Songkran Festival !!

SAWATDI PI MAI!!!! (Happy New Years in Thai!)

This past week has indeed been magical.  We arrived back in Chiang Mai on the 10th.  The following day led us to begin our 2 day 1 night trek!  Our group consisted of 14 people: 3 Germans, 3 Dutch, 3 British, 2 Australians, 1 French, and us, 2 Canadians!  We began by a quick stop at a market (for those who needed additional supplies) and then our pickup truck-which carried us all in the back-drove forth up the mountain!  Our first adventure was rafting down the river.  Now this was not quite the river rafting you'd expect.  The rafts, which consisted of 5 super long bamboo sticks tied together, carried us down.  About 3 to a raft with a guide, who had a long pole to push us from edges, took us down.  I am pretty sure this activity would be dubbed illegal in Canada.. just chilling on this raft as it's going through mild rapids, half submerged at times in the water, no helmet or life jacket.. no big deal.  I think it was one of the funnest things I have done yet!  We just motored down, skimming rocks, getting knocked too a fro-what a jolly good time.  We got to a certain point where I think it was too dangerous to be on the raft, so we all filed off to climb some rocks, where at the other side, maybe 20 ft up, we got to do some cliff jumping!  Our trek continued after rafting with a lunch before we actually started our hiking.  Just a further drive up the mountain, where we were dumped onto the side of the road and our 3 1/2 hour hike began.  I must admit, it was quite a strenuous hike.. I have also been battling a super bad cold, so my lungs weren't very impressed.. but I made it through.  We stopped along the way, visiting waterfalls, (which may I add were AMAZING!) visiting a village, and at last found camp.  Situated right along a loud thundery river, it was amazing!  Had some delicious dinner, enjoyed a campfire, and drank too much rice wine or socke (sp?).  The next day began with breakfast and a hike out, which felt like it would never end.  Our trek concluded with, might I add the best part, an elephant ride!  Ah, it was so great.  Nicole and I climbed into the basket held on the elephant's back, we had a guide who sat on the elephant's head, and off we went up and down hills.  It was very bumpy, but so amazing!  We felt the elephant purr several times, it was such an unforgettable experience! What amazing creatures!

Back in Chiang Mai, the 12-15 a Songkran Festival took place.  Essentially, since the Thai New Year is held on the 13th of April, to symbolise the washing away of the previous year, ready to bring on the next, they hold a nation wide WATER FIGHT!!! Uh huh, you heard me.  I think it was one the of most unreal experiences ever.  Not really sure of what to expect, I have really never seen anything like it.  Everyone, you name it, the young, the old, foreigners, locals... literally everyone comes together with either a water gun, a bucket.. they use ice water, warm water, dirty water.. some throw flour on you... its a gong show.  The streets are packed with people, you can't move, drive.. your soaked ALL DAY! Yep, it never really ends.  There is no point of ever changing your clothes into dry ones, because once your back into the streets, another bucket drenches you again.  The only safe place there is to go, is the markets at night!  Which is exactly where we hung out.  Plus the markets have the most amazing street food, for very cheap prices.. I don't think I have ever eaten so much, but so worth it.  We are very thankful that the water fight, while it was fun, is over.  Let's just say the chafing can speak for itself.  Plus, it's so nice to be dry, although you can really feel the effects of the heat now.  Back to the inevitable perma-sweat. Yay!

In between all of this crazy water soaking fun, I spent a day ZIPLINNING!!! AHHHH!!! It was SO MUCH FUN!!!! .. As I ventured with another group of people up a scary mountain side, we prepared ourselves for the highest and longest zipling in all of Thailand!  In total, there was 22 ziplines, which took about 3 hours to complete! It was AWESOME!  As Nicole spent the day learning new cooking skills, I spent the day screaming(wooo)and laughing in the heart of the jungle!  Not only did I zipline, I conquered spiral stairs, walked across swinging bridges(80 m high) and propelled, up to 40m, down !  By mistake, I had told one of our guides that I had been bungee jumping, so he basically propelled me "free fall" on the last 40m fall, but it was incredible!

Alas, the Chiang Mai adventure has come to a quick end, although close to a week was spent here.  Were heading to the South next.  With an overnight bus tonight bringing us to Bangkok.. a day spent back in the capital .. and another overnight train down to the South of Thailand.. our time will be spent on the beaches of Krabi !! A nice relaxing few days before we head to a new country!

Thanks for reading, talk to you soon!

Ps. Here is a video I found on youtube from previous years that sort of sums up the giant water fighting!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtEKvBI_4Ws