Water World

You think you’re not going to get wet. Think again, tourist!!

Here’s an idea: have a parade but add a fun element-everyone get a hose, water pistol or big bowl, and begin tossing water back and forth. The result is a melee of water fun, mixed with live music, street dancing, Buddha statues on floats, sometimes accompanied by monks, and no one-I mean no one, is exempt from a good soaking! 

When I made my plans to stop off in Thailand on the way to Nepal, for rest, good food, and doing a bit more research for my book Monk Chat, I had no idea I’d be there for the Thai New Year, which means Songkran, which means a lot of water throwing! I was warned to waterproof everything I didn’t want soaked—to be doused with water was a blessing for good luck in your new year.

Not really happy about being in water world, whether I wanted to or not. One goal while in Thailand was photographing the many signs monks write and hang on trees around temples (hence “Monk Chat”), sketching and taking notes as I dug a little deeper into the many historic ruins around the old town of Chiang Mai. None of that mixed well with water.

But I didn’t need to give up any of my goals. A waterproof bag for my camera, light-weight fast drying clothes and my pink shade hat that repeals water, Tevas  on my feet, and I tackled water world, and my research, while enjoying a cooling spray of water here and there.

Clanging drums, trumpets blaring, excited screams by those getting full on water blasts, it was all good. Everyone out in the streets of Chiang Mai seemed to be having good, clean fun. The parades of floats, musicians and clubs went on for miles, I kid you not. And from what I saw, not an unkind word, unruly behavior or misdeeds. It was, well, refreshing for such a huge event.

In the end, I’m glad I got to experience Songkran. I laughed, I danced under a hose, I got soaked, I had a great time. At the end of the day, I had never felt so clean. Songkran? You bet I can!