@ Witchfinder:
Well, as far as the trip to Wacken is concerned, flying is a must! I flew from Milan into Hamburg and it worked out perfect. I'm 32 and when I lived in Rome I used to take buses and trains to concerts and festivals back in the '80s and early '90s (not many bands came to Rome back then because not many venues are available). I just can't do it anymore! Besides, if you book in advance, say around may/june, I'm sure you can get good deals/fares. I flew back early Sunday morning and was in bed at home by 11AM! Slept all through Sunday, it was great...
I'm going to Wacken 2003 only if good bands are on the bill. I went to Wacken 2002 mainly for the reunion shows (Heathen, Nuclear Assault, Candlemass, Warlord), plus another bunch of bands I like (Exodus obviously, Cannibal Corpse, Immortal, Unleashed, Dornenreich, Kreator, Destruction, Children of Bodom). I doubt next year will be as good, but I'm hoping! If they manage to bill at least 8/9 bands I'm really into then I'll go! Unfortunately Stratovarius isn't one of them...
I doubt any black metal bands will be billed, unfortunately... Believe me, Darkthrone will never play at a festival like Wacken. Extreme black metal bands hate these kinds of metal festivals. Only semi-black metal bands (such as Immortal) would play an open air. I mean semi-BM because Immortal have become much more mainstream than they were before, still succeding in making great albums.
Having said that, I would love to see bands like Marduk and Dark Funeral, for example, at Wacken. If you add a couple of good death metal bands, like Deicide and Morbid Angel, I'm ready to go!