Alirght so it is about 4 p.m…. I woke up about an hour ago in my room with all the lights on, a large black mark on my hand, scratches all over my leg, the taste of bile in my mouth and a curiosity over how exactly it was that I got home… I guess I had a good night. I remember drinking… dancing… chatting up some brit girls… dancing with some Canadian girl until her boyfriend returned (damn him!) and drinking… oh and drinking.
I had heard rumours about what Chang beer (the local “strong” beer) can do to you… and that it’s not like a normal drinking experience – but at about 6.4%, it was not far from Canadian standards and I wasn’t too worried. My first mistake.
I’ve basically just been chillin’ in Chiang Mai for the last few days. Not doing too much that is overly exciting, so when I heard about this Beat The System party that was being put on by the folks at Forest Drunk, I was eager to get out and do something.
Because of the whole police debacle last week at the Valentine’s Day party, the decided to hold this party at a different bar… and it worked, as I didn’t see any police all night. At least not that I remember.
The night started off innocently enough. I grabbed the remainder of my Vanilla Coke, mixed in some Thai rum and headed off to a place called Dee Dee’s to meet a Thai girl named Du (Doo) that works at a restaurant that I keep going to. On the way there I hear shouts from across the street and just assume that it’s more prostitutes vying for my attention… but nope, it was actually some friends of Naomi’s that I met at the movies the other day (did I mention about the girl that wanted me to be her boyfriend? Well… her). Chatting to them a bit I decided to ditch meeting up with Du (it was more a suggestion than plans) and go with them for some vegetarian food at a nearby restaurant. Dinner was definitely better the first time it passed my lips than the second…
My dinner companions and I parted ways and agreed to remeet up at the party. I hurried home, grabbed some cash, some more rum and coke, and headed to the bar where they were offering free shuttles to the new locale.
I was a little nervous about going and not really knowing anyone… but turns out I knew LOADS of people. Started chatting with some guys on the shuttle over (really just a converted Ford Bronco that seats about 6 people… but we managed about 15) and thankfully befriended a really nice Texan guy named Elmer whose assistance proved invaluable later. Then when I got there I ran in to May, a cool Thai guy I befriended the night before… and after that I found a girl that I had met last week from Hamilton and her cute friend from Toronto (see dancing…boyfriend comment above). And if that wasn’t enough… my two dinner companions Nong and Jamie (or is it Jenny? It’s always said really fast) showed up.
I don’t remember drinking that much, as I guess you never do, but I do remember May feeding me shots, and the bartender too… I’m not entirely sure what the shots were… other than potent.
And so it was that at about 4 a.m. I was sitting somewhere (if I could remember where, I’d likely have more an idea of how I got home) with Elmer incouraging me to just let it come out and I’ll feel better (I assume I was trying to be modest and not wanting to puke). He was right though. I know I got dropped off somewhere, because I remember reassuring them that I could manage to find my way home. I just have NO idea how I actually got home, or who paid for it, as they weren’t offering shuttles for the way back. Maybe I paid for it.
I was supposed to head to the beach with Nong … but as I was supposed to meet her at 11 a.m. near one of the city’s gates… I trust she gave up on me and went anyway. Damn, I really wanted to go.
And so it was that I got a proper taste of Thai nightlife. I think I’ll go find solace in an A/C’d theatre and work off this hangover.
Two sentences to live by:
“Avoid Chang Beer” – Ryan.
“Don’t open naked web too much. It will make every computer slow.” – a sign on this monitor.
Peace.
