Songkran in Khao Yai

Songkran arrived at last, and with it the heat of summer. Now, you may think we are city folk, but actually we are not. Because I honestly would rather have a hot poker in the eye than spend Songkran getting pushed and shoved and firehosed in downtown Bangkok. I know, I know-usually I just embrace the event wholeheartedly and throw myself and my boys into the occasion. This time. not. so. much.

 

So we packed up the car, dog and all, and headed north. About two hours north to the hills. And about that embracing? We did that too.

You see, when you get out of the city, they still celebrate Songkran like its New Years Eve, because for them it is. It just happens to last three days. And like almost everything the Thai's do, they do it well-meaning and in the nature of kindness. So we were pleasantly surprised to find we could roam and venture north of Khao Yai National Park past lovely little villages and find the festivities in full swing, minus the sweating and firehoses and drunk farang.

So it would start like this. And you would drive up to small crowds or families hanging by the side of the road with a tell-tale plastic barrel presumably filled with water. There would be dancing, loud music, children.

If you slowed down like these guys, they would splash you gleefully or wave you over to gently pat white paste on your face and say a blessing. Yes, that's a mickey mouse water gun pack. Mickey Mouse. And four guys clinging to a ceramic barrel of water in the back of a pickup truck, a sight which was repeated all three days.

 

We had packed our arms as well.

Enough for all of us.

So not only did we get the lovely experience of cool fresh air, scenic mountain and valley landscapes, but we also had a lot of fun and laughs. The Thais we battled with water were so amused to see a carload of farang cruising around, getting soaked. My husband was even offered a beer and ice a few times. Right in the car window. No joke.

 

Sometimes we left the windows up, but mostly we did not.

This cute kid got a little creative with his paste.

 

And this happened to me all weekend long, so I feel VERY blessed.