Burning Man is known for being synonymous with acid, nudists and hippies. However, it is so much more than that. The festival is located in Black Rock City, Nevada about 3.5 hours outside of Reno and for 7 days the desert turns into a haven for some of the most unique and generous people from around the world.
The price to attend all depends on your own skills to survive. After your ticket has been purchased, which will run from $190 to $380, and you arrive there is nothing that can be purchased EXCEPT for ice, which will cost about $5.00 a bag. Food, drinks, and services are all rendered on a barter system. I call this more of a “I am giving you this because I love everyone” system as I did not have anything to barter but was still fed and offered endless drinks. Veteran”Burners” set up camps and provide people with food, drinks, hair and body washing services. For example, every morning I went to the cereal camp where I ate endless bowls of Captain Crunch, did this come with a price at all? Well, the cereal camp was run by middle aged nudists who so kindly served your breakfast – so you decide if sugary goodness is worth that view every morning.
The culture of Burning Man is hard to explain as this festival is unlike any festival in the world. People of all ages come here; there are 80 year old nudists, people with their children and the 20-35 year old burners ready to party. Burning Man can be the biggest party you have ever been to or the most spiritual awakening you could imagine. Burning Man is whatever you make it. 7 days in the desert may seem like a long time, but when those 7 days were over I felt I could have stayed another month. It is impossible to see everything and getting over that was tough but in the end I feel like I accomplished what I came there to accomplish. I went to experience a huge party but also to open my eyes and let love into my heart. That may seem cheesy but after a powerful Reiki session and a trip to the sacred Temple I felt I truly had a spiritual moment.
The art and the beauty of the people that attend Burning Man is what attracts so many people every year. The philosophy for Burning Man is that everyone comes and doesn’t leave a trace behind. A lot of mechanics are brought into play before your camp arrives, since you can’t leave behind water or trash. It is best to have a U-haul to take waste out of the desert and into a dumpster either located outside, where there will be a charge, or if you live in driving distance, back to your dumpster.
There is nothing like this festival and I highly recommend for anyone that can handle the desert for 7 days to attend. Burning Man is not for the faint of heart but if you can handle it, you will learn that there are some things money can’t buy.
PostaThing says
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