Do you want a better way to avoid the mud, leaking tents, mosquitoes, the sizzling sun, dust storms, that random stoned guy or unbearably opinionated hipsters when tackling Splendour In The Grass?

Well, you can do a whole lot worst than hiring a Hippie Camper from Apollo. Unfortunately, you still need to sit (literally) through the car queue — unless Apollo have designed a flying campervan by this time next year, and if so, we’ve already shouted “shotgun” .

This year, Scene was entrusted with Betty, a two-berth campervan stocked with a super comfy mattress, curtains for those more discreet moments (yes, it is a two-berth), a couple of pimpin’ deckchairs (cup holder included!!), sleeping bags, blankets, more cutlery and kitchen utensils  than some West End restaurants, water basin, frudge (we had a Kiwi snapping the photos, guys), an awning (more on that later) and enough battery life to power a small city (but not a car stereo or interior light when left on over night — thanks Garry! And super thanks to the Splendour crew who brought the battery back to life on Monday morning) for a weekend.

Picking up the Camper from the northside, the super friendly staff at Apollo had us on the road in no time and we were headed south at a nice click. Aside from a little sideways movement from crosswinds, Betty drove like a dream for this first-time van operator. Though by the end of the weekend, the biceps had grown measurably. But that’s a nice side-effect, innit.

Once we had encountered the slog that was the delays entering Splendour — and guys, c’mon, why so much whining? Seriously, what’d you expect with 15,000 people descending on the place, the majority on Friday? #SimpleMathKids — our trusty Betty skillfully navigated the mud with aplomb. Except for the time when we needed 20 festival newbies and 1 disgruntled South African to latch onto the back of the Camper for the appropriate weight to dislodge the wheels from the North Byron gunk. Thanks guys.
Across all three nights I slept like a log — the first time I’d encountered such a feat at Splendour, this my 11th campaign (yes, I’m old) — with six/ seven hours of solid shut-eye leaving me refreshed for the following days activities/ antics. Well played, Betty.

Another solid element to the Camper was the inclusion of an awning — this provided no shortage of relief from the sun, particularly in the morning while enjoying the fruits of the beforementioned shut-eye. It was also a handy addition when the rains did finally arrive late Sunday. While others resorted to jet skis to handle the conditions, I was left entertaining my mates in the dry, but minus that interior light!

So after a four-day epic adventure to Splendour In The Grass and copious amounts of dancing and more mud than a national tractor-pull championship, the Hippie Camper pulled her weight, allowing The Matchstick and friends a superb weekend away that doesn’t have to be replicated at Splendour, but does provide the best camping moments you could hope to encounter!

For more information about Hippie Campers and Apollo head to hippiecamper.com/holiday