Thai New Year.

The first I notice of New Year is when I arrive down stairs in the morning and am presented with a flower necklace and perfumed flour mixture. When later I head outside there is a continuous stream of pickup trucks filled with local children who are armed with water guns, and bowls of water, while others wait in ambush at the side of the road with more water and hosepipes. As I wander down the street it doesn't take long before I also become a victim and quickly become soaked.

At the edge of town, I reach the island's coast which is the epicentre of the festivities. Here there is a big traffic jam of pick-up trucks who throw water at anyone and everyone that they pass. No one seems to mind not actually going anywhere. At the side of the road is more entertainment in the form of market stalls, music and dancing. After several hours of enjoying the festivities, I return home for a much needed drying-off.