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Vincenzo Bellomo is like most festival goers at TomorrowWorld: he loves the music; he loves the atmosphere, and he’s willing to make the time and financial commitment to get there. There is one thing that sets him apart, however; Vincenzo is part of an elite group of TW fans that is willing to travel half way around the world to get to the festival. That’s because Vincenzo is from South Africa. The journey to get to TomorrowWorld was definitely long for Vincenzo, who literally came to the US just for the festival, flying round trip from South Africa. Vincenzo’s dedication to the festival and this music is serious, though he is not alone. In September 2013, Humans of TomorrowWorld flocked the festival grounds, representing 75 countries! There are so many people who travel from around the globe to make it to TomorrowWorld that the festival organizes travel packages, called Global Journeys. This kind of inernational dedication to a festival is what makes TomorrowWorld unique. Sensible Reason, interested in this sacrifice to travel so far for a music festival, sat down with Vincenzo to ask him about his experience and what drew him to Atlanta less than 6 months ago…

Sensible Reason: You flew all the way from South Africa to Atlanta to go to TomorrowWorld. What exactly did that trek entail?

Vincenzo Bellomo: Wow where to start?! Haha. It was a lot longer than just the journey. The actual planning started 7 months before the TW festival; securing tickets and visas and planning the trip was quite an arduous task. With 2 weeks to go before TW, all was eventually sorted and we could look forward to departure day.

Eventually the day arrived for the trek to begin, and what a trek it was. We arrived at Johannesburg International Airport bound for Dubai. The flight to Dubai took 8 hours and once in Dubai we had a 2 hour layover. Then we caught our second flight to Washington, DC– this was a 15 hour flight, rather long and tiring. From Washington, DC, we caught our third and final flight, 2 hours to Atlanta. We were finally in Atlanta and TW bound!

After 24 hours of traveling, it was an amazing feeling arriving in Atlanta and seeing the TW banners on the wall. We arrived at the TW Hotel in Downtown Atlanta and got as much rest as we could, as TW started the next day. In the end, the journey was worth everything we endured and more.

SR: What is it that drew you to TomorrowWorld? Why were you willing to come so far to have that experience?

Vincenzo: The MUSIC, the MUSIC, the MUSIC!!! There has been a lot of hype around the TomorrowLand Festivals. I have been following and watching the after movies for a few years and just couldn’t resist anymore. We have had a few EDM shows in South Africa, but these have been just appetizers, nothing that really, completely fulfills the soul, so it was time to experience the magic and energy for ourselves.

SR: How was TomorrowWorld different from festivals you’ve experienced in South Africa?

Vincenzo: It was the first festival of this magnitude that I have been to. In South Africa things are done on a MUCH smaller level, so this experience was VERY different from anything I had ever experienced before. I had been to many single day events, but nothing could prepare me for the grandeur of TW. As we entered the festival grounds, it was like we were transported to another world. The magnitude of the event, the number of DJs, the people, the setup, and most of all the POSITIVE ENERGY was just overwhelming. Quite a different atmosphere to what we are used to in SA.

SR: How was the crowd similar or different from festivals/shows in your past experiences? Was it what you expected?

Vincenzo: Firstly the sheer size of the crowd was on a another level to anything that I had ever experienced before. The one thing that really stood out for me was the energy of the people, the happiness, smiles everywhere. Everyone was so accepting and genuinely excited to chat and learn about you. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what colour or religion you were– everyone was accepted as a member of the TW family. I wish that attitude could transcend the festival grounds and touch every human.

SR: What was the best or most unique part about TW?

Vincenzo: EVERYTHING!!! The people, the music, the entire setup of the festival grounds… it was spectacular. No words can do it justice.

SR: What was your favorite act of TW 2013? Why?

Vincenzo: I was in a constant state of bliss for 3 days. To single one act out would be an injustice. They all touched my soul and contributed to an extremely memorable 3 days.

SR: Are you planning on trying to get back to the US for TomorrowWorld next year? What is it that is bringing you back?

Vincenzo: I would love more than anything to get back to the US for TW 2014, but unfortunately, due to the distance and costs, we are not able to attend the 2014 edition of TW. It is everything about the festival that makes me want to go back.

SR: If you met someone who was thinking about heading to TW next year but they weren’t sure it was worth the cost or time, what would you say to them?

Vincenzo: JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s an absolute life-changing experience. It can’t be shared with words; you need to experience it yourself to understand. Oh, and I would show them the after movie.

TomorrowWorld draws music lovers from around the globe to experience one special weekend together. These moments are what make fans like Vincenzo push themselves to travel far and wide to make it to TW. Bringing together lovers from around the globe, breaking social, political, and geographical boundaries, TomorrowWorld embodies the spirit and passion millennials have for a shared experience that reflects their values of culture, community, and interconnectedness. Without this, Vincenzo and many others would not have traveled the globe to share in this experience.

Do you know someone who embodies the spirit of TomorrowWorld? Write to us and tell us your story! Please email Kristen [at] SensibleReason.com and include the person’s name and contact information, what their special story is, and photos of that person at TomorrowWorld.

Read more Humans of TomorrowWorld stories:

The GloHawks

Bradley Spears, Cancer Crusher

General tickets for TomorrowWorld go on sale February 22. Pre-registration is available here: http://www.tomorrowworld.com/tomorrowworld-tickets

If you, like Vincenzo, are travelling from around the globe to make it to TomorrowWorld, Global Journeys packages are available starting February 17. You do not need to pre-register for the Global Journeys package.