Loi Krathong (Yi Peng)

There is a full-moon tonight. For most a Thai full-moon means the party island of Ko Pha-Ngan, clubs, beaches, backpackers, drugs, getting raped without knowing and having all your stuff nicked without caring (maybe in that order). We're much too middle aged, partnered-up and weighed down with expensive electronic equipment for that nowadays, so it's just as well Chiang Mai's full-moon ceremony is a more sedate affair.

The Loi Krathong Festival, or Yi Peng as it is called up here in Northern Thailand, is ostensibly about paying respects to the spirits of the rivers. Really I think it's just another excuse for a party. The coolest part of this party, which goes on throughout Thailand for several days, are the flying lanterns launched from all over Chiang Mai. Whilst the festival is national, I believe the lanterns (which would be unlikely to gain a British kite-mark) are a local embellishment. Last night, although it wasn't the main night of celebration (festivities go on for about a week), the sky was lit up by the almost-full moon and hundreds of new yellow and temporary stars. We launched our own, then watched a seemingly endless and colourful procession of ground-based lanterns go past the hotel restaurant whilst we ate our Cheeseburgers (comfort food after the hill trekking). Tonight is supposedly the main event, which will be impressive if it can top last night's easy splendour.