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Cape Town - So what does a (nearly) 42-year-old like me look forward to on the eve of Oppikoppi For the lovely young taken to THE UNSEA 2016?
The music. Mostly. But then, Oppikoppi is about so much more than the music. It is a right to passage. An adventure. A journey where anything can happen. And it probably will.
It doesn’t matter how well you plan which bands you are going to watch and who you are going to meet up with, things never seem to work out that way. And that’s okay. It’s all part of the experience.
Still, there are certain things you are going to need to survive this rock ‘n’ roll rollercoaster ride among the thorn trees under the glaring bushveld sun (tip: take sunscreen). Take it from me, if you get these few things right, you are in for a kick-ass experience.
1) Water
Drink lots of it. There are various refilling points close to the stages. Make sure you have not only a water bottle for drinking, but at least one 5-litre bottle of water. That comes in handy for brushing your teeth or washing a dirty glass. Things get dirty at Koppi. Get used to it.
2) Wipe it
You can never have enough wipes. Man, Koppi is dusty. Baby wipes will take care of your most basic hygiene needs and leave you feeling (and smelling) a little fresher. Also, on the topic of wiping, it’s not a bad idea to carry a roll of toilet paper with you. The toilets are generally well maintained, but you never know…
3) Cover your face
Did we mention Koppi is dusty? The dust will enter any exposed orifice you can think of. After the second day you will have dust in your ears, nose, at the back of your throat… Make sure you have a bandanna or industrial face mask at hand to help you get through the worst.
4) Red tape
You know that red-and-white barricade tape that is meant to keep people out of places they shouldn’t be? You’re gonna need that. (R30 at Builders Warehouse.) Koppi gets pretty crowded and if you’re not staying at a tent hotel – like the excellent Kreef Hotel – you could wake up one morning with a latecomer or 10 all up in your face. Barricade a reasonable space around your tent and your personal space should be secure!
5) Warm up
It gets pretty chilly at night time, and with many of the bands only packing it in at 3am, you are gonna freeze your gonads off. Pack extra blankets and warm clothes and you will be toasty and happy.
Finally, just relax and go with the flow. New friends will be made and old friendships rekindled.
And there will be the music. Don’t forget about the music.
