Day 13; SONGKRAN!

Songkran is Thai New Year. They celebrate this with a nationwide water flight! Much better than a night out on the lash followed by a hangover and an empty wallet!

As it was Songkran we all got to work reduced hours. I was down to work from 1 until 4. Before my shift I walked to the store to get lunch and see what was going on on the main street. There were a lots of people at the side if the road with water guns, buckets and hose pipes. As you walk, ride or drive past they get you as wet as possible, you scream, they laugh, you both shout 'Happy Songkran', and you move on your way..Needless to say I got wet on my walk to the store!

I started work at 1pm, there was just Lindsey and I working, we were told that only the jobs that were totally necessary had to be done today, like feeding the animals and cleaning the cages etc, but things like sweeping the front yard and cleaning windows could be left for another day... Today was Songkran and there was fun to be had! As there were only two of us on each shift we were told not to walk any dogs as it would mean one of been left at the centre alone, and that would make things difficult if any tourist came for a tour or any sick animals were brought in. Although, we later took a bollocking because none of the dogs had been for walks?! ...Thailand. The dogs are outside in their play areas from 8am until 6pm so they aren't stuck in cages or kennels all day.


As our shift was beginning, the rest of the Lanta Animal Welfare team loaded their water-pistols and headed to Saladan in the LAW truck, which was also loaded with water. They were going to have allot of fun, I wished I didn't have to work. Lindsey and I had the worse shift of the day, it was the time that everything was happening in town.

A surprising amount of tourist came to visit during our 3 hour shift, so with taking tours, doing all the essential jobs and soaking each other with water in between, there wasn't a moment free. We also had a kitten brought in, it had been hit by a car and was dead. I was about to bag it and put it in the freezer but some of the others thought it might be still alive, (trust me it was dead!), so we decided to leave it covered with a towel in one of the consult rooms, not ideal in 30 degree heat in a building with no aircon!

At 4pm our shift ended and the team arrived back at the centre, the girls who were taking over from Lindsey and I were with them, we hoped that the plan was for us to swap places, reload the truck with water and head back to town. Although it didn't work out like that as the girls who were taking over decided to bugger off to get lunch, we waited almost 2 hours before they came back... By the time we got into town things had quietened down, it was still fun but we defiantly missed out by not going earlier.

Later we went for lunch at a local restaurant, I didn't feel great and was in bed by 10.30... Yet again, I'm so rock and roll!!