The Courage to Be ImPerfect: Full Moon Fun

Well, what goes better with a full moon than thousands of drunks on a beach? The other night the three of us went to the Full Moon Party and it was insanity from the get go. This party started in the mid eighties and has now grown to be a once a month party that has 10-30 thousand participants. This is not a beach party where one brings a blanket and some snacks with a six pack and chill on the beach. It is a party where every bar blasted music to accompany the strobe and other lights that highlight the party goers neon clothes, accessories and body paint. A bucket of liquor can be found in the hand of most everyone there and the only place to piss is in the ocean which is a challenge after a couple of buckets. I think the craziest thing I saw that night was the fire jump roping. Yeah lets play a game I like to call good idea bad idea.. I mean to get the courage to jump a fire rope one needs to have had a few buckets to start which does nothing for the coordination factor. I am ashamed that I was encouraging Laura to do it. For days after the FMP we have seen travelers with bandages on their ankles, arms and back covering the burn marks from their time competing in the idiot Olympics. It was an experience just to watch everyone but after a few hours we decided to hit the road. Liz and I were soaking wet and covered in sand (yeah that whole balance pissing in the ocean thing didn't work for us) and Laura was getting frustrated with some of the locals so we made our exit. To my surprise, on the way our I heard someone calling my name! It was a girl we had met when we were in Halong Bay so it was cool to see her again I just wish it had been before I was a "Svetlana" on vodka buckets and had to go home. Our taxi ride home was terrible and I thought one or all of us were going to get into a physical altercation with someone. Don't mess with us! My favorite interaction of the evening was when Liz told this jerkoff kid in our truck taxi that she would gladly watch him fall to his death ( he refused to sit in the bed of the truck like a normal person and chose to stand instead)...and then grabbed his package..twice! Yeah it was that kind of night. We made it home safely and it was something I'm glad that I experienced however I think on my next trip to Koh Phangan I'll stick to the "old people" part of the island and sip my bucket in a hammock.