Song Kran

Even though this festival was a month ago, I'm a little bored, and figured I'd type this out.
Song Kran is the Thai New Year celebration, which is celebrated by throwing water on everybody you see, because it is so hot out. It's really a crazy holiday, and many things close, but everyone's hospitality and generosity are as abundant as ever. Song Kran started in my city on April 12th, but because it was my birthday I didn't participate. April 13th however was really amazing.
It was my first day on Song Kran, and so I didn't know what to expect. I hauled along a back pack with lots of gear for the day, and left it at my host aunt's house so it wouldn't get wet. Then I walked over to where my host cousins were throwing water and other people. After a couple hours of being soaked to the bone, occasionally the water was cold enough to involve shrieking, my cousin and I hopped in the back of a pick-up truck to do drive by soakings. We drove around town for a little while, then reached one of the big main streets. Everybody was throwing water like crazy, and also part of Song Kran is to put baby powder on other people's faces, so many people were wandering the streets with a bottle of baby powder, and getting soaked with water. When I was still in the original truck, I spotted some friends, so I ran through the street to jump into their truck, and then we continued driving around town. Eventually the festivities came to my white friend's house, so we all got out of the truck, and started pouring more water everywhere while blasting music, and having a great time just enjoying Thai culture.
The next day I decided to go to Khon Kaen to celebrate more Song Kran, where I had heard was really amazing. I got to the bus station, and I could already tell I was in for a crazy couple of days. I was riding in a Song Tao (a pick-up truck/bus thing used to travel around town) and everybody was throwing water at us, and my backpack filled with clothes got soaked. Eventually I made it to my exchange friend's house, where I dropped my bag off, and continued with my farang friends and some of their Thai friends to go walk the streets. Our faces and necks were completely covered with baby powder (sometimes talcum powder! Ouch!) and drenched. There was live music everywhere, and it was quite an enjoyable day. We all headed back to the hotel to get ready for the next day of craziness.
The next day was just a repeat, but was equally fun and amazing. The Thai people were just so happy it was Song Kran, and were all just so happy to be enjoying a beautiful sunny day; it was great. There is no holiday like this anywhere in the world, and it was so much fun. I wish I could do it again, but alas, it only Song Kran comes only once a year.
I'll be back in a month and a half!! :(
-==-James