As I entered the airport I had a nervous energy about me. I hadn’t been back to it since coming through it 2 months previous, and it was strange going back. The nervous energy doubtless came from the 3 Red Bulls I had slammed before hopping a cab, as well as the excitement of seeing a familiar face. I paced back and forth, double and triple checking the plane times and arrivals. I put a chew in, and began to feel its soothing wave as I spit into my discarded Red Bull bottle. I walked back and forth between the two potential exits, hoping to catch her at the right time. Then I heard my name- not from her, but from the loud speaker.
B-ian Reeder, please come to visitor information.
I practically sprinted through the airport to arrive and see a tired but comfortingly familiar face smiling at me.
Jessie had arrived in Bangkok
I chatted her ear off on the taxi ride back to my apartment. Just like old times. Unbeknownst to us, we were in for one of the biggest weekends I would have throughout my entire Thailand adventure. We had booked an overnight train down south the next night, with the goal of hitting Koh Tao + Koh Pha Ngan.
There were 13 of us on this particular adventure, with one goal in mind: The Full Moon Party. The basic idea of the party is to fit as many (upwards of 10,000) people on one beach, then give them as much alcohol and drugs as they want. Toss in about 15 different kinds of music to dance to, and some pickpockets and you have a rockin’ good time!
As we got on the train and found our spaces, I knew the weekend was something special. At this point we had traveled enough through the country that we knew how the system worked. Because of this travel became a pleasure instead of a stress. Also, the group we went with was amazing. I’ve already described Tyler, Florencia, Rebecca, Steve, Mike, Andrew, Todd, Julie, Amanda, and myself (you can view those stories here). That leaves Erin, Kathrin, and Jessie to mention.
Erin was a wonderful girl from California. Probably one of the most laid back people I’ve ever met, she spoke Thai and had been to Thailand before which helped a ton in getting around. She was always down for anything- many nights she’s join Tyler and I in watching a movie and laughing our asses off.
Kathrin was great- she was always out and about with our group. This trip was a great way to get to know her better, her and I had danced a lot but talked a little up to this point! She’s a sweetheart and a partier.
Oh little Jessie. It would take the better part of a book to describe her, but let me try to give you the short version. Jessie is a little bundle of energy I know from Portland; she’s one of my best friends. She’s smart as a whip, beautiful, caring, kind, but doesn’t take shit from anyone. She is probably my closest confidant and always knows what to say. I love her more than I could any sister, and would do anything for her.
This trip started with a bang. Well, more like a glug. We decided since we were on an overnight train, we might as well make the most of the time we had. The best way to do this: play drinking games. I don’t recall how many games of Kings, Presidents and Assholes, or I’ve Never we played, but I do remember one thing: I’ve Never is NOT my game. I lost every round. I don’t know if that’s a testament to my diversity of experiences or to my crazy nature, but I took it as a positive.
We drank enough to put a bull elephant under, and then decided to get a little shut-eye before the train arrived and we would have to get going. Well, unfortunately my inability to sleep came into affect, and I lay staring at a spinning ceiling listening to the racket of the train swaying down the tracks.
By the time we got into the station my late-night drunk had worn off and been replaced by the feeling I’m sure you know, smack dab between hung over and drunk. I’m sure this is what purgatory feels like, jittery and knowing what’s coming, but clinging to the hope that it won’t. In my life, it always seems to.
The train ground to a halt around 5am, leaving just enough time to see the sun rise over the palms as we stumbled around the station. After killing an hour by staring at each other and me moaning softly about how miserable I was, we boarded a bus that took us to our ferry, which led to Koh Tao.
The ferry ride over was beautiful, I always try to enjoy these rides. Usually I can be found at the bow of the boat, standing against the railing and taking in the sights and smells. The ceaseless drone of the engine is muffled by the crashing of waves against the hull. The sickening smell of gasoline is perfectly halted by the salt spray and fresh air.
I was always grinning like an idiot the whole ride, appreciating the world and ride for what it was. Ferry rides continue to do this to me, or I guess the ocean in general. I have always had a healthy and pointed fear of the ocean, and the waves within it. Letting go of that need to control and just enjoying the ride is something I found on oceans, to this day I appreciate them for that. That control was a fundamental part of my mindset, and changing it has been one of the largest hurdles I’ve faced. It has challenged every grain of my existence, but I have come to terms with it. Hence the semi-autistic grin implanted on my face and my exhilaration for the ride- every time. I’m sure some of it also has to do with the anticipation of the great time that usually comes at the end of the ferry ride, but hey, who’s counting. This time, I know it was a lot of both.
God, Koh Tao is beautiful. Although I would say Koh Samet is my favorite place on earth, it only beats Koh Tao by a nose. This island is small enough to be intimate, big enough to be fun, and beautiful enough to move the hardest of hearts.
Because the island is small, there aren’t that many people that visit it. And so, any touts you would encounter have very little else to do except hassle you into buying whatever the fuck they’re selling. I still remember laughing my ass off as Tyler was being shouted at by about six guys. He sized them up and chose one of them, then put his hand on the guys chest and slowly (but methodically) pushed him to arms length. He then said “Mai PAI!!” (“no”, in Thai) and calmly turned back to the group. The other five guys exchanged looks and went looking for other westerners to annoy.
I was near tears.
We found a reasonably un-shady looking guy to take us hotel-hunting, and found an amazing place on the east side of the island. And by amazing, I mean breath-taking. We had our own lagoon.
The cove was carpeted in reef, which made for perfect snorkeling ($1 to rent fins + mask for the day). The cove itself looked manicured- gently swaying palms offset by the wildflowers growing underneath. The waves gently lapped against snow-white sand, with sea-birds whistling their greetings from above.
Under the blanket of bath-warm water another world was waiting for me. I had never been snorkeling until this moment. By the end of the day it took all of me to drag myself from the water. The reef was alive with rays, sharks, fish, and plant-life. The rainbow of color they made was inspiring, like something from a Monet painting. The coral itself was equal, with soft-shelled clams and bleached-white tubes invading every ounce of space.
We all settled in to our rooms and headed straight for our beach. I immediately rented snorkeling gear and hit the water. After a solid 5 hours of snorkeling, I was tired, tan, but perfectly happy with my day. We went back to leisurely shower and nap, then meet up for a dinner in the cliffs.
Our lagoon had a restaurant over-looking the rest of the area, set up on the cliffs with its deck teetering on the edge of the water, thirty feet below. We sat and enjoyed each other’s company and the decadent fresh seafood, as well as some local favorites. It was a wonderful and relaxing night, and would have been more appreciated had I known what was in store for us over the next two evenings.
We all decided to do a snorkeling tour the next day, which consisted of 5 stops as we went around the entire island. We were all looking forward to it and got to bed at a decent hour.
The tour was unreal. Words cannot describe the world below the waves. A couple of memories are seared into my mind that I will cherish and look upon for the rest of my life. I will do my best to do them justice with words, but know that it won’t harness a hundredth of what I saw.
The most vivid is of a sight on the north side of the island. Steve, Erin and I were the only three around, and happened upon a school of fish the size of a football field. We all looked at each other (underwater) and swam right into the middle of it.
We plunged into the middle of this moving, living organism made up of millions. Completely surrounded by these tiny living creatures that moved intuitively- as one beast. Any move I made was mirrored perfectly by the collective. Any bubble I blew was reacted to. Any hand motion was synchronously dealt with. Our dance was one of predator and prey (in there eyes), one of beauty and fear. To see a predator skimming the surface of the water nearby, to feel the group react to its presence with awe inspiring precision and balance. It was nature at it’s core. It was a knowledge of something I could not possibly fathom. Instinctual and base. I envied the simplicity and the unbelievable complexity of a society that survived through each other.
The other memory was of an island. Two heaps of rock connected by a spit of sand. We all were wandering around it, trying to make sense of it. As we walked the island and stood atop the hill of rock, the sky began to darken, a storm was moving in. I could see the rain progress towards us.
The rugged and dangerous beauty of the sea (how cliché) was imprinted on me. Much like a person, its mood could change and sway with the breeze. What was once a sunny and cloud-free day turned to a stormy choppy existence, with us at its mercy. The whole ride back was churning to boat and stomach, and I appreciated how small I was.
When we got back, we found a new place to stay and most of us took naps. I decided to wander, and did so for a couple hours. Just appreciating that I would likely never return to this place, and that I certainly wouldn’t with these people or in this situation. Jessie woke up and we wandered down the beach talking, for what seemed like hours. We hadn’t actually spoken in a month, and it was amazing to hear about her, as well as get insight into my life.
We happened upon a restaurant that was empty, that we didn’t eat at, but that I won’t forget. Fresh flowers adorned every space, candles were the only light. We had talked into the dusk; the place looked like something from a dream.
As we headed back, I realized how good of a friend this girl next to me had become. I appreciated Jessie for the wonderful woman she was. I think it was then that I lost any desire for her on any other level than friendship. But with that loss came a gain in the form of someone I trust completely and would give anything for.
Then, the night began. Everyone was up at our place and rearing to have some fun. Steve and I had gotten some free drink tickets earlier in the day, and we decided to use them a little later in the evening. We started combatively throwing alcohol in our faces as quickly as possible. And damn it if we didn’t do a great job. The night is something of a blur, but it will go down as one of my favorites in Thailand. From taking kamikaze shots with our boat driver to dancing in the surf, it was perfect. Pictures do a better job in describing it.
COMING SOON… Part 2 of Full Moons and Empty Buckets!
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It was shortly after our waterfall adventure that we again decided to venture out of Bangkok. I had been in Thailand for about a month at this point and was finally acclimating to a different lifestyle, culture, agenda, and mindset. Up to this point I had been to the beach and the jungle, both on a small scale. But that scale would get even smaller.
Bangkok had become a complete contradiction to me. I was beginning a love affair with a city I hated. Words hardly describe the dirt, corruption, flagrance, disease, and malice that breed there. It had its faults, and many of them. But it was those imperfections that allowed me to adapt to it and come to terms with a larger issue:
I wasn’t in control.
At any moment, anything could and DID happen. I can literally list off a number of times I feel like I should have died while exploring the city, both by myself and with others.
Only through wandering the city by myself (usually at night) did I really come to terms with this resounding and life-changing fact. Bangkok showed me just how desperate, greedy, malicious, and disgusting people could be. But through this shroud of deceit and disregard a faint but pure light was shining. Even though these people had nothing and were severely disadvantaged, they still had hope.
Not hope in the system or hope in someone coming to rescue them, but hope in themselves- and each other. They were far and away more pleasant, happy, and optimistic than almost anyone I had ever met in the States. They were making the best of what they’d been given.
I don’t want to give the wrong impression of the people in Bangkok. I know I’ve sounded contradictory, with very good reason. The FEW were the bad seeds; the MANY were making the best of it. I have never met a more happy and gracious people.
A good example of this trait was illustrated on Tyler and my last night in Thailand (sniff sniff). We went to all of our favorite places to eat (Pong’s padthai, pork satay, som-tam) and ordered enough for both of us. We did this individually with our personal favorite vendors (all on the street- off of carts) and met up at our apartment for one last meal.
Food is very cheap in Thailand; all our favorite meals were under $1 each. When we paid that last night we gave them each at least $10, to show our gratitude for their service over the past months. All of them, without exception, tried to refuse. And beyond that, they looked upset that we were offering it to them. Tyler and I would never be dissuaded that easily, they eventually gratefully accepted the extra money.
One family in particular touched me. It was my satay cart that I’d been going to for 5 full months. The family consisted of the father, mother, mother’s sister, daughter, and grandmother. When I first bought from them, none of the family would look at me- the little girl (probably 2), May, would run and hide, just to peak at me from across the room. By the end of the trip, they would see me coming from down the street, wave and say hello, and start my pork sticks for me. May would come running and jump into my arms. We would talk and laugh the whole time I was there, and I would always leave with a smile on my face. I gave May a doll and picture book when we left Thailand, her mom started crying and said it was the first she’d ever had.
This family of 5 lived in a one room house- behind their cart.
I gave them at least $15 for that last meal (usually under $1) and the mother got MAD. It took me a while to communicate that I was leaving, I wasn’t trying to prove anything; that I wanted to give it to them as a gift. Once she realized this she gave me a big hug and told the rest of the family what I’d done. I started to walk away but they made me stay and hug them all and say good-bye. I hugged May last of all and walked away from the cart and back to the States. People wonder why I miss Thailand so.
Bangkok taught me many things. It showed me that all I control is my attitude towards something. That only with hard work and positive attitude could I change anything aside from my attitude. To look for the good in people. Bangkok (more specifically its inhabitants) showed me that the glass was half-full. And most of all it taught me to keep smiling.
With all that sentimental crap out of the way, I have explored the reason behind the positive attitude of Thai people and discovered a commonality. 94% of the Thai population is Buddhist. And beyond that, they are Theravada Buddhist. Theravada Buddhism was absorbed from Sri Lanka, and is a way of life which promotes meditation and wholesome thought. This makes a lot of sense because even when people could have (and should have) been upset they kept smiling, thinking about the positive.
My third trip in Thailand was relatively uneventful, with the highlights occurring in relaxation and sightseeing. We decided to go somewhere near Bangkok but out of the way, and settled on Koh Sichang as a good island to visit. The travelers for this journey were Tyler (as always), Julie, Amanda, and Todd. Todd is the only person that I haven’t previously introduced, so let me describe him a little.
Todd is hilarious. He probably made me laugh more than any other person I met in Thailand. He and Julie knew each other going into the trip- they were both from Michigan and attended MSU. He was a great person- kind, generous, funny, and a bit crazy (we all were). He was one of two openly gay guys on the trip, and in many ways more girly than most of the girls. He could party as hard as anyone and out-drink most of us guys. He became a good friend of mine as our time in Thailand progressed.
We left in what would become typical fashion- hurriedly throwing clothes in a back pack and hailing a cab. No plans, no reservations, barely any knowledge of the destination’s existence.
The bus ride was short, and the journey had no major hiccups until we reached the port town. We thought we were going to miss the last ferry to the island so we sprinted the length of the dock and hurtled ourselves on board. Out of breath, sweaty, and hungry; we expected to leave right away. Unfortunately the phrase “hurry up and wait” was likely created in Thailand, and we sat in that god-forsaken trawler for almost an hour before leaving the dock.
Tyler kept himself (and us) entertained by meeting and interacting with some kids that were playing in the cabin of the boat. The ride was long and midnight black, I spent most of it content watching the stars from the roof. We pulled into Koh Sichang expecting the usual rush of touts throwing their products and places on us.
They didn’t.
Because they didn’t exist. This town was a ghost of the other places we’d visited. It was as local and rural as we’d seen. I was probably the tallest person on that shoe-box of an island, which was fine by me.
Priority #1 was locating food, and quickly. We found a pad-thai vendor on the ONLY street and baffled the lady with our complex orders and broken English. As we ate (in a random restaurant- they expect food brought in) we debated the best way to find a room. A cop walked by and after a brief discussion he pointed us in the right direction.
We got a room (there were only 5 of us) with two big beds. After our previous trip, this room was like a 7 star hotel. The floor was tiled (as were the stairs) and the beds had actual swan-white sheets. We settled in and chatted for a while, as the weather progressively got worse. By the time Tyler, Todd and I went out to get beer, we were in the middle of a monsoon.
The rain was coming down in torrents; the ground was bathed in running water. We decided the best way to go out was to just wear our board shorts and flip-flops. Todd was in the lead with Tyler and I right behind him- I turned back to say something to Manda and Jewls when I heard this:
Buuhhhh. AH. AH. AH. AH. AH. AH.
The noise sounded like a cross between an ambulance siren and a soprano hitting a high note. You could count the number of AH’s- and it was the same as the number of stairs. I mentioned the stairs were tile, and Todd definitely knew that intimately by the time he reached the bottom. Tyler almost fell down after him- more because of laughter than water. After collapsing in bursts of uncontrollable laughter, we made sure he was alright and made our way carefully to the corner store.
The rest of the night is lost to me in a sea of Chang beer and laughter. We all got along really well and the stories and beer weren’t in short supply.
The next morning I awoke between Julie and Todd, all spooning together like a utensil drawer. I extracted myself (I was in the middle) and showered before anyone woke up. We had breakfast our “motel’s” dining room- Amanda learned how to make som-tam. The owner proposed driving us around all day for a small fee; we accepted since he spoke English well and seemed nice.
The day was spent sharing time between a Chinese temple, a park, and the beach. All three were great; the day was relaxing and fun.
A couple of specific memories stand out to me about the day- both happened on the beach. We were all swimming and splashing in the water when I heard an un-Godly noise. This one sounded like a combination of a throaty singing, a blood-curdling scream, and whale song. I turned to see Todd practically running across the water towards dry land. I later found out he felt something on his leg.
It turned out to be a weed.
The other moment involved a couple of the stray dogs that wandered the beach. And because of this moment, I feel comfortable saying I know the full courtship and mating process for canines. Two dogs not only mated in front of us, they became STUCK TOGETHER after and were attempting to gnaw off each other’s legs. I sympathized and continued to watch, fascinated and disgusted, as they made their way into the ocean to “un-stick” themselves. ick.
We packed up as the sun dipped on the horizon, making our way back to the dock, the mainland, and Bangkok.
I felt like this trip- though uneventful- helped me prove to myself that I didn’t have to stress about things out of my control. It was nice if only to be away from Bangkok for a couple days. And it was with friends.
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In Bangkok, I visited many different bars/restaurants/clubs and had a lot of drinks. In that time I developed some favorites- one of which was the night bazaar. As a large group I remember visiting a couple of times, and many times as smaller groups.
The first time I went we probably had 25 or 30 people- the servers were literally dragging all of us in different directions to get our business. The beer comes in 5 liter tanks; one of these tanks is about 11 pints of beer.
The price tag: about $10 US.
I don’t even remember how many we went through, but I’m confident the number was high. Aside from cheap (and good) beer, this place had a number of other wonderful features.
- The bazaar was attached to a huge CHEAP outdoor market – believe me when I say there is little better than shopping while sauced.
- It’s outdoors – in Bangkok’s heat this was great late at night.
- There was a stage show to watch while drinking – the acts were sometimes good and always ridiculous.
- The place sat about 2000 people – if you wanted to meet new people, you could.
I visited a number of times and something interesting happened almost every time. One time a performer was dressed as two people, one on each side of his body. He sang a duet like this, rotating so you could only see one side at a time. Even more impressive, someone gave him two beers in plastic cups and he chugged them- at the SAME TIME. To this day I haven’t understood how he physically could, without spilling a drop. Immediately following his act was a lady-boy (transvestite) with an evening gown and a bad attitude. It was quite the night.
Another time there was a competition on stage, and the host asked for volunteers. Tyler gave me a mischievous grin and practically ran on stage. I followed after killing my beer to see what was going on. The competition was something stupid involving who could hold the most beer, Tyler and his competition tied. They broke the tie by chugging a beer- the race was almost too close to call.
Jess and I went on her last night in Bangkok; we split a huge beer and chatted while we people watched.
I’m still proud of her for that trip- she traveled and drank non-stop for 7 straight days, a feat few would dare. It was amazing to have a familiar face (aside from T of course) and I was so glad to have her there. Our friendship grew from it, I still look back on those days as some of my favorites.
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