Accommodation. There is a lot of accommodation in Tamworth
but it's not that easy at festival time,
given many people book for next year when they book out.
But there are lots of cancellations too. You need to choose between hotel, motel, home stay, renting a room,
renting a whole house for say six people (there are a surprising number of these)
or just camping or staying in the caravan park.
Camping. There is plenty of space allocated for camping during the festival.
Except that it's in the flood area,
so if it's raining and you get asked to move in the middle of the night
they are not joking (no practical jokers please).
Staying Out of Town. A lot of people stay in the neighbouring towns.
Driving half an hour is not a problem.
Tickets. Given the advent of on-line booking,
a lot of people are buying their tickets before they leave home.
This does mean the popular things may well be sold out
before the festival even starts.
However, there there is a good ticket office in the main street,
and look in the programme to see where tickets are available for each event.
There are plenty of tickets to interesting things,
not to mention that most things are actually free anyway
or tickets are only available at the door.
Planning Decide what you would like to see.
This is much harder than it sounds.
Tamworth is a lot of country music styles all rolled into one festival
and there is something for everybody.
For the first three days you will see people
frantically thumbing through their programme as they try to solve this problem.
Start from the ends - tick stuff you must see
and cross off stuff you never want to see.
Cross off things that are booked out.
Ignore your friends who hate country music or think it's beneath their dignity.
They think it's silly to wear cowboy hats and pretend you're in Texas
or in the outback.
Remind them of all the rappers
who pretend to be gangsters and criminals,
all poverty stricken and living in the ghettos of New York.
Tell your friends you are going to hear some twang music -
they don't know what it is, but they know you like it.
Driving Up from Sydney. It's about 420 Km.
A lot of people will tell you how they drive up to Tamworth in four or five hours but they are liars. First hour: See how long it takes to drive to the middle
of the Hawkesbury River bridge.
For me it's a couple of minutes either side of an hour. Second hour: It's roughly an hour to the roundabout at the top of the freeway,
perhaps a few minutes over.
At this point you go straight ahead for Tamworth,
or turn right for Hexham and the Pacific Highway up the coast. Third, Fourth, Fifth Hours: You have to drive right up the Hunter valley.
There is a succession of towns, all with 60 K zones,
and there are endless 70 K and 80 K stretches as well.
The major towns are Maitland, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Scone and Murrarundi.
Scone is the halfway point in distance, so take a break around that time.
The last town is Murrurundi
and just after this you climb up a steep hill
and come out the top of the Hunter Valley onto the tablelands. Sixth and Seventh Hours: Past the Hunter Valley,
it's less than 100 Km to Tamworth.
Look out for speed cameras in the townships
but it's pleasantly well under two hours.
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Soon:
Tickets
Read
Programme
Cap News and Country Update
Play your CDs and DVDs
Surf the net
CMC
Go to local Gigs
Ignore your friends
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