Water War
Trip Start
Jan 02, 2008
1
56
75
Trip End
Jun 17, 2008
Chiang Mai,
Thailand
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Water War was concentrated to the main road next to the moat, which runs around the city. But wherever you go it's impossible to stay dry for more than 2 seconds. The streets are packed with people armed with water pistols, buckets and hosepipes. Everyone is enjoying themselves, laughing and smiling as they throw water over each other. It's such a happy festival...if you don't mind getting wet!
The traffic on the main road was at stand-still with every car, tuck-tuck and motorbike taking part in the water fights. Cars were loaded with people and huge barrels of water. Absolutely everybody was dripping wet. The water in the moat is filthy, but everyone fills their buckets from here. I dread to think how much of this water went into my beer! Although this water was filthy, it was at least warm, unlike the cleaner water that people had put huge blocks of ice into...that really makes you scream and run away! I had a flip-flop issue which made running away hard. I had no flip-flops (they broke last week and I hadn't got round to replacing them), so I was barefoot for 2 days until my feet were so sore I could barely walk. I was so desperate for flip-flops that in my rush to buy I got a pair that were too small...my feet are not very happy with me :(
It's a good job it's scorching hot here, otherwise being continuously wet wouldn't be much fun. Actually I did get kind of cold at times...to the point that my lips went blue, but I found a way of keeping warm...beer and lots and lots of dancing. Marion and I found a perfect place to dance at a gigantic paddling pool on the roadside. We danced and threw water onto the packed street. Then jumped or fell into the pool of filthy water, squashed full with people. Unbelievable amounts of fun!
Marion and I had a really interesting night out where we hitched our way around the city trying to find the party. The streets were deserted and it was hard to believe such a crazy festival had been going on just hours before. We found a couple of parties, one at a Thai bar where we were the only foreigners. It was so packed that you couldn't move or even have a sip of your drink. There was a live band playing and the football was on at the same time which was slightly strange. Then we got taken to a club with awful music, but we danced a little anyway and then hitched our way home. We decided the party was better in the day...you cant beat a massive water fight!
Four days of water fights! It didn't die down...everyone kept up their enthusiasm right to the end. But by the fourth day Marion and I craved dryness. We escaped onto the rooftop of our guesthouse for a while...the only dry place. Also got a Thai massage and hired a bike and did a little sight seeing...we still got wet, but cycling through the crazy water fight was another way of experiencing it...although you cant fight back!
Considering the amount of water on the streets, there was a lack of water at our guesthouse. We'd had this problem when we stayed here before, but it was worse this time. I'm sure they'd diverted the water from our room and into their hosepipe. I debated taking my shampoo down to the street and showering there. We couldn't even clean our teeth or flush the toilet. After a lot of complaining (the owner now hates me...the feeling is mutual) and usually a wait of several hours, they sometimes diverted the water to our room for a few minutes. You begin to realize how important water is and that this festival is a huge waste of it!
