Nathan, author of the Ubertramp travel blog, had suggested I stop by Viking Divers once I arrived on Koh Phi Phi Don so we could meet up. Given how much I'd enjoyed meeting other travel bloggers in New Zealand and Bali, I was excited to meet him.

I know being a dive instructor entails work, but it also seemed to entail a lot of hanging out in the dive shop, being available to answer questions from potential customers. And if you love to dive, and are working and living in one of the prettiest spots on Earth, then I'd imagine life is good.

After a few chats in the shop, I stopped by my last night on the island and we headed to the beach for a beer. Inevitably, we talked about our blogs and the ability to earn money through advertising. I also took the opportunity to confirm the family that controls much of the island (as referenced in The Lonely Planet) is basically the Thai mafia. They apparently have their hands in everything from resorts to the ferries. I also confirmed, as on Koh Phayam, that the Thai police are well aware of the drugs available/brought onto the islands, and as Nathan suggested, such information would allow them to know exactly what is going on and clamp down if deemed necessary. For some reason, I find these aspects of local life on the touristy islands fascinating.

I splurged on a new pair of sunglasses and met up with the girls at the beach. We spent a few hours going for swims, reading, and just staring out into the sea. I went back to my room to get a cold shower, and fully enjoy the air-conditioning. I ended up napping for awhile. I was probably dehydrated because I was low on energy. In the back of my mind, I was hoping not to have a recurrence of the hotel-bound Phuket days.

While I was napping, the girls went off to explore the lookout point, though they arrived after the sun had gone down. Meanwhile, I roused myself out of bed to hit the beach for yet another amazing sunset. The sky was filled with pinks and blues, though I was a bit bummed to have no one to share it with.

After sunset, I went back to my room where I met up with the girls. We went to dinner at Ciao Bella, an Italian restaurant on the beach. Along the way, we met up with another French Canadian. I had no appetite for the pizza or beer I ordered due to anxiety around my lack of energy.  Lots of French was being spoken. My mind drifted around as I tried to involve myself in the conversation from time to time. The Canadian guy had been living in Hong Kong for four months, and was starved to speak some French with Josie and Catharine who were happy to oblige.

Later, I learned how little English Josie and Catharine would've been speaking if I weren't around, and I decided a pinch of patience during such occasions was within myself.

We watched a bit of the fire dancing on the beach (it never gets old) and I saw women doing it for the first time. The music was a bit too loud at some of the bars though.

Before retiring for the night, we stopped in at the island's reggae disco club which has a big Muay Thai ring where tourists can fight one another for a free drink. I found it rather obscene, and wondered why anyone would want to risk their health on vacation for such a stupid reason. We watched two tourist bouts - one was a draw after 3 rounds, and the other resulted in a win by an Israeli over an Italian.

The longboat dropped us off along the more populated isthmus of Phi Phi and we headed into town, wet with sweat and saltwater. After receiving a tip from another traveler that most of the accommodation was of equal price and value, we went with air-conditioned rooms at his place. The tipping point was free internet, though we'd later find the catch was a sole computer with a 30 minute per day rule in a separate building adjacent to a construction site. The rooms were great though. My queen bed was wonderful, with big fluffy pillows and a soft comforter. A few cable TV channels and a fridge were included in the $24/night cost.

We settled in, got some brunch, and headed to the beach. To my surprise, the view was just as amazing as Maya Bay. Around sunset, I headed to the beach and found it to be low tide. Huge swaths of sand were uncovered while boats sat impotent, awaiting the water's return.

Locals were playing a soccer game on the uncovered sand, while tourists like me enjoyed a Singha, trying to absorb the absolute beauty of what was before us.

Arriving to the beach in Maya Bay early paid off with great opportunities for photos sans speedboats.

I love this photo looking back at "the beach" from the longboat.

Maya Bay.

This one is of us approaching a beachless bay surrounded by tall limestone walls. I thought it was prettier than Maya Bay to be honest. And a great place for a swim!

If only my landing was as perfect as the water!

Josie and I.

After fueling up on Carnation Instant Breakfast with water (kindly provided by the Canadian contingent), we threw our packs into a longboat and motored toward Koh Phi Phi Leh at the early hour of 8am. The hope was to arrive at Maya Bay before an armada of tourist speedboats. The water was just rough enough to make the journey fun.

Our approach to the bay lead us along sheer vertical limestone walls. The anchor was thrown ashore, we hopped off, and had " the beach"? to ourselves. It was smaller than I expected, and there didn't seem to be any tall coconut palms curving out and over the sand. Despite my distorted expectations based on movie magic, Maya Bay was gorgeous. The sand was fine and white, the view out over the water amazing.

I walked off the beach on a little sandy path, and ran into a guy who had camped overnight. Apparently all the tour agencies offer it with drop off at 4pm and pick-up the next morning around 10am. I made a mental note to consider coming back in a few days to spend the night. The boatmen and girls wanted to head off again, so I took a quick swim, and we left as more boats started appearing.

The first snorkel stop was rough. I wasn't paying attention to the current, and after a few minutes in the water, I was 10-20 meters from the longboat. There was only one pair of flippers available, and I didn't have them, so my attempts to swim back were in vain. My preoccupation with not drowning meant I wasn't having much fun snorkeling. It was a short stop though, so I waved to the boat to pick me up and we continued our island tour by visiting a secluded bay enclosed in limestone walls.

We took a few leaps from the boat and swam around the turquoise waters. The second and final snorkel stop featured calmer waters and lots of little fishies.

I was a lucky guy to be sharing paradise with Josie and Katharine.

There were only two people on the ferry's roof before me, and while I wouldn't have guessed it at the time, they were to be the fun company I'd keep through the end of my second month in Thailand.

I sat down under one of only two spots of small shade, and was asked where I was from by one of them. The never-fail travel icebreaker set off a casual conversation that lasted much of the hour and a half ferry ride from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi Don. As we cruised along under the intense tropical sun, passing beautiful islands set in blue waters, I got to know Josiane and Katharine from Quebec, Canada. They were on a 6-week trip which began in Malaysia where they placed 6^th in their class at the world championships of dragon boat racing. Josie was a sport nutritionist who worked with athletes, including Olympians competing in Beijing as we spoke. Katharine was a social worker. As a reminder, I'm in my 9^th month of unemployment.

The girls were headed to Long Beach, a short longboat ride from main pier on Koh Phi Phi. Far less developed than the isthmus of the island, it offers perfect views of Koh Phi Phi Leh (the island featured in The Beach movie). I'd wanted to arrive on a beach by longboat since Koh Phangan, so I decided to join them. Besides, Long Beach looked like paradise from the ferry, whereas I could only see a congested bay from the main pier.

We set aground on the beach, booked rustic bamboo bungalows, and explored our surroundings. I went for a swim, only to find a lot of rocks. The view of Koh Phi Phi Leh was perfect though. This must have been the beach from which they shot movie scenes as the characters contemplated their swim to the secret island.

We enjoyed a great dinner on the beach at sunset.

I was blown away by the amazing sunset that first night. I was taken aback by the images I saw on my camera. I can guarantee the sky was not on fire as it appears in the photo above.

Meanwhile, the view of sunset over Phi Phi Leh was slightly less dramatic. The girls found the bungalows a little too basic, and given there was nothing to do at night, we decided to take a longboat to Koh Phi Phi Leh for an island tour in the morning, and get dropped off at the main pier to seek a more sociable scene.

The fact that a roach crawled up my stomach in the middle of the night only served to reinforce my worst nightmares, and the need for some concrete walls.

Eleven days after first getting sick, and four days after my second visit to the doctor, my gut told me it was time for a second opinion. The antibiotics should've cleared up my illness within the first few days, and I'd never in my life felt such a lack of energy before. It worried me. For the first time in my trip, I checked the cost of flights home.

I got the name for the second medical clinic off of a tourist map. It was even closer to my hotel than the first one. When I stopped by, I was told the doctor was at the gym, and to come back in an hour. Later, I walked up and was greeted by a shirtless Thai doctor in his bathing suit. I believe it was his child and wife who sat with him on the patio table. He shook my hand, welcomed me by name, and ushered me inside.

I was shown to a room, and the doctor joined me after putting on a 20^th anniversary Reggae Pub t-shirt. I knew the place as it was across from Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui. The doctor leaned back in his chair, exuding confidence I desperately needed to feel by that point. His English was far better than the first doctor, and as I described my experience over the past two weeks, I began to feel better.

The second opinion was the infection was viral versus bacterial, which explains why the antibiotics weren't helping me. He said my throat looked fine (though in retrospect, perhaps it is possible that the medicine had already cleared up the problem by then if it really had been bacterial). He noted my blood pressure was abnormally low, not a problem I've had before. His suggested treatment was a shot of Cortisone (an anti-inflammatory) in the butt, along with a few days of anti-inflammatory pills and electrolyte powders for use with water.

I was not keen to accept an injection, but I was so tired of being tired, I yielded. To my surprise, a few hours later, I felt more energetic as he advised I would. The next day, I continued to feel the same way, so I booked a half-day speed boat trip to some nearby islands. If it went well, the plan was to head straight for the much smaller, idyllic Koh Phi Phi Don.

After taking the antibiotics given to me by the pharmacist for a few days, my fever had dissipated, and my headache improved, however I still felt tired and unwell. I decided to kick up my care a notch by visiting a local medical clinic. I got a referral from the reception at a big hotel, The Holiday Inn.

The doctor didn't speak much English, but we seemed to manage an exchange of the essential information. He, like me, figured the antibiotics from the pharmacy weren't working, so he gave me a 5-day course of Amoxicillin. The diagnosis was a throat infection after a quick peer down my gullet with a big, yellow plastic flashlight and metal tongue depressor. The visit ran me about $18, with the drugs another $30 or so.

I began taking the new antibiotics, and my headache cleared up completely, though I was still left with an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Aside from meals, water/snack runs to 7-11, and a check of the internet, I spent my days in bed watching TV, reading or sleeping.

Five days passed, and I still felt stuck in a vicious cycle of sleep and exhaustion. I returned to the same doctor complaining of my lack of energy. He said my throat looked better, but had not completely improved yet. He gave me five more days of Amoxicillin, along with some vitamins and pills the pharmacy marked as " energy."?

By now, I was too tired to even wait around in a restaurant for food. I'd begun to get sandwiches from a local deli and Starbucks and bring them back to my room for consumption. One day I fell asleep at 3pm and didn't wake up until 8am the next morning. I'm no doctor, but 17 hours of sleep, and still waking up tired isn't normal.

I watched a nauseating amount of Fox News, developing a crush on spunky anchor Megyn Kelly. The movie channel offered needed respites with Failure to Launch, The Beach, Gladiator, and The Road to Guantanamo.

I decided to go out for a beer or two on my second night in Patong.

Banana's Tacos was situated on a street right across from Bangla Road, giving me instant access to the epicenter of nightlife on the island.

I walked up the road and along the strip across from the beach, eventually returning to an Irish pub on Bangla Road for a proper pint of Guinness on tap.

I was enticed by the live band playing an Irish tune, but after I got my drink, they went straight to cover songs like "Hotel California" and sadly, I felt the need to finish my precious draft beer quickly and get out of there.

I bought a Singha at a bar across the street from one of the many sections of go-go bars which were starting to attract crowds as midnight approached. It was a great spot from which to people watch.

Bangla Road is closed to traffic after 6 pm, and like everywhere else in Thailand, you can walk around with a beer in public (a nice freedom that is fun to appreciate from time to time).

After taking in the scene for a few songs on the bar stereo, I ordered another beer and started to walk again.

I felt unwell all of a sudden, so I chucked the half-empty beer at a 7-11, bought some water, and went back to my room.

I managed to develop a mild fever and a moderate headache that night.

Knowing a fever is a potential indicator of malaria, I sought some help the next morning by talking to the hotel staff.

One woman, in particular, suggested I start with a specific pharmacy. I went there and was given antibiotics for a suspected infection.

Phuket, Thailand's biggest island, was my best hope for finding a deal on a new digital camera and acquiring an AC adapter for my laptop. I scoured Phuket Town's main road and found one Canon 860 IXUS for sale in a Kodak shop. The price was ridiculous - about $60 more than what I saw it for in little Rangon. I brought this to the manager's attention and he immediately agreed to the lower price (about $390). I had a hard time with this figure as it was $90 higher than what I paid just 3 months earlier in Kathmandu, Nepal (and $140 more than I could get it for via the internet). I decided to see if Patong, Phuket's most touristy beach, could help save me a few bucks.

I took the public bus to Patong some time before 10am. I got off at the big, modern mall Jungceylon, adjacent to infamous Bangla Road. I found my camera model in several stores for the Rangon price, however none of the salespeople had the power to negotiate so I decided to try my luck with the independent Kodak shop back in the capital.

I walked down Bangla Road toward the beach. Bars and discos lined the way. Hundreds of stools stood empty, waiting for the sun to go down, the neon to light up, and the throngs of package tourists, couples, old white men, go-go dancers, ladyboys, and prostitutes to arrive.

For some reason, I started to take photos of the bars. It was a painful scene. Bangla Road is not pretty in the least by day. I felt hungover just looking around.

It was high tide so there was little of the beach to walk along. Surfers were out, but the current was too strong for swimming.

I caught the bus back to Phuket Town, and after following a series of leads regarding the best place to find a laptop adapter, finally came across an ASUS service center.  They could order the adapter but it'd take 5 days to reach me and cost $10-20 more than I might be able to get it for in Bangkok.  I didn't want to be constricted to Phuket for 5 days, so I decided to go another month without the use of my little eeePC.

I did suck it up and buy my third digital camera by day's end though.  I only got a few dollars knocked off the going rate by just taking the camera and CDROM (not the battery, charger, etc.), but the saleswoman threw in a 1gb memory card.

The On On Hotel is Phuket Town's oldest.  Staying there, I felt like I could've been Richard.  It was uncanny, and silly to be making such comparisons with a work of fiction.

My room had a broken window, and you could see the light of the lobby through the floorboards which creaked noisily.  I thought it added character.

The hallways without windows looked dark, though there were no women washing the floors while sparks flew from a light outlet.

I'm glad I stayed at the hotel for a few nights.  It was a nice change from bungalows, however no one named after a cartoon character left me a map to a secret island before slitting his wrists.  Luckily, it's no mystery how to find the beach (Maya Bay) these days.

Awoke at 7:30am, got on the back of a scooter at 8am, in the pouring rain, and sped off toward the pier. The ride was even scarier than the day before - wet concrete, sand, mud, leaves. I tipped the guy $1 on top of the $2 charge for an even $3. Happy to be alive.

I hopped right on the ferry and we took off. The rain let up after awhile and the side tarps were rolled up. The 360 degree views were beautiful, with clouds rolling off the jungle-covered hills and islands. The water looked green and wasn't too rough given the weather.

I spoke to a Canadian girl - she'd come to Thailand at 15 with her family on vacation, met a local guy in the north, got pregnant, and has been here the past 3 years. I couldn't imagine the reaction of the parents. The girl just moved to Koh Phayam where they're living with her sister in a bungalow for $120 per month. She's planning to marry the father.

I was able to get a nice bus to Phuket within 30 minutes of being dropped off at the bus terminal. The ride was longer than I expected - about 5 hours. We got into Phuket Town (capital of the island/province) with some daylight left though. I was beat. I decided to stay in the On On Hotel which was where the Bangkok hotel scenes were shot from "The Beach." I figured why not!?

My mission the following day was to see if I could buy a new camera and AC adapter for my laptop.

The ferry ride from Rangon to Koh Phayam was very scenic. Clouds hung so low it felt like you could reach up and grab them.

There were two European couples on the boat, and me. Everyone else was Thai, including the guy next to me who worked on the island helping sea gypsies.

The Lonely Planet dedicates about two pages to Koh Phayam (not much), but it does mention there are no cars - only motorbike taxis and a little "highway" that runs across the island.

I was hoping the taxis would have a little side cart for me to sit in but no such luck.

Thankfully, Dan's dare had given me some experience on the back of a motorbike, however riding around on the smooth asphalt of Bangkok felt far safer than holding on to a petite Thai girl who doesn't speak English as she drives over crumbling concrete, sand, and puddles.

It reminded me why it's not a good idea to take up scooter-riding on the islands.

Before I left Koh Phangan, I saw an older woman with road rash from her right shoulder to her right ankle. It looked horrifically painful.

The scooter ride through the quiet, undeveloped interior of Koh Phayam had me feeling a little bit of adrenaline, and a lot of anticipation about the beach I was about to arrive at.

Bamboo Bungalows had a great write-up in the guidebook, so given it was the low season, if backpackers were to be found, it'd be there.

I arrived to find the place almost empty. Most of the restaurant's tables and chairs were piled up in a corner, reflecting little business this time of year.

I had my pick of bungalows, so I took the one with the best beach view. Unfortunately, due to higher winds, they put up a fabric fence to block blowing sand from the beach.

Still, I could hear the thundering waves just perfectly. They were LOUD.

My bungalow was as rustic as they come. The spaces between the floorboards were clearly big enough for large cockroaches to invade the room, yet the reality of such an experience didn't occur to me.

I was too excited. I enjoyed a post-arrival Singha with my feet up.

And then it sunk in that I was alone. Too alone. There was an older Aussie expat staying next to me.

He was helping two Thai sisters who were friends of his (Thai) wife to find bungalows to rent out on the island.

I arrived at low tide so I explored the 3 kilometer beach in both directions. There wasn't much. Most of the bungalow operations were closed for the low season.

No 7-11's. No boardwalks. No go-go bars. In fact, there was only 4 hours of power at my bungalow per day (6:30pm-10:30pm).

After my walk on the beach, I got some dinner with the Aussie guy and Thai sisters.

The guy had been living in Thailand the past 20+ years or so, and would take breaks from talking Thai to keep me somewhat entertained with his perspectives on the development of Thailand over the last 30 years.

He also clued me into the fact that the business owners on Koh Phayam were cutthroat, and apparently, the undercurrents of life on the island were akin to a soap opera, complete with violence, drugs, intimidation, gossip, etc.

Funny how ignorant tourists can be to such things. There was even a yellow drug boat that encircled the island, from which you could buy anything you wanted.

There were police, but they were being paid off so the tourists that wanted to get high in paradise were free to do so.

Inebriated tourists on scooters and large snakes were reason enough to stay at one's bungalow once the sun went down. Not that there was anywhere else to go!

My taxi driver picked me up in the morning and took me to the pier from which I'd take a longboat to Burma (aka Myanmar).  When we stepped out on the pier around 8am, I got my exit stamp at the Thai immigration window, and then negotiated the cost of a longboat to Burma and back.  The more the driver and boatman tried to rush me, the more power I realized I had to negotiate.  I'd seen a couple of white girls on the way over, complete with color-coded stickers on their shirts (from the travel agent that arranged their Visa runs), so I knew there had to be a cheaper way to cross the border than chartering my own boat.

After cutting the price down by 30% (or $5), I boarded my first traditional longboat for the 30-minute ride to Burma.  The views were beautiful.  As we approached the Burmese side, golden pagoda's came in to view along various hilltops.  I suddenly found myself wanting to explore the country, despite having previously written it off due to the recent cyclone catastrophe.  I then realized my plan to spend 2-3 months in Thailand meant I'd already accounted for my two exit/re-entries within a 6-month period.  I could go to Burma, but it would mean I couldn't leave Asia via Bangkok (which I hope will bring me the cheapest airfare possible).

I was in Burma for just a few minutes, and it was back on the boat to Rangon.  Thai immigration updated my passport, allowing me free reign in the country for another 30 days.  My driver brought me back to my hotel where I picked up my backpack and went to the nearby pier for the ferry to Koh Phayam.  Murphy's Law struck in the form of low tide.  Of course there was a motorbike taxi cruising around picking up people like me who were at the wrong pier.  I tried to negotiate the rate but failed.  Several Thais also joined me in the little side carriage, and after we were delivered to the right place, I was happy to see we all paid the same price (not what you'd see in India).

The time had come to see if Koh Phayam was really just "a bunch of bamboo bungalows on the beach" like the expat on Koh Phangan told me.

_________________________

PS - Should I claim credit on travel maps for having visited Burma simply for the purpose of renewing my Thai Visa?  And for that matter, Malaysia which I only visited for a few hours while staying in Singapore?  Leave a comment and let me know!

I was the last of our Dutch/German/American/English posse to leave Thong Nai Pan Noi. My first month in Thailand was running out and it was time to launch a Visa run via the Burmese border. The adventure began with a nearly missed boat ride from Koh Phangan to Surat Thani on the mainland. I had to wake up my taxi driver at sunrise. Thankfully she sleeps right in the back of the her restaurant. The boat ride was bittersweet, though I was excited to be heading toward the islands of The Andaman Sea.

Once off the boat, we were all shuffled onto a big bus for the hour's ride to Surat Thani. Everyone was then placed in the back of a pick-up and brought to their respective tour operator. If I haven't mentioned it before, this whole process is made easy by color-coded stickers all the tourists are given before departure on the ferries.

Once at the travel office, a staging ground/restaurant with a Samsung LCD screening a Brangelina movie, it was a matter of waiting my turn. Half the crowd left for Phuket, and the other half left for Koh Phi Phi Don. Apparently I was the only one headed to the wonderful border town of Ranong.

The bus dropped me off and I took off with a local "taxi" driver. I went with the flow, taking a room at a resort he recommended, which was geared completely around people spending one night in Rangon to arrange for a new Visa. After settling into my room, I walked through a local market, got a bite to eat, a quick haircut while a Burmese guy flirted with me incessantly, my first taste of Thai whiskey mixed with pink Tang from some friendly locals who offered to take me out on the town for a few hours (they were drunk, I declined), and a few solid hours of cheap internet time before crashing.

The day after the bar crawl, it was Elizabeth's turn to feel unwell. Aside from a few hours of dice with Nienke, it was a low key day and night. In the morning, I joined them both for breakfast on the beach and we said goodbye.

I decided to walk along a rickety old boardwalk that leads to a fancy resort between the north and south beaches. The hotel grounds were stunning. It was clearly the type of place that attracts couples and families instead of us cheapskate backpackers. The pool was gorgeous, as were the views from the restaurant's patio, so I decided to indulge in a tasty lunch of yellow curry with chicken. The splurge came when I decided to order the coconut dessert. Soooo creamy and delicious. Desserts have been real hit or miss affairs in Thailand and this petite one really hit the spot.

After lunch, I walked back along the boardwalk and decided to take some photos from one of the adjacent boulders. As I lept off the wooden walkway, I heard the board under my foot bend. I could tell it was literally pulling the old nail up from the vertical support beam. Thankfully, momentum was on my side and I landed safely on the rock.

I took a bunch of pictures, and as I was putting my camera back in the case, I heard a crunch. If you've ever heard the sound of your own bones cracking, the sound which instantly sets off pulses of adrenaline, then you know what it sounded like when those little camera gears which control the zoom lens snapped and popped.

I immediately assessed the damage. I could manually zoom out slightly to get a clear shot, however going any further, it was all out of focus and if I went all the way, then I was forced to restart the camera. The lens was no longer able to fully retract either. I knew it was a total loss. I would need to buy a new camera just 3 months after coughing up $300 in Kathmandu.

Surprisingly, I wasn't too pissed off about the situation. I knew I could and would get a new one once I arrived on Phuket, it was just going to be a matter of how much I'd have to shell out. My mind was already piecing together how I would be able to cover some of the cost with the month's advertising revenue and money earned from completed dares.

I spent the afternoon after the Half Moon Party playing card and dice games with Elizabeth and Nienke (who was feeling better) at the Beach Club restaurant. Steve and the American girl eventually joined us, and happy hour drinks turned into a beach bar crawl for the evening's entertainment.

Our second destination was the Flip Flop Pharmacy which was situated in the middle of the beach. The music there was a noticeable improvement.

Our third and final destination was the bar and restaurant at the opposite end of the beach. There, we ordered a little bit of food. I tried the calamari which tasted far fresher than any I'd had back in Virginia.

We finished off the evening with a night swim before retiring. I once again had to say goodbye to Steve who was leaving in the morning for an island in the Andaman Sea.

I had high expectations for the Half Moon party. However it turned out to be a letdown.

I know some people enjoyed it more than the Full Moon party because they told me as much, but I couldn't see the appeal.

Chrissy, Diana, Steve, myself, and an American girl arrived early via taxi.

Images of a rustic setup in the jungle were quickly dispelled when we walked up the access road to see a ticket booth.

We all seemed to have missed the detail of a cover charge, perhaps because it wasn't mentioned on the flyers. It was about $9, which included one drink.

On top of the return taxi fare, the night was already shaping up to be more costly than the Full Moon Party.

And then I saw the drink prices, which were about 30% higher than what you could get on Haad Rin.

The venue was not jungle-like at all. There were buildings, concrete, infrastructure!

After a loop around the premises, it was clear there was little escape from the music if psy-trance wasn't your thing.

I often enjoyed it at the beach, but I wasn't digging it at the Half Moon party.

Thankfully, they had a few fire dancers who provided much needed entertainment. It was probably the highlight of the night for me.

Steve and the American girl left at 1 am, and I knew I had to decide whether to go with them or at 4 am with Chrissy and Diana (who were trying to stay up all night as they had to leave Koh Phangan early that morning).

I decided to stay longer, and almost immediately regretted it.

During those painful three hours, I saw the bloody results of a guy who got hit in the head with a bottle.

I saw Chrissy needing to take care of Diana who accidentally had too much to drink.

I had to stay under the roof of a bar due to pouring rain.

I witnessed some girl seemingly start to bleed spontaneously (after a few minutes, a guy carried her down the access road as blood and tears ran down her face).

And on top of it all, when 4 am rolled around, we didn't immediately connect with our taxi.

She was waiting for us at the gate but didn't see us leave, so we waited around for 30 minutes thinking we'd have to pay for a new taxi to get back (which would've been VERY expensive given we were on a remote beach).

While we were cursing taxis, I spotted the cool fire dancer and had my photo taken with him.

I asked him how long he'd been twirling fire, and he responded a year and a half. He practices about three hours a day, every day.

My advice:  Do not go out of your way to attend the Half Moon Party.

Note: It's been 10+ years since I wrote this so things may have changed. You can find more info on the Half Moon Festival here.

Steve had trained in Thailand's national sport, Muay Thai, for three years back in England so he was excited to see his first match, and myself, Chrissy, and Diana joined him for a night out on Koh Phangan.

The ride there was about 30 minutes, with the first half spent twisting, turning, and bumping around on the dirt roads in the back of the modified pick-up.

The "stadium" felt more like someone's backyard. There was a small bar, a few bleachers, and tables/chairs around the ring for those who paid extra.

I was glad to attend the fights with Steve because he was able to appreciate some of the technique and answer questions.

The format was similar to what we'd have seen anywhere else.

The whole event lasted about three hours and started out with tiny little kids fighting.

We'd heard about this so it wasn't a surprise, yet it was mildly disturbing. In this case, the tots were girls.

At first it was novel to have the small kids fighting intermittently as the night progressed, however, it then seemed to become more of a filler between bouts with increasingly older guys.

In fact, the two best fights of the night, which came at the end (of course), resulted in KO's within the first round.

Before one of the fights started, I picked a guy in red trunks to win. He was short, tan, with well-defined muscles, and a good game face.

His opponent was a beanpole by comparison, and while taller, seemed to lack muscle mass and any sense that he was going to come out of it a winner.

Earlier in the evening, the audience was almost all tourists, however as the fighters got older, more Thais filtered in to give the experience a better sense of authenticity.

Steve was disappointed that his first fights in Thailand were not so fantastic, and resolved to watch some matches at Lumbini, the big stadium in Bangkok.

When it was all over, we rumbled our way back to Thong Nai Pan Noi for late-night cheeseburgers.

I was looking forward to the next night's entertainment, the biweekly Half Moon Party.

Paradise does have it's challenges, such as finding/keeping a bungalow you're satisfied with for more than 2 nights.

Night 1 - Shared bungalow with Steve in middle of beach

Night 2 - We got our own bungalows at the resort with The Beach Club restaurant where we first had dinner. I was in #5, though I had been told I'd have to move the next day due to a previous reservation for that one (from which you could see the water from the porch's hemp hammock).

Night 3 - #35, though electricity failed (spent the night with no fan because I couldn't be bothered to move so late)

Night 4- #34, the bungalow next door which I used after the previous one's power failure

Nights ⅚ - #27, a bungalow a little farther away from the stereo alarm in the form of radial saws (working on a yet-to-be opened resort of luxury villas...literally a few feet away)

Nights ⅞ - #5, persistence paid off and when this baby opened up again, after initially declining, I moved one last time to get get that swinging on a porch's hemp hammock views of the water

Meanwhile, Nienke (Holland) had become ill just the day after we met her. I let them my digital thermometer which confirmed a fever. She'd be in bed for the next few days. Later in the week, her friend Elizabeth seemed to come down with a similar illness. And as I write, I'm convinced I'm suffering the consequences of it too.

Steve kept vacillating on what he wanted to do...where he wanted to go...how long he could handle power saws waking him in the mornings. I didn't mind them too much. I considered it a small price to pay for such a beautiful, secluded beach. With the 44 luxury villas set to come on line by year's end, the beach accommodations were clearly heading upscale. Hopefully I'd be able to return there someday without breaking the bank.

After a nice 30-minute massage at a local place, I struck up a conversation with an expat who just happened to be the co-owner, along with his Thai wife.  In hopes of getting off the tourist trail, and seeking a bit of adventure, I took the opportunity to ask him for an island recommendation. They had recently vacationed on an island called Koh Phayam near the Thai-Burmese border. I filed this information away, already sure I'd be making the effort to visit when the time came to go on a visa run (a quick exit from Thailand to gain another 30 days in the country).

It was on Thong Nai Pan Noi that I concluded my personal paradises are qualified by one shared characteristic: they are island beaches, specifically tropical islands (sorry Ireland).  There must be time spent amidst a blue sky with wispy (or puffy) white clouds, varying shades of turquoise water, fine white sand, and a background of green palm trees and jungle.

I've come to this conclusion after extensive research - Hawaii, Belize, French Polynesia, Indonesia, and now Thailand.

An Australian couple, Steve, and I shared a pick-up ride to Thong Nai Pan Noi, a quieter beach on Kho Phangan's northeast coast. The concrete road gave way to rutted dirt half way there.  The interior of the island was thick with jungle cover.  As we approached our destination, I was surprised and excited by just low little development was present for a beach long known to be one of the most beautiful on the island.

Steve and I trudged across the sand under the intense mid-afternoon sun in search of affordable bungalows. For those few minutes, sweat pouring off of us, it felt like we were walking across a desert. It was too early to comprehend and appreciate the beauty of our new environment. We ended up sharing a room for the first night. It was nice to have a roommate again, even for just one night.

Once settled, I bought a sarong for hanging out on the beach, started reading Nasty Bits, and naming the friendly beach dogs.

The atmosphere of the small beach reminded me of the vibe on Gili Trawangan. Excited by the opportunities a new place always presents, I took the lead on our walk down the beach in search of dinner companions. The Beach Club looked like the most popular place, and I didn't hesitate to find out if Steve and I could join two girls sitting at a table on the sand. Initially, they indicated we could have their table as they were about to leave, however we were then invited to sit with them.

Nienke and Elizabeth were from Holland, and Steve and I got to know them as we dined on delicious whole white snappers. A large group lit lanterns all at once on the beach, and I finally had my camera with me to get some shots. These were the first I'd seen with fireworks attached to the bottom. They looked like little rockets as they shot up faster than normal.

Around 10:30pm, the girls departed, and Steve indicated he was ready for bed. I, on the other hand, was happy to be sipping a second screwdriver after a few earlier Singhas. Once Steve left, I sat for a moment, and then introduced myself to two German girls who were laying on the restaurant's beach mats a little closer to the water.

Chrissy and Diana were from Frankfurt. I spoke with Chrissy for the most part (it took me far too many days to realize that it was only because Diana didn't speak much English). As we chatted, a group of guys dropped their shorts and went skinny dipping nearby. Thankfully, I could only see a bunch of white asses running into the water. The girls were going to stop by the Jungle Bar in "town" for the weekly sunrise party. When they left to freshen up at their bungalow, I lay back on the mat, eyes peering into the black sky above, for a few minutes to reflect on the present moment.

As I headed to the Jungle Bar, I passed the girls' bungalow and we walked over together (it was all of a 2-minute walk). Chrissy found a 500 Baht ($15) note at the door, and offered to buy the first round. The bar was full with people talking, drinking, and dancing under the black lights. The music was decidedly pop and rock, but I went with the flow. I even spotted a few ladyboys who I thought could help me win an outstanding $50 dare.

I bought a round as well, and we retired around 2am. During my walk back along the dark, desolate beach, I thought if there was ever a beach that called out for skinny dipping, this was the one.

Needless to say, Steve and I took it easy following the Full Moon Party.  I shared my intention to visit a quieter beach on the northeast coast of Kho Phangan called Thang Nai Pan Noi.  I'd been unsure of whether he'd want to join me, but to my surprise, he was already up for escaping the party scene.

The beach was littered with beer bottles and trash, yet a small contingent of dedicated sunbathers lay out amongst it all in the afternoon.  I knew the community would ensure the beach would be cleaned up in due time, however there was clearly no rush (unlike Time Square after New Year's Eve).

I exchanged Anthony Kiedis' autobiography, Scar Tissue, for Anthony Bourdain's Nasty Bits, a collection of previously published material about food and travel.

We watched more of The Family Guy, dined on giant butterflied and barbecued Tiger prawns, and called it an early night.

Steve arrived just in time to join me for the July 2008 Full Moon Party on Kho Phagnan's Haad Rin Beach.

I was beyond happy to spot him slugging his way through the sand at 5pm after an overnight bus ride from Bangkok.

I greeted him with good news too. I had paid for a bungalow that had opened up that morning so he'd have his own place.

As he settled into his new pad, I used the time to try and freshen up.

Having awoken at noon, I was still trying to shake off my hangover from the prior night, concerned I had peaked too soon with the partying.

No one told me every night is party night on Haad Rin, and it's a hard place to exercise restraint.

We met at the Mountain Bar for a beer. I was humored by the culture shock Steve was in the midst of experiencing.

Unlike me, he barely spent a day in Bangkok before heading straight to party island Kho Phangan.

Where were the cows? It's so clean! Why are the women all barely dressed!? I could relate to it all.

Food vendors set up stalls along the beach's perimeter in anticipation of the hungry, drunken hordes.

The bucket (liquor) vendors lit up and music began to boom from a few of the clubs.

Workers were still erecting the dance platform in front of Tommy Resort.

Following our stomachs, we went down to the beach and found ourselves ducking into The Cactus Bar when it started to rain.

Beneath the black lights, people were applying fluorescent paints on one and other.

Steve found it hilarious that a guy was painting abs on another guy.

He couldn't get over the vanity involved in such an act! I, on the other hand, was contemplating flames on my freshly shaven head.

Once the rain let up, we headed up the street in search of dinner. I had written off The Family Guy years ago after it first came out, however Steve was a fan so we ate in that restaurant.

After less than an episode, I was a convert. I vastly underestimated the mature (in a sophomoric kind of way) humor of the show.

We drank delicious coconut shakes, entranced by the cartoon, as party people continued to stream toward the beach on the street behind us.

Despite the continued rain, we left the shelter of the restaurant behind and braved the beach.

It was crowded...much more crowded than the prior night. Ferries were adrift offshore while people were being dropped off by the speedboat load.

The serene beach I arrived at by day had become the epicenter of Thailand's biggest party of the month.

Large lightning bolts flashed across the sky over the water, and judging by the masses, most people were unaffected by the rain. It was a bit chilly, however Steve and I were all too happy to take in the sights of a platform filled with dancing girls.

One in particular, clearly in search of attention (she was wearing quite a bathing suit), climbed to a very small, higher (say 15-foot) section.

There was just enough room for her, and she didn't last long before losing her balance and toppling over.

We stood there in the rain, aghast at this woman's violent fall from grace. Images of compound fractures filled my mind, while Steve figured someone should be told.

We turned around after a minute or two to see the girl (seemingly OK) by the road.

We moved on...somewhere. At this point, it may have been a pit stop back at the bungalows followed by another drink at The Mountain Bar.

Back on the beach, we ran into a couple Steve met in Nepal or India.

We joined forces and danced to some house music at the south end of the beach.

By now, the rain was again pouring. It was 1 or 2 am, and it felt great.

As usual, guys were using the shoreline as their personal urinals, though in a new twist on previous nights, women could be seen doing the same.

The gross truth is that by the time people are using the water as a toilet, people are also swimming and playing around in all too close a proximity.

Around 3 am, Steve was all but ready to head back to his bungalow for sleep.

We parted ways and I went back to the house music on the south end of the beach. I ended up dancing with an Irish girl in front of a big stack of speakers for an hour or so.

Despite the blaring music, we were able to talk a bit.

Meanwhile, Steve was witnessing a couple having sex on the beach, and an English guy beating up 3 other guys by making use of some Muay Thai boxing techniques.

As the Irish girl had to remain stationary so her friend could find her, and they could depart the island by boat at 7 am, I ventured up the beach to find a spot to watch the sunrise.

I rolled up to the drum 'n bass area and the music was booming. I loved the feeling that the music's energy could drive me into the gulf. 

It was exactly how I wanted to feel at a dance club when I arrived in Bangkok. 

I grabbed a seat and peered out over the water, occasionally taking in the sights of drunk people passed out (often face down) in the sand, and people going for swims.

I started talking to a Dutch girl who was much more lively at this early hour than her friend who was clearly in need of sleep.

The sun rose over the horizon, lighting up the hundreds, if not thousands of people, still dancing and mingling on the beach.

Sometime around 7 am, I waded through the water, took a quick shower, and amazingly drifted off to sleep despite the still-blaring trance music which always seemed to overpower all other noise.

Earlier in the week, I realized that if the party was begun by a bunch of drug-friendly ravers/backpackers/hippies back in the 90's, then its popularity combined with stricter Thai drug policy has long since morphed it into an alcohol-fueled Spring Break for an international contingent of 18-25-year-olds. That said, I found the overall vibe friendliest on Full Moon night.

Maybe it was all the compliments I received for those fluorescent flames on my head. 

The weather continued to be absolutely gorgeous. The day before the big event was the last day of a beach soccer tournament that I watched very little of.

Instead, I opted to use my time more wisely, such as getting a foot massage. As you can see in the above photo, I had some company. The little guy jumped on my lap and made himself comfortable the whole time. When it came time for me to leave, I lateraled him to the girl next to me so he could continue to live the life of luxury as a spa dog.

As sundown arrived, the club/bar/bucket vendor lights turned on. Trance began to boom from the Zoom club like clockwork. I ran into Maura and Laura on the beach and hung out with them for a bit at the Drop In bar. They had befriended a spunky Thai woman from Chiang Mai, a former sex worker, who was here on vacation. She was bisexual and a pretty blonde Swedish girl we had all just met started making out with her in front of me. The funny thing is I think she asked permission from a guy (possibly a boyfriend) also standing nearby.

The music at Drop In sucked. Remixes of modern pop hits is not for me, so I left Maura and Laura, and stumbled all over, dancing to trance and drum and bass. Every now and then, the sky would light up with fireworks and traditional Thai lanterns.

A girl stopped me at one point, wanting to paint a heart on my forehead. I allowed it, but then visions of embarrassing artwork entered my mind (like a lot of what I saw painted on guys' backs). I approached a guy to find out what was there, and he looked mortified, so I didn't get answer from him. I assumed the worst and used some tissue to wipe the paint.

I stopped back at my bungalow to fully wash it off.

I don't know how I managed to stay awake, but I had a cheeseburger at 5am while watching Friends. I returned to my bungalow at sunrise to get my camera and snap a few photos. If I was spending a week on "Sunrise Beach" I couldn't justify leaving without at least one shot of the sun coming up.

All in all, not a bad way to warm up for one last night of partying (at least on this beach)!

July's Full Moon Party was scheduled two days after the true full moon due do a Buddhist holiday. It wasn't until sunset, when I was enjoying my first beer of the day at The Mountain Bar, that I learned there would be no music on Haad Rin's beach that night.

Earlier, I grabbed a tasty lunch of panang curry with chicken and rice at a restaurant overlooking the beach. Every day, more and more people were arriving in hedonistic anticipation of the legendary party.

Being a vampire, I spent little of my afternoons in direct sunlight. The heat gave me the perfect excuse to spend too much money at internet cafes which were air-conditioned. As a blogger, I continue to appreciate the Thai's investment in large, quality monitors for their patrons.

A WiFi card I had bought for use with my laptop became worthless after a power surge shot electric sparks from my AC adapter. At least this second time it has broken, I know the problem and am in a country where I should be able to get a replacement. Unfortunately, I don't expect to be back in Bangkok for another 4-5 weeks, so the laptop has become 1kg of dead weight (like my whole time in Nepal).

I made good use of the rare quiet night on Haad Rin by getting a front row seat for a screening of The Beach at dinner. Ideally, I wanted to wait until I was on Ko Phi Phi, but then again, I read the book in Kathmandu of all places.

By the conclusion of my second night, it was clear I was turning into a vampire. I would emerge from my bungalow later and later each day. After riggling around in bed for a bit, I'd open the door and lounge on my porch for awhile longer before getting up the energy to either go for a swim or find a cool place for lunch.

My sense of loneliness which had dogged me the first two weeks in Thailand faded away after meeting a bunch of people the first night, and Warren the second. All along, I'd kept in contact with Steve who was counting down the days until he too departed India for Thailand. I continued to entice him to the Full Moon Party by relaying my nightly tales of intoxicated adventure.

My theory is why mess with success so I grabbed a beer at the Mountain Bar for sunset. After a few minutes of admiring the view, or reading, maybe both, I joined a few girls nearby. Maura and Laura were Irish, giving me the opportunity to relay my love of their country (at least what I remember from a 2-week tour there 10 years ago).

After talking for awhile, they posed for a photo so I could earn another $10, and we headed down to the beach. It was their first night, so we took in the usual sights of fire jump rope at the Drop In bar, and well, who knows what else.  I'd dispensed with taking the camera below the Mountain Bar.  It was getting in the way when I was dancing like a fool in the sand.

My first full day on Haad Rin was spent recovering from my first night. I poked around town, tested out some WiFi options in a pizza place and ice cream shop, and basically did nothing. As the afternoon rolled on, the beach filled up with people, though it was by no means crowded.

Around sunset, I descended upon the Mellow Mountain Bar for a Singha. I saw a guy who seemed to be on his own, and ventured to strike up a conversation. Warren was an engineering student and part time DJ from Cape Town, South Africa. He was feeling a bit down and out, I think, as his girlfriend with whom he'd been traveling in Thailand had already headed home.

We continued to talk over a second beer, and headed down to the beach at nightfall. Since he was only on the island for one night, he wanted to have fun. I was dying to puff some flavored tobacco from a hookah, so we set up camp and watched some fire dancers as more and more people filtered onto the beach.

As Warren didn't want to get a room for just one night, I offered him my porch, which he used for a few hours sleep before catching the first ferry off the island, the start of a long journey back to Cape Town.

A few months ago, I was all but sure I'd make it to South Africa, however as my money wanes, so too does my belief that I'll make it there. My current thinking is when it comes time to leave Southeast Asia, head for The Middle East - Dubai, or Cairo, depending on airfare.

If by some chance I do make it to Cape Town though, besides cage diving with Great White sharks, I have a new friend who offered to help show me around!

After settling into my mellow mountain bungalow, I stopped in at the Mountain Bar below for a Singha (Thai beer) around sunset. In an effort to start meeting people before the big party, I joined Molly and Sarah, two Australian girls from Perth. After talking for an hour or so, we split off and I grabbed dinner at a restaurant in town which was screening Green Street Hooligans.

Almost every restaurant in Haad Rin has at least one big LCD television with surround sound, and they screen movies from early afternoon through the evening. Usual suspects (during my visit) included Anchorman, The Beach, Transformers, and Indiana Jones 4. Meanwhile, other restaurants' entertainment subsists solely on endless reruns of Friends, The Family Guy, and The Simpsons. But you'll never see The Family Guy screened in a restaurant known for playing Friends (or vice versa).

After dinner, I followed the increasingly loud music to the Drop In bar on the south end of the beach. I watched guys and girls jump a burning rope. Plenty of people would fall over or get hit by the fiery rope, yet aside from a quick dance, dip or duck to get away from the heat, they all seemed no worse for the wear.

The fire jump rope soon gave way to a fire hoop which people began to dive through. Every now and then, someone would trip up, fall, and scatter away from the blazing ring. The Thai guys managing these activities were always quick to react to such inevitabilities. After 8 months of traveling, I felt no need to take part in these tribal games. I was in good company as there were far more spectators than participants.

More than the tourist-driven stunts, I enjoyed the amazingly skillful shows put on by the fire dancers (twirlers, artists, or whatever they're called). I was usually sitting close enough to wonder what horrific scene would unfold if a fiery staff were to suddenly slip from sweaty hands and spear me in the chest. I admired them all the more for allowing me to experience their skills without such an outcome.

The Cactus Bar had the only fire high jump on the beach. Whoever could jump the highest without knocking down the pole would win a beer. Near the top setting, the pole was at least as high as my neck, maybe 4.5-5 feet off the sand. At that point, only the guys who could do a proper forward dive and roll were able to compete. As I watched the spectacle unfold, with as usual, the plenty of guys tripping up on the flames, I wondered how it was that people didn't break their necks more often, seeing as how they're hurdling their drunken bodies head first over the flames.

I met a few Israelis and an Irish guy on the beach, finally retiring around 2am. The psy-trance music from the Zoom bar was booming until sunrise at 6am, as I soon came to learn, it would every night.

After a week on Koh Samui's busy and beautiful Chaweng Beach, I checked out of The Sands Resort bungalow, got picked up in an air-conditioned van, and transferred to the pier.

We had a 20-30 minute wait, then walked the warped wooden planks to the awaiting ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan.

The surroundings were gorgeous - sparkling waters and lush green hills.

We set off. A boat full of the young and attractive - barely a family, kid, or older person from Koh Samui.

Petite women had rolling suitcases heavier than themselves.

The wind felt great as we cruised the 50 minutes to Koh Phangan.

Unlike my ferry to Koh Samui, we arrived directly at the main pier on Sunset Beach, which is a few minutes' walk from Sunrise Beach, where the monthly Full Moon Parties are held.

I asked a couple of guys walking on the street for a hotel suggestion.

They were sleeping at Mellow Mountain Bungalows at the far north end of the beach.

Along the way there, I sweltered on the beach, stopping at various resorts - all too costly, though a $30/night place tempted me.

I ended up taking the mountain bungalow because it had a porch view of the beach.

It is probably not the best view as there are some trees in the way, but it offered some privacy in exchange.

I dedicated my first full day on Kho Samui to exploring Chaweng, writing, and reading " Do Travel Writers Go To Hell"? by Thomas Kohnstamm, a book I came across in Bangkok. Published earlier in the year, it chronicles the experiences of a first-time writer for Lonely Planet on assignment in Brazil.

The beach was perfect, soft white sand, multi-colored water with light green in the shallows, and turquoise fading into darker shades of blue near the sections of reef. It was far cleaner than what I saw on Kuta, Bali, and the Thai people in town were much more laid back in regard to trying to sell tourists on tailored suits and taxi rides.

In the early evening, I went for a sunset walk minus the sun (which sets on the opposite end of the island), drank a Singha (Thai beer), and read some more while comfortably lounging on one of the free beach chairs. It felt like I was in a Corona commercial. I then followed the electronic music to Ark's for dinner on the beach. I had a delicious tuna steak with baked potato and salad.

Wanting to save the end of my book for another day, I joined a few Dutch girls at an adjacent table. They were spending a month in Thailand, and like me (and thousands more), headed to Kho Phagnan for the July 19^th Full Moon Party. We talked over a few drinks, and as it got dark, more and more kids came around selling Styrofoam and flower leis, games of Connect Four, and various other novelty items.

Lanterns began to drift into the sky in the distance, and I was all about lighting one (having first seen them in " The Beach"?). I wrote all three of our names on it, along with a flower, butterfly, and peace symbol, made a wish, and lit it up. Fireworks were shot off intermittently, adding to the wonderful all-around vibe and experience. The girls were staying at a different beach, and interested to check out one of the big dance clubs so we fought our way through the gauntlet of Thai prostitutes to The Green Mango, which filled up around 1am. After a bit of dancing, and a late night stop at McDonald's, we called it a night.

I took an overnight, double-decker bus filled with backpackers from Bangkok to Surat Thani.

The bus-ferry combination was $14, half the cost of the train-ferry option, and more readily available, so I went with it.

I got a few hours of sleep during the ride. I found the provided blankets necessary given the air-conditioning, which was kept cranked up the whole way.

I was sitting next to a nice Australian woman who was previously mistaken for a ladyboy by a drunk old white guy while waiting to be shown to the bus from Khao San road.

I witnessed the awkward exchange and felt bad for her.

Around 6 am, eleven hours after we began our journey, the bus dumped us off at a small outdoor cafe.

The cafe was a staging ground for people to be shuttled to various connections depending on their ultimate island destination.

After watching someone ride off on the back of a scooter, and a gaggle of people headed for Phuket pack into a pick-up, a giant luxury bus pulled up for those of us headed to Koh Samui.

I grabbed a seat in the lower-level lounge, which was fit for a rock star.

What I expected to be a short ride turned into another hour of driving. Along the way, we filled up the bus with more of the Koh Samui bound.

The bus pulled right onto the pier, so it was only a few steps to the waiting ferry. Another one and a half hours later, the ferry stopped at Koh Samui.

Next, it was into the back of one of the modified pick-ups with the bench seating. These cool contraptions are the cheapest way to shuttle yourself around on the islands.

Air-conditioned taxis are too costly, and I have no intention of learning how to ride a scooter after seeing the walking wounded upon arrival in Bangkok.

I hopped off at Chaweng Beach, the busiest area on the island.

I found a bungalow along one of the beach access roads, dropped off my stuff in the room, and before checking in, walked out to the water for my first view of a Thai beach.

It was truly picture-perfect.

I figured to be a day or two from leaving the big city for weeks of island-hopping in the south, so I took advantage of the weekend by visiting the Chatuchack Market via the modern, elevated Skytrain. As was increasingly apparent, the Thais love their air-conditioning cold.

The market was massive, selling everything from sharks to furniture. I walked around for an hour, mostly in search of a scorpion on a stick so as to satisfy another dare, and my ego. I found a few street carts selling bugs, crickets or grasshoppers, worms, big roaches, and most disturbingly, little birds. Sober, and without peer pressure and a potential monetary payoff, I couldn't bring myself to try such treats.

Seeing piles of the critters up close under the hot sun did not make the idea of eating a large, crunchy scorpion any more appealing. It did make me realize if I do find scorpions, I won't be able to eat them without a few beers in me, and even then there's a good chance I'll have a hell of a time choking it down.

The heat wore on me and I decided to check out one of Bangkok's malls. Siam Paragon was along my return Skytrain route so I hopped off and admired the majestic exterior. The lobby, with it's multi-storey waterfalls, glass elevators, and foliage was quite a site. Further inside, luxury retail shops far out of the price ranges of most mere mortals, lined the halls.

I went to the top level, hoping Indiana Jones was still playing. I had missed it, but Steve Carrell is a favorite of mine and I opted for " Get Smart."? Did I mention the lobby of the movie theater was really cool? The ticket cost $19, which was a bit shocking, but I went with it. The saleswoman told me to pick my seat from a display of the theater layout on a flat computer monitor. I asked her which one was good, and she confidently replied " all of them."?

Ticket in hand, I walked toward the metal detector which guarded the entrance to the theaters. The usher pointed me further down though, to a separate entrance, minus a metal detector. I started to walk toward the #2 theater when a woman ushered me over to a dimly lit lounge.

The theater wasn't opening for another ten minutes however I was free to order a cocktail. " When in Rome,"? I thought, and asked for a gin and tonic. Several other people were enjoying the supplied massage chairs in the area. A few sips after the drink had arrived, I paid and was walked to my seat in the theater.

I hadn't realized it at the time, but " Get Smart"? was playing in one of four luxury Nokia theaters, thus the special treatment. The theater and screen were as big as many in the USA, yet instead of watching amidst a sea of people, it felt like I was in the private theater of a football star on an episode of MTV's " Cribs."?

I settled into my leather seat, tapping the electronic reclining control until I was nearly horizontal. It was ultra-quiet so adjustments during the movie were a non-issue. I sipped my drink, covered myself in the supplied blanket, and rested my head on the pillow. The movie itself was cute, and I needed the good laughs it supplied. I knew the bathroom would be worth a look, so I snuck out when needed and sure enough, it was a bathroom fit for us VIP's who need a drink before our movie and can be trusted not to carry weaponry to the mall.

#9 - From Dan:

Looks like you're running low on dares. Now that you're in China I dare you to ride a scooter (as a passenger or driver) down a ridiculously crowded street. Just like in the pictures.

Seems to me you could do this in either China or India, but you can do it where ever you have time/motivation.

Provide photographic evidence and your compensation will be $25 plus rental fee if you have to rent to complete your task. I'll up the winnings if the street is REALLY crowded.

Reward: $25+

Status: Completed

After a few days in Bangkok without meeting anyone, I was starting to feel like my bang-up start was more like a bust.

I was feeling lonely.Invariably, I've found this happens when I have the highest expectations for socializing.

Then, when I'm asleep at the wheel, I end up meeting and hanging out with cool people.

To entertain myself, and hopefully earn a few bucks, I took on Dan's dare.

My friend Charlie in Chengdu had a motorcycle, but it was broken at the time I was staying with him.

After a mentally traumatic mini-scooter accident when I was a kid at day camp, I lost any desire to ride motorized bikes.

I prefer to be encased in metal, especially after seeing the way people drive in India.

Motorcycle taxis are commonplace in Thailand, so I hired one for a loop around Democracy Monument near Khao San.

It took a little translation support to ensure the driver knew what I wanted, and he delivered in great fashion.

Surely agreeing to what was likely a generous overpayment didn't hurt.

Unlike paragliding, taking photos and video on the back of a bike was a breeze.

I'm sure it would've been a dirtier, dustier, bumpier affair in India or Nepal, but there was plenty of traffic which we weaved in and out of at red lights.

It turned out to be a memorable experience which helped to lift my mood.

Bonus Video

I knew Buddha burnout was an occupational risk of delving into the world of Buddhist culture as early as Hong Kong, yet Wat Pho (wat=temple-monastery) held the 46-meter reclining Buddha I think was featured in and early scene from " The Beach,"? or at least a photo from the back sleeve of the movie soundtrack's CD which I'd been using to motivate me for years and carrying around with me for the last 7 months. 

Soon after deciding to save for a trip around the world, I taped it up in my apartment where I could see it every day.  Besides the track listing, there was a photo of the three main characters right before they swim to the secret island, and the giant golden reclining Buddha with Mr. DiCaprio leaning against the legs.  Whether or not it was the same Buddha didn't matter to me at that point.  I felt like taking my CD insert there was a final vindication of my master plan.  I did it, and still had many more months to keep living the dream. 

PS - I'm still carrying around that insert.  Makes for a nice bookmark!

On my second day in Bangkok, I took my first Thai tuk-tuk ride to the starting point of a walking tour suggested in my guidebook as the one I did in Kathmandu turned out to be a pleasant surprise. My first stop was the white-walled Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple.

Before I reached the main gate, a guy who appeared to be guarding a non-tourist entrance struck up a conversation with me. He seemed friendly, indicating the sight was closed for a few hours due to a ceremony for a relative of the king who had died earlier in the year. I can't recall if he tried to sell me on transport or an alternative at that point, but I headed onward toward the main gate where a sign clearly warned tourists not to trust " wily strangers."? And of course my guidebook was plastered with warnings (as usual) not to trust people who say a hotel, sight, temple or whatever is closed or under repair. The Thai scam is to sell you on some alternate, short-term form of sightseeing whereby the guy will earn a commission, thus allowing you to return to your original sight of interest later. Later, I'd find out it was just a small section inside which was closed to tourists.

Once inside the complex, I was blown away by the beautiful Thai architecture. I'd seen a glimpse of the unique style in Bodhgaya, and it was in full effect around the Palace and Temple. The facades of the buildings and statues were covered in small colored tiles, many of them mirrored. They formed massive mosaics which sparkled and shined in the sunlight. When people ask me if I miss home or whether it is hard to travel for such a long time all at once, I tend to reflect on moments like these and always respond " nope!"?

The Emerald Buddha is actually made of jade, and the little guy sits atop a stunningly ornate golden altar. No photography is allowed inside the temple, however visitors did have room to sit on the floor and admire the interior decorations.

Back outside, everyone was taking photos like mad. I can't recall the last time I was at a site and saw so many tour groups. I relished my independence. I rarely remember the facts thrown out by guides. Usually, I'd rather simply remember the sense of amazement I feel when seeing a special sight for the first time.

What a difference a 4.5 hour flight can make in one's travel experience.  On my taxi ride to the Delhi airport, the driver had the gall to try and sell me on a trip to a rug shop even as I was clearly leaving the country.  I shut him down immediately,  I could be good-humored about it, seeing as how I was literally leaving the country in a few hours. 

The service on the THAI flight was awesome, the airport was efficient (if not practically empty), and the express bus one of the nicest I'd ever ridden.  Seeing a skyline filled with high rise office buildings, multi-lane highways packed with cars, and not a bicycle rickshaw or wayward cow in sight made me realize how I'd adopted life in India as my personal reality.  Not that I ever fully managed to accept cows eating trash in the streets as routine.

My first day in Bangkok was dedicated to doing nothing.  The luxury of a full vacation day dedicated to nothing right from the start of entering a new country will be unique to this trip.  In the future, I imagine typical 1-2 week American holidays will require compressed schedules necessitating a running start to intercontinental travel.  In the here and now, I purposefully chill out on my first day in a new country.  It has served me well so far, and I relish the observations made on my first day in Thailand.

7-11's are everywhere, stocking the desirable (and trendy) travel size toiletries, snacks, ice cream, and so on.  In Bangkok, they are also the temperature of blast freezers, creating welcome respites from the 90-degree heat.  Restaurants and bars, at least around Khao San, have walls draped with large plasma televisions.  I duck into one as a rain shower has the t-shirt vendors covering their merchandise with plastic tarps.  I watch the parade of tourists, travelers, backpackers, and Thais walk by.  I haven't seen so many white people in one place since Australia back in January.  And after 7 weeks in India, where female tourists are almost always wearing full length skirts or pants, I couldn't help but take notice of all the girls wearing as little clothes as possible.