Paraders getting ready for Sambódromo

What’s the first thing that springs to mind when you hear the word ‘Brazil’? The amazing nature, the Amazon, the beaches… and the Carnaval? It’s a spectacle that’s well known around the world, occupying a line of every traveller’s bucket list and dominating the plot of a multitude of non-Brazilian films about Brazil. Even The Simpsons did it! Even though the main event is over for the year, the Sambódromo tickets for 2018 are already up for grabs, and it’s never too early to start planning when it comes down to Carnaval.

Disclaimer: I actually arranged my carnival plans at the very last minute. I had my accommodation booked in September (by which time all of the good central locations had already been booked out) but due to poor planning, ended up browsing flights too late (around New Year’s). I cancelled my accommodation after deciding that…