The Young Man Odyssey

First and foremost, this thing is a giant rave, I refused numerous touts from locals for ecstacy, and judging by the scene, my travel compadres did not.

Standing by the side of the road, a pickup truck stopped and I jumped in the back. when the roads became quite sketchy and steep, I jumped in with the driver and his daughter. We had polite conversation, and in broken english I believe he may have offered me his daughter. He stopped the truck where he lived, and told me we would continue on his motorbike. He went inside his house and I waited a good 6 minutes before he came out. Confused, I started walking to the party. He realized his wrongdoing, and sped up next to me on his motorcycle. The cost was 50 baht, I gave him 100, and the sonovabitch didn’t have change! He then proceeded to offer me ecstacy, which I declined.

Neon lights, techno music, fire spinners and many tourists dotted the beach. Watching the fire spinners, one of them lost control and a ball of fire landed 3 feet away from me. In the commotion, the people sitting next to me jumped off the sand, spilling it into my Beer Chang. It reminded me of the scene in Fear and Loathing at the dirt race when a bandana clad Hunter S. Thompson zig zags his way to the press tent with his hand over his beer.

I took the role of the spectator for this thing. I wandered up and down the beach with my Beer Chang. I chatted with some people but left the raving to the ravers. I got back to me bungalow at 3 am and did not awake until 2. Upon arising, I had a viscious hangover and pebbles ingrained in my flesh from where I had stumbled, hard, on the rocks.

I left Sarisa’s place and got series of pickup-taxi (sawganthew) to Bo Khai. It is about 2 miles from the site of the full moon party. There are many more tourists over here, and I like it, for once. Hua-Hin had a gigantic Hilton, many tourists that I did not really care to see. Over here, there are younger people with a mellower attitude. This is what happens when you get further and further away from Bangkok. I am in a much more populated place, and Sarisa is working the party tonight so I hope to see her there.

I had marooned myself of a desolate stretch of beach with Sarisa. The possibly of conversation was much lower, and I got somewhat lonely. In retrospect, I think it was needed to fully settle-down in this country. My new sandals have dictated a change in perspective, what happens to the mind when the feet are free!

My dirt cheap bungalow was called Sarisa's place, and throughout the two days I was there, Sarisa and I found refuge in each other. We talked Buddhism, tourism, love, life. She is the first person to truly touch ... [Continue reading this entry]

Our plans diverging, Will and I said goodbye to each other in the sleepy hours after the ferry. I caught another ferry to Ko Phangnan. As the ferry got underway, I smoked the last of ... [Continue reading this entry]

After my motorcycle ride, I gave the death trap back early and talked to Will for a few hours. I got a few Beer Changs in a frozen, viking glass of a mug. ... [Continue reading this entry]

Sorry Mom. While you silly Americans were sleeping, I took a train from Hua Hin to Chumphon, planning on catching a boat to Ko Tao. However, the boats were done for the day until 11 ... [Continue reading this entry]

G' day everyone. I would have left for the train station by now but my new shirt is being tailored for 9:30. I am having trouble talking to tourists for some reason. There are so many of ... [Continue reading this entry]

After Bangkok, on the bus ride the sight of grass lulled me to the fact that I am a country boy. If there is no grass I care not to walk. Hua Hin is a beach town that was a welcome retreat ... [Continue reading this entry]