That smell

[JovReef]

Last year I was told that the playa had a certian smell. Not the porta potties or BO, but the playa it's self. For the life of me I could not comprehend it ... then we opened the windows while waiting in the mass entry line and it hit me.

I brought a bag of playa dust home with me but it does not smell like it ... anyone else miss the smell?
I know, I'm strange and this is totally random

[Savannah]

Oh yes, the playa dust haz a flavour.

And a good many of us miss it.

[illy dilly]

O yeah, we all miss it!
And welcome to eplaya!


I find that I smell it more if I take a piece of fabric that has playa in it, and 'snap' it or shake it out.
If you have any clothes or jackets that you didn't wash, shake'em out! Then you get that ever so pleasantly faint playa smell.

[Rice]

Every month I go through my Burning Man bins just to experience that smell.

It is ok, we understand

[trilobyte]

Moving this over to the 'Experiences at Burning Man' board, since that's a better fit.

The smell of the playa can't be contained in a whiff - you've got to open that bag wide and spread it all through the house!

[fritz]

I am lucky enough to still be able to enjoy the smell when I turn on my car's AC.

[JovReef]

I will have to search for something unwashed from last year.

Does sneezing into the bag and making a mess count? Or do I need to dump the whole bag? haha. I'll do it ... then I'm blaming you.

[Eric]

I am lucky enough to still be able to enjoy the smell when I turn on my car's AC.

I love to go for rides with a friend because his car has the same "problem". His vents (hell, the whole interior) are still coated in playa from last year. I forgive him for being untidy since I don't have to ride in it all the time & it feels good to be surrounded by the dust...

[BBadger]

I smell it every time I use my camping tent... or bag... or backpack... or anything else that I've brought. You literally cannot wash that shit out without soaking everything in vinegar.

What really reminds me of BM is the smell of burning wood and kerosene though.

[Jackass]

I am lucky enough to still be able to enjoy the smell when I turn on my car's AC.

Me too, one of the many advantages of driving your own vehicle to the playa.

[RedHeaven]

It smells best all fresh in abundance on playa, mixed with kerosene, burning wood, gas, spray sunblock, vanilla amber oil, bacon....

Nobody told me there was a smell before I went. On the 3rd day of my first burn, I whiffed around. What is it? Cig butts mixed with sunblock mixed with the amber vanilla oil? No, its more peculiar than that....

I then realized what it was and suddenly felt really immersed in Burning Man Playa Land....kinda for life

A bag or jar of it seems to retain the smell a bit more than dusted tents or clothes. It kind of turns into a chalky smell off playa. Car air vents retain it fairly well...mmmm caaarrr venttssss
But theres nothing like fresh on playa playa.....Ancient fish poop mmmm

[Lonesomebri]

The dust is like a contagion, in more ways than one.
Once it makes it into the house/car/lungs it never comes out.

[junglesmacks]

The dust is like a contagion, in more ways than one.
Once it makes it into the house/car/lungs/soul it never comes out.

[Simon of the Playa]

mmmmmm, playa.....

[RedHeaven]

Meow!!

[Drawingablank]

I brought a bag of playa dust home with me but it does not smell like it ... anyone else miss the smell?

Try wetting the dust with some water - it brings out more of the playa smell.

I find that my playa coat retained the playa smell best of all my gear, however my tent does a bit as well even after a thorough washing with vinegar then water.

[pink]

I used my sleeping ban for the first time since last year's burn a month ago and fell asleep to the playa smell every night. Happy smell, even if the dust leftover in the van sparked my allergies.