I’ve never wanted to be there before, when I saw the alien- like photos, but that year (2018), I suddenly for myself and my husband realised that I had to fly there and see everything with my own eyes! «My wife is queea fish», my husband said sheerfully, when this crazy idea dawned on me))) For almost a month, the intrigue remained whether I would get there or not, all the tickets were sold out. All 70 thousand)) Each cost as an the average Russian monthly salary))) Although not, some of them cost much more))
Not everyone can visit the festival - the tickets’ number is limited by the state’s government up to 70 000 people. By pre-registration, 3 times a year, tickets are sold out within a few minutes as a lottery - imagine the hype! I managed to miss all the sales))) I began searching for tickets, being refused……. I registered in communities of all continents and telegram chats. I was unbearably sad that the most beautiful freaks in the most surreal place would gather this year without me. Then I imagined it so))
I was grieving and almost despaired, but 30 hours before the festival had started I managed to get a ticket !!! Well, how i got it? An unknown girl in the chat exitedly promised me to leave the ticket on the gate on the other side of the Earth and disappeared on the event with no connection at all. I could not specify or ask and all I could do was to send her a photo of my passport, for her to understand my first and last name correctly. For the parole of owners of the unknown person, I grabbed avia-tickets, sewed my costume at sleepless night, took my craziest hat being bought accidentally before, packed and flew to other end of the Earth. I also found the company practically immediately. So, it was a real luck)))
It was my first "Burn" and I was sure that I was going to an art festival, with interesting people in unusual beautiful costumes, partying among incredible installations. So, the main thing, to my mind, was - to take impressive outfit! And even a few)) BUT in the desert, where the heat was +40 during the day and +5 at night I had to have a number of unexpected items for my suits: a first aid kit, a ski mask, thermal underwear, a feather jacket, sealed protection for photo equipment, respirators and a mug with a stuck copy ID. But personally for me all of these items weren’t useful at all. What were really useful: anti-tanning cream with maximum protection, wet wipes, a bright headlamp, a sleeping bag, a wig, a warm jacket and a bicycle)))))) But the most important thing wasn’t, I will tell about it later. Firstly I was sure that if I got to the fest I would stay there for 2 days maximum (out of 8 possible). When I saw this list, I decided that if I got to the fest, it would be for 2 days a maximum out of 8 possible.
For me, 2 days were maximum that I could spend in extremal conditions of living, while it was a minimum, because what is the use of flying 10.5 thousand km then. All my acquaintances Burners convinced me that it was better not to go for 2 days at all. I really could imagined everything badly. I honestly had no understanding of everyday details of the trip, despite of lots of information, half of which souned like evidence of survivors. I closed my eyes and agreed for 5 days.
Flight Moscow - Los Angeles - Reno. Most of the burners begin their journey to the fest from this small American casino city, which is 40 km from a famous Lake Tahoe and 70 km from the desert. Anyone who goes to Burn and who really cant wait to start expressing himself, can be easily recognized at the luggage belt))) Moreover, I began to recognize burners already in LA))) I immediately got the feeling that I had come to very sincere and familiar place)))) I read earlier that in Reno, Burners had a good wash before start to the desert, rent RVs (home on wheels), store food, everything they need, and move forward to the Black Rock desert. At the Reno airport, I was met by guys who had already done the most part of preparations (I materially compensated for not mine taking part) and settled in the desert in advance. Finally, getting used to the expected "hardcore", I washed my hair under the tap at the airport, carefully combed for the last time and we started)))
The ticket was really waiting for me))) I was so happy! I heard “Welcome home” and was given a thick book with a list of events. With a smile from ear to ear, I went to find our car, going throught either mornings’ mist or dust. The car was slightly stuck in the entrance queue. I was thinking about the way to find the girl to return her big many for this lucky ticket. Everithing I knew was only her name and name of the camp, she stayed at. We came into the festival on Wednesday morning, 29th of August at dawn. There was a sea of RV, camps, tents - a whole utopian city, which area was 11,000 square meters with a radial halth circle lay out, which happened to be the festival’s logo.
While we were going to the place of our location, I knew from that thick book that I had come NOT to the festival, but to EVENT - this is fundamental. I was also reminded that was a mass gathering, a global movement, which was based on 10 principles and which tasks didn’t include the entertaining of public. There also were no hired musicians and artists. That was a temporary city in desert in which nothing could be bought, which has no sponsors and which had almost no connection with an outside world. They don’t litter and really save water. Everyone takes care of himself and takes responsibilities of all risks connected with injuries and even death (as a result of interactions with installations, art-cars, difficult desert’s conditions). In short, nobody owes anything to anybody. «Entertain yourself as you can, entertain others, give and accept gifts» can be the motto of the ivent. Being a spectator is unacceptable. I’ve read that the main Burning Man’s value is people, and I am invited to make Burning Man the way I want. "Enjoy!"
And it was so)) I will definitely describe everything that amazed me, "turn my mind upside down" and gave me coolest working inspiration (colleagues, this is a musthave!!!). Simply have no enough time to write a big story straight away, that is why I will lay out in parts. It was the 1st part – BEGGINNING
P.S. All photos are without filters)