Carnival 2008 Experience

Hi Guys
please accept my apologies. I know this is shameful but the review that I promised you'll was long in coming. lol......
Please forgive me between work, Uni and keeping sane I religiously visit other blogs without paying attention to mine.Hence I'll be making up for it with my cynical, straightforward, uncaring reviews of the people who participate in Carnival.
And as my early supporters suggested I'm going to keep my comments as objective and unapologetic as possible... so here goes.
Well remember last year when I vowed not to play mas with IP again (even my father asked me if I was reneging on my word), I did.
Maybe fear of trying some where else, may be the thinking of knowing what yuh have but not what yuh going to get, also not being able to penetrate the thick walls that Tribe masqueraders have built or maybe out of kind heartedness I just decided to play with them again.
Let me tell you I was exhausted on Ash Wednesday both feet were swollen and I had successfully convinced a slew of my male friends to play mas in 2009 because I could not stop wining down the place in amazement.

First off costume collection was not bad at all. Apart from the fact that we completely devoured Wyatt on Saucy's blog about costume bra sizing etc. some people still had little issues. Anyway with all Wyatt's ranting on behalf of IP I was smart enough to strange my Bra size to small so I would not have the problems I had in 2007.
At costume collection it was almost smooth sailing. When I got their the change was not made on the computer...well look how I did ready to start behaving like 'ah ole ting'. Then I composed myself and decided to remain a Lady. While my friend got a little agitated.

You see this is one of the problems I have with people in T&T. I wonder if business people know that their employees can make and break their business. When I realised the real problem I was having was not with IP mas but with some of those 'girls (pun intended) who work for them. Instead of the lazy little girl get up and check my costume to make sure the sizing is actually correct, she sits at the computer and shakes her head while saying "well the size is still showing as a medium' and ' xyz (the person who changed the sizing for me in September) does not work here anymore".
Well yuh shouldda see my face...but I stayed came while my friend insisted that she check the costume first. Low and behold the size in the box was correct. steuppppsssssssss.....
Moral of the story:
1. get workers who are helpful
2. Get workers who know their place and what they can and cannot do
3. Train workers and let them know that when hot attractive young women come to collect their costumes stop 'sizing them up'. Its not about you the worker its about IP the band.

The costume collection venue was perfect easy in easy out ,spacious and secure.

Costume
my costume was fantastic. I loved how it fit, the colour and I still think that it was one of the better sections for IP 2008. There was and abundance of accessories and the Bra fit perfect.

On the road
well for people who did not play with IP this year you all missed out. (at least I think so)
The services on the road were great the Locate the Band service was a blessing since I take forever to get dressed and could never meet the band for the stipulated time.
LTB was very helpful since I probably called them about 50 times on Monday and Tuesday. However because the band was sooooo large when I was told the band on South Quay, the back of the band still on St. Vincent street or some thing like that.
The shuttle service(though I did not benefit) I thought it was a good gesture on IP's part.
The parking at the Stadium was also secure and easily accessible.

Well friends the experience on the road was great for me. Though I do not drink that much I could not really see any issues with service on the road. The food was another story though. Boy people real greedy in this place....Sometimes we blame the band when is really the fellow masqueraders are the culprits... please people stop taking more than one lunch everybody have to eat...oh gosh man!

The snacks was ok too. Seeing that sometimes I feel 'ah' looking too sexy to start eating a corn soup or a mini burger I will leave it hoping to get it later. Mistake I now understand why people does eat everything when they see it passing. Why? because if you ain't take it somebody will eat all and take the rest and carry it for their friends who looking on from the sidelines. And of course we'll blame the band for food running out. I have to admit that some problems are created by fellow masqueraders and the people hired to provided these services.

Music
the Music to me was OK too. Some how I always end up as one of the back sections. But this year I decide to roam the band and to my remorse the people in the front enjoying 'deyself' much more than anybody else. So please people no matter which section it is we all what to jump and wine to great music so a word for IP would be to make sure all the music trucks are hyping up the crowd and keeping the party going.

Anyway by about 4pm I was so tired I wanted to rest. Apart form the band detour fiasco that drained me even more, since I ended up at the back of the stadium wining with some sweaty, unkempt, uncouth, stragglers) I just decided to call it quits and wait for the shindig later. Boy will I tell you, people ain't easy, everybody hear 'bout' IP after party and camp outside the stadium gate to get in without at chit.

After party
boy did people storm this event. I see people crawling through hole like rat, jumping over gate like manicou and they ain't easy hiding in the bathrooms just to get inside before the thing start. You make ask how I know this.....well I was resting in meh car meh two foot up when I see people pelting pass meh like the running form Osama. steupppsssss.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed myself and that after party made up for all the shit IP put me through last year.
The vibes was nice by that time I was a little tipsy and I had managed to outfit my clip with enough drinks for the evening by simply pushing my way through and sweet talking a bar man lol....Yes IP made it so that only masqueraders could get the drinks not their friends.
Yes I wine 'fuh so' while ah wining I see a Tribe truck passing and people looking on in amazement. I could hear them thinking "what is that going on there is that IP, my goodness its after 8pm and these people still partying". My answer was "yuh damn right is IP, yuh forget these people had to make up for last year...ah staying until it done until these people stop playing the music because I intend to wine out my full 3000+ dollars". By this time certain people form evolution was DJ ing for IP (you could imagine that) and a swear a h went a passa passa down the islands because is only hot f%^k dey and ah dutty wine dey. But no sweat I was hulla hulla hooping in my costume because I didn't care, I was determined to enjoy my carnival 2008 experience and that my friends was why I could not walk for two days afterwards and why I swear I still have a tiny replica of a bikini tattooed on 'meh' breast.
It was great; looking forward to 2009.