Forums > Events, Performances and Gatherings > Going to Burning Man from UK?

Posted: 1st Jan 2003
hrm, well, i'm from the usa as well, but i'm also fully charged to attend this year, as it will be the first time that classes will allow me to go. which brings up a point of conversation: should there be a HOP meeting place? i haven't been posting on here long, but i'd already like to meet some of the people on here, and im sure that by the time august rolls around there will be even more people on here that i call friend.

smoochies,
-Rhys

--> I'm just a wave acting out in my own particular way <--

Posted: 6th Jan 2003
Jephyre, Mr. Coffee,

trintek from San Antonio, Texas & i from Laguna, California are planning to go this year, and very much hoping to join HoP members in a gathering.

pozee (San Diego, California) had a ticket last round but couldn't make it. not clear if AardvarkOnAcid (San Francisco Bay, California) made it for the first time.

here's who seems to have gone last year in 2002:

master sodium (Carson City, Nevada), Benstickin (Elko Nevada) & girlfriend were to be married there, Maximus (Green Fairy Bar Camp, Ventura, California), Nokomis (Earth Guardians, Sacramento, California), Weazal (Cupertino, California), SybariteFury (Salem, Oregon), melissa (Bellingham, Washington), hannahleeloo (Eclectic Playa Tribe, Seattle, (Washington) Ignis Devoco (Flight 2 Mars camp, Seattle, Washington, troupe & students), Fire Knight (Vancouver, Washington), SickpuPpy (Death Guild, Denver, Colorado), arashi (Austin, Texas), vanize (Houston, Texas), Goddess_Of_Pyre (Michigan), Nyx (Connecticut), Nomad (Boston, Massachusetts), Le Skunk (New York City), & Sage.

at least planning to go last year or earlier:

Fire Punk (2001, Reno, Nevada), Tails (Tahoe City, California?), Tracered (Salem, Oregon), glowshow (Charlotte, North Carolina), The Welcome Matt (Manchester, New Hampshire), Wikkaman (From: The Birthplace of BlackSabbath). Amazon (Toronto, Canada) posted that city's decompression party notice this year. Shibaki (Tampa, Florida) hoped to go in 2002.

veterans:

Missy (Phoenix, Arizona), the streaking wombat (Los Angeles, California), apparently Sinthia (Los Angeles, California), spenkovich (imagenode Camp, name Lou, formerly Santa Barbara, now maybe Los Angeles if he's Saturnalia's Lou, California, spenkovich@hotmail.com), kmactane (San Francisco, California) seems to be a vet, dragonfleye_22 (Santa Rosa, California), Comet (Portland, Oregon) has been in the Conclave, Poly Beaver (PolyDomes Camp, Seattle, Washington, polybeaver@yahoo.com), Twist (Hohm Camp 2001, Seattle, Washington?), space cadet (slightly knows Death Guild members, Minneapolis, Minnesota), MikeGinny, (Ann Arbor, Michigan), says he's gone a couple times or more but may skip 2003 for 2004 instead, pj (2001, Baltimore, Maryland), [Josh] (2001, Adelaide, Australia), edlo (2000, 2001, Baker Beach, San Francisco area, California), Diana the Huntress (Sacred Love Womb Garden Camp), oingoboogie (1999, 2000, 2001, name trinity, oingoboogie@aol.com), J-Love~ (2001 & earlier, safety goddess at Wiggledome). nasu (Chicago, Illinois) & Pele (New York state) may be vets.

Specifically English & western isles folk:

[garbo] (Bristol / London / Norwich, England seems to be a vet. Jo (Leeds/Sheffield, England) had bought a ticket for 2002. robudda (Bristol, England) & the beard (London, England) were planning to go for the first time in 2002. TheBovrilMonkey (High Wycombe, England ) wants to go in 2003. BECKY E (Nottingham, England) were hoping to go in 2001.

hope to hear they'll join us too!

would love to hear of English & western isles folk who have been to Burning Man, knowing that if we don't get fresh responses to this thread, there are archival ones to search for veteran notes on going to previous years.

in fact, would love to hear of all HoPers who are planning to go this year.

Jo posted, "Interested in getting involved in the Fire Conclave? Contact Crimson Rose at

crimson@burningman.com, or write to:

Crimson Rose
PO Box 884688
San Francisco, CA 94188 - 4688"

Fire Conclave has its own local events around the world, requires auditions or video if you're not near an audition site, performance before Crimson Rose during her "show me" tours as Maximus notes, demonstrating both quality and safety, & likely some work at Burning Man including rehearsals.

while i have much to learn about the experience, its preparation, and processes my self,

perhaps some of us Americans, especially those closer to the playa, might be able to help you in, in some small ways, at this end? besides your getting help from compatriots about flights & advice for people from your homeland.

molten cheers,

~ FireMike

FireMikeZ@yahoo.com (personal messages welcome, no promo spam, please!)
Laguna, California, US

Posted: 6th Jan 2003
Hey Jephyre,

Yeah, I went the last 2 years, and will go this year too if I can find the money.

You should fly to Reno or Sacramento (closest airports I think) but if you're on a budget it will be about 100 pounds cheaper to fly to LA or San Fran (San Fran would be better than LA because more people will be going from there to the 'Man)

To get a lift, there is a page on the website dedicated to hooking people up with rides. There is also a 'BM hostel' in Reno where we picked some peeps up from last year. You can crash there free for a night or 2 or 3 or whatever and people pick you up en-route.

If that fails then draw a stickman on a piece of card and hold it up anywhere in California on the first day of the 'man - you'll get picked up in no time flat.

as for stories... there's too many to write about - I'ld have to write a book to fit them all in. That place is a lot of fun.

Jo.

actually, here's a story. 4 friends I made at BM2001 are over here doing the UK and Europe thing with me as I type. I've already stayed with them in the 'States. I think we'll probably be friends for life...

Educate yourself in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!

Posted: 6th Jan 2003
Hey gang.

So 2002, I descended upon the Playa for the first time. Vanize is a dear dear friend, and he and I camped with our troupe of crazy friends, the DFT's.

As for what to bring, how to prepare? Try and be as self reliant out there as you can be when it comes to food and water. It's a great event, but getting dehydrated is no good!

Take a look at the survivor's guide on the BM web site. They go overboard on some things, but it is a good overview of what you should and shouldn't plan on bringing.

I won't be in attendance this year, because I've committed to going up to Toronto to meet up with some friends at TorCon. These folks are non-spinners and are eager to see me spin in person. One of them is a guest at TorCon, and has suggested to the entertainment folks that they include me. I dunno...we'll see.

I digress. Vanize gave me a great deal of advice on Burningman...and much of it came from the survival page.

The one quote to keep in mind if you've never been? (This is only my opinion, mind you...)

"People go to Burning Man looking for what they want. Burning Man rarely gives you what you want, but will always give you what you need."

It is an overwhelming, mind altering experience. Have Fun. Stay hydrated.

Burn On.

SpitFire

Solitude sometimes speaks to you, and you should listen.

Posted: 13th Jan 2003
Thanks for all the advice so far. It looks like I will almost certainly be able to afford to go, after juggling a few of my plans around! Thanks very much for searching through for the list of people that have attended / are planning to attend FireMike, I'll try to get in contact with a few of them.
If anyone could help out, that would be great. As it stands, I think my plan is to fly out to San Francisco (following Jo's suggestion) and try to get a lift from there, and possibly stay the week after, as I was only in town for a couple of days the last time I was there, but really liked the place.
As for a HoP meet up, sounds good! If nothing else, it'll give me a few more faces to recognise (hopefully) at the international gathering 2004!

J

If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.

Posted: 15th Jan 2003
Hey Jephyre - in fact anyone that is going this year....

Most of my tips etc have already been mentioned either on the BM site or here, bar one:

At BM2002 the Cops were on a major fund raising drive. Ie. be VERY careful.

I'm talking about drugs of course. If someone asks you to swap or sell or whatever you'ld normally be confident at being able to tell if they were a cop, but one of my friends got busted last year. This is how:

If the cops bust someone with a decent quantity they will offer the kid two choices: go straight to Reno jail, court and, in all likelyhood, prison. Or help them to bust some more people (=more money for them) and they're off the hook.

My friend got busted for giving a teenage raver a pinch of shrooms (for free!). 10 minutes afterwards he got grabbed and bundled into a cop car where he was shown the kid's witness statement and given a ticket ($250 I think).

On top of this, I noticed several out-of-place-looking people wandering around camps, peering into open tents and RVs. One guy (looking like a tourist - camera round neck etc) came up to our open RV door. He said he was looking for 'john'. Bolocks.

I know quite a few people got $50 tickets for peeing on the playa too (!)

So, be wild but keep an eye out for old Bill at all times - it would suck to be deported before the burn...

Jo.

Educate yourself in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!

Posted: 21st Jan 2003
Hey Jephyre,

Just came on to post a "burning man uk" thing myself and whatta ya know.

I am in the same boat as you, heading there this year so if you wanted a uk buddy to go with (not wanting to put too dodgy a phrase on it) I am not so hot on the idea of going on my own myself. It just makes the journey boring. So let me know if you are going to any other events this year and we'll see what we can sort out. Same for anyone else I guess the more the merrier.

Posted: 21st Jan 2003
Kamae, sounds good! I've been a bit unsure about going on my own, so company would be great!
E-mail me sometime and we can try to sort something out (flamingjames@fastmail.fm , if my profile thing isn't set right)

J

If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.

Posted: 14th Feb 2003
Bumpity-bump.
I've just ordered my ticket! Now only 6 months of the mind numbing torture that I call work to endure before the event!

J

If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.