OK I have to pipe up on this one. We're coming with a small crew, and for most of us this is our first burn but I feel like I've been waiting for it all my life. This has been over ten years in the making, I've wanted to go to Burning Man since 2001 when I came across it in a long-forgotten article online. Every year I've talked about it, every year it hasn't worked out for one reason or the other (never having lived in the US hasn't helped). Typically, the year I finally got it together and managed to drum up the cash/flights/time to pull it off I ran headfirst into the disaster that was ticketing.
It's been an interesting introduction into seeing how strong the actual community is though - talk about investment. Never seen so many people care so much about a festival (and I've been to many, all over the world). Lots of good American neuroticism on display throughout the fiasco too

Fortunately I got lucky in the lottery, and even better, we've got a group of beautiful, ridiculous, willing and helpful people together who are totally committed to having the most fun possible wherever they are. Quite simply, born to Burn.
So... now I am so excited I find myself logging into ePlaya every day instead of writing my PhD like I'm supposed to. August 27th feels like a lifetime away. I am dreaming about it (even though I've never been), I am thinking about costumes, transport, plans, and am pretty much incapable of concentrating on anything else. I have NEVER IN MY LIFE looked forward to anything as much as I am looking forward to finally making it to Burning Man in 2012 with my lover, my best friends and 50 000 other incredible people from all over the world. Bring. It. On.
“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.”
- Desmond Tutu