Bangkok to Koh Chang

I visited Jim Thompson's house. He wasn't home. He was an American who revived the silk industry. I'm not sure how much silk weaving he did personally. I think he was more in marketing and sales. He was also somewhat of a hoarder, but rich enough to hoard expensive antiques and art. He also was rich enough to buy 5 houses and attach them together, so the multitude of ceramic pots he'd gathered could be spread around a bit. The most interesting thing about the visit was that he went to the Cameron Highlands and disappeared, never to be seen again.

I didn't do much other touristy stuff in Bangkok. I met up with my friend Adam (Worthy) instead, who is studying and working in Bangkok. Then I was hungover, then I went to catch a bus to Koh Chang but there wasn't one, so I popped into the sports bar where Adam works.

I was lucky because Adam's workplace was a major sponsor of the Muay Thai fight that was happening that night. It was a proper, meaningful fight as well. Not the "super big fight" that happens every 3 days between the same 2 fighters for tourists. Adam got free tickets so we went.

The fights were Thailand vs Japan in the various weight classes. I think only one of the female fights was for a title. The main event was supposed to be but I don't think it was. It was really entertaining. The fighters do this dance beforehand to gather up as much energy as they can. When the round starts this pipe music (like snake charmer pipes) start and increases in intensity through the round. Punches don't earn points but the fighters can basically kick as fast as a punch.

Besides the main event, the highlight was the blind boxing. They get 2 guys from the crowd, blindfold them, spin them around 10 times and the first person to land a punch wins the round. They got an Aussie and a Thai guy. The rules mustn't have been made clear though because after the first punch they were into each other and about 5 guys had to pull them apart (they were also significantly larger and drunker than the Muay Thai fighters). They did this for 3 rounds and after the second round it was quite obvious they could both see.

Yesterday I was woken up early by nature's alarm clock - drunk French people - so I went and caught the bus. I was on the bus all of yesterday and arrived on Koh Chang at about 4:30pm. I'd heard Lonely Beach was the cheaper area so got a Songthaew the 20km here. A Songthaew is a ute with two benches and a roof on the back. Our guy loaded 15 of us, with luggage, into his. It was a tense drive as the hills on Koh Chang are VERY steep and his brakes didn't sound too healthy. In the end it was his tires that couldn't handle the weight so we had to detour to the mechanics.

I went to sleep early last night and have woken up to it pouring down this morning. I just went to go to the toilet in the dorm, and not wanting to wake the other people I didn't switch the light on. They're all awake now though because I walked head first into the post I forgot was in the middle of the room. I'm a little concerned that it didn't hurt. It definitely should've hurt. Must be all those years of headbutting footballs and strikers.

I didn't get many photos. The fight ones suck. The one of the guy sitting outside the ring, he's actually getting stitches.