Get your money sorted before hand, even if you get paid per week it's best for your own peace of mind to know your stuff is sorted back home. A little organisation now will stop you worrying about it and spoiling the tour.
Also, pack less that you think you'll need if you have to lug it around with you. And by a travel mug for tea - then even the earliest of mornings are okay cos you've got a cuppa with you! Saved me many a time!
My aunt, who had travelled the world over many years, gave me the following advice about packing (wish I had paid more attention): "Halve your clothes and double your money".
Take some warm socks, stout shoes, a big scarf and a hat for the van if you're touring in the winter.
Thanks very much for your advice!I'll be staying in hotels and flying everywhere which is nice! But I was thinking to take ALL my clothes but your right im better taking small amounts of clothes-besides where would i wash them lol :)
Don't be the one who is so slow with the get-out or who chats to mates for so long that it means you miss the pub. Make sure that the lovely, long-suffering driver doesn't have to buy her own soft drink and crisps while you guzzle your pint (that wasn't me, I was one those guzzling a pint).
Sometimes you get really nice tea and cakes at village halls. Sometimes people fall asleep (not normally the cast, though I expect it's been known). Occasionally someone seems to think the play is actually panto and that they're supposed to join in the action. Sometimes you curse the designer because some of the set is REALLY heavy and linen is a bugger to iron...
Try to eat healthily even it feels a bit cranky, because on a long tour you can consume an awful lot of rubbish.
Halve your clothes.. you never need as many as you think!
Make sure you stock up on Barocca and sandersons speific (an excellent product that you gargle with to preserve your voice and brings back lost voices to!nb tastes like arse!)
Just remember that if you do not get along with everyone, breathe and take a break. Everyone is in very closed quarters and no doubt at some point someone is going to get on your charlies but just take a moment to yourself and remember people need their own space.
Oh and a box of wine is cheaper than going to the pub and you can have a nice evening in with your cast :)
Audio books...it's not for everyone obviously and it has to be okay with the driver and other passengers but if so they are a great way of spending long hours in the van.
We went through the first three Harry Potter books read by our lovely Stephen Fry and it was a blast and makes a change to the radio or ipod! Actually, you can download ones onto the ipod too...
That's interesting Beccs - I've never tasted arse before, I may just have to buy some Sanderson's so I get an idea!
;op))
Seriously, pull your weight (not you Beccs!) when it comes to get ins and outs (if you're involved). Pack a scented travel candle or something else that smells pleasant (some hotel rooms leave a little to be desired in the aroma department). Take a wonderfull smelling bath oil or bubble bath - relaxing in a hot bath at the end of the day can do wonders for helping you to sleep in a new place (lavender is particularly good for helping with this).
Have some good travel games to play in the tour bus - helps pass the time and build relationships (or destroy them completely if you get someone too competitive!). On one tour I did, one wonderful actor had a quiz all worked out, which he deliberately made last for the whole 3 months - we had a ball taking part, and he was amazing in that he played to everyone's strengths.
If you can't work out (by the end of day one) who the bad egg is......................................................................................................................
IT'S YOU!
Take a camera!! I did a hideous tour of Italy 4 years ago. The people I toured with were great and we're still friends now but we had some very funny (when I look back now but hideous at the time) stories! In one particular incident we were driving to our next venue in Padua (it actually turned out to be 16km outside Padua but by this stage we didn't care). The cast travelled in one car and all the set and our luggage was travelling in a different van with the Director. We arrived at our hotel to find that the reception didn't open for another 3 hours...and it was tipping it down with rain. Eventually we managed to get into our rooms (I use the term lightly!) but it was another 4 hours until our director and luggage turned up. Turns out he had an urgent business meeting with his 'marketing manager' (who happened to be a leggy brunette called Elena)...on another occasion our director locked us in a theatre when he went off for lunch for 2 hours! Anyway, most of the tour was like this...we ended up inventing alter-egos just to get through it. I wish now that I had filmed some of it...it was hilarious!!
Flirt with hotel staff/travelodge staff for extra bedding, tea bags, milks etc
With the bedding it made so much difference if you had to share and when I was hungry I would kindly ask the night time travelodge staff if I could possible have some spare butter or milk (even though you should only get it if you pay extra for the breakfast) and then in the morning I had milk for my portable tea and butter for my shop bought croissants - courtesy of Travelodge! :O)
On a more serious note - try and eat as healthly as you possibly can - cereal and dried fruit and nuts are a good for touring because they are reasonably good for you and don't go off very quickly...
Never been on tour and am probably to old to start, but a friend of mine was a "driver" and his big bug bear was that when he was picking people up they were NEVER on time!!! That is soooo rude, other people are waiting and it is a "Team" event. His words not mine, but I can understand his frustration!!
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