Out of Norm Travels

Here's my Out of Norm Travels programme in Thailand titled 'Trio of Market Visits in 1 day and 1 night' which includes 1 Railway Market and 2 Floating Markets namely, Maeklong Railway Market, Damonseduk Floating Market and Amphawa Floating Market. Locally known as the Umbrella Market , the Maeklong or Mae Klong Railway market is a fresh produce market that lies along the last part of the railway that runs for nearly 67 kilometres between Bangkok, and Samut Songkhram in central Thailand. What distinguishes this market from the other markets in Thailand is that not only it is authentic i.e. it is patronised by local Thais who live around the area who come here to get anything from vegetables to fish to fruits, it is also visited by tourists who come from all over the world (most notably by Anthony Boudain). What's so special about this place is that the stalls are all located along the railway tracks and when the train siren sounds, the stall holders proceed to close...

I have been wanting to take this trip to witness the for the past 3 years so I was elated when I found a travel companion 1.5 weeks before the annual Rocket Festival started at Yasothorn, Thailand over the weekend of May 10-12 that I booked my air ticket and made the overnight bus ride down to this unusual and truly unique experience. As in many Thai festivals, the festival varies from year to year due to Thai lunar calendar calculations but understand that essentially it's held during the weekend of the 2nd week of May.  Thailand Rocket  Festival, also known as Bun Bang Fai is one of the most explosive and unusual festivals in the Thai calendar. A must-visit event if you happen to be up in the  Isaan  (northeastern) region of Thailand.   According to www.wherethailand.com, this festival is based on an old folk belief, every May local farmers look to try and coax the gods into the romantic mood needed to produce rainfall by sending huge phallic-shaped rocket...