I was startled every few minutes by the sight and sound of the plastic-coated gunpowder exploding with a flash, inches from my feet, smoke billowing in my eyes and blasts ringing in my ears.
Volleying a firecracker at the wooden god effigies paraded at Phuket’s deceptively named Vegetarian Festival – in fact, everyone goes vegan – is deemed good luck by the thousands that gather there.
