GYPSY GIRL'S GUIDE

In the Bay Area most people have some sort of opinion on Burning Man... But people who are uninformed, usually ask questions like "What do people do there?," "Isn't it hot?" or "Isn't there a lot of dust and naked people?" Isn't it just a bunch hippies rolling around in the mud? And perhaps it really is for some...

But for me BM is just as Timmmii (from the burn blog) described:

"a celebration of everything -- the art, the people, the creativity, the randomness, the mind-bogging experience, the harshness, the inspiration, the music, the surprises, the disappointments, the reality. It's an alternate view of what life could be. It makes me smile. It makes me stressed. It makes me angry. It makes me ecstatic. It makes me work harder. It's changed my life."

Here are some paint strokes of my experience this year:

painting swirly designs on my face three times a day
adding glitter to my cheeks and feathers to my hair before every bike ride
laughing at nothing just to give myself a great belly massage
soaking (clean) socks in ice water and laying them over our foreheads and around our necks
a fairy and a bee spraying water on us while we heated up the dance floor
taking my pink sippy cup with me for a stroll and finding someone to fill it up with a cold sweet drink
a bowl of fruit and a good morning hug from our playa neighbors
hugs from strangers ~ who become best friends ~ in that moment of bliss
girls braiding hair with wool and bright lace
water slides and "spin art" in the camp next door
making and sharing mimosas
spending time with my squeaky pal: the pink furry almighty bike!
pedaling hard... way deep in the playa
mesmerizing at a giant "blade runner" treehouse
watching colorful flags blow in the wind
visiting the "bunnyfication" station camp
showering behind a sarong
stilt walkers, fire dancers, red shoes and blue hair...
watching the random poetry in motion
loosing a sense of direction in a "white out" dust storm
ringing bike bells and watching for faint images emerging from the white cloud
wheeling through the minty cool breeze in the desert night
slipping into warm furry clothes and laying outside in the middle of the night
to bathe in the moonlight, looking for meteors and falling stars...
walking down quiet dark streets with the cool air on my face
and the playa's rhythmical throbbing in the background.
making a wish ~ whatever you need ~ and having it materialize before your eyes (I once was gifted the perfect necklace to go with my outfit!)
playa neon glow, green laser beams, strobing lights and fire!!!!!
exploring colorful and moody chillout domes... yep I'm a chill out kind of bum!!!
sound systems booming out loud and literally shaking the ground
smiling and hugging
receiving
giving
trading
accepting
learning
dancing...
dancing without inhibition and without resistance
dancing with my eyes shut and my eyes wide open
dancing with a smile on my face
dancing for the pure joy of being
dancing in the dust storm and in the afternoon sun at the Deep End
dancing to the playa's pulse...
dancing in the ice line, in the chai line, in the Porta-Potty line, in the ice cream line and the swing line
dancing next to the big green bus, next to the unimog and in front of the dragon
dancing and following the train
dancing at the man, at the tower and in all those domes...
especially that magic El Circo... and that one vibrant sound box... near that stage... surrounded by cages...where we first danced together... and where we reaffirm our love year after year...
and then... there is...
feeling deliciously warm and alive after dancing and riding all night long...
and recognizing my thigh muscles, my butt shape and the curves on the bottom of my feet!
and watching the red rays of sunlight pierce through the early morning sky as we dance some more...
sunrise yoga, sunrise coffee, sunrise pancakes and sunrise grooves
the majestic full moon still very vibrant in the sky
and the not so distant mountains embracing us all
in one giant group hug at the beginning of another magical day
where we'll be dancing, once again...
with "all of those people... who cannot possibly be so pretty, and so precious, and so dear... in their mad-max, bondage, hippie, punk, purple-haired, dreaded and shaved, tattooed and pierced finery... And my heart, which I know... cannot possibly be so warm and alive" anywhere else...

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