Old & Proud

Well, we made it to the Full Moon party & were pretty pleased with ourselves for staying up so late when we left. Okay it was only around 1.30am but the party was fun & we really couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about how mental it is. When we tucked ourselves up in bed I chuntered on to Paul about how we'd probably get woken up at about 3am as the last revellers made their way home. Paul nodded sleepily & that was our Christmas Eve.

When I woke up at 4.30am there was absolute silence & I thought the party must be over already & settled back to sleep. At about 9.30am we were woken by the now familiar sound of drunk Australian girls arguing. We decided to go for some breakfast and the true picture of the evening's events started to become apparent.

Our hotel was filled with people staggering around in torn clothing, dazed, confused & dusty as if they'd just escaped from some natural disaster. The breakfast tables were full of unconscious guests' heads & piles of drool. We decided to go down to the beach to see what'd been happening.

The party was still limping on. A few people wearing bikinis & Santa hats were clearly still off their faces but mostly the beach looked as though there had been a recent explosion. There were people lying face up on the beach seemingly where they had fallen hours earlier, unconscious & encrusted from head to toe in sand. Bottles & clothing were scattered all around & two entrepreneurial Thai women were trying to locate matching pairs from the hundreds of abandoned flip-flops being washed to & fro in the tide.

'Oh dear', we thought. I think we'd left before it'd really got started. Can't say we were sorry. We are now resigned to the fact that we are OLD & therefore can no longer
a) appreciate trance music
b) stay up much later than midnight.
c) drink more than 3 glasses of wine without wanting to curl up & fall asleep.

Bring on New Year! We may be in bed before midnight.

Here's to being old. I kind of like it!

Glow In The Dark

At the party you could have temporary 'glow in the dark' tattoos applied. Paul was tempted but they didn't know how to do a Newcastle United logo so we settled for waving around the glowsticks that Shaun & Frances so kindly gave us. Knew they'd come in handy. Not sure how but I've ended up looking like ET in one of these photos.

More Beach Party

Full Moon Beach Party Time

Here's what we've been doing this Christmas Eve.

Getting Ready for Christmas

We escape from the bustle of the pre Christmas party at our resort to sit on a hammock on the beach & watch the sunset. Later we cross over the island to watch the full moon warm up parties and the fire jugglers.

Water Babies

This is mostly what we're doing at the moment.

Leela Beach

The Cocohut Beach Resort where we're staying is right on Leela beach. Tomorrow night there is a party from 12 noon onwards (oh dear, not sure Paul & I can keep going that long) so they've been hanging up shell decorations & setting up the sound system today. We're been watching them between swimming, reading & dozing off.

Ko Pha Ngan

We take the boat from Koh Samui over to Ko Pha Ngan & after a few minor problems manage to find a lovely place to settle down & stay over Christmas. This is a Christmas treat from Gill & Brian so 'Thank You so much!' Here are some pictures of where we're staying so you can think of us. We'll be here until 27th. It's so lovely here. After so many cold showers & ant infestations we're still in state of euphoria.

Totty for Mirja

On our last night in Koh Samui we watch a Thai group perform rock covers. Sadly the pictures don't do justice to just how pretty the lead singer was, Mirja. It couldn't last & an English bloke took a break from chuffing away on his fag to join in a rendition of Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick in the Wall'. More comedy rice molding was on offer too.

Missing Christmas shopping

It's kind of nice here.

Koh Samui

After four nights in Bangkok we begin the beach segment of our Thailand trip with a stay in Koh Samui. The plane flies right over the beach & we get a feeling that we might like it here. We manage to find a tiny wooden beach hut to stay in at the very Northern end of Chaweng beach. It's moments from the beach & really peaceful. Our beach hut complex also has a restaurant with two resident & very friendly birds.

More Vertigo

Wow!