koh pha ngan v1.1

full moon party! the most famous beach party in the world. This month, lady luck had it to be the 20th anniversary of the original full moon party. it did not disappoint. by the time lyds and i hit the sunrise beach at 9pm thousands of ravers had already gathered. the beach, which we had eaten lunch on several times, had been transformed into a lurid, pulsing mass of dancers in florescent body paint. massive stages and mobile bars and clubs had been set up right on the sand. from the encircling speakers different trance, house and techno music blasted. the music seemed to melt together into one, non-stop beat. there was an immense energy in the air - like the oxygen had been replaced with a red bull gas. random fireworks shooting up from the sand to explode and crackle over the beach. fire jugglers hypnotising the masses with their fluid flames in the darkness. boats anchored as spectators in the harbour. ravers passed out on the sand, tripping in the surf, or freeing it with no clothes on. lyds with the lights in her hair had become a neon pocahontas. i was feeling capital sipping from my bucket (child's sand pail filled with red bull and alcohol). at times the full moon peaked out from the cloud cover to illuminate the madness below. by midnight the scene was even more frenzied, packed and chemical. but the dancers remained peaceful and jovial in their partying. as the night was getting twisted i thought what would hunter do? no shirt and aviators was the response. people danced across sections of the sand set on fire. a random girl grabbed my nipple and then disappeared into her laughing friends. random thais offered me pills, ecstasy and cocaine. a sign of burning rope declared, to anyone who did not yet realize it, that they had reached the full moon party on koh pha ngan. We were more than lurid enough to know. It felt right to be on that beach at that moment, like it must feel to dodge the bulls at pampalona. another experience.

we left the beach just before 3am. the party was still going strong, and would be till 10am or so. in the surf a lone neon dancer, facing away from the noise and lights of the beach, danced tirelessly while staring into the black gulf of thailand.