The Biggest Party in the World

Carnaval is nonstop chaos, nonstop partying - but there are many moments when you are a few Xeque Mate cocktails in, dehydrated yet quite drunk, and you take a second to notice what exactly where you are.

You're in Rio de Janeiro, the symbol city for Brazil you've heard about all your life, a city that is as mystical as it is dangerous, a city that you wonder how it is possible to live and be incredibly productive in.

You're burning under the sun, you're dehydrated, you're helplessly in the middle of thousands of people - nothing that a few drinks can't help with.

To your left you see a guy dressed as a big ass sunflower talking to his friend carrying a Teletubbies plushie. To your right you see your friends jumping up and down, hopelessly yet passionately lipsyncing whatever Brazilian classic song is on. In the distance you see a group of three doing a triple kiss - because why not!

…Then there comes a moment when you quit looking around. The chaos and stimuli all seems to blend together, pause almost. Your eyes relax as you stare at the ground. You take a second to scan your body, and have this mix of feelings that you can't shake off. In some ways, you feel that you made the right decision to come here - that, out of everywhere you could've been this time of year, you're grateful you're in Rio with everyone here during Carnaval. You also can't shake the feeling that you will be back here multiple times. But one thought dominates them all, and you can't help but repeat it in your head over and over again:

“This energy will stay with me my whole life.”

You stare back up with a kid-like smile, and sing at the top of your lungs with thousands of people:

“Vou festejar, vou festejar!” (I'm going to party, I'm going to party!)