Notting Hill Carnival, London

It's August Bank Holiday Monday, that means it's Carnival weekend!
The first time I went to the Notting Hill Carnival, I was 15. I was only allowed to go on one condition; that I go along with my sister and her friends as they were all 18 and 19. My sister's reply was over my dead body. So I said to my mum and dad that I was in fact going with my sister and they said OK, you can go.

We left the house together and half way up our street, we agreed to meet up at a designated time and place later that night and that's the last time we saw each other all day until nightfall. I went to my friend's house, got changed out of jeans and put on the tiniest denim skirt that only a teenager could get away with.

Me and my friends got drunk on gold label beer and danced all day long. My first time at Notting Hill was the bomb; it was one of the best and most remarkable days of my life! I saw and experienced fun I'd never imagined!!

Myself and my sister managed to return home with our big lie undiscovered.

The following day, while having dinner, to our horror, me and my sister saw her and her friends on the six o'clock news dancing with policemen! There's a God because my parents didn't even notice her; not to mention that I was nowhere to be seen.

Oh what fun to be young and carefree!!

Now that I'm older, I say youth is wasted on the young. I tell young people they're good to have around as play-things, but they know nothing about life.

Don't mind me, I'm just jealous.