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When considering which travel story to write for this application, I didn't have to think too hard. The moment anyone asks me about my favourite travel experience, there's only one place that comes to mind: my home, Antigua and Barbuda - known by natives also as Wadadli. This beautiful gem of an island is located in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean. And here's the thing about Antigua: you can sell people with the 365 beaches, or the crystal blue waters, or even the perfectly spiced food. But to me, Antigua's best feature is its people - more specifically, its people during Carnival season. To keep it short, Carnival is celebrated throughout the Caribbean as a reminder and celebration of the peoples' emancipation from slavery. In Antigua, Carnival is held from the end of July until the first week of August (although really, it lasts the whole two months). There's a certain energy that encompasses the island during this time, and wraps around you like a warm and snug blanket. When you're in Antigua during Carnival season, there's only one way to explain what you feel: you feel pure and complete happiness, you feel like you're in a magical bubble, and in all honesty, it's as if the rest of the world doesn't really exist. That may sound exaggerated, but it's true - when you're in Antigua, you're really only in Antigua. Getting back to this Carnival season - it brings out another version of people. Growing up in Antigua, I didn't fully appreciate the culture (silly me, but I was young). However, as I grew older, I saw how happy and fulfilling it is. It's hard to say what's best about Antiguan carnival - maybe the mouth-watering food on every roadside, maybe the massive smiles one every person's face, or the connection you feel to every human around you. Maybe it's the sensational local music, known as Soca, which quite literally takes over your entire body, mind and soul, and whisks you away to another world. It definitely also has something to do with the sweet, tasty, locally-produced rum (English Harbour). One of the highlights of this time is definitely the back-to-back events that occur during Carnival - you have J'ouvert morning (from French - jour ouvert or day-break) which opens the Carnival season, as well as the beautiful costumes that parade the streets from sunrise until sunset. You also have live bands and pageants, as well as talent shows, allowing people of all ages to share what they love with each other. To be honest, I don't think you can explain the best part of Antigua's Carnival with any one thing - it's the combination of the people, the smiles, the bright colours and the music, the weather, the happy and safe energy - it's everything. What I love the most about this time of year is that you can truly feel the celebration and historical importance of Carnival. You can feel the out-pour of happiness and excitement from the local people, and how willingly they welcome everyone from all corners of the world is really something special. Antiguan Carnival is magical and almost indescribable. The only way I can explain Antigua during its Carnival season is in this way: go and experience it for yourself. It has to be hands down the best time of my life. You will feel a different version of yourself come out; a free-spirited, happy, care-free individual, and you will meet some of the best people. Antigua is a small island, it's a close-knit community. It's really a world of its own. It is 100% my happy place, and while I've tried to use these 700 words to explain the absolute best travel experience of my life, I don't think that there are enough words to do it justice. You just have to see for yourself.