Good? Bad? I am the guy with the gun! Song kran part neung!

After an epic Song Kran last year I didn’t think anything could come close. Well as the Thais say “Same same, but different”. As awkward of a phrase this is, the description of the events is incredibly accurate. Last year we marched down Silom, danced our asses off in RCA and then day 2 put a full assault on Khao San. In case you forgot here is that blog:  http://takingthoseshots.blogspot.com/2012/04/welcome-to-year-2555.html

Coordination was a little different this year and I wasn’t able to meet up with the same crew. Plans with our international militia came to fruition and before you knew it you had an earful of ice water. An Aussie, American, a few Russians, Dane, Brit, and of course a couple Canadians jumped into the back of a truck and started our drive by soakings.  Parading up and down Sukhumvit and along our way to Khao San we unloaded litre after litre onto the streets of Bangkok.  Pictures to come of course.

On Khao San, we met up with Bravo Company (consisting of Spaniards, more Russians, a few swedes and a token Brit) to crush some delicious vegetarian thai cuisine. Of course only after launching our multifaceted phalanx attack on the heavily armed Khao San Legion. Refreshed and ready to apply destruction with ice-cold water, we tactically moved back to our personnel carrier. 

As Tyler said it best, “This is the only time of year we praise Bangkok traffic!”. As the 4 of use guys piled out of the truck and wistfully moved between stagnant cars and popping up for sniper shots on unsuspecting walkers, bus patrons and fools with windows open.  Tuk tuks are prime targets this time of year as there is no protection from the icy bath of my Super Soaker 5500.  

All this running and shooting builds up an appetite very quickly so a few people went to Khao San while a few of us found an Aussie owned Sports bar. In the mess hall we slammed a chilled pint and some few only to return to more mayhem, in the form of Foam and more water.  

My time of being soaked was approaching in the 11 hours range and I was more than ready to call it a night.

Get to the choppa

Welcome to the year 2555

To start off with WOW! Song kran or Thai New Year is incredible. Hands down the coolest new years celebration ever. This was also my third new years celebration in 2012. I thought that was a little bit of an interesting aspect of things.

First, some big news, on my trip back from Laos I received a phone call from my booker Pla, she was incredibly excited, as am I now. I booked a TVC with LG and its global. I am incredibly pumped about that as it will be the first commercial I have ever done that will be seen on TV in Canada, as well as the other countries of the world I have followers.

Back to Song Kran.  Thai New Year is celebrated with essentially a nationwide water fight. Most stores close down during this time and people go home to be with their families, but either way everyone ends up wet.  Some friends from Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur were in town and anxious to rock out the water guns.

I have a few pictures from cab rides, but that is it. There is so much water being tossed around from buckets, water guns and fire hoses that you are completely soaked, so my cell phone stay safely tucked away in Ziploc bags for the majority of these 3 days. 

Our first day we spent part of the time on Silom (think red mile, but packed with people selling water, fire trucks hosing people down and 50 000 Thais. At the age of 25 I never imagined having such an incredible time at a water fight, one that put my childhood ones to shame. Another interesting aspect of these water fights was people walking around with pales of clay and spreading it on your face. Apparently the clay is good for your skin, but is it ever messy.

The evening was spent in an area called RCA at an outdoor bar Route 66. Thanks to Charles handiwork we had a table and an almost infinite supply of water via a 180 L barrel. I had an incredible time here as well, but it was almost too much for me. After being showered with water for 3 hours and crammed like sardines most of us had accomplished our mission for the day and were ready to call it a night.

The next day was much of the same, but at a different location, Khao San Road. Some of you may remember this road as the location Leo stayed in the movie the beach. It’s a fairly tourist area filled with backpackers. Although during Song Kran it’s known as the wildest water fights in Bangkok. Another fun time, hopefully I can snag some pictures from friends.