Ever since I wrote ( twice ) about my serious misgivings about Burning Man and how the annual event will survive on an extremely hot and unpredictable planet, I’ve been asked by friends and acquaintances whether it is still worth going if they’ve never been before. My answer to that is a big yes . If you’ve been wanting to go, and you have the means to do so, you absolutely should.
I certainly won’t judge you. It’s a very personal cost-benefit analysis. I’ve been six times, and the first five times, I experienced a burst of personal growth and connection that made me a better friend and a more capable human.
My sixth time, it just felt indulgent, difficult, expensive, and wasteful . So this year, I’m using the money and vacation days to do a permaculture farming course instead. The point is, I made a thoughtful and informed decision.
And you can too. I’ve interviewed several longtime burners so I can give you all the information you need to: Decide whether you can pull off a trip to Burning Man this year; Pack and prepare to survive the playa with body and mind intact; While getting as much as you can out of it ..
. Without being a selfish asshole. Commit to the Week First, you need to decide on your schedule.
Arriving on the Tuesday of Burning Man week and leaving on the Tuesday after Labor Day is ideal, if you can swing it. Traffic is the lightest, and you can still get the full experience. I know.
You have a life and a job and maybe a family. But there is si.