Koh Phangan, Thailand 11/7/06

Koh Phangan, Thailand 11/7/06

It’s my last night here in party paradise and I have mixed feelings about leaving. I have only been here 5 days but I have settled into a little routine and it’s been nice. Any minute now Manuel will walk around the corner and find me sitting on my porch. He will say, “Fancy a beer, Mat?” and I will say “yes” just like I have said every late afternoon since I met him save one. He will walk down the beach a short way and come back with a few cold bottles. We will sit and slowly sip the cold beers that we popped open on the railing of my porch.

The conversation will range from beer drinking stories from around the world to what new places we have heard are worth checking out. The conversation is slow with long gaps because we really aren’t here to talk. We are here to people watch and my porch is a great place for that. It has gotten slower though since the Full Moon 2 days ago. Just like you could feel things building up you can feel things winding down. Longtail boats were roaring away all day yesterday and this morning there was a steady stream of full packs being marched down the beach. Of course most of these Backpackers aren’t going home. Just off to some other part of Thailand like I am doing tomorrow morning when I will head to another island.

I like to think I lead a life of balance. It is often balanced at the extreme opposite ends of a spectrum but it’s balanced none the less. By that rational I need at least a week of clean living to balance out these 5 days and nights. Hell I haven’t even been taking my vitamin!

I guess technically I took it pretty easy yesterday. Only one beer and one pizza but of course that was after the Full Moon. A night out that lasted until day light…again. I’m not sure how it happens so easily. One minute you are dancing and singing on the beach with 10,000 friends, you just have not quite got around to meeting all of them yet, and the next thing you know its daylight. It’s got to be the bottle of Thai proof Red Bull they pour into each bucket.

I’m a rum man myself so I go with the old faithful rum, coke, & Red Bull all poured into a little bucket with some ice and a handful of straws, you know, for sharing with those 10,000 friends. You can get anything in a bucket here though and I do mean anything.
Not that a square like me really knows much of what that means though. I just know when a guy passes by you and discreetly says “You need anything?” He ain’t a waiter. I just smile and say no thanks just like I always have. I have done enough dumb things just on the rum to know I don’t need any other stimuli.

The actual Full Moon Party was amazing! I have attended more than my fair share of HUGE party events and this was by far the best. Sure the setting is hard to beat. A full moon over a crescent shaped bay with a soft sandy beach extending about 1 km from rocky cliff to rocky cliff. There was more to it though for me. There was a community feel that you don’t find at the other HUGE party events like Fantasy Fest, Mardi Gras, etc.

I also loved the laid back feel of it. No corporate banners. No main stage. No cover charges or tickets. No parade. No headliner with people just there to see them. In fact there was nothing scheduled at all but with all that non-planning there was still a planned aspect that made you know it was not a normal night.

Extra booths were set up along the beach where you could get food or buckets. There were stands to get your body painted with amazing designs in day glow paint. There were dance platforms set up at various points along the beach and of course extra sound systems to go along with them. There were some random decorations and black light areas too. The most unique feature was the “Sleep Areas”. Just a little 3 sided, marked off area with straw mats laid out and a lifeguard stationed in front. Wanna go to sleep and not get stepped on? Just go to the sleep area. No charge. No sign in.

My favorite organized element was the 30 foot scaffolding wall. I watched them set it up while I sat on my porch. It took them hours. As they were building it I wondered what it was going to be used for. Even as Manuel and I were sitting on the porch after dinner we were contemplating why they had built it. Just scaffolding on the beach? No lights mounted on it; No screens, banners or cloth; nothing.

About an hour later, a few hours after sunset, we finally saw more activity on the wall of scaffolding. The same guys that had spent hours building it started climbing it. As a few of them reached the top others started bringing out some large wire frames. After them, guys with really long torches. It took them just a few minutes to get it all in place and light it up. The scaffolding was just the means to hang a HUGE flaming sign. It read, “Amazing Thailand” with the silhouette of an elephant next to the words. “Amazing”, yes it is and so was the sign.

I met lots of people that night and they were all just faces in my memory by morning. Israeli, English, Irish, German, even a guy whose country I still can’t pronounce let alone know where it is. Manuel saw my confusion and just said “Eastern Europe”. I just said “Ahhhh”, like now I knew but of course I didn’t. No need to perpetuate an American stereotype, even if it is true.

So there it is. My first Full Moon Party. I am officially a “Backpacker”! As I wrap up my time here in Koh Phangan I need to state again how much I love the place I am staying. It is called the Palita Lodge and its fantastic! The people that run it are authentic and happy. They don’t treat you like a Dollar sign, or I guess I should say a Baht. I will be thinking about my great shack and daily free breakfasts (served anytime of day mind you and includes a cheese burger with fries as an option) reading my book in the hammock every afternoon, waking up to the sound of rolling waves, and a German guy stopping by around sunset with cold beer.

I need to wrap this up now and get ready for those said beers. Manuel is bringing a guest tonight. An Ausie girl that moved in next door to him. Australia! I definitely know where that is!
MJF