Newbie Introduction!

oliv897 · Post by **oliv897** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 7:37 pm

Well Hello!

Where to begin I suppose?

My Name is Ollie yet to be giving a Burn Name as I'm yet to attend, I'd adore to go this year and it would suit me well (my GF is on vacation in the USA but I was to poor to afford to go and guess what? yeah she's going same time as BurningMan... am actually will to bet Disney World was just a ploy haha) anyway I hope to attend 2016 as I need to save up the cash and its dam near expensive to fly to the USA!

So more about me huh? I'm Ollie, I'm 21, I adore Sailing and have a very life loving and freedom quality to myself, I love to feel free at all costs.. if there's one thing I absolutely love doing it's just stripping naked on my boat in the middle of the ocean and just laying there in the sun.. complete freedom, and nothing in any direction.. but me, my music and the open seas!

What else.. I write a Journal! about my life I'm an Autistic, very smart, self loving, minimalist hippy and believe in chivalry, good morals, helping others and respecting life.

Religion.. I'm everything, because nothing has yet proven to me the true origins of the universe and until I see definitive proof then I'm open to everything ( I include science in that mix even though it's a method not a Religion) as for politics I'd add that I'm communist/socialist, I believe in a future with no money or wealth where community helps community and that as humans we own only what we need to survive and everything else is cast off (for example everyone would drive a standard electric model car maybe a Tesla, people may customize it if they have the skill and no people who can obtain the materials but alas there'd be no ferarri's)

Well am writing a bit much here so will slow down for now, I hope you'll all except me into your community and hope that my willingness to express myself and who I am has not scared any of you off, from what I've read on the website this is the community that truly understands who I am and what I believe in!

oliv897 · Post by **oliv897** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 7:42 pm

I'd also like to ask what Burning Man is really like? I first heard about it on a comedy called Malcolm in the Middle and it looked.. it looked like the place I'd been dreaming of finding my whole life but alas had failed.. is it like that on the show or totally different? (yes i know am not likely to get laid as easily as Malcolm) my other question is I read somewhere there is not a strong law presence.. what stops people going on a murder spree? (apologies if this offends anyone... just where I have lived all my life.. I see other humans as un-tamable savages.. lost my faith in humanity long ago... looking to have it restored)

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:10 pm

I'm just going to go with you are who you say you are.

It's nothing like Malcolm in the middle. The best thing about burning man is, it is different for everyone. And it is different every year as you need it to be. Come with an open mind and no expectations and your world will be rocked. Start your research now and you might be ready by next year.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:13 pm

[media]

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:37 pm

Thanks for that figjam, I needed it.

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:40 pm

Welcome to eplaya Ollie. Search the web and you would be busy for a year just figuring it out. Forget that. Spend your research time on how to prepare. Work, save up some money. Spend some time here with us. We can help you get ready and help you once you come to the Playa. There is no way to explain Burning Man. We talk about it all year. We buy stuff just for that week. We meet other times for fun trips and if you can come next year you will probably love it.

oliv897 · Post by **oliv897** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 9:14 pm

I live life with an open mind...

About 3 years ago a few weeks after my 18th birthday my dad came out to be trans gendered and told me he'd like to do it full time and that if I still wanted him as my daddy and he was really scared when he asked... so far I've been to every gay/trans pride event.. wore make up first time as well.. since then everything to me has seemed.. new and I look at things in a new perspective.. everything no longer seems normal.. everything feels special!

One question I did have actually that's rather important... we found out that my epilepsy was caused from alcohol and that I was one of the few who was allergic to it.. even put me in comas and thus I can not drink alcohol AT ALL... so I'm wandering if Cannabis is legal? I smoke that back here occasionally when life gets to difficult and I need to relax.. I used to go back to Alcohol.. when life got that bad and I had to escape a coma/seizure/heart troubles seemed tame.. but Cannabis does none of that to me.. hell I even feel better on it.. more in control and less likely to act like an idiot (there's 2 types of idiocy.. the creative type and the destructive type.. I much prefer Creative to be honest with you all)

And of course what's the medical like out there? I have 4 heart diseases but am not gonna let it get in the way of life.. my surgeon once told me by all accounts I should be dead.. my heart beats like a car revving up... I live on about 5% of oxygen YOU need to live.. and well, I should by all accounts be dead.. (it sucks if we have to get an ambulance, all their machines say am dead or about to die) after awhile that sank in.. I should be dead.. so why sit around ignoring life.. I'm obviously one of the lucky ones.. I think I should live life even if it kills me! (I just want to be prepared that if for some reason I pass out or keel over there is medical assistance in place, so far I do things that makes my surgeon scream at me and am absolutely fine but never hurts to be prepared!)

Also my third and final question... do I need to bring loads of stuff? I'm not quite sure how to go about it but when I was at Glastonbury Festival I had a tent and never wen't back to it.. I slept where ever I fell and just kept a bag on me full of food and drink.. is this the kind of place I can walk around in my underwear with nothing but a messenger bag full of essentials?

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 9:35 pm

And now I'm going with troll. Have fun!

oliv897 · Post by **oliv897** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:24 pm

tamarakay wrote:And now I'm going with troll. Have fun!

Just because my life is not exactly like yours does not mean I'm wrong or lying.. it just means we both live different lives.. you may also have fun..

Post by **Elderberry** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:41 pm

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

some seeing eye · Post by **some seeing eye** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:05 pm

Burning Man is not Glastonbury. It is an extreme campout in a dust stormy desert. No vendors like a festival. There is a huge amount to read to start and months of preparation.

In the UK there are regional BM groups - meet them.

oliv897 · Post by **oliv897** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:19 pm

That's what I liked most about it I think... Glastonbury is just one giant money making festival.. they all are in the UK.. I remember starving myself for 4 days because I broke the bank buying a ham burger and fries.. cost me like $15.. beer was like $10 a pint.. and EVERYTHING cost money.. after about a day in I could not afford the bus for the 3 mile walk to music area so I spent last 5 days in my tent praying for day to come so I can come home.. I remember it well actually I had like $7 in my pocket (not enough for anything) and we had to switch in Bristol but the bus we had to get was an hour wait.. right next to the bus station? Subway! best freaking meal I've ever had..

Anyway... the idea of there being absolutely nothing that costs money BUT costs love and hardmanship and community.. that's a festival I want to be a part of.. I stopped going to festivals purely because it seemed like something I'd need to be mega rich to do.. alas Burning Man looks to be my savior!

I plan to do a lot of research.. I think I found a good tent to get as well!

Post by **Sham** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:59 am

Ollie, for your first trip to the playa, you should set aside at least 3200£ or $5000 US dollars. You will need to get airline tickets and lots of first time supplies as well as a ticket to the event. You will need $500 for food and money for transportation to the event.

Your second year would be much cheaper, but you must continue to read so you don't die in the desert.

Drawingablank · Post by **Drawingablank** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:57 am

Welcome.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 6:43 pm

While there isn't any money at the festival, don't kid yourself that it doesn't cost plenty. My week at Burning Man usually ends up being the most expensive week ever, even more than flying to Hawaii for a week, by the time I add up everything I put into it. Why? Because it's WAY out in the middle of nowhere, and you have to haul everything you need all the way out there.
Tickets are expensive, flying to the US from UK is expensive. You're several thousand into it right there.
There's a public impression that Burning Man is just a bunch of hippies partying in the desert. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I'm not trying to discourage you, I just want you to know what this is. People work hard all year to be able to do this.
I think if I were in your situation, I would try hard to work and save money and make it happen, you will love it for sure.
It takes a lot of work, both at your job to make the money and in preparations, and that's part of what makes it so special and magic. Everyone there is someone who worked that hard to be able to be there, and is loving every minute of it.

oliv897 · Post by **oliv897** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:56 pm

I'm on disability may have a home business on go soon hopefully it takes off well as it would certainly get me cash for it.. but I think with DLA if I save every spare penny I will just be able to afford it.. what I like by the free approach to is that festivals here are cheap to go to yes but things cost so much there and they don't tell you that before hand that once your out of money you may as well go home..

I like the idea that yes it'll probably work out more expensive then going all vip at a festival here BUT the basis is once I'm there, once I have all the stuff I need.. it's affordable.. am I likely to find anything there that is free or does it all cost lots of money? from what I've seen it's mostly all free (I like forms of things like hugs as currency)

Popeye · Post by **Popeye** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 11:55 pm

oliv897 wrote:I like the idea that yes it'll probably work out more expensive then going all vip at a festival here BUT the basis is once I'm there, once I have all the stuff I need.. it's affordable.. am I likely to find anything there that is free or does it all cost lots of money? from what I've seen it's mostly all free (I like forms of things like hugs as currency)

If you get there you will see that the only things you can spend money on are coffee and ice. You are expected to have, and should have, everything you need to survive to the level of comfort you think is necessary. This means food, water (bring lots), shelter, beer, whatever. You will be offered meals, beer, friendship, etc. but don't go expecting anything. Take everything you will need with you and offer a beer or piece of candy or a smile to passersby. Help where you can without wanting or expecting any kind of renumeration. Burning Man is a very accepting community, come without expectations and become a part of it. But come prepared.

oliv897 · Post by **oliv897** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 12:12 am

I'm coming with an open mind but I fear 21 years of not being able to trust anyone will have me a bit paranoid to start with.. I'm hoping after the first day it'll be a community I can finally trust!

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 4:54 am

Post by **Eric** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 11:55 am

oliv897 wrote:I'm coming with an open mind but I fear 21 years of not being able to trust anyone will have me a bit paranoid to start with.. I'm hoping after the first day it'll be a community I can finally trust!

Keep your expectations as low as possible - if you come in hoping to meet a "community" you trust, but only meet a couple of people that you can, you'll end up disappointed. If you come in expecting to be surprised, that same small amount of people will be a wonderful addition. BRC is a city of 70,000+ people, the only thing that makes it a community is that we're all in the desert together. Other than that people have different agendas, different ways to Burn, different ideas of fun.

If you stay open-minded there's a very good chance of finding like-minded people, and I encourage that. I've made lasting friendships out there, many with people who I wouldn't have connected with in real life.

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 12:38 pm

It's the exact opposite of all-inclusive resorts. Not only do you have to pay to stay, you have to bring everything.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 8:05 pm

oliv897 wrote:And of course what's the medical like out there? I have 4 heart diseases but am not gonna let it get in the way of life.. my surgeon once told me by all accounts I should be dead.. my heart beats like a car revving up... I live on about 5% of oxygen YOU need to live.. and well, I should by all accounts be dead.. (it sucks if we have to get an ambulance, all their machines say am dead or about to die) after awhile that sank in.. I should be dead.. so why sit around ignoring life.. I'm obviously one of the lucky ones.. I think I should live life even if it kills me! (I just want to be prepared that if for some reason I pass out or keel over there is medical assistance in place, so far I do things that makes my surgeon scream at me and am absolutely fine but never hurts to be prepared!)

Medical is... surprisingly good. Any non serious thing, or non serious likely thing, they can cover on playa. [1] The scary stuff they can take you off playa by ambulance or helicoptor. But I worked ESD a decade ago, 007 and My Dear Friend are going to have a better idea of what it's like now.
Seriously think through your medical issues. It's 4,000' above sea level--about 9/10th of Ben Nevis[2], and it's hot. Dry heat, but it gets over 100 Fahrenheit some years. Have a plan and a back up plan about how you're going to deal with any issues. Including what happens when you get transported to an off-site hospital. You should probably investigate some sort of insurance to cover an evacuation like that. Work closely with your doctor. It's a pretty tough environment--very caustic dust. Basically, what lives there is microscopic for the most part. So, spend some time matching up your issues with what's been posted about other people's health experiences and then ask questions. (Not everything on this board is honest and helpful.)

[1] Of course, I'm not sure who's defining non-serious.
[2] Boy, I'm going to look stupid if Britain is the wrong guess...

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