mon day 87

---

Today started with getting a much needed haircut by wan and having a bit of a lazy morning. Early afternoon wan, her sister and brother, kew, cream and boom ( wans niece) and myself pilled in the car to go play songkran! Its the Thai new year celebrations and its celebrated by having water fights in the streets and having wet flour smeared into your face! The idea of this is that you are being cleaned for the start of the new year ahead. Heading into the centre of Bangkok were many groups of people standing along the sides of the road with huge bins full of water and throwing it over anything that drove past - mopeds, tuk tuks, taxis, people on bikes etc! Nothing was exempt. Wan knew of some good spots to go to and being driven by her brother ( who is a dustbin man and knows the streets like the back of his hand) we didn't hit too much traffic. Stopping off and popping into a shop to buy water pistols and some flour we were armed! Heading down the first street that had been shut off from traffic which had a huge temporary roof erected full of sprinklers down the length of it - 2 minutes in and we were soaked! With pretty much everyone armed with a pistol it was probably the biggest water fight ive ever been part of - and great fun! Its tradition for Thais also to wear loud Hawaiian shirts on songkran - which we all had on. But keeping phones and cameras in the car it didn't make it a great opportunity for getting pictures. Turning round and walking back down the other side of the street wans brother was waiting in the car for us to take us to another good area. A further 20 minutes down the road and a little closer to the centre - and as close as we could get with roads being closed and the crowds, we pilled out the car and went for another 40 minute walk playing water pistols! Stopping off to get a bite to eat at a street food stall we then got back in the car and were driven back home - drying off on the way! Back home we had some snacks for dinner and chilled out for the remainder of the evening. It had been a really good day and to see how other countries celebrate their new year felt special.

---