Coachella survival guide

Plan ahead
So Coachella ain’t no Big Day Out and it is spread out over hundreds of acres so for goodness sake, PLEASE have some sort of plan and look at the map. Work out who want to see and where they are playing, because you can end up walking in very large circles if you don’t know where you’re going*.

• May have happened to me when trying to find Jack Garrett and Kiiara.

Beprepared for dust
Surprisingly, being at a festival in the middle of the desert is very dusty, but if there is one thing I have learnt over the last few days, it’s that bandanas are just not hair accessories, they are (and probably original/supposed to be used for) covering your mouth/nose! Who knew?! Not me. Until now. And as someone who gets asthma, let me tell you, my trusty red bandana was a life saver and I recommend it to EVERYONE.

Get ready for lines
Whether it’s at the toilets, at the bar, or at the shuttle bus with 124,000 of your closet friends all waiting to get home at 3am post-day 2/Lady Gaga, there are going to be lines. So be prepared to wait. The good news is every stall/bar/food outlet/merch tent has card facilities, so you are able to tap and go if you don’t have cash. However in order to get that black Coachella sweatshirt, you’re going to have to wait in line, for at least 20 minutes (if you go at the right time).

You’regoing to see a lot of boobs and butts
Naturally you associate Coachella with those bloggers and influencers or celebs who attend, and wear close to nothing. Their social media accounts do not lie, however you’re also going to see some very daring fashionistas who are more than comfortable in their own skin (YASS GIRLS) but it will mean boobs and butts are on display, so if you’re prude about those things, be warned.

Look after one another
Look, there’s over 124,000 other people there and there’s A LOT of different artists, you and your friends aren’t going to want to spend every waking second together when there’s a band your pal is dying to see. However have a game plan, charge your mobile and make sure you can at least text them to meet up when Lady Gaga is on the main stage banging out Just Dance and Telephone.
Handy tip for free – also having a pre-determined meeting place at the bar is helpful if you know some of your group are going to sit down and chill out for a while. Not only will you find your friends in record time, there will also be a bevvie waiting for you!

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Enjoy it
Soak it all in. Watch the sunset behind the Ferris wheel and the silhouettes of the mountains that surround Coachella Valley, and stand in awe as you watch some of your favourite artists perform among palm trees with the most spectacular backdrop you.

*This journalist travelled to Coachella as a guest of Visit California and Air New Zealand. *

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