Water, water everywhere...

This place is like a war zone right now. No one emerges unscathed. Water soaked casualties stumble by in all directions, attempting to avoid the next bucket barrage in vain. Even as I write this I’m dripping water all over the keyboard (yet no one seems to mind!).

It's Songkran! Thai New Year...…welcome to 2548 on the Buddhist calendar. Three days of water throwing madness to wind up the dry season and welcome (hopefully) the coming monsoons. There is no way to adequately describe the madness though I'll try. We are in Krabi, situated along the Andaman side of the southern coast of Thailand, and the streets are packed with pick-ups carrying families, friends and the all important massive barrel of water. Sounds systems blast music as everyone around, young and old, is engaged in the act of dowsing as many people as possible with nam (water). Squirt guns, buckets, hoses...…anything is fair game. Leave the video camera at home and don't even bother trying to dry out. The only thing flowing as freely as the water is the Beer Chang and Singha.

Although I was in Thailand four years ago for Songkran I had forgotten how completely mad the whole thing is. The locals say it's much more mellow this year due smaller crowds, a by product of the tsunami, but you could have fooled me. Even the terror inducing police force is a valid target. I photographed a cop with his newly purchased side arm (super soaker 8000) and he paid me back with a super soaking. I had no choice but to extract my revenge on his comrades with a 5 gallon bucket of water as they rode past on their motorcycles. Any other time of year this sort of offence would land you in a Thai prison. During Songkran it only elicits (half cocked) smiles. During Songkran no one is safe.

Although I’m fully into it right now, I’m certain I'll be over it long before the indefatigable Thais. Luckily for Radka and I, we are staying a long tail boat ride away from the insanity on a nearly deserted beach in Ao Nong. Our bungalows face the sea and the outcropping of limestone islands that jut forth from it. A short boat ride away lies Chicken Island, Poda Island, Hong Island and the beautiful coral reefs and aquatic life that surround it. Tomorrow we'll set off to explore the near by mangrove lagoons by kayak, potentially a much dryer option than hanging around downtown!

So... Happy New Year, Thai style. I must end this posting now before they make me pay to replace this water logged computer in front of me. Sawatdee homies!