A sky lantern is a small hot-air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended on a metal wire. When lit, the flame heats up the air in the balloon, causing the air density to drop and the lantern to rise into the air.
It is made of oiled rice paper with bamboo frame. So I suppose it's more eco-friendly than releasing helium balloons to the sky. However, (and I only stumbled upon this fact several minutes ago because I had to Google what the sky lanterns are made of), they are apparently a fire hazard because they may land when the flame is still alight. I mean, of course. Why hadn't I thought of that? I wonder how they manage this problem in Chiang Mai where hundreds or maybe thousands of sky lanterns are released simultaneously each year in the Yi Peng festival.
In 2016, I was in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand, to volunteer at a dog shelter. But I had to cut my trip short after receiving news that my mother wasn't well. On my last night there, three of the volunteers I stayed with took me to a bridge not far from our hostel. One of them had brought along four sky lanterns, one for each of us.
It was not very easy to light up the fire and keep it going while trying not to burn the paper. And the frame got really hot after some time, but I had to brave the heat to wait for the others to get theirs lit up and our photo to be taken.
Before releasing my lantern, I made a wish that my mother would be okay soon. This video was taken right after I released it, so the one you see high above in the sky was mine.
It was not very easy to light up the fire and keep it going while trying not to burn the paper. And the frame got really hot after some time, but I had to brave the heat to wait for the others to get theirs lit up and our photo to be taken.
 |
| Me, on the left. |
