The sale for Tomorrowland travel packages began at 5:00 pm yesterday.  My trigger finger was poised over my laptop.  I had a page of notes about what I intended to buy: four nights at a hostel in Brussels, bus to and from the event in Boom each day, a basic Tomorrowland ticket for the weekend. 

Times two.  I decided to buy two packages and pray that someone would join me in July.  I did my internet research about the Meininger Brussels City Center hostel.  Within the comments was the info I needed: there is a mixed gender dorm available.  Since I didn’t know if a man or woman would join me (hopefully), that’s the accommodation I’d go for.

I was staring at the little circle going around and reading the message again and again:

Do not refresh this page.  You will be automatically redirected once you can enter the shop

And then other words:

It might take some time before you get access to the shop due to the high number of visitors.  To encourage fair access, opening multiple links will result in delayed access to the ticket shop

5:20.  Still the circle.  I was to be the Zoom host for an Evolutionary Collective course running from 6:00 till 8:15 but surely I’d get tickets (or know I’m not successful) before then.

5:35.  That circle seems to be hypnotizing me …

5:45.  A yucky message appears:

Please be patient.  There are some technical  issues due to the high demand.  The shop is currently closed.  You will be notified here when the shop will reopen

5:50.  I have to get ready for the meeting.  “Guess I’m toast. All the tickets will be gone well before 8:15.”

8:45.  I’d been reflecting on our marvelous EC course, especially the sweetness of the brand new folks being introduced to Mutual Awakening.  Then it hit me …

Tomorrowland!

To the website …

The sign said my hostel package was “On Hold”, which meant currently not available. 

A few hours later, the message had changed to what you see at the top of the page.

***

I’m sad … but somehow I’m smiling.  I kept my word.  I was the EC Zoom host, despite my yearning to be at Tomorrowland.

Next Saturday general admission tickets go on sale at 5:00.  I’ll be there on my computer.

May the lottery Gods be with me