Full Moon Madness
Trip Start
May 03, 2008
1
19
44
Trip End
May 02, 2009
Koh pha ngan,
Thailand
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Point of note - there is no low season at full moon time.
We went around a few places but they were either full or charging crazy prices. 100 Euro each per night would get you 5 star luxury normally so we weren't willing to pay that for a place not even worth 10 Euro.
I was getting tired and it was hot so I took a break and recovered in a café with a smoothie while Simon continued on the search. Unfortunately, he wasn't successful so we decided to try another town further down the coast to a place called Ao Ban Thai. This time it was Simon's turn to take a rest and for me to set out in search of a place to call home!
This place was just a main road with all the accommodation beach-side and the bars and restaurants on the other side. It took me over a half an hour to find a place that was open, didn't have crazy rabid dogs trying to chase me off the property, and had availability at a price we were willing to pay - 20 Euro for the both of us. Simon was kinda wondering where I had gotten to as I'd said I'd only go for half an hour and come back, and it was a 15 min walk back to where he was with our bags. But I had come back with good news so all was well.
We set off again in the beating sun feeling pretty wrecked but thinking the worst of the day was over. Then one of the wheels from my rucksack fell off!! Anyone who has read my Cambodia blog knows I don't relish the idea of putting my rucksack actually on my back! So I dragged it for a few minutes hoping that the other wheel would compensate. Eventually my optimism gave way to reality and Simon helped me hoist it on my back. I was never so happy to see a hut in my life! It was right by the beach too so I was looking forward to sunbathing the next day. We napped and showered and generally recharged.
We decided on a quiet night at the resort because the next night was full moon party night. I got up next morning looking forward to being right beside the beach. Unfortunately the tide was way out and the beach smelled from all the seaweed. Anyway, we got ready for the full moon party and crammed into a tuk tuk to take us into the action.
We were to meet a friend from home, who was staying in a different part of the island, in a place called "The Big Mushroom". When we got to Had Rin we couldn't find any place with that name. I went into a shop to ask one of the locals but she thought I wanted something else and told me it would make me go crazy!! We asked a few more people but they all thought the same. We went into a flashy resort on the beach and they gave us directions to a bar on the hill at the end of the beach. Finally, we thought we were getting somewhere. Not really. It was just a bar that sold a "special" drink.
We gave up and decided to walk down the beach and get a normal drink somewhere! We were just picking out our spot when our mate called us. No surprises, there was no mushroom bar and they were about a meter in front of us on the beach. Climbed over a few passed out bodies, tried not to look at the people peeing in the sea and the night was ready to begin. We had a good night but we're not as young as we used to be - only made it til about 4 in the morning. We bargained for a tuk tuk and went back to our hut which we seemed to be sharing with a large lizard of some kind - one behind the aircon and another briefly in the bathroom. At least it wasn't cockroaches....! Next stop Koh Samui.
