Journey to the 'Land of Smiles' and why it lived up to its name

Waking up with the notorious 'changover' had never been so pleasant than when I did it at SK Guesthouse on Koh Phangan. Three years ago I discovered the island's 'diamond in the rough'; not really a hidden gem as such, as it borders the main strip leading to Haad Rin beach, although the avid backpacker must remember to look up as it's situated atop the shops. SK, in my opinion, really captured the essence of what it meant to be a backpacker; a large communal eating (and of course drinking) area greeted me as I entered the guesthouse, any first-time traveller apprehension melting away as a resident offered me a straw of their bucket, and it wasn't long until I was engaged in heated game of ring of fire, clutching my own bucket of questionable vodka Redbull (courtesy of Tony Bucket's, of course). Socialising couldn't really be avoided; sooner or later I was going to get roped into an obligatory game of 'Beersbie' whether I liked it or not so it was easier just to go along with it. They offered rooms to accommodate all budgets (although if your budget is enough to afford the likes of the Four Seasons, you're probably not going to find simple air conditioning and a smaller than average double bed sufficient. Fortunately, I was not accustomed to such luxury so a ceiling fan and basic plumbing suited me just fine); their only rule being to not get UV paint on the bedding (much easier said than done, especially when you forget the luminous orange 'boats and hoes' that someone painted on your back...) The owner was quite lenient when it came to payment; a mutual thumbs up agreement meant she knew I was good for it. People watching' was at its finest at SK, as its location provided the perfect viewing platform from which to observe and laugh at the drunken antics below. All the amenities were just a glow stick's throw away (quite literally), something I was delighted with, as that meant I could get my mandatory 7/11 cheese toastie at 3am. At the end of the day I had to just get stuck in: I chugged the Chang, downed a bucket, yelled 'skol' with the Swedes and just embraced the guesthouse's hedonistic vibe - and that's why it's my "travel treasure"; the backpacking culture personified.