Feeling the burn

He says the idea is to pack in and pack out, as though the event had never taken place at all.

One of the stated aims of Dragon Burn is to encourage people to attend Burning Man in Nevada, where some 60,000 plus burners congregate in Black Rock City every summer.

"It's an otherworldly feel. It feels like you're on another planet. It's an indescribable sensation," Serrano says.

I talked with Kirsten, a US student studying in Beijing, who has attended two Dragon Burn events. She says the experience led her to Black Rock City last year.

"This was the biggest reason I decided to go to Burning Man. I realized that the people were some of the most open-minded and welcoming crowd I've come across and I knew I could find that on a bigger scale at the main event. It also gives you a sense if you would be able to survive in the desert."

I'm not sure if I'm there yet.

I'll admit, the idea of seven days in the desert without access to running water intimidates me. But if Dragon Burn was but a taster of the real deal, I may start looking into portable-shower options for next year.