Trinidad Carnival

Every time I've been to Trinidad for work, people have implored me: "Come back for Carnival - it's a different country". They weren't kidding. For over a week leading up to the main event, constant parties rage around Port of Spain and people learn the words and moves to the latest Soca tunes, in a kind of informal rehearsal for the big day in public. The main days of Carnival are introduced by J'Ouvert - a party which runs from 3am to daylight, in which everybody gets covered in paint, mud, clay, dye and chocolate. A thorough shower and an hour's sleep later, and the world reawakens to begin the two-day street party of rum'n'coke and garish costumes. Needless to say, I needed a few days to recover.

Carnival Craziness