Full Moon
Two days ago I finally left Phi Phi and made my way to Ko Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand. I caught a 9am ferry from Phi Phi which took me to Krabi on the mainland. A minibus then took me across the Thai peninsula to Surattani. On the way, however, we entered a tropical storm. It rained and did not stop raining. From Surattani a ferry took me over rough seas to Ko Phangan.
When I finally arrive on Ko Phangan and took a pickup-truck-taxi to Haat Rin, it was quite late. My bag, which had spent much of the journey outside (for instance, on the roof of the minibus across the peninsula) was soaked, as was much of its contents. Valuables luckily were stored in waterproof bags (those which Chris ridiculed).
When I arrived at the beach at Haat Rin, all accommodation was fully booked, as I knew it would be. The Full Moon Party was the following night (last night) and much of the accommodation at Haat Rin and the surrounding areas fills up several days in advance. In my taxi from the ferry to Haat Rin were several travelers with no accommodation bookings. I suspect they were still wandering the streets in search of a place to stay late into the night.
I also had no booking. I did, however, have a vague promise from Lauren (Canadian) and Ella (English) who I had met briefly on Ko Phi Phi that I could stay on their floor. (Lauren I had originally met in Hanoi, although I ran into her quite by chance on Phi Phi). I found where they were staying and, indeed, spent the night on their floor.
Last night was the Full Moon Party, certainly one of the more overrated attractions in Thailand. The beach, several hundred metres long, fills up with throngs of partygoers (in the tens of thousands some months) gyrating to bad dance music and getting pathetically drunk on the horrendous tasting Thai 'buckets'. Nonetheless, as a spectacle the party is fascinating. I lost Lauren and Ella at some stage during the night, but ran into some Australian girls who I met on Phi Phi and spent the rest of the night with them. (Because the Full Moon Party is quite popular and many travelers in the region make their way here for it, one inevitably sees many familiar faces. In the course of the night I saw at least ten individuals who I had previously met in either Vietnam or Thailand). I watched the sun rise, had a relaxing breakfast, and finally made it to my bed on the floor at 10am this morning for a few hours sleep.
When I finally arrive on Ko Phangan and took a pickup-truck-taxi to Haat Rin, it was quite late. My bag, which had spent much of the journey outside (for instance, on the roof of the minibus across the peninsula) was soaked, as was much of its contents. Valuables luckily were stored in waterproof bags (those which Chris ridiculed).
When I arrived at the beach at Haat Rin, all accommodation was fully booked, as I knew it would be. The Full Moon Party was the following night (last night) and much of the accommodation at Haat Rin and the surrounding areas fills up several days in advance. In my taxi from the ferry to Haat Rin were several travelers with no accommodation bookings. I suspect they were still wandering the streets in search of a place to stay late into the night.
I also had no booking. I did, however, have a vague promise from Lauren (Canadian) and Ella (English) who I had met briefly on Ko Phi Phi that I could stay on their floor. (Lauren I had originally met in Hanoi, although I ran into her quite by chance on Phi Phi). I found where they were staying and, indeed, spent the night on their floor.
Last night was the Full Moon Party, certainly one of the more overrated attractions in Thailand. The beach, several hundred metres long, fills up with throngs of partygoers (in the tens of thousands some months) gyrating to bad dance music and getting pathetically drunk on the horrendous tasting Thai 'buckets'. Nonetheless, as a spectacle the party is fascinating. I lost Lauren and Ella at some stage during the night, but ran into some Australian girls who I met on Phi Phi and spent the rest of the night with them. (Because the Full Moon Party is quite popular and many travelers in the region make their way here for it, one inevitably sees many familiar faces. In the course of the night I saw at least ten individuals who I had previously met in either Vietnam or Thailand). I watched the sun rise, had a relaxing breakfast, and finally made it to my bed on the floor at 10am this morning for a few hours sleep.
posted by Tor at 6:26 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home