All music festivals are different, so you might not need everything here, but this festival checklist aims to be exhaustive enough to cover all the essentials and any extras alongside, to ensure you don’t end up [literally] stuck in the mud. Also check out our summer 2010 festival suggestions. Anything missing? Feel free to make suggestions in the comments!

ESSENTIALS • Travel & Festival Tickets • Identification • Directions / Maps • Cash & Cards • Keys • CLOTHING • Raincoat & Waterproofs • Wellies • Sunglasses • Headgear • Clothes & Shoes • LUGGAGE • Camera • Phone • Torch • Umbrella • Tent • Sleeping Bag / Pillow / Mat • Chargers / Batteries • Books / Magazines • MP3 Player • Bin Liners & Laundry bag • TOILETRIES • Toothbrush & Toothpaste • Deodorant / Anti-persperant • Brush / Comb • Towel & Cloth • Soap • Shampoo / Conditioner • Tissues / Wipes • Mirror • Contraception • MEDICATION • Prescriptions • First aid kit • Paracetamol • Sunscreen • Insect Repellent • Glasses / Contacts & Solution • EXTRAS • Lighter / Matches • Gaffa Tape • Penknife • Bottle & Tin Openers • Cutlery • Cooking Equipment • Flag • Picnic Blanket • Food & Drink

• Tickets – You won’t just need the obvious festival tickets, but also your bus / tram / train tickets, too. Book travel tickets in advance, so they can arrive in time. Leaving it until the last minute runs the risk on not getting a seat, paying extra and getting stuck in queues. You’ll need them for the return journey too, so keep them safe.
• ID – If you’re travelling abroad, you’ll have your passport anyway, but for domestic festivals having a driving license or other form of ID is often a requirement to get in. Glastonbury, for example, doesn’t let you in if your ID doesn’t match the name on the ticket! Check the festival terms and conditions beforehand.
• Directions / Maps – If you’re driving, get organised and plan a proper route, even if it’s just making sure your satellite navigation knows where to go. Those using the trains and buses, make sure you know the correct stations and where to go when you arrive. When you arrive, grab a map of the site and mark on it exactly where your tent is located and where your car is parked if you’ve brought one.
• Cash & Cards – Festival cash machines tend to charge you for use and also have large queues. To save wasting time once you’ve arrive, it’s best to get cash out before you go, but keep it safe and split it up into a few chucks in different bags and pockets.
• Keys – An obvious one, but easily forgotten and it’s not particularly nice to get home from a festival and find yourself locked out. Leave a spare pair with your neighbour, if you don’t trust yourself to remember.

▲Back up to festival checklist.

• Raincoat / Waterproofs – A must for British festivals, you never know what’s going to happen with the weather. Venues are likely to sell ponchos anyway, but they can be thin, poorly made and expensive, so it’s better to take your own.
• Wellies – Navigating huge mud marshes is harder than it looks and you will ruin your shoes or trainers, if you don’t take a pair. Again, they can be bought on site, but they tend to go very quickly. Save yourself the bother of hunting around for a pair all day.
• Sunnies – Keep your eyes happy. Outdoor stages can often be in front of the sun, leaving you blinded as you try to watch.
• Headgear – A cap, bandana or winter hat, depending on the weather, is always useful.
• Spare Clothes & Shoes – Take enough clothing for each day of the festival, enough for changing after muddy mishaps and clean pairs of everything for trip home. Going all the way home wet and caked in mud is horrible for everyone involved. Combat trousers are best if your planning on carry a lot around with you.

▲Back up to festival checklist.

• Camera – Make sure you’ve got a case and strap for it, as they’re easy to drop and lose in crowded environments. You also might want to check you’ve got plenty of room on it before leaving and take an extra memory stick or film if necessary.
• Phone – Fully charged and primed with all your friends’ digits. It’s likely to run out if you use it a lot, so try and stick to texts and leave it switched off while you sleep to save those vital bars.
• Torch – Navigating back to your tent after an entire day of drinking is likely to end in disaster without light. It’s also essential for fiddling about in your tent at night, as you desperately try to take your contacts out and get into your sleeping bag.
• Umbrella – Just don’t go using it while you’re watching bands, it’s hugely annoying to the people behind you and don’t be surprised if things get thrown in your general direction. It’s best for keeping rain off your morning barbecue or keeping dry as you wait in the food queues.
• Tent – Make sure you know how to put it up and that you’ve got all the right pegs and pieces before leaving. You wouldn’t believe how many people arrive in the dark and discover they don’t actually know how to pitch their brand new tent.
• Sleeping Bag / Pillow / Roll Mat – Camping grounds aren’t particularly comfortable, having a mat and pillow to go with that sleeping bag helps save waking up in agony.
• Chargers / Batteries – You don’t want to run out of digital juice. Some festivals will have charging areas, but the queues get unbearable, so avoid them however you can. If you’re lucky enough to be off to a festival with power and plug sockets, be sure not to forget the charger.
• Travel Fodder – Books, magazines and a fully charged mp3 player for the journey there and back. If you plan on playing at bit of music at your tents, take some portable speakers to hook up your player to.
• Bin Liners / Laundry Bag – You’ll make tons of mess while you’re at the tent, so a bin liner or two for rubbish is really useful. Also, keep those muddy jeans or filthy shoes in their own bag to avoid ruining everything else. Try and get them dry before bagging them up, though else they’ll stink.

▲Back up to festival checklist.

• Toothbrush & Toothpaste – You can get those little finger toothbrushes now, which are really handy for saving space and are dispensable, too. It you’re going in a big group, it might make sense to just share things like toothpaste, to save everyone bringing it.
• Deodorant / Anti-persperant – Again, travel-sized sprays are easy to pick up.
• Hair Brush / Comb – You’ll need them for de-tangling if you’ve got long hair, after a not so pleasant wash under a running tap.
• Towel & Cloth – Bring a few if you’ve got the room, in case one doesn’t dry in time. If it’s baking hot, you could hang it up outside your tent afterwards, but if you leave there you run the risk of it getting soaked should the rain come!




• Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner – Washing and showering essentials. Facilities range from festival to festival, but there’s usually enough running water for a quick shower. Get up at dawn to beat the crowds.
• Tissues & Wet Wipes – Toilet roll often runs out, so it’s good to have your own back ups. Wet wipes help you to easily freshen up on the move.
• Small Mirror – For the vain or finding out how muddy your face is.
• Contraception – Because you never know.

▲Back up to festival checklist.

• Prescription Medicine – Whether it’s insulin or inhalers, make sure you have everything you need for the duration. Get an appointment with your doctor early enough to be able to get all your required elixor.
• First Aid Kit – Plasters, bandages, sterile wipes and the like are always handy. Especially if you’ve got youngsters with you who are rolling about all over the place.
• Paracetamol – The morning after might be a long way away now, but you’ll be thankful for packing them. Just be aware that drinking again with them in your system is dangerous for your health.
• Sun Lotion – You get burnt quicker than you’d think. Since you’re spending all day in the sun, keep the bottle on you, so you can top up as the day goes on.
• Insect Spray – These kind of repellents aren’t essential but are definitely useful at the more humid International festivals.
• Glasses / Contacts & Solution – Be sure to bring spares if you have them, as once you drop a contact in the mud, there ain’t no getting it back.

▲Back up to festival checklist.

• Lighter / Matches – Getting your stove or barbecues lit, or even joining in the nightly vigils with the rest of the crowd.
• Gaffa Tape – If you get a hole if your tent, this is the best and quickest way to patch it up.
• Pen Knife – Handy in ways you never realise until the time comes.
• Bottle & Tin Openers – You don’t want to find yourself resorting to using your teeth to desperately tear into that beer. Get a small key chain opener, if you need to save space. Or bring along a Swiss Army Knife to have all those fiddly instruments in one place.
• Disposable Cutlery – Unless you eat out of tins, using a sausage as a spoon, you’ll need cups, cutlery and plates.
• Cooking Equipment – There’s nothing like a summer festival BBQ. Don’t forget the food! A folding chair is also great for relaxing in as you prod those burgers. And if you’re going to be cooking everyday, perhaps a small stove, a pan, a kettle, a mug and some gas. It’s better to split things like this up amongst a few people to save one person struggling with it all.
• Flag – It’s so easy to lose your tent, even if you know what area it’s in. A big flag to stick in the ground by your base is perfect for finding your way back in both day and night.
• Blanket – For throwing down in front of your tent to sit, picnic and sunbathe on.
• Food & Drink – Remember that glass bottles aren’t allowed at a lot of festivals and will be confiscated at the entrance. So transfer anything you have into plastic ones. Soups and noodles are easy to carry and cook, but also bring some chocolate or energy bars to keep going throughout the day.

▲Back up to festival checklist.

Traditionally Southampton has been the main port for UK cruisers and has been the main port in Europe for English-speaking ships. Home to the world’s most famous cruise line Cunard and the quintessentially British P&O Cruises.

Barcelona is now making an impact on Southampton’s crown, with low cost airlines growth, fly cruises have become more popular and cruises to the Med are attracting some of the world’s top cruise ships.

With Mark Hughes and cruising being the main links between the cities, would comparing ports be like comparing their great football clubs, or more akin to comparing Matt Le Tissier with André Iniesta?

Port v Port

Barcelona and Southampton offer two very different options as cruise terminals. Cruises from Southampton offer easy access, cruise only holidays. Okay so parking can be a pain, but it’s much easier than having to worry about the luggage restrictions of flying. Instead of spending your morning in an airport lounge you can stroll straight onto your ship in time for lunch.

Cruises from Barcelona are an ideal way of enjoying a variety of Med Cruises. You can add a few nights in one of Europe’s finest cities and there are itineraries from 7 to 11 nights on a variety of ships.

The two ports are really quite different. Barcelona is similar to its football club. The capital of Catalonia is full of culture, vibrancy and flair. Steeped in history and enjoying a diverse and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Southampton is a city full of history and legend, but no longer lives up to its former glory days. Plus it rains more in Southampton!

Ships Ahoy

The two destinations boast a superb variety of ships, from some of the largest at sea to six star über liners.

Southampton is the home of British cruising and throughout the year you can choose from the luxurious Cunard Fleet, such as the much awaited Queen Elizabeth, P&O’s full selection of stunning ships, including their newest and largest ships the Ventura and Azura, and the traditional and smaller understated Fred. Olsen ships. There is also the glitz and glamour of one of the largest ships to be based in Europe, the Independence of the Seas, the American-style luxury of the Celebrity Eclipse and two of Princess’ favourites the Crown Princess and Grand Princess. Throw in the high-end, ultimate luxury of Regent Seven Seas Voyager and the Italian-style, more causal fun of the MSC Opera and you have something for everyone.

Barcelona in return offers a selections of some of the finest four & five star ships to grace the European seas. Sister ship of the Independence, Liberty of the Seas and NCL’s latest offering, the Norwegian Epic are the other two of Europe’s three largest ships. The much anticipated Celebrity flagship Celebrity Solstice and Holland America’s newest luxury liner, the Nieuw Amsterdam are top of the 5 star luxury list. The Ruby Princess offers a more understated answer to American-style cruising and Disney Magic is perfect for families. For a real Med feel MSC’s top ships the MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia are both cruising from Barcelona. And to top it all off the two six star, all-inclusive, and rather elegant ships that are the icing on the cake are Silver Seas’ Silver Wind and the Regent Seven Seas Mariner.

The Winner Is…

To sum up the cruise ships on offer Southampton has a great selection of British-style ships, and can offer more variety in destinations, with the Med, the Canaries, the Baltics and Transatlantic all regular offerings. The port is easier to get to for most of us and accounts for the vast majority of British cruisers.

Barcelona on the other hand offers more ships with American and Italian-style glamour, some of the newest ships to escape the Caribbean and fantastic year round weather. To top it off they also have a better football team, that even Le Tissier would struggle to get in!

British elegance, a variety of destinations and the lack of need for flights definitely has its benefits, but a few days of Catalan culture, a trip to the Camp Nou and the wonderful weather of the Med definitely sways me. Only problem now is which ship to choose!

There are a few pretenders to the crown, such as The Big Snow Festival, but Snowbombing is where its at. It’s a good job Easter falls after the festival this year, leaving you in the knowledge of a bank holiday to recover shortly after.

Though Snowbombing is a festival everyone can head to it really is a event for serious festival goers and snow addicts. With this is mind I wanted to explore how best to survive six days of riding and six nights of one of the best parties in the Alps on four hours a night sleep.

Preparation

Now most of us head to festivals with our camping kit, a few crates of beer and our barbecue essentials, but a week long festival in a ski resort, where getting on the mountain each day is a must, takes a little more preparation.

Unlike Reading, Glasto or Bestival there is no camping, portaloos or feral showers, depending on your budget or style there are 2* B&Bs to 5* luxury hotels. Most of us would probably head to the 2* and 3* B&Bs, saving our money for the parties and much needed alpine lunches.

Before you jump on the plane to Austria there is some serious preparation to do. Both gym and Jaegermeister sessions are a must! With a serious lack of sleep on the cards and an awesome mountain at your disposal, a few weeks in the gym working on stamina will definitely put you in good stead. With long nights to look forward to, getting in some Sambuca fuelled evenings followed by early mornings, and preparing for a diet of potatoes, cheese and meat will pay dividends.

On the Mountain

So with the accommodation sorted, and camping not on the agenda we can forget our sleeping bags and gazebos and concentrate on the important stuff, the mountain.

The first thing to pack or hire is your helmet, now not everyone is a fan of the plastic lids in April, but in a week of riding, partying and quite probable hangovers, you will be glad you bought it with you. There is also the obvious need for skis/board, boots and bindings. Personally I’d take/hire a nice easy set-up, you wont be hiking 3ft powder, and probably wont be trying double-corks off the black kickers in the park!

Goggles vs Sunnies? You need both, goggles for the mountain, sunnies for the terraces. You can’t get a decent goggle tan without them!

Apart from the obvious skiing and boarding a decent mountain lunch is paramount to survival. Whether it’s your first day or you are recovering from the night before a big plate of meat, carbs and cheese followed by the restaurateur home-made schnapps will sort you out and set you up for another night. With all the alcohol and exercise (from skiing and dancing of course) you’ll need to top up on energy, protein and salt, the French classic of tartiflette, or a bowl of spag bol are always high on my list.

To finish a successful day on the mountain head to the Arctic Disco for the iglu-style ice bar to start the night, break out the sunnies and Jaegermeister and get warmed up for the night’s events.

Off the Mountain

Whether Pro-Plus, Red Bull or coffee is your cup of tea, morning, afternoon and late night caffeine kicks will surely be on the agenda. After dropping off your kit and getting out of your ski boots, a couple of pints of water, an espresso and bite to eat will get you ready for the night ahead.

With acts like Fatboy Slim, 2many Djs, Fake Blood and the Doves on offer last season, this year will surely go off with a bang. After a day on the mountain you won’t want those jelly legs to ruin your night out. However tempted you are to stop the key is not to, drink as much water as you can (in between all the beer, schnapps and sambuca) and let you adrenaline take over.

The party atmosphere is pretty nuts, so pace yourself, remember it’s a marathon not a race. This could be your one week on the mountain, and the only festival you make it to so you want to make the most of it. Keeping hydrated and remembering to eat are the key.

The next morning do you give in to your hangover of get back on the mountain? Paracetamol, PG tips and a trip to the bakery on the way to the lifts has always worked for me.

Essentials

There are a few essentials worth taking that are either hard to get, or not even possible at all. Here are a few suggestions:

• Passports, Tickets and Festival wrist band – I know it’s obvious but you’ll be surprised how many people forget them!
• PG Tips – Tea just isn’t the same in Austria
• Paracetamol – For bumps, bruises and sore heads
• Sun Tan Lotion – For the all important goggle-tan opposed to goggle-burn
• Decent Sunnies – With all those reflective surfaces you need a decent UV protection
• EHIC & Travel Insurance – Just in case
• Deodorant and Toothpaste – For the all important post mountain shower-in-a-can and freshen up
• Cash – Cash points is resort are sparse and can run out during busy weeks
• Plenty of clothes – after skiing in 20^° heat all day you won’t want to party in the same clothes!
• Mobile Phone or Walkie Talkie – Just in case you lose your fellow festival goers and cant remember they way home
• Chargers – phone, iPod, razor, you don’t want them running out mid-week
• Prescription Medicine – Don’t forget your insulin or inhalers, medical care isn’t cheap
• Gaffa Tape – You can fix you board pants, jackets, goggle strap or favourite jeans midweek if needed

Okay, so some of this may be a little obvious, or even pinched from our earlier post The Ultimate Festival Checklist, but you’ll be surprised the amount of times someone has forgotten their base-plates, sunnies, favourite hangover cure or even toothpaste.

If you have any other suggestions I’ll add them to the list.

Instantly find locations of your friends

This is a huge one for me and I’m sure it has been for many others who travel in groups, too. A quick example of its potential use – last year my friend had a stag weekend in Prague. There were about 15 of us travelling and we’d constantly go off separately or in smaller groups. Getting back together was a nightmare. Sure, we could call each other, but even then you can only really give the names of the roads you’re on and since nobody knew the area it was quite difficult, not to mention the huge phone bill incurred from doing that.

Google’s web application, Google Latitude, aimed to change all of that. Switch it on and you can see the exact location of your friends, provided they too have the app. That means that next time you split up in a group of friends you can easily relocate them. With being Google powered and having GPS, you should be able to use the app anywhere, you can also use the navigation for routes and directions.

Track route progress in real-time

I first used Google Maps on my mobile phone when I had a job interview for which I naturally hadn’t planned the journey ahead. I sat on a bus with the map open – carefully scrolling each time I passed a road, so that I could keep track of exactly where I was. I know that a lot of other mobile devices can now track your position in real-time, but it’s good that the new iPhone has taken this feature onboard.

With a variety of Sat Nav apps now available, from TomTom to Google, you can find your way around the UK, and Western Europe pretty easily with your phone. With apps like TomTom using GPS this should hopefully keep the costs down by being roaming-charge free, though Google Maps does still incur data charges.

Suggested amenities and facilities close to your current location

This one has the potential to radically change my holidays. I remember being in New York a few years back and after catching a music gig at Webster Hall, wandering around Greenwich Village looking for something to eat. Now, let’s face it, Manhattan’s just about the easiest place to find food in the world. You can’t walk down a street without seeing somewhere you want to eat. But we really fancied Japanese and somehow managed to walk in a direction with no results. Amazing considering just how many Japanese restaurants are around there. With an iPhone it’s  already there, you open the map, it instantly finds your location and all the amenities around you. Better still, each location is already armed with a phone number, meaning you can immediately call to making bookings and reservations.

It pretty much means you don’t need to worry too much about planning ahead and memorising travel guides. You can simply remember the odd name or two of places you want to visit and then look for what’s closest to you on your iPhone. Or even just browse on the fly and see where you end up. A lot of the time you can get lucky and find yourself strolling into a plethora of bars and restaurants, New York as such probably isn’t the best example of its use. But for smaller destinations, this will dramatically alter the way you plan (or more accurately – don’t plan) your day. There are some great apps to help with your plans, you can pre-book restaurants with the Top Table app or find a somewhere off the cuff with the Urban Spoon app.

Why travellers mayn’t embrace it:

I tried this feature out in a small town near Valencia and it just wouldn’t load. There was no 3G signal, and therefore the Internet runs particularly slow anyway, but maps simply wouldn’t show. It kind of made the feature redundant, since it can only be of any value when you’re in a place that has a decent strength 3G signal or a Wi-Fi connection. That pretty much destroys the point for me. Whilst it’s still nice to have in a big city, it’s the smaller places where it could really come in handy.

MobileMe photo galleries with push technology

This service is basically your own personal server space which holds all your contact data, email, calendar information and photo galleries. The idea is that you can access this information from any computer or iPhone and it all syncs together. For example, if you make a lunch date with someone while you’re out, you can add it to your calendar on the iPhone. This then instantly syncs with your Me account and makes the appropriate changes.

So how is this useful for travelling? The big thing for me are the photo galleries that push alerts to all your friends and family who also use an iPhone with a Me account. Say for example you’re spending a few months in Japan and you want to share some of the photos you’ve been taking with your friends and family. You can upload them directly from your phone to your Me account and this then pushes alerts to all your friends and family. So if your Mum is at her computer, she’ll receive a notification that you’ve added photos and go and see them, just seconds after you’ve uploaded them. It also pushes to other iPhones, so one of your friends could be out somewhere and still check your photos. You might already be able to send picture messages with current phones, but this addition of full sized photos, in galleries that push alerts to both computers and iPhones changes everything.

I think I’d find it most useful for organising after-event photos. I’m sure like me, most of you have been to a great event or party and the next day end up desperately trying to get in touch with everyone to see their photos. Naturally they end up spread across Picasa , Flickr and Facebook accounts and it’s difficult to get to see every single one. If you all have iPhones and Me accounts, you can be virtually anywhere in the world and browse each other’s photo galleries on the move along with being notified as they get added.

What barriers are there for travellers?

• You’ll have to pay an annual subscription fee. I don’t really think it’s entirely fair to charge for what’s essentially a push email service. The gallery feature is something I’m excited about, but probably not enough to want to pay £59 a year for the privilege.
• The best feature requires your friends and family to also have iPhones and a MobileMe account. Similar to the social app Loopt, it doesn’t seem so enticing to pay for this service and not really be able to use the best bits unless all of your friends and family have accounts.

If you have a Google account you can now access many of these facilities for free on any smart phone, though this isn’t a negative of the phone, more of having to pay for the service. You can also access Facebook, either through the app or Safari, where photos, stories and updates can easily be shared for free. MobileMe has its benefits, but there are so many ways through the iPhone that you can enjoy very similar services for free, which has to be a good thing.

Data usage included in tariff

I always worried about using the Internet too much on my old phone (Sony Eriksson W810i). Sometimes I used it to check football scores, other times I’d use it to check train times or get some help from Google Maps. You always felt under pressure though, as it’s never clear how much data is being used and how much you’re spending. I’m sure they’ll be some small print from the network operator saying there’s a penalty for excessive use, but for everyday searches and reading you won’t have to worry, as included in most tariffs is unlimited data use.

This takes a big weight off my shoulders when I’m visiting a new city. When I went to Brighton for the first time a couple of years ago and I’d forgotten to look up where the street was to meet my friends. I used Google Maps to navigate, but ended up with about £10 added to my bill at the end of the month. These sort of charges are finally becoming a thing of the past.

Though the iPhone tariffs are a little on the pricey side there have been considerable improvements post the O2 exclusivity. With operators fighting for business you can generally get the phone for free on a two year contract or at a much more reduced cost then before on an 18 month deal.

Booking online

It’s true that you can check the Internet on most modern phones, but I think the iPhone 3G takes a big step towards making it all easier. For example, how many people can honestly say they’ve booked a flight directly through a website on their phone? Not many I’d bet since it’s pretty fiddly, often quite slow and not all sites have mobile-friendly versions. Better yet, of those small number of people who did book something online with their phone, how many worried about the poor integration of security and wondered whether their details were even encrypted at all?

The iPhone eases those fears and makes the whole process much easier. The Safari browser shows the padlock symbol for secure sites and you can see site certificates for them easily enough. Also, because of the large screen real estate that comes with an iPhone, it isn’t necessary to view the mobile versions of sites. You’re always seeing exactly what you would on your computer and it’s easy to scroll and zoom in with the “pinch” feature of the phone. Which makes browsing perfectly usable.

Some of the more forward thinking airlines, such as BA, have recently launched new apps that allow you the check-in and download your virtual boarding pass which saves time at the airport and the Star Alliance airlines such as Swiss and Lufthansa have added a nice easy booking system into there apps. The booking sections on these apps are quick and easy to use, as they are designed for the phone opposed to shrunken websites.

For the first time, I feel like I could actually book a flight without feeling like it will take me an hour to navigate, time-out half way through the transaction and leave my card details exposed.

What isn’t so great about browsing on an iPhone?

It still is a major hamper to not be able to view Flash on an iPhone. Admittedly, Flash is less common now, with more sites using alternatives such as html5, and annoys me profusely when I’m browsing, but that isn’t really an excuse for not allowing users to view those pages.

Traffic alerts

While no standard application is planned from Apple, third parties are expected to provide traffic alerts to your phone. If you’re driving, you probably use the radio to find out.

iChat integration

Despite rumours and greasy fingerprints that looked like a front-facing camera, video calling is currently not available on the iPhone. It’s not entirely travel-related, but video calls are still nice if you haven’t seen someone for a long time. Say you’re on a gap year and you’ve decided to work a season skiing in Verbier. After a couple of months of not seeing your friends and family, that’s exactly when video-chat comes in handy. I was surprised that this feature wasn’t included, but I’m sure it’s pinned for a future release.

Since Apple have already circulated iChat on their Macs to significant success, I don’t think it would be too difficult to downsize the software for iPhone use. The biggest hurdle would probably be to create a PC version of iChat, which as far as I’m aware doesn’t currently exist.

Quality of the iPhone Camera

If Apple are going to really promote great features such as MobileMe’s photo gallery integration, they’re going to struggle selling it to people on the basis of this camera. I’ve never bothered with cameras on phones. After all, if you want quality photos, you need a stand-alone digital camera anyway. It’s more the fact that now that it’s so easy to share photos on your travels, it seems such a waste to be using an average camera.

It’s not that the camera is particularly bad. It just hasn’t been touched at all since the first generation iPhone. This means there’s still no flash and the resolution is quite low compared to most new phones. That pretty much reduces you to only being able to take photos and record video in well-lit areas.. It would have been nice to at least have a camera in line with most other modern mobile phone. It would be unfair to demand a phone camera that does what a Fuji Finepix F30 can manage in low-light, but surely an upgrade from last year’s isn’t too big an ask.

I must point out the iPhone 4G is due for release this summer and the rumoured improvements include a new camera, faster OS and better battery than the current crop of 3G and 3Gs phones.

Summary of travelling with an iPhone

Overall my gripes aren’t with the iPhone itself, but with the applications, the networks and the general availability of the associated technologies. For people here in the UK who don’t travel or go on holiday much, you’ll be able to maximise your use of the iPhone without having to overspend. However those who plan on using the iPhone when visiting other countries will have to prepare to spend more than they’d like to use it. Travellers are constantly leaving their native country, which means data costs of abroad phone use remain one of the biggest factors which needs to be combated. This isn’t really Apple’s problem, but it is a barrier which networks will have to overcome if they really want people to embrace the technology that is becoming available.

The iPhone 3Gs now offers enough features to physically change the way you travel. I can safely and easily book a flight through a site, I can plot routes to anywhere and follow in real-time, I can locate where my friends are at any moment, I can quickly obtain the nearest shops, bars and hotels around my location and even have the option to call directly to make a booking at any of those places without having to search for the numbers manually, I can take photos on the move and add them to my gallery – pushing them through to all my friends and family at the same time.

Yet getting these features aren’t as broad as Apple have suggested and all have their drawbacks, which at least means there’s room for future improvements. As it currently stands it’s still a fair distance in front of its closest rivals and it can potentially alter how you organise travelling in a positive way. I’m not sure which will come next – whether the world networks will start talking to each other and work out a cheaper way for us to use mobiles abroad, or whether enough free Wi-Fi spots will crop up for it not to matter, but until then prepare to have to spend to get the most out of the iPhone.

Useful Links

iPhone homepage

iPhone Apps

MobileMe

When most people think of summer festivals, Glastonbury, Reading/Leeds, V-Festival and Download spring to mind. This year why not try something different, a little less mainstream and yet still with great crowds, unique atmospheres and incredible line-ups.

Wakestock – 2nd – 4th July

To start the summer there is Wakestock in Abersoch, North Wales. Now for most of us, the reasons to head to a fairly remote village on the North Wales Peninsula are few and far between. For fans of wakeboarding, adrenaline-fuelled weekends and music festivals, Wakestock is the perfect excuse.

The festival is set in the outskirts of the beautiful village of Abersoch, with the music and camping on one site and the wakeboarding down in the Pwlheli marina. The daytime entertainment is now one of Europe’s premier competitions with pro-riders from all over the world competing with inverted tricks, 1080 spins, rails and jumps. The music kicks off early evening and boasts headliners such as Feeder, N-Dubz, Maximo Park and The Scratch Perverts. Wakestock is the biggest wakeboarding and music festival in Europe.

For those who are not big fans of festival camping you can stay in the village and jump in a short taxi or bus ride up to the main site. Buses run through the day to bring the campers down to the marina and the village and to  return back to the main site for the evening.

My last visit to this festival involved a group of ten of us staying in one of the many holiday cottages for the week. Chilling by the beach, the marina and in the village pubs each day, followed by a cheap taxi ride up the main site to enjoy the music and party atmosphere. Not that I have anything against camping but having clean showers and beds compared to filth that I endured in Leeds was a welcome comfort.

If you like action sports, a great range in music and a chilled atmosphere that can break into a huge party at anytime, then this is the festival for you.

Secret Garden Party – 22nd – 25th July

The Secret Garden Party is one of the most bohemian and boutique festivals you can experience. With the emphasis being on community spirit set in a massive garden party full of ’60s inspiration and style. The venue is near to Huntington in the Cambridgeshire countryside and the festival organisers ask those driving not to disturb the local villages and also offer coaches from London, Brighton and Bristol to help reduce CO² emissions.

The entertainment is as varied as you would see at any festival in the world. Instead of the usual two or three massive stages that the big festivals go for, there are 14 intimate arenas to take in the live music on offer. The musical highlights include Mercury Rev and Crystal Fighters, though this festival is as much about the activities as it the music.

For those looking to relax and take in the atmosphere there will be a sing-a-long with the Jungle Book on the big screen. There is the Karaoquee Camp set in an oriental theme to fill those singing and samuri urges. There is full-on face painting, a 1960s salon and art exhibitions. There are theatre productions, the Samba Band alarm clock (starting at 10am!) and games that include paint wars – essentially a battle of paint, wits and bravery.

There is more to do at the Secret Garden Party than I could begin to imagine or describe. For those wanting a bit of luxury there is boutique camping with butler service included. The festival is also one of the most family-friendly around with the kids’ parade, more face painting and children’s theatre. If you are looking for something different, an escape from reality and an enchanting vibe the Secret Garden Party is your festival this summer.

Field Day Festival – 31st July

East London plays host to Field Day Festival. A strictly adult-only one day event that combines fantastic music with a village fete atmosphere. Based in Victoria Park this is one event you can get to with the greatest of ease using London’s public transport.

The rustic festival is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, last year included egg and spoon races, tug of war and other classic games straight out of a 19th century rural fair. As the day goes on the music warms up with three stages offering Londoners an incredible line-up.

This may only be a one day event but it offers a great escape and a fantastic party for those who just can’t bring themselves to leave the capital.

Big Chill – 5th – 8th August

The Big Chill does what it says on the tin. It’s a fantastic festival with a chilled vibe. The general crowd are a little more mature and it is a family-friendly event. Set in Hertfordshire, the 35,000 capacity festival is as far removed from the likes of Creamfields and Global Gathering as you can get.

The Big Chill festival is another event that combines a diverse choice in music with performing arts, comedy and film. The festival is run by Big Chill, who also run a record label, a bar and a nightclub. With a background in music and entertainment their flag-ship the Big Chill Festival is a winner.

Over the past decade the festival has boasted some fantastic artists. Starting with this year there is Massive Attack and Mr Scruff and in previous years Basement Jaxx, Orbital, Royksopp, Zero 7 and Goldfrapp have all entertained the crowds. This year also boasts British acts such as Lily Allen, Roots Manuva and Plan B.

I asked a friend of mine about their favourite aspect of the Big Chill and got a less than usual answer ‘well the music is always pretty good and there aren’t any chavvy teenagers but the best thing is the clean toilets and showers’. Well there you have it, any festivals with good hygiene are good festivals in my eyes!

Bestival – 9th – 12th September

The closest I am ever going to get to ‘what Glastonbury used to be like before the fences’ is Bestival. This is a festival that manages to combine a bohemian crowd with boutique style and world class line-ups. For those who feel Bestival is getting too big there is also the intimate Camp Bestival earlier in the year. The event is held at Robin Hill on the Isle of White and attracts a very loyal crowd.

Bestival offers a different experience to other festivals, for example one of the days is an official fancy dress, in 2005 they broke the record for the biggest organised fancy dress, with 10,000 cowboys and indians! This year’s theme is Fantasy, whether that be Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland or Lord of the Rings, as long as you take part you can be as creative as you wish.

The festival is also incredibly family-friendly. With a more relaxed crowd than the mainstream events, the number of people taking their kids to Bestival is growing, there is even the Bigtopmania Kidzone Team and the Breastival baby temple for new mothers.

With a huge amount of boutique stalls, a hidden disco (yes it was hidden and took some time to find) and an eclectic line-up this is a really unique festival. This year’s highlights are going to include The Prodigy, Dizzy Rascal, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, the Flaming Lips and Roxy Music. There’s the Pamper Lounge for the spa treatments, the Inflatable Church for the spiritual types and the Buttercupcakes Afternoon Tea Hut.

This is a fantastic weekend of entertainment, decadence and dance. The way festivals should be and the perfect end to the summer.

I don’t know what your musical tastes are, whether a grown up crowd or a field full of hippies, is your scene but with the depressing ash-cloud hanging over our heads, why worry about cancelled flights and four day trips home. There is a festival to suit everyone and plenty more I haven’t mentioned. If you want a weekend of raucous Scottish partying try out Rockness, if Indie is more your thing there is the Truck festival and if you have a fetish for bearded men motorcycles there’s the Bulldog Bash.

Don’t get the holiday blues, relax and enjoy the British summer. Pack your biggest tent, designer wellies and fancy dress and get stuck in. I will.

Written by Stephen Adam

With Facebook one of the most visited sites on the internet and the likes of Twitter and Bebo growing by the day, most tech savvy skiers will have access to at least one online social network. With online travel agents making the booking process easier we are spending more time researching and reading about skiing and snowboarding online.

Whether booking holidays, checking our resort reviews, or signing up to snow alerts all the info we need is out there. I decided to have a look into the so called big resorts to see who we can ‘add as a friend’, ‘like’ or ‘tweet’. With growing numbers of people using Facebook and Twitter to organise their holidays with friends there had to be a presence of info out there to help with our choices.

The first thing I noticed is when looking at the big North-American resorts such as Whistler, Breckenrige and Aspen they all use Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds and weekly newsletters to maximum effect. With minimal effort you can find out where the snow, best deals and biggest parties will be.

In contrast the European resorts are a little further behind. The Three Valleys has so far abstained from social networking, with exception to the independently run LaTania.co.uk (though anyone who knows La Tania wouldn’t expect any less from Toffa). The Espace Killy have joined in the world of Facebook with posts in English, whereas you may need to brush up on your French when looking for your Les Arcs fix.

Below I have complied a list of the ‘big’ resorts social networking, though I will update the list with any comments you may have.

Andorra

• Grandvalira: Facebook (Catalan/Spanish)

Austria

• Mayrhofen: Facebook (multilingual) & Twitter (German)
• Saalbach: Facebook (mulitlingual but mostly German)
• St. Anton: Facebook & Twitter (both German)
• Ischgl: Facebook & Twitter (both German)

Canada

• Banff (Ski Big 3): Facebook & Twitter
• Fernie: Facebook & Twitter
• Tremblant: Facebook & Twitter
• Whistler Blackcomb: Facebook & Twitter

France

• La Plagne: Facebook & Twitter (both French)
• La Tania (latania.co.uk unofficial site): Facebook & Twitter
• Les Arcs: Facebook
• Les Deux Alpes: Facebook (French)
• Serre Chevalier: Facebook (French)
• Tignes: Facebook
• Val d’Isere: Facebook

Spain

• Formigal: Facebook & Twitter (both Spanish)

U.S.A.

• Aspen Snowmass: Facebook & Twitter
• Breckenridge: Facebook
• Jackson Hole: Facebook &: Twitter
• Killington: Facebook & Twitter
• Lake Tahoe: Facebook & Twitter
• Park City: Facebook & Twitter
• Vail: Facebook & Twitter

The idea behind the challenge is to take in the atmosphere from all the different footballing nations. Venues like Bar Italia in Soho are pretty famous for the TV screens in the windows and the Italian fans lining the street with azure blue and espresso. There is more to the world’s biggest festival of football than just supporting your country at home or down the pub, this is a great opportunity to enjoy the carnival spirit of the Latin American nations, the noise and vibrancy of the African nations and the, well, orange-ness of the Dutch.

Bars, restaurants, cafes and even open houses are fair game. Basically, anywhere that we can be surrounded by people supporting whoever is playing, whether it be Algeria vs Slovenia or England vs U.S.A. Living in London offers people the chance to take in so many cultures, in my office alone we have managed to find different venues for half the matches.

World Cup 2010

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is shaping up to be a fantastic tournament. As usual, the English believe they finally have a team good enough to win and will rely on two or three players, Rooney, Stevie G and Lampard this time, Shearer and Sheringham in years gone by. Argentina barely qualified but boast the world’s best player in Messi and you just can’t bet against Maradona. There are the usual suspects of Brazil, Germany, Italy and the perennial under-achieving Holland. Right now Spain are on top of the world and with a fit Torres and Villa they look pretty formidable.

This year also has a great choice of underdogs. Africa has never had a World Cup winning country and with the tournament being played in South Africa it could make for an interesting tale. The Ivory Coast look dangerous, with the ever controversial Didier Drogba leading the line and top players like the Toure brothers Kolo and Yaya, Ghana may be an outside bet and if Essien is fit you never know.

London Bars

With the help of a few friends and the power of Facebook and Twitter we have amassed a list of venues. If you want to help us finish the list please tweet us your suggestions or post a comment below and we’ll update this page.

View London World Cup bars 2010 in a larger map

Algerian Bars

Argentinan Bars
Santa Maria del Sur (Queenstown Road)

Australian Bars in London
Walkabout (Temple)
Walkabout (Shepherd’s Bush)
Beluschi’s (Borough)

Brazilian Bars
Guanabara (nr Covent Garden)
Rodizio Rico (Bayswater)
Rodizio Rico (Islington)
Made in Brazil (Camden)

Cameroon

Chile

Denmark
Nordic Bar (nr Oxford St)

England

French Bars
Les Bar des Amies (Clapham Junction)
Le Bouchon (Clapham Common)

German Bars
Bavarian Beerhouse (nr Old Street)
The Octoberfest Pub (Fulham)

Ghana
The Gold Coast Bar & Restaurnat (South Norwood)
The Gold Coast Bar (Brixton)

Greece – Greek Bars
Parsons Green (any suggestions?)
Halepi Restuarant (Bayswater)

Honduras

Italy – Italian Bars
Bar Italia (Soho)

Ivory Coast

Japan

Korea DPR
The Fountain (New Malden)

Korea Republic
The Fountain (New Malden)

Mexico – Mexican Bars
Mercado Bar & Cantina (Stoke Newington)

Netherlands – Holland – Dutch Bars
De Hems (Soho)
Lowlander (Covent Garden)

New Zealand – Kiwi Bars
The Southerner (Temple)

Nigeria
D’ Den, Kilburn
Mama Cala Bar, Wembley

Paraguay

Portugal
Bar Estrela (Stockwell)
Cafe Kick (Exmouth market)
Bar Kick (Shoreditch)

Serbia
Paya and Horse (Battersea)

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Africa
The Bok Bar (Covent Garden)
Puzzle Pub (Earlsfield)

Spain – Spanish Bars
Bodega De Tapas (Camden)
San Miguel’s (Edgware Road)

Switzerland – Swiss Bars
St. Moritz (Soho)

Uruguay

U.S.A. American Bars

For people like myself who would love to go to the Monaco GP finding a centrally located hotel of a luxury standard on race day is near impossible. The idea of jumping on a four day cruise that arrives first thing Sunday morning and leaves on Monday afternoon on a 5* luxury ship for a fraction of the cost of a 5* hotel in Monte Carlo does appeal.

On broaching this with my partner, a semi fan of F1, who isn’t convinced a cruise is for her, on mentioning this something clicked. ‘You mean we get to spend a day in Portofino and another in St. Tropez before the race and all night in Monaco’ she asked. The idea of lunching on the Italian Riviera in one of Portofino’s infamous waterside restaurants on the Friday, and celebrity spotting over dinner in St. Tropez the following day did indeed appeal to her. on mentioning the cost of a balcony cabin, full board, with flights was only a fraction more then the cost of our average ski holiday she was convinced.

Azamara’s decision to offer this itinerary is inspired. Their ships are more intimate than the super-liners at around 700 people, the service is renowned for being impeccable and you are dining in 5* quality everyday. Once you’ve bought your tickets to one of the most iconic race’s in the world it is the perfect weekend away.

Monaco GP

The only problem is that this cruise deal doesn’t start until next season as this year is looking like a cracker. The Red Bulls are flying but having a few issues, Ferrari aren’t far behind and have two talented drivers with former champ Alonso and there eternal unofficial number two of Massa, and not forgetting the Battle of Britain at McClaren with two British champs, the smooth driving defending champ of Button vs the prodigal son of Hamilton. Let just hope the 2011 race looks as exciting as next month’s encounter.

After watching the race unfold it’s back to the ship, freshen up, favorite suit then off the enjoy the famous nightlife. Do you try and blag your way into one of the after-race parties, if Buttons wins his celebrations are infamous, or is a trip to the casino’s more up your street. For those die hard fans who prefer a more relaxed pace there is always dinner and a show on the ship and a morning of site seeing to follow. Whatever you preference if you like F1, luxury holidays and intimate cruise ship them you can’t miss this special event.

For more info Iglucruise have got some great deals and regular updates on the cruise.

You can pre-register for this right now at Iglucruise, they currently have a couple of different deals available on their Arcadia Alaska page:

1. The whole 72 night shebang from Southampton to Alaska and back to Southampton. It’s called the Grand Alaska Voyage.

2. A 46 night special, where you start with the cruise from Southampton and until Los Angeles and fly back to the UK. That’s here.

On top of that excitement, P&O have also announced the details for the Artemis Farewell Voyage. This one is also Southampton to Southampton via… the Med! I can imagine that one being really popular, and Iglucruise again have a good deal, as you get $50 onboard spend thrown in.

What a time for cruising!

It’s been eagerly anticipated by cruisers, ever since it was announced that the QE2 would retire to Dubai to become a luxury hotel. Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth sets a whole new standard for the cruise line, with it being the second largest ship they’ve built.

Easily accommodating 2,092 passengers and weighing in a 92,000 tons, the ship will start sailing in October 2010 and you can book Cunard Queen Elizabeth cruises right now!

Inside, the ship is looking as luxurious as you’d expect, with glorious décor and classical charm. With Cunard’s trademark White Star Service, the ship is set for fine and quality dining.

The estimated total cost of the ship is €500m, which highlights the extent Cunard have gone towards to making the Queen Elizabeth as special as possible. The maiden voyage has already sold out, so it’s first come first served to get on the other available sailings!