Day 25: Party and Party and Party and P and P and...

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The morning wasn’t particularly exciting, sorry to disappoint. We used the beach to its full potential and we lay on it for the majority of the morning. The important stuff comes later. This was our final morning on Koh Tao and after getting to our ferry and positioning ourselves in the downstairs where the air con was on (again bumping into our American friends.) We were taken to Koh Phangnan.



Now I cannot stress this enough. We did not plan the trip in any way that deliberately placed us on Koh Phangnan at the same time as the full moon party. It was just an accident. A fucking marvellous accident. We arrived off the ferry and got a drink at a bar whilst we tried to work out how to get to our hotel, before realising the port we were at was closer to the party than where we were staying, so we cancelled and booked a hostel literally 300 metres from where we stood. After setting up (by this point it was half 5) we had a shower and got ready before heading off to see what all the fuss is about.



The internet and locals warn you a few things about these parties. Firstly, we were told to not take any valuables. Meg decided to take her phone whilst I left mine in the room, just so we had one. We were warned pickpockets were rife and whilst I’m fully aware that I’m not meant to see a pickpocket pickpocketing because it’s counter productive to their goal, we didn’t see anything. We were also told to be wary of undercover policemen (very relevant) and to not drink the red bull, as it’s basically speed. To get to the party, about 15 minutes drive away we had to jump in a taxi. The Taxi system was very different, whereby you sit in the back of a large ghostbusters car style vehicle, and you don’t move until the driver has reached the maximum amount of people the driver can fit in before he might start to feel guilty at our funerals. Nevertheless, by half 6 we were at Haad Rin beach and queued up at the front gate. You’re given a white rubber wrist band for 100 baht which is your ticket and gains you access to the party. The party itself is more of a complex, with the entire town itself included inside. Stalls everywhere offering bodypainting, glowsticks, cheap tat, chips, kebabs and alcohol. We were warned from the internet about the buckets, which were only 150 baht and packed full of Thai Vodka. We got a beer each and a bucket and sat on the beach, before sourcing some street food. The street food in all honesty was pretty wank so have a big meal before you get there. By half ten the party is bouncing, all the bars along the beach blaring loud music, and sweaty teens throwing their bodies around in time to it. There was a giant flaming jump rope and limbo game (not a fucking chance for either.) Another bucket later and it’s fair to say we were done. Alcohol wise I mean. We danced until 4am. It was great, and we even bumped into our American comrades amongst the mess. By that time we’d just about had enough. We had made the (now in hindsight fantastically wise) decision to only take a limited amount of money and go home when it was up. This involved getting in a crazy taxi home again. We found ourselves going in an almost entirely English taxi, complete with the standard northern couple who are just having a friendly northern time, southern posh girl on a gap yah who thinks that she’s above the rest of us (she called the northern folk “peasants”) who leaves the taxi before it sets off because she “isn’t happy with the service” (seriously what a fucking dick. No-one wants to wait for 20 minutes for other people to get in the taxi, but if you wanted to just get a taxi whenever you wanted to take you home from clubbing then just go out in reading or wherever you are from. Arse. I got a huge amount of joy when she finally stamped off and within 2 minutes the taxi was moving as a group of lads had jumped in) and the lad who has no chance with the whiney one but is trying to follow her anyway.



We got back and stumbled back to our hostel. I even sent dad a photo to let him know we were still alive, as he thought we were going to die, an overlying theme of this trip in general.



Steps:25767



Hangover: Incoming



Posh girls that deserve a slap: 1



Top tip: It’s a combined 5 pounds worth for the taxi to and from Thongsala, so I’d advise if people do go to one of these parties, that this is the place to stay.

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