Nope

Life

This could be the longest post in the world but let's keep it to facts. Life is what each person makes it. We watch as some go through horrowing experiences time after time. Do we interject? Seldom. Why? If you love someone it should be a priority. But we are too concerned with ourselves. What do we need? What do i want? It is a question that has no answer because as soon as you get what it is you wanted you want something else. So the answer is infinity. Or is it? Why look if you can't find it? And the question starts again of what were you looking for? It all sounds like a vicious circle but that's how we progress. Want, greed and then need. I don't even know the answer but it has had me thinking recently. Top priorities followed by wants and greed. Anyway i just thought i would share that with you quickly as it was on my mind. One day i guess we will know the answer. Each so unique and individual. A star in our right. A beacon of hope, love and joy. More than we know. My top priority changes constantly these days and it burns me inside. Stability is rare and a sought after commodity right now. Peace is close but still out of reach. It will join me soon to love me and show me. Teach me and guide me. Hold me and comfort me. It is not ownership or labelled it is better explained in my mind. But it will come. I don't doubt it. I wish you all peace but most importantly peace of mind. For the mind is the only thing that has want or greed. Control your mind and you will be at peace. You will be the richest person you know. Sleep tight folk. I love you all dearly. G.

It's too late

So i need to apologize for my uselessness. I don't even know if i have any constant followers on this gig. I have been up and i have been down. Right now not so good. But what we learn in life is that it is important not to give up. So we shall carry on and try to get things back on track. I have the time and the ability to keep you all coming back for more. And if not you are welcome to kick me.
Many roads have been crossed and bridges taken. I sit here tonight wondering what is what. Time... It's a token of gesture. The more time i spend with you the more i like you. That means good. You are making an impact and improving my situation. However if i am not spending time with you does not mean the opposite. There are probably factors not allowing such. But in this world i promise you if you are reading this you have probably impacted my life. For this i owe you a gratitude.
Anyways. Life is full right now so i promise to keep you updated. 😙😚
I wish you all the best. There is too much negativity out there. 
I will deal with you all soon. Until then take care & sleep indoors.
Peace out 😚

It's that big

Mutant Vehicle

Simply brilliant

Giraffe in the desert

The final countdown

The last night was upon us. We were gearing up for battle. I was as usual in my cycling kit. I didn't think anyone would notice. Half my one camp had left. They had taken the gas invention with them. We were golden though as it worked so well we had been left with enough ice for the nights festivities. I was ready for this. My whole life's partying preparation was coming to a head. I had practiced rigorously my entire life for these coming hours. The night to talk about for the rest of my life. The big one. The finalè. The grand daddy. The absolute behemoth of parties. The stuff you only hear about once a year. It was time. I loaded myself up with what was now know as my carry pack and a warmth. My carry pack was as it sounds. A small but large over the shoulder cool box. Soft material for easy and light carrying yet made to the high standards of a VW trying to beat a diesel emissions test. It was an exact science. Plus minus 4 beers for me, a gin and tonic for my girl and a drink for my friend which i had renamed paint remover. It was 3 quarters rum and one part mix of coke and water. One sip and you lit up like you had just had a swig of uranium. Truly an inspiring concoction. We had designed it on the second night. We decided we would be artisans in the world of mixology.
Off we went. The party was booming. People knew this was it. The next time we would we see this sort of debauchery was a full calendar year away. The mood was joyous and people were exuberant. My whittled down small group was on form. Everyone was on top of their game. The music from all camps was fantastic. We jumped hoped and skipped around the vast area know as the binnering. The inside of the circle. It was carnival like.
The night was going to be like no other. At this exact moment is when it hit. My legs started to wobble and my body was no better. I took a sip of the paint stripper drink thinking this would cure my woes. It didn't. I tried another sip.... again nothing. I couldn't believe what was happening. Not now. Not tonight. Not at this party. Unfortunately it was to be. I was simply exhausted and not able to carry on. It was a little short of 11pm. A tear ran down my friends faces as they watched me slowly head off to base camp for a rest. I had vowed that if i felt better i would return and carry on the fun. It was just simply not meant to be. My body was at its absolute end for the evening.
When i finally got to my abode it was all of 10 seconds before i was fast asleep.

Courtesy JV

A mutant vehicle

Courtesy JV

Intense

Funner

Fun

24-48-36 hours.

Life at AB is simple. No money. No shops. What you take is what you have. What goes with you goes home with you. Absolutely everything. There are no rubbish trucks or vendors. You can trade if you need to but that's about it. There is no hierarchy. Everyone is equal. The parties that happen are gifted to the event by a camp. Some go all out. I mean seriously top notch. The one camp had brought a green ground cover as a tennis court. Net, umpires chair and all the bits and bobs that go with it. To top it all off they had one of the best sound systems. Power was courtesy of a generator that could run a small country. All supplied by them at their cost. Impressive to say the least. I had pitched up on a bike with nothing. I had placed orders with both my camps for drinks and food. They had both gone above and beyond to keep me alive. I was and am grateful to them for their efforts.
Once you get there and see the amount of preparation and gear some people have and have organised you are simply blown away. I know i am rambling on here but i need you to picture the picture. I am trying to draw it for you.
So let's move on. The next few days were astounding. We drank we partied we met people, some naked 🤔 some not 🤓 no matter where we went or what we did our fun level kept going up.
The burns started a day late as on the Thursday it was a bit too windy and the marshals advised us it would be too dangerous. Luckily i was not given that job as my judgement was slightly impaired and i probably would have gone ahead with the task. We were lucky that the peeps in charge were of better standing than us and hopefully a lot more sober.
Sleep was also becoming a scarce commodity. The partying does not stop there. Not for anyone. Not even my good self 🤔🤣. The music is good, loud and several variations no matter where you ars standing. As mentioned already people go to great lengths to keep you entertained. Some camps even had small bar areas. In order to obtain a refreshment you had a silly task of some nature to complete. Then your reward would be a cocktail or shooter that could wake up the dead. The atmosphere is jubilant and joyful. You really would think you were at Disney world.

It's Who?!

I was informed long before i went to this event that it is impossible to find anyone. Well my dears here is the trick. Do not by any circumstances go looking for them. There is a good chance they are following you at the same speed just a few hundred meters behind. The trick is to stay stationary. I mean don't move. The reason for my statue like appearance was not because of any other reason than that alone. I was smarter and knew these rules. I am what you would call a cut above my fellow burners. I had studied human movement the previous night and my instincts had told me that being stationary for 2 or 3 hours in the same spot would see me greeting all my comrades and allies.
However my next greeting would take me by surprise. I was there still in the same kit i had arrived in the day before when i had to rub my eyes just to make sure i wasn't hallucinating. Was it? Could it be? Not here not today!! Or was it? Was i being fooled by my own self? Or was i already asleep and dreaming of this event? But how it seems real. I ask my friend to double check my vision. He agrees it is what i am seeing. I am now overcome with my happiness. I feel a warmth surround me. It is  good felling.
It is.... my brother giving me a big hug. I can almost not believe it. But it is.
We greet we hug we shake hands and we talk. He came here with one of his best and oldest friends from many borders away. It was emotional and tearful. His wife stood by and watched the greeting like it was meant to be. They had gone all out and really looked the part. I was still in my cycling kit. It was a reunion that would behold the greatest of kings. 2 souls chatting about their experiences. It was similar i guess to the exchanges royals had when they returned from galliant battles at sea. Quick but precise exchanges of the events that had unfolded. News of past and current affairs. He informed me of his gangs hideout and i did the same. Unfortunately our paths would not cross again on this battlefield as the next few days played themselves out. But for that moment it was a feeling of great joy and achievement that we had met. I now knew what winning the lotto was like. A feeling so good that you had been in the right place at the right time and everything had led up to this meeting of brothers. We had had no plan or even knew either would be here. It was just simply written in the stars.

Burning

Large is somewhat of a dimwitted statement. You can go large anywhere. At AB you simply go "awol". I was about to try it. I got my best frock on and my dancing shoes. Then i changed back to my cycling gear. You see at this place normal is not normal. Out of the ordinary is normal. People wear and dress to their hearts fantasy. I mean over the top. I mean extreme. It's simply lego land for adults. With my attire ready and several largers down i attempted the impossible. Going out there for the first time alone. No one does this. Normally you would gather a few mates and prepare for the ordeal. I was in no mans land about to risk life and limb for my country. Sacrifice myself for the good of the nation. I think you get it. Was i scared hell yes but i was ready. My will was written and my next of kin informed of my solo mission.
The next day i awake. Body sore but intact. Nothing missing except my memory. I get up and greet my fellow campers. They inform me we had indeed a spectacular evening. Fun was had. Drinks were drunk and drunk i was. It was agreed we should do much the same today. It was earlyish when we cautioned our cooler boxes they would be attacked again. We were ready and so were they.
On my second day the rest of my 2 gangs were arriving so i was now the leader of this ship. It was a daunting thought. I stood tall and showed the crowd who was boss. This was a bad idea as my head started to spin and i got dizzy. My closest neighbors nearly wet themselves laughing. They could see i was one of them now. It was a proud moment.
During this show of incredible stupidity a car arrived. Not any car. My mate. Not any mate my best mate. We had planned this. So far so good. He was beside himself at my condition. He knew i was now the leader. It was just how it is. We left to my second camp and low and behold they had arrived too. Camp was setup and they had even dragged a gas freezer to the middle of the desert to make sure we were refreshed accordingly. I was impressed with their efforts to keep us alive. It was going to be another spectacular day.

Party Time

Africa Burn

The ride through was fantastic. I have done this road but from the other direction before. You should remember the post. It had very few kind words. I have to say that this trip was the complete same. Someone had obviously called ahead and said i was riding through in reverse. They had turned the wind 180 degrees and now i was going back with the same headwind. It was just brutal. I think the expression is called "farting against the wind." It just destroys the fun of the action.
Mid way i see a few cars pulled over. Young chaps. Drinking beer all excited for their first Africa Burn. They offer me a beer and i decline. There is one thing worse than riding into a headwind. It's riding drunk.... I explain this to them. They look confused. I knew what they were going through. When i was their age i thought as they did. Everything was more fun with a few beers in you. But as you get older life teaches you this is not always true. Who thought i would ever say that 😉😎.
If you will alllow me to jog your memories a tad you will recall i went to Africa Burn about 6 weeks before it started. It is a huge piece of land. Rough terrain. No trees. Harsh and dry. I guess that's why they call it a desert. I remember it being empty. Absolutely beautiful but empty. As far as the eye can see empty. What would it be like now? I wasn't sure. I tried a few pictures in my head but nothing. I could not have dreamt what I was in for. The last gate. Boom i was through. Over a small hill and at the top you could see it. Not to its entirety but you could gather enough from this vantage point.
I completely and stupidly did not take photos. I apologize for this to no end. I keep kicking myself for my rookie error. The sight was just phenomenal. I wish i could take you there. That exact moment. That exact vision. The smell, the shapes, the awesomeness and the excitement. I was trembling in my shoes. My hands were cold. The bladder was weak. It was an amusement park for adults. No it was even better than that. It was heaven for adults.
First to be seen was the works of art that are built simply to just be burnt. Hence the name. They are all completely different. It is in the eye of the artist that they are constructed. Wooden structures. Secondly to be noticed is the campsites. Huge areas of tents. Masses of humans sleeping in tight proximity. The sights go on for ages. I took my time here at the top of the hill to make sure i wasn't dreaming. It was jubilant and will be something i will never forget. I had arrived at my destination and i was about to go large.