September 4th 2009. 'full moon party'

The techno music was blinding and the flashing lights engulfed every aspect of the small tropical paradise we had stumbled upon. A great transformation had taken place in mere hours, we had found ourselves directly in the middle of it. White sand beach to rave central before the sun set. I had always heard the full moon party was a 'must-do' experience in Thailand. How great could another party be? It was with some reluctance that I agreed with Kelly that we should attend the nights festivities. It was on the beach...didn't sound too intriguing to my delicate sensibilities. I found myself, however, almost instantly, engulfed in the madness. I can't help but reflect that a party of this caliber would never make it in San Luis Obispo, a fight or drunken rowdiness would no doubt break out within mere minutes of its beginnings. Everyone seemed to be there for one reason... to have fun and enjoy the night. Gone was the feeling of fear and trepidation that normally follows even going to a bar in SLO or some other American city. Here were 10,000 people from all walks of life and all corners of the world gathering on a beach to simply have a good time. To dance the night away and bathe in the afterglow of the nights revelries. We were neck deep in the crowds of thronging youth, pulsing to the ecstatic beats of the blaring music. 'Do you want a break?' asked our traveling companions in their charming Irish accents. So with only the smallest amount of hesitation we headed for the the south side of the beach to the 'mellow mountain' bar; A small hillside bungalow filled with floor mats and strange travelers who seemed to laugh at lifes every moment. 'you have to try there specialty shake, it's to die for' insisted Fiona our Irish counterpart who seemed to know the beach much better than Kelly and I. After coughing an astonishing 500 Thai baht up (about 15 dollars) I was awaiting the most glorious fruit smoothy I'd ever encountered. What was handed to me was a black sludgy concoction that smelled and, believe me you, tasted just like hangover shits smell. 'why the hell did I just pay a nice hotel nights stay for this garbage shake?' I asked with the smallest amount of anger. 'wait thirty minutes and you'll see' was all Fiona could reply with. Mind you, I used to enjoy the occasional psychedelic in my younger college days, but that was always with a great amount of expectation, never did a mushroom trip find my swelling mind unannounced. I wish i could tell you all every detail from that night, explain to you the way the trees bended and the lights all faded into one another. The insane laughter that over took us all as we painted our bodies with glow-in-the-dark paint. The constant feeling that an unknown force was about to suck me into the earth, or the extreme anxiety I felt every time some thai man tried to offer me his giant iguana of boa constrictor to hold for small price and instant picture. It wasn't heaven or hell I traveled to that night. My mind cooked in an all night fever as sensations became something entirely new. Perhaps I've said too much, wandering eyes may not enjoy reading the full details of the nights explorations. After all what happens at the full moon party stays at the full moon party.