KO PHANGAN

My arrival feeling tired, cut and bruised was perhaps not the best preparation in what is arguable South East Asia's mecca of debauchery, scandal and controversy but I suppose my time in Ko Tao did mean I was well practised!!

I also notably arrived in a different pair of flip flips than those I orginally wore to Ko Tao which is something I need to explain. It would appear that on the islands of Ko Tao and Ko Phangan, it is perfectly OK to steal other peoples flip flops as they are stacked outside the bars at night - this is an experience I witnessed 3 times on Ko Tao, forcing me to not buy another good pair but an awful 80baht pair as I knew me and them would soon be parted ponce more.

Sure enough, first night on Ko Phagnan, I take my flip flops off to wlk the beach at night (which is where all the parties / clubs bars etc.) are and find them gone! Again!
Being bored of actually buying pairs, and still having the morals (of only the few that remain) I decided to 'liberate' random abondoned flip flips from the beach rather than steal as was stolen from me.

My novel approach has actually paid off, and after finding 2 stunning pairs of sparkley girlie flip flops (not matching of course) I've managed to keep them through my entire time there, I think you'll agree from the pic that they were a fine choice, even if half my foot did hang off the back of the right one!

Liberated footwear aside, Ko Phagnan was aevrything I had heard it to be, both from the enthusiastic party animals praising the antics and the less than hardcore telling me to avoid the 'sess pit of wasters'. I obviously, appeal more to the former than the latter and thought it was great!

The nights leading up to the party were pretty much as big as the party itself, with the days spent drinking beer by the pool, playing some poker (yes, I've found and recruited some new gamblers!) before heading out in the evening for a meal and then onto the buckets of cocktail!

This seemed to be a formula that worked, so basically we repeated it every 24 hours! The full moon party itself was crazy, basically the beach was packed with people, with dozens of beach front bars all playing their own music, from chilled beats right through to 250 bpm Schitzophrenic Euro trance!

So basically more good times as in Ko Tao and with a few more recruits along the way, including the reunion of the original 'Tour de Cambodia team' members Chase, Elisa and Dave.

However, as always I magaed to do something less than sensible....when taking an 8.30am stroll down the beach (ok, returning from the night out) I managed to leave about 25% of my right foot behind on some coral rock - ouch!

I now found myself in the position where I spent the remainder of the time on the Island limping around bare foot in town, trying to dodge sharp stones, interesting smelly water and other peoples feet! Not a game I can recommend.

So, flips flops in one hand, liver in the other the next stop is Ko Phi Phi, where I'm a couple of days ahead of teh rest of the group owing to their slightly different routes there - hopefully a good chance to chill a little before my arm gets twsited into more late night antics!