Well I survived the Full Moon Party, but just barely. I wish I would have gone somewhere else to see the Loy Krathong Festival (festival where they float lights down the rivers in little lotus leaves). I think that would have been more my style. But whatever you live and learn.
I spent the days leading up to the party chilling on the beach and taking motorbike's up north to see some other beaches and waterfalls. It was nice to get away from all the craziness. Jean-Luis and Fred (two more frenchies I met) and I headed up north to find some waterfalls and try to get to Bottle Beach. But in the end, we found a waterfall, but not bottle beach. We did however find a nice stretch of beach that was all but deserted. We grabbed some food there and relaxed, playing pool and listening to Manu Chao. It was nice and relaxing and a good lead up to the party.
After spending the last few nights partying on the beach, I was not really that excited about hte night's festivities. But around 10 o'clock I headed out to the beach. I grabbed a quick bite to eat, a bucket (a kid's pail filled with liquor, thai red bull and soda), and headed for the beach. it was absolutely packed. I heard today that there were about 10,000 people there in total. I wondered around and ran into some Americans (from Idaho)a that I had met at the festival in Pai. We hung out for a minute, and I wondered off to check out the rest of the beach. There were fire twirlers, flouro paint everywhere (and yes, I got myself painted, and of course lots and lots of music and dancing.
One interesting highlight was talking to a girl and realizing that other than some flouro purple paint she was completely naked! It was sometime around this point when i realized I would need another bucket to handle this. I ran back into the americans again, chatted for a bit and then ran into aguy from cameroon who I also met in pai. Spent pretty much the rest of the night with him and his english friend, who correctly described himself as having the look of a terrorist (middle-eastern with a big beard) but the heart of an angel. It was nice hanging out with them and we spent the night dancing and dancing,
As the buckets kicked in, I was happy to have a couple of guys to hang around. As a girl travelling alone to something like the full moon party it is important to not get too drunk, avoid all kinds of special drinks, pills, etc. And it is good to attach yourself to a group of people that will keep an eye on you.
In the end it was good fun. At about 4 or so i realized that I was pretty drunk, but more tired than anything. So I said goodnight and stumbled home. I woke up a couple of times during the day, but realized that waking up then was not a good idea.
It was dark when I finally dragged myself out of bed. I was starving so i went to the restaurant at the guesthouse and ordered some pizza. I wasn't feeling so hot at all, so i went back to my room to...clean out my stomach. I felt much better, so i returned to eat my pizza, which was gross, and watch Zoom on Hbo, which was bad as well. Then it was off to bed to continue sleeping off the hangover.
Today I woke up and decided it was time to head out. I booked another overnight ferry. Why would I do that to myself again, you ask? Well, because I'm broke, that's why. So this way i can save on a night's accomodation.
So tonight I head back over to the west coast to Koh Lanta to do my diving course. I'm very excited, b/c it's supposed to be some of the best diving in the world.
Still having problems with my camera (and the new 56AUD memory card I bought won't work either). So i'll put pics up when I can.
