Words of Wisdom from a UK burner

[kc1980]

Hello All

Last year I experienced my first burn. Tickets were purchased back in January, and then for the next 9 months my whole life was taken over with BM - booking RVs, flights, trying to join camps, reading survial guides, shopping for appropriate clothing and generally just getting really excitied - but at the same time completely terrified.

So I just thought I'd share a few pearls of wisdoms i wish someone would have told me...

Firstly, DO NOT WORRY! I thought it would be pretty intense spending a week in the desert, but i found it a walk in the park! Im not saying rock up and you'll be fine - but take simple steps and you will be (ie READ THE SURVIVAL GUIDE)

Its not that hot! I thought i'd be constantly hot - but actually the desert is only ridiculous for a couple of hours near mid day - when everyone finds some shade. I honestly thought i'd end up having to shave my hair all off just to cope.

This tip is more for the UK virgins out there - dont be embarressed to take gifts off people. At first i felt funny taking a drinks off people - esp if i hadnt bought anything out with me to gift. But thats not what its really about. People take pleasure out of gifting, if you feel like gifting back, then do so, but at the same time if you dont, then you dont have to.

Go for as long as you can - it takes about 2 days for you to get use to the place, and then the time just flies by.

Dont worry about not joining a camp - infact i would advise you not to. THere were three of us in a camper van, we parked up next to a guy on his own, the next day a group of about 7 had joined us. We all hung out together, cooked and drank together - it was kind of like an organic camp!

And finally, we left the Burn on the Sunday morning - about 8am. We were not caught in any traffic whatsoever!

Good luck, im very jealous!

xxx

[jkisha]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

[trilobyte]

Giving this a nudge over to the Q&A boards.

[Canoe]

...
Last year I experienced my first burn... Firstly, DO NOT WORRY! I thought it would be pretty intense spending a week in the desert, but i found it a walk in the park! ... Its not that hot! I thought i'd be constantly hot - but actually the desert is only ridiculous for a couple of hours near mid day - when everyone finds some shade. I honestly thought i'd end up having to shave my hair all off just to cope...

You lucky wuss - you had a great year! Not too hot in the day, comfortable at night - "a walk in the park". According to many, weather wise 2011 was the best year ever.

But (and it's a big but), some years, your "ridiculous" temperatures are the cooler day temps when people head out around the playa. Within a 24 hour period, I've experienced a swing from 5C overnight to a 35C day. When it's 5C at night for a few nights (or even 3C), you learn that the foil-sided bubble-wrap you got to shield your tent or RV makes a workable blanket or mini-shelter within your shelter so you don't freeze your assets off. And it has regularly been 35C and even hotter. Read about some of the other years: baking hot, rain, heavy wind, near freezing cold, even snow! If they're dancing in the streets in the middle of the night when the snow comes down, they're either Canadian or crazy, if you regard there's a difference.

Glad you had a great first burn, but don't mistakenly mislead people on what to be prepared for based on one easy year.

Self-reliance. Be prepared. Read the Guide. Know how to look after yourself in the heat - before you get there and get in trouble. There's no need to lose/waste your burn time by getting Playa-Condition, let alone heat-stroke.

You never know what the next year brings...

[graidawg]

Hi all, I too went on my first Burn last year after months a planning, I however joined a theme camp (Barbie death camp) and would happily reccomend joining a theme camp - people come to you and that way you get to meet more people. Weather? yea it got hot and it got cold but as people say it was a damn good year, this year may be different I found i got a little cold at night (especially when i woke up needing a piss) so I shall be wearing a cloak at night, so when i get up needing a piss i can wrap it around me
As for the dust mask/ goggles thing I barely needed them and really hope for a proper dust storm this year to justify that investment.

my advice? ignore last years videos and look back to 2009 or earlier its been a couple of good years from reading this board and we cannot relly on that, If you do plan to have a camper van put shade over it and dont drink alcohol during the day it may well spoil your evening. or do

have fun and see you in the dust remember - the man burns on saturday but the temple burns sunday.

[Bob]

I recommend some Small Faces in your mixtapes.

[Canoe]

More comments on mild vs. usual years. viewtopic.php?f=277&t=55435

[SnowBlind]

Firstly, DO NOT WORRY! I thought it would be pretty intense spending a week in the desert, but i found it a walk in the park! Im not saying rock up and you'll be fine - but take simple steps and you will be (ie READ THE SURVIVAL GUIDE)

Its not that hot! I thought i'd be constantly hot - but actually the desert is only ridiculous for a couple of hours near mid day - when everyone finds some shade. I honestly thought i'd end up having to shave my hair all off just to cope.

As others have pointed out, last year was way above average. The weather can get miserable (in both directions of the thermometer). That said, yes, it's definitely survivable if you prepare.

As far as the temperature goes, the playa is at just over 4000 feet altitude (or ~1300 meters, if you're so inclined), which helps with the temperature. Vegas, for example, is way hotter, and stays hot at night.

This tip is more for the UK virgins out there - dont be embarressed to take gifts off people. At first i felt funny taking a drinks off people - esp if i hadnt bought anything out with me to gift. But thats not what its really about. People take pleasure out of gifting, if you feel like gifting back, then do so, but at the same time if you dont, then you dont have to.

That's spot on. If you feel like you have to return a gift for a gift, then it's bartering and not gifting.

And finally, we left the Burn on the Sunday morning - about 8am. We were not caught in any traffic whatsoever!

Last year way more people stayed till monday than usual. Whether that was because there were more virgins, or because the weather was so great, I don't know. But traffic on Sunday was relatively light (not just at 8am, but all day). On Monday it was correspondingly horrible, probably the longest wait times we've ever had during exodus. Unfortunately, these things tend to change from year to year, so a time that works great one year might suck next year.