Post
by paul_bennett » Sun Sep 11, 2016 1:43 pm
Greetings from Brazil! I also want to go there for the first time, probably in 2017!
We, international travelers, are up to quite a challenge to go there. When I started the list of "things to solve" I faced a few problems:
I need a bike. Do I rent one? You can rent one for USD$300 and they let you get the bike at the Playa and also fix it for you in case of break. However, for less than 300 you can buy a used bike from Craiglist. However, if you buy it, what are you going to do with it after Burning Man? I just can't bring a full bike back on the plane to South America. Maybe I should donate it?
I need a shelter, but I'll not buy one here in Brazil and bring it in the plane since it's heavy and the company will tax overweight luggage. But if I buy it there, what do I do with it after? Bring it back to my country? Donate? Most probably, I'd rent one tent there and return after the event.
You could also rent a small RV, but they are pricey. A small RV for two people with kitchen but no bathroom (like Jucy Rentals) costs about USD$1800 for the week. The big ones with bathroom have much higher prices.
But let's say I just rent a simple car, not an RV. The rental company will not like all the dust the car takes at The Playa. The Black Rock desert dust is a fine powder that easily stick to car parts, specially after a dust storm. The rental company will not accept a fully dusted car. You can pay to clean, but that's about USD$60 and they don't clean the engine or air ducts, so you may risk a high fee. There are rental companies that specifically rent for this kind of event and accept a little dust on their cars.
Some people go by bus - they take an official Burning Man bus at Reno that charge a little extra if you carry a bike or heavy gear. But I don't think you can handle to carry all the food, tent, cloths, art, bike and water alone. Bus is probably for those who are going to meet a larger group there.
Let's not forget that the tent must have an external shade, otherwise you'll not be able to handle the heat. People usually stay up all night and sleep from 6 to mid-day. Without a shadow, the tent becomes a hot sauna. Also, the tent must be really secured on the floor, because they have strong winds sometimes. A cheap tent, bought at Wallmart, have little stakes that just won't do the job. You must buy large, deep stakes and better ropes. I wish I could build those hexagon yurts with duct tape, but I just won't bring my hammer and seesaw on the airplane. If you live in US, you have your house and tools there.
I also want to bring a piece of art to the Burning Man, some sort of experience for the others. I cannot build large cars or decorative art, anything I bring should fit into a suitcase - that's a challenge. Any piece of art would also require light that must stay on all night. Battery is necessary, since we're in the desert. Even led light that consumes little may need a large battery since we usually put a lot of leds together all night long. But how do you recharge your battery? You need a car or a generator or maybe a large solar panel. All of those options remind me that you can't just to there by bus with a small backpack.
Food is also an issue, you may need something to heat it, you need to carry enough food and water for the whole week and I don't feel like eating only military food packets for so many days.
All that said, I'll go anyway. I'll figure all problems, one by one. We, international travelers, must be full of backup plans. What if the rental company make a mistake and don't have your car? What if you can't find a cheap bike at Craiglist? How do I reach the nearest airport to go back to my country? What if there's a huge delay after the event, I cannot risk loosing my plane. Yeah, let's go there, but full of backup plans.
As side note, in 2017, US will have a total solar eclipse one week before burning man. Maybe we should just go there one week before to also enjoy that event?
Anyway, the preparation starts NOW, one year before.
Cheers!
