ePlaya

Hey guys, I'm an Aussie girl from Cairns, Queensland.

I'm a hopeful first time burner with a ticket and a dream and no friends.
I would absolutely love to know if anyone would consider having me for their Burning Man 2014 troupe!!
I live in Australia and I haven't booked flights yet so I am very flexible with time and place.
I'm 22, female, easy going, passionate and easy to get along with. I promised myself I'd make it to burning man no matter what, but we all need a little help sometimes. None of my friends seemed interested enough to make a commitment to actually come with me, so I bought a ticket anyway.

I'm interested in finding some nice dudes to share an RV with? ...Well, I'm leaning towards the RV because it's my first time an I'm a lil bit nervous... haven't really looked into any Theme Camps but I'd like to meet like a decent group of people and hopefully stick with them for most of the time I suppose, themed or not. Okay to be honest I have no idea how this works and I'm shitting myself.

Anyway Please check out my profile, it doesn't really tell you much about me... so if you're interested please don't hesitate to ask!!! you can stalk me on Facebook a little bit if you fancy, but please message me before sending me a friend request

let me know!
thanks,
Jemma

Hi I thought you deserved a reply! I can offer no knowledge though as I'm in the same situation as you with a ticket but not much of a plan haha but I'm 100% sure it will all be fine and dandy
Liking the VW I hope it's yours?

I'm planning on camping btw to save on cash as RV's are pricey like.
Duncan:)

Welcome to ePlaya, and welcome in advance to the event. ePlaya can be very snarky, don't take it personally.

Burners all around the world are a friendly bunch, but it is easier to connect with people in person, especially with common interests, and don't discount all the Internet video chat options as in person.

Did you know there is an Australian regional group with their own events and online community? You can find them by http://regionals.burningman.com/. I know getting around the distances of Oz can be expensive, but there are many Australians who participate in Burningman, maybe there is an opportunity to meet them beforehand?

Good thinking on a camp or a village to join, especially one with common interests. It gives a built-in community of people to venture out with when that is what you feel like and a new group of friends to relate your experiences to. On the other hand, RV's are big and usually require prior arrangement with the camp. I've tented but I had most of the gear from other outdoor experiences.

There are joining a camp threads. Also many threads on international visitor logistics. RV threads. Best with your experience!

Hey there. I'm mike. I'm renting a campervan in LA, it's already booked and paid for and I'm driving to burning man. I'm meeting my friend and his gf there and we are all going to hang together. He is Aussie, she is american. I have a 2 person tent that comes with my camper too just incase I wanted to get amongst it. Let me know if you need a hand with anything or a ride to burning man. I'm picking up my camper on the 23rd right near LAX. I'm travelling from Sydney for my first burning man experience.

Mike

Do a search on the board for rv advise. Use "house rules rv" as a search term--that's a lovely thread. You should know that rvs are not always the oases of peace and calm in a busy event. Sometimes they are points of contention in massive dramas. Watch out for that.

Welcome.
I'd suggest you contact Barbie Death Camp. Several members are here, and they are stellar, and great with Burngins.

You should be careful, a cute girl like you, no friends at the burn. There can be some real creeps there. That is why I suggest you contact me. I have a nice little tent that I'm sure would work out just fine for both of us....

Keep on your toes, reach out like you are doing, try to "bring it," having a great spirit for adventure, humility, participation and whatnot will get you thru. RVs are for weaklings, unless by some miracle someone offers me space in one. Anyway, put on your suit of asbestos and enjoy the ride. It really is more about your attitude than any RV or contacts going in. Best of luck!!! Burn something for me.

Oh yeah, RVs.... there is unlimited amount of dust on the hot playa, there is a limited amount of water in a holding tank. I'd love to hear the gangs conversation while someone takes their 3rd 15 minute shower of the day. As with setting up equipment in advance, RVers for prep might want to rent a studio apartment and have 6 people share it for a week to get a taste.

Lonesomebri wrote: As with setting up equipment in advance, RVers for prep might want to rent a studio apartment and have 6 people share it for a week to get a taste.

Brilliant idea!

I shared an RV with 5 other Aussies last year, when there's that many of you and you're all coming from so far away it can almost be worth it just for the transport, storage space and the freezer. We barely used the toilet on playa and didn't use the shower at all. Four of us slept in there, one slept in a tent and I gave up on the RV on Tuesday night and slept on a couch in our camp's dome. My advice is not to bother, I think it cost us about $700 each plus fuel last year. I'll miss the freezer and the toilet but you're better off investing in a good tent and esky you can store somewhere in the US for next year.

Jovankat wrote:... My advice is not to bother, I think it cost us about $700 each plus fuel last year. I'll miss the freezer and the toilet but you're better off investing in a good tent and esky you can store somewhere in the US for next year.

So... ah... Jovankat, judging you by your avatar, are you human? 'Cause I got a pretty big tent.....

Yeah, I figured that with alot of the compromises from renting and sharing, the advantages of going in an RV start to diminish. Trying to keep dust out to regain the deposit, policing others to do the same (total drag), rationing propane, water, showers, toilet flushes, etc., the fuel cost, the outrageous cost per mile most places charge, the tendency to sleep in a separate tent anyway, and spend most of the time away from camp never to return. And having to deal with the dynamics of a small group, sometimes strangers, in a small space with lots of variables, during an already emotionally charged event, with money involved. Not to say, as I have made clear, given a shot, I'd enjoy the amenities of someone elses RV. Sure, if I could hook up with a group of people exactly like me, I mean, how could that not work?

Good luck finding them, Lonesomebri. AFAICT you're an original.

Hey Jemma,

Well done on taking the plunge. That's the hard part done. And do make sure you go through with it. Last year was my first Burn, and I got way too stressed over the whole thing. Went with a bunch of friends and spent most of my time on my own or with new ones anyway. The RV, while comfortable, is expensive and can be stressful. Don't let your trip depend on it!

Have a look at the Burner Express option, and camping. You'll easily meet people…although the main question will be whether you can cope without a (traditional) shower.

You're set for an amazing experience. Flightwise, your best best is to keep an eye on Skyscanner.com. You should be able to get Sydney to San Fran return for around $1200.

Good luck!

I'd heartily recommend paying an extra couple of hundred dollars to *not* fly United though. Especially if you've ever flown Qantas or Emerites long haul. I flew Qantas to get to the burn last year and then United to go back a week later to see the boy I met and was shocked by the difference. It's a LOOOOONG flight so those extra comforts are worth it. Also Qantas automatically gives you two checked suitcases for US flights which I absolutely needed for the burn. Most of the other guys I went with from Australia last year flew Air NZ and raved about them too.