Songkran

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Day 3 (or 4? I've lost track) of spending 8 straight hours floating in the sea. In the shallows the water is hot and you have to swim a ways out before it cools down a bit. Little (and not-so-little) brightly colored fish swim past my toes. There's little difference in temperature between the water and the air - depending on where you are either the water is a cool break from the air, or vice versa. The ocean is teal, stays shallow a long way out, and the waves are small and gentle. One of these days I'll get around to posting a picture.

Yesterday I dragged myself out of the water long enough to have curried shrimp with rice and an ice cold beer at a cafe on the beach. I think it was for lunch, although all I know for sure is that it was daylight.

It's Songkran - Thai New Year - which seems to be largely celebrated by people running up to you in the street and dumping buckets of ice cold water over you ("for luck!") then kissing you on the cheek. Yesterday little kids lined the street with hose pipes and water guns, spraying pedestrians and the crowds of tourists on rented bikes. The partying went on until early this morning - lots of Thai techno, bubbles, glitter, and drunk backpackers making bad decisions in the many tattoo parlors. It's nearing 10 AM, and the place is still pretty deserted. Although that's not out of the ordinary for Lonely Beach. Time is pretty relative here.

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Photos

Ice Beach
Luxury bathrooms

Ice Beach
Can you spot the shower?
Light and airy bathrooms (read: no roof) with refreshing showers (:cold water only). :)