slim44

For all you Burning Man voyeurs: I've been here a few days, now and have already experienced some cool, shocking and hilarious moments -- both in and outside of the medical tent.

Here are the bullet points:

Three notable ailments seen in the tent (so far):

Second-degree burns to the face: A man tripping on acid, age 20, decides to blow fire using alcohol and matches. Not being a trained fire-blower, he received facial burns and had to be treated in the tent. Kids -- DON'T do this at home.

Neck lacaration: Packing and changing an absess wound that the patient received the week before in San Francisco,  the team worked to clean the absess with hydrogen peroxide, and pack the wound with fresh bandages.

Dehydration: This is by far the most common health malady on the playa due to the harsh environment of the desert. High temperatures in the 100s and low night temps in the 40s are not uncommon. The No. 1 motto for Burners is “piss clear.” Patients are given electrolyte drinks to rehydrate and are reminded to drink water every 20 minutes. Severe dehydration patients receive transport to REMSA where IV lines are administered.

Top five art installations:

1.    Thunderdome: Inspired by the 1985 "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" movie starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner, this geometric dome is 40 feet high, climable, and hosts nightly fights. Fighers are strapped to bungee cords and the vibe is testosterone meets MadMax meets hard core -- leather, S&M, and Mohawks aplenty.
2.    Cubatron: 6114 lights embedded in pingpong balls, software, and hardware interact to keep this exciting light show, in 3-D, fascinating to tripped-out Burners who stay for hours.
3.    Steampunk Treehouse: SF art collective creates a Victorian, Tim Burton-esque house made of steel, sitting about 40-feet-high in the sky. The details of the steam machine and clever use of paintings and mechanical levers add to the charm. The view of the Man is unbeatable from the balcony telescope.
4.    The Temple: A plywood structure in the Deep Playa for burners to commemorate lost loved ones. A solemn, beautiful place where Burners cry, hug, and heal.  The temple is scheduled to burn at 9 pm on Sunday night.
5.    Art cars: A double-decker Ganesh-decorate bus replete wth sound system blaring funky party music to the masses as it motors through the playa. Many other vehicles exist each with a different look or idea. I've seen a moving birthday cake, a walking mechanical spider car, a pirate ship, a laundry chute, a giant shopping cart, and all types of weird mutant vehicles on the playa. See photo link (coming on Wednesday morning, 9/5).

Keep checking back here to get my coverage of this year's festival.