and   I always    pack a hoodie to sleep in when I camp, nothing worse than a cold head when you are       trying to get to sleep.
- Bubbles - unfortunately the no glass rule means no bubbles of the alcoholic type. But your children,   even teens, will thank you for packing a few bubble wands and pots of bubbles.
- Water Bottles - there are taps in the festival and campsites so take a large bottle to refil for water at     the tent and smaller bottles to refill for drinks.
- Beach Towels - these dry much quicker than normal towels so you won't have soggy towels lying    around.
- Picnic blanket - use it outside the tent and when inside the festival too.
- Torch, headlights and lanterns - even though the campsites are well lit, any or all of these are essential.

So that is my essentials now for my additional festival kit -

- Airbeds - nothing like a good nights sleep when you've spent all day at a festival. With the uneven  ground of the main campsite and even in Camping Plus I will not be forgetting mine.
- Bunting, flags and fairy lights - yes I cam one of those festival goers who likes a touch of   glamping   and these additions make the tent a bit more homely.
- Table and chairs - we have a fab camping table with chairs attached that packs fairly flat.  We always take a couple of camping chairs too.
- Kitchen Equipment - we have a Vango camping kitchen and is a godsend for creating a little kitchen area in the porch part of the tent.  Stove, pots, pans, kettle, plates, cups, washing up paraphenalia are all in one place and not getting in the way inside the tent,
- Lots of snacks - whilst there are more food choices than you can imagine in the festival I always take crisps, biscuits and fruit.
- Hair chalk, flower crowns, hats and face paints - obviously these are more for my daughters but I do have the obligatory festival straw hat.