Koh Samui, Thailand

Managed to wake up today at 11:00 with a slight buzz in my head from last night. I then showered and wrote yesterday’s journal entry. Then I went out for lunch with the German guy, but he went to the food market and I was set on eating at an Austrian restaurant. Unfortunately I could not find the restaurant, so I ended up eating at an Australian restaurant instead, where I had a Hawaiian pizza and a banana shake. I then walked to the beach to meet up with the German guy. I walked up and down the beach but did not see him until I was just about to give up (although what I did see was two European ladies flaunt Thailand’s public decency laws). The German and I then found a spot on the beach and we each went into the Gulf of Thailand; the water was refreshing and a comfortable temperature. I did not stay out too long for fear of having my skin burn again, so after dipping in to the waters, I walked back to the hotel, showered, and worked on the website until it was time for dinner.

I ended up joining the German guy for dinner and we met up with his mother’s friend’s partner (a local Thai man). The Thai man then drove us north to a restaurant west of the airport, where we shared several dishes (steamed prawns in half a pineapple, grilled fish with garlic and a spicy dipping sauce, stir-fried chicken with cashews and vegetables, and steamed rice; the German and I also had large beers). Throughout dinner we discussed a myriad of topics before finishing up and then driving back to Chaweng. Unfortunately the Thai man could not stay out late and show us around town, so we ended up back at the hostel, where we started formulating a plan for tonight. Three British women who were staying in our room had all ready began drinking and wanted to out as well. Also, one of the women told me an amusing anecdote concerning me:

Evidently, after sleeping for some time, after coming back very late last night, I woke up to use the restroom and I jumped out of the top bunk bed and landed on all fours, making a loud crashing sound; the three British women were awakened and one said I looked like Spider-man with crazy eyes and she had to keep herself from laughing; I then quickly left the room to empty my bladder.

I vaguely remember leaping out of bed, but its all a bit of a blur. Anyway, we then decided to go to a popular club on the beach; so we all walked there from our hostel, the German and I bought beers for the road, and as we walked along the street, many of the sights were remotely familiar, having seen the same things the night before (e.g. discontented-looking shisha smokers sitting watching the street, a man with a pet monkey trying to get the tourists passing by to pay him for a photo, the ladyboy cashier at the convenience store, and many drunk foreign tourists with alcohol in, and sex on their minds) – we also passed by a shop with police tape around it and a body covered in a white sheet being pulled out on a stretcher (not sure if it was a crime or a natural breakdown of the body). When we finally reached the beach club, the German and I had become separated from the women, so we tried looking for them, but were distracted by the many attractive women on this island, as well as performers swinging sticks with flames on each end and a limbo competition with the pole on fire. It then started to rain, so we sought cover; we also briefly met up with the British women, but then followed two French women that were heading out to another club; we then sat on a bungalow’s porch until walking to the nearest convenience store to buy more beers. Outside the convenience store we met some Israeli women and we walked to the club we were at last night, which allows outside drinks. We stayed there for a while, partying, before the Israeli women decided to call it a night; the German also called it a night since he had a tour that would be starting early in the morning. I was on my own, so I met up with the British women again and, after having more beer, we walked to another club; I was there for a while, but then decided to call it an evening as well; so I walked back along the street, Soi Green Mango, bought another large beer for the road, and then walked south down Beach Road; ignoring all the prostitutes and ready to run or defend myself if someone attempted to rob me. Luckily, I made it back to the hostel, but had some trouble spotting it, so I walked west further than I should’ve, before realizing I needed to turn back. Upon entering, I met one of the British women who had hired a motorbike to take her back while her friends continued to party. I then finished my beer before heading upstairs to my bed.

Note: I was told that the alcohol content in Thailand’s Chang beer is inconsistent; the bottle has “6%” typed on the label, but this is actually the minimum you’ll find in the beer; the actual alcohol content can range between 6% to 15%, so you can never be sure what you’re going to get – which may explain last night.