Team 2up Tooled up

What fantastic timing for us to be in Thailand for Songkran, Thailand’s most famous annual eventA key event in the Buddhist calendar, this water festival marks the beginning of the Thai New Year. What could be better than a water festival during, what even the locals, consider to be extreme hot weather!

The word Songkran come from the sanskrit word saṃkrānti (astrological passage), meaning transformation or change. Officially on the 13th April every year but the holiday now extends to the 14th & 15th as well, so we get to join the celebrations for 3 days. We have also been told that in Chiang Mai, these can last for a full month!

From our perspective, we have noticed two distinct ways to celebrate, but both involve water in some way. The more traditional way, seems to be for somebody to gently douse/sprinkle you with water, in a very respectful, courteous way. This symbolically represents purification, or the washing away of the previous year to welcome the New Year. The water fights that have become synonymous with Songkran are an escalation of this tradition and lead to fully fledged street parties that go on for hours. All celebrations are exceptionally good natured and the ‘family’ atmosphere is an absolute joy to witness.

As riders, we are great targets as we travel along any road! Often you can see the kids in quiet towns gearing up to give you a soaking as you pass, but sometimes the more stealthy, will pick you off from the back of innocuous looking pick-ups as they drive by!
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Wish us luck!
Team 2up (films of Songkran shenanigans to follow)

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