What I don’t miss about Trinidad Carnival 2013 and 2014 edition

It’s been a year since my last Carnival in Trinidad. I really thought I would miss being home … but I’m getting older… so here’s what I don’t miss about Trinidad Carnival

• I don’t miss the high price of appearing at fetes. When was the last time you checked the price to fete for Carnival week? Don’t know … well I’ll tell you. If you’re going to fete for the entire week and if you’re a world boss and if you don’t have any regard for money and your liver and your stomach … here’s the fiscal damage
  • Saturday – a week before Carnival : Mirage – Bryden’s All Inclusive : 625$ TTD
  • Sunday : Addiction All inclusive breakfast party : 400$ TTD
  • Sunday : Normandie under the Trees : All inclusive breakfast party : 550$ TTD
  • Monday : Rest up … no fetes on that Monday
  • Tuesday : Eyes Wide Shut at the Hilton : 450 TTD and it’s not all inclusive.
  • Wednesday : We Wednesday at the Queens Park Oval : 300$TTD all inclusive.
  • Thursday : Headley All Inclusive : 950$TTD all inclusive … what d’fuck? Yep that’s the price
  • Friday : Island People GirlPower : 600$TTD all inclusive … btw see my Fuck you Island People post.
  • Saturday : Ultimate One All Inclusive : 65o$TTD
  • Saturday : Triniposse Cooler Fete : 300$TTD
  • Sunday : Moka All Inclusive:  1000$TTD

  • Grand Total of 5825 TTD or 900 USD!!! To fete for a week – for one person!!! If you’re taking someone along with you … well then only middle class American/Canadian/British tourists can pay 

• I don’t miss the laborious process to actually find tickets. Where else in the world would you pay top dollar to go to a party and not be able to figure how to get tickets to the aforementioned party. Questions like
  • You know anyone on the committee?
  • You have a link to get tickets?
  • Who know “so and so” … you know Trinis .. last minute?
• I don’t miss the traffic … this isn’t a Carnival thing … but I don’t miss it one bit. We’re not Mexico City, Bangkok or Manila but we definitely rival them on the murder stats and the time wasted due to traffic.
• I don’t miss actually trying to play in a “prestige” band. You can always find tickets for one of the smaller bands with less sexy costumes, but God help you, if you’re trying to play in Harts, Tribe or some other “high class, high colour” band if you don’t have the right connections. It’s absolutely preposterous how difficult the process is … yet another reason that we will always be a third rate tourist destination. It’s too difficult for the average tourist to figure this stuff out.
• I don’t miss the lack of creativity in costumes. The whole thing has just turned into a street party. Maybe that we should change the slogan from “World’s Greatest Show” to “World’s Most Awesome Street Party” … it’s definitely not a great show anymore!

I do miss walking with a cooler to a fete though …