Perhaps the seven days that we spent in Haad Rin warming up for the Full Moon Party gave us a better perspective on the scene. Or maybe just having all that extra time to make friends with other revelers was what made the difference. But I feel like every minute of the past couple weeks has been perfectly enchanted.

Made unforgettable by the good vibes and shared energy of our new friends Daniel, Andy, Jan, Nathan, Chris, Ian, Ruben and nearly a dozen Israelis, our Full Moon experience was the pinnacle of my adventure – a high-flying climax of incredible good times that came to fruition just before my sixth month anniversary of being on the road.

Funny how just when I think my travels just couldn’t get better, some new experience throws me a loop and sets my imagination flying. I’m loving life – so much in fact that I’m finding it hard to break away from it and find time for a little retrospection.

So here I am, sitting on my beachfront balcony in Koh Tao, watching the sea and searching for the words that can give you a taste of our experience and help share the groove of the Full Moon Party. This is my tribute to the full moon, to all the beautiful experiences, and most of all to the friends I’ve made here in Thailand...

Koh Pha Ngan is a special place. The energy going around before the Full Moon Party is infectious and it’s hard not to get caught in the whirlwind. People from all over the world migrate to this island once a month for what is billed as the best party in Southeast Asia.

The vibe centers around Haad Rin beach, a wide crescent of white sand that serves as the staging ground for day, evening and early morning revelry. The most common advice you hear is to avoid staying in Haad Rin so you can easily escape the madness when it gets too intense. But since we’ve taken to learning our lessons first-hand about a place, we ended up with the most central accommodation possible (eventually I moved my scene to nearby Sunset Beach, but Emilie and Shelley stayed prime the whole way).

What happened in the ensuing 12 days was a steady succession of good times that would take me weeks to recount and an eternity to forget. From the first time I spotted Daniel dancing in Cactus Bar and Shelley’s initial Nathan encounter to the widespread Israeli mania (a self-coined term for the hordes of awesome Israelis we’ve met in the past month), Emilie’s Thai romance and reconnecting with Andy and Jan, a couple we first met on Phi Phi Island, the entire experience seemed destined to be.

We were in the best of company, melding our energies and each contributing to a communal spirit powerful enough to get any party started.

As for the actual Full Moon Party, you really do have to see it for yourself. At its peak, the beach is impenetrable, the streets are packed, hundreds of boats anchor just offshore, fire dancers swing flaming fire balls dangerously close to unwary bystanders, and techno music blares from every beach-front club.

Suspecting that the big night could easily disappoint, we kept our expectations low and spent most of the evening groovin’ on a moderately chilled-out side street, enjoying the kick-back familial vibes and rockin’ Dj jams at Sushi Bar. Throughout the night, I didn’t see much of the beach or street scene and I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t see me on the July 12, 2006 Full Moon Party dvd that was recorded that night (although I’d have to watch the video first in its entirety to be sure of that).

In every way, the night couldn’t have been better. While most of my funniest memories are of the random encounters Emilie and I had throughout the night, I also remember a smoking Mongolian dinner with Andy and Jan, giant friends-for-life hugs with Shelley, dancing my heart out in the street with Daniel, meeting and instantly loving Ruben, sharing a little soul with the Sushi Bar crew, and watching the sunrise while rocking out to a funky techno song that kicked out the chorus “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear flowers in you hair” between beats.

As for my golden Emilie moments, I’m sure I’ll never forget our first lesson in the flip flop trade-off that seems more and more common around here. Both of us lost our favorite pair of Reef flip flops that night and the story managed to play out for days as we searched for our shoes and a girl stopped me in the street to reclaim the ones I had adopted off the beach after mine had been nabbed. Needless to say, I’m still searching for the girl walking around in my black/black Reef Gingers, ready to trade out the ridiculous hot-pink flip flops that I’ve been wearing ever since.

Our full moon closed without a hitch. I can honestly say that the entire evening was perfect, and I owe it all to the wonderful people who were there with us to share their souls and positive energy. My two weeks on Koh Pha Nang will stay on with me as one of my fondest memories.

To Emilie and Shelley – thank you for loving me, for being my soul sisters, for traveling with me and for lifting my spirit to new heights.

To Daniel – thank you for opening your heart, for sharing your incredible energy, and for inspiring everyone around you.

To Andy and Jan – thank you for your provocative conversation, for your international flair, and for teaching us a lesson or two.

To Nathan and Chris – thank you for joining in on the groove and proving that sometimes it’s the English that have the most fun.

To Ruben – thank you for reuniting with us on Koh Tao and helping us adjust as our crew slowly disbands and moves off in their own directions.

And to everyone else – thank you for adding to the experience. We are all part of the great tapestry of being and every one of you contributes a verse to the poetry of my life.

July 22, 2006