St. Lucia Carnival
It’s July so you know what that means... Carnival! You’re here, you’ve got your Drive-A-Matic car secured and you’re overflowing with energy for a full week of pumping. The worst thing is to find yourself mid-jam and realize you’ve forgotten something important. We’ve compiled a list to make sure that on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, you’re fully prepared, comfortable and have the endurance to make it through the two-day jump-up.
- Lay out your costume from the night before
Costumes come with a ton of bits, pieces, wristbands, gems et cetera. Make it easy for yourself and lay out all your essentials so they’re close to hand when you’re ready to leave. Lay out your Carnival Tuesday outfit as well. When you get home from Monday’s jump you’ll probably be too tired to pick out anything.
- Clip your toenails!
Guys and girls, this is very important! Two days on the road with long toenails is a recipe for ingrown nails or even losing one. To avoid this disturbing faux pas clip them short and chip down the road in comfort.
- Go to bed early
If you want to last two days on the road, getting all the rest you need is important. You’ll probably want to wake up early as well to get your costume and gems on and make it to the band in time for breakfast. Get to bed early and set an alarm so you’re up on time to get everything done.
- Comfort over style
While styling those heels or boots may give your costume that extra pop, your feet won’t be happy and you probably won’t make it to Carnival Tuesday. Choose a smart pair of sneakers for both days or if you do decide on boots choose a ½ size up and break them in before the big day.
- Stay Hydrated
First, make sure you have your drink cup packed!
With the flowing alcohol,05 it may be an easy oversite to forego water, but with the humidity, dancing, alcohol and long route to travel, your energy will be zapped in no time. Make sure to take water breaks frequently and pace yourself.
- Protect your skin
Sunblock! Sunblock! Sunblock! No matter your race, we’re all prone to a harsh sunburn or worse. Lather up before you leave and throughout the day to protect your delicate skin from the harsh rays.
- Eat!
We’ll reiterate again...YOU NEED ENERGY and the best part is, food is provided by the band! Don’t skip out on breakfast, lunch or snacks as those will fuel you up to get down the road in one piece.
- Pack only the essentials!
- Phone, obviously, for selfies
- Drive-A-Matic car keys
- Cash just in case, AKA vex money
- Wrist bands
- Drink cups
- Sunglasses
- Medication like asthma inhalers etc.
- Designate a meetup spot
Choosing a pre-decided meetup spot is very important so no man gets left behind. Maybe set behind the drinks truck as your spot so if you have to split for some reason, you and your friends can always find each other.
- Designate a driver
Of course you want to party hard and test your limits, after all it’s carnival where you throw your inhibitions to the wind and have fun! But, before you toss all those inhibitions away, save one and decide who will be the designated driver, after all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
(P.S. With the great atmosphere, bumping music and dancing, you won’t miss the drinks anyway.)
- Have fun!
After all, this is what carnival is about. ‘Free up’ and get ready to ‘do down’ over the next few days. See you on the road!