16 min to read
Mushrooms in Thailand
Memoires of a Mushroom Trip
In today’s episode, I’m going to try something a little different.
I want to tell you a story about someone’s psychedelic experience, straight from their trip diary.
I found the story so fascinating, I want to put a twist on it & dive deep into the psychology of it all.
I want to personify the spirit of the mushroom & decode the perspectives of all the people who invited him into their worlds.
The cast is made up of 3 main characters: Stevland, Xander & Dante
OK, let’s start.
“CAN IT GET ANY HOTTER?”
Dante was wading through the waters of the Gulf of Thailand with a spectacular sunset behind him. Xander accompanied him in an attempt to cool down from the intensely hot weather. They say you could literally grab the air from how humid it was.
It was around 6 PM & over 30 degrees Celsius outside. Their relief was short lived as even the ocean was warm like bathwater.
The trio had just arrived on the island of Koh Phangan, where they stayed at the Rainbow Beach Resort, which was really just a dozen small wood cabins with a breathtaking view.
As the defeated duo arrived back at shore, they were met by a german shepherd named Max & a rottweiler named Baxter. Max was a silly, dumb, lovable guy whereas Baxter was the real guard dog of the property; loyal, strong & focused on his duties.
Both dogs could be seen escorting guests around the beach & to their cabins.
Max & Baxter escorted the boys safely to their cabin. The night had just begun & they had a mission on their minds to make the most of it.
They found Stevland getting situated in the cabin. He’s a very organized person so this was a priority for him.
They quickly got dressed in light shorts & tank tops & were escorted to the main street by their canine companions.
They were heading to the legendary Haad Rin tonight; the same one where Leo DiCaprio parties in that movie The Beach (not the weird cult community beach, the public one).
It’s the same legendary beach that hosts the Full Moon Party, attracting 30,000+ people from all around the world to a small strip of sand & ocean each month to indulge in cheap drinks, good music & wild pyro shows.
The moon wasn’t full just yet though. They were heading there for something else entirely…
They were on a hunt for something magical.
Their ride showed up. It was a truck with its cab converted to transport up to 8 people. Before stepping in, Xander took a moment to look back & admire their own little beach in the night.
A dozen near-death experiences later, the trio happily jumped out from the back of a truck after a wild 20 min ride through winding mountain roads in the dark night. Massive clouds covered the moon’s rays tonight.
They’ve arrived on the outskirts of Haad Rin Beach & it was much quieter than they expected out here.
Before the beach, they had to traverse the narrow alleyways of an outdoor market, like a bazaar in a maze. As they followed the refreshing sea breeze, the sounds of laughter reached their ears.
They move about & come into the bright lights of open air resto-bars full of expats enjoying a night out.
These are people who live & work in the area but are foreign.
The trio decide to eat a quick dinner before they dive into a trip.
Stevland got a seafood bowl with noodles & several types of seafood. It was surprisingly big for a Thai portion. They must get a lot of foreigners here.
Dante got pad thai; simple but delicious.
Xander ordered something he couldn’t pronounce for the fun of it. We watched as the waiter brought him an entire pineapple with a smile on his face.
It turned out to be a nice veggie fried rice cooked with the pineapple chunks served INSIDE a hollow pineapple.
While eating, they began asking around about the fabled magic mushrooms said to proliferate on this tropical island. The local Thai people refused to give them any information.
The locals reacted with a cold shoulder & a hint of fear. Possession of any drug we consider even slightly illegal is SUPER illegal in Thailand.
Until 2009, getting caught with any drug could have meant the death sentence.
As the three finish their meals, a slim caucasian expat approaches them with a crooked smile & swimmy eyes. He spoke with an Australian accent.
Aussie: “Ayy, me thinks I can help ya. What do ya need?”
The guys looked at each other & Dante spoke first.
Dante: “We’re looking for magic mushrooms. Do you know where we can get some?”
The Aussie looked around suspiciously, while Stevland poked Dante to express caution.
Aussie: “yeh, Blue Meanies they call ‘em. Strong lil fuckers. Ya got cash on you, yeh?
Dante nodded.
Aussie: “Alright. If you come with me I’ll show you the way to Mellow Mountain.”
Suddenly a waiter appeared to collect money & plates. He didn’t make friendly eye contact or conversation like before. He also seemed to rush the transaction.
Xander didn’t even have time to wash his messy hands after fisting his pineapple.
Aussie: “C’mon, let’s go. We gotta get outta here mates. They clearly don’t want us around”
The wirey, tanned Aussie stood up from the end of the picnic table & signaled them to follow him.
They obeyed.
Aussie lit a joint out front of the restaurant & started down the main street. After a block, he then veered off down a smaller alleyway. The guys followed him a few paces behind.
The sky was even cloudier than before; the night was as dark as pitch black with no light pollution to aid the eyes.
Stray cats, dogs & rodents scurried past as they worked their way through the labyrinth.
After several twists & turns, Stevland noticed that the breeze was at their back now.
“Hmm..? We’re heading away from the beach?” He thought.
They were coming up on an illuminated crossroads straight ahead. Stevland had to break the silence.
Stevland: “Hey dude… Where exactly are you taking us?”
The air felt like it stood still. Xander held his breath in anticipation.
But… He didn’t reply. He just kept walking.
The only light in the alleyway came from his fingers with each drag of his joint. Xander noticed a slight chemical, plasticy smell from the smoke.
Dante felt the anxiety & tension of his friends as if it were his own…
They all felt that primal danger. Their heart rates quickened with each footstep.
In another moment, they were basked in the light of the open intersection.
Stevland stepped up & grabbed Aussie’s shoulder; this time demanding an answer.
What happened next felt like slow-motion.
Aussie turned his head, joint in hand, & looked right through them. His eyes were blood-shot & his pupils dilated. His lips cracked dry, his body limp, his consciousness gone.
Dante searched for a soul but Aussie looked like a zombie.
Before another word, his eyes widened suddenly and his limp body burst into action. He starts RUNNING.
Stevland looks left & sees two men dressed in military uniforms running in his direction.
One of the men gains on Aussie & takes him down with a tackle. He struggles to subdue him. The 2nd officer calls for backup as he looks at Stevland, Dante & Xander.
The sound of a snap, crackle & terrifying screams shakes the three guys out of their trance & they start running away from the scene.
Aussie was being tazed. Xander stayed another moment to watch him writhing in pain on the ground.
“It’s like an exorcism. He did look possessed too…” Xander thought.
“YOOO LET’S GO” Dante shouted, shaking Xander from his thoughts. He looked up to see the headlights of two motorbikes. Backup had arrived.
The headlights slowed down by Aussie, but they didn’t stop. After an exchange of words, they started towards the guys about 150 meters down the road now. The chase was on.
Dante shouted at Xander & Stevland to STAY CLOSE. They curved off the brightly lit main road into the shadows of an alleyway a moment before the headlights caught up. The officers had to slow down & carefully turn into the narrow street to follow.
Dante’s mind was racing. His eyes sharpened & he could see every vivid detail of the entire alley. He knew they had to widen the gap before the officers got a good look at their faces & features. Luckily the three were wearing generic tourist garb they bought in Bangkok; they looked like every other dude in the area with elephant print shirts & baggy shorts.
“DUCK LEFT” Dante shouted. They entered into a passageway that was nearly pitch black & wide enough for 2 people to walk side-by-side. It looked like the way merchants used to get to their shops & store stuff.
They run past a couple shop owners & Stevland bumped into chicken cages stacked up; knocking them down & causing a commotion. The sounds of frightened chickens were VERY loud.
A moment later, the rev of an engine entered the area. A moment after that, it grew brighter from the entrance of a headlight.
“Fuck,” Dante thought.
They reached a fork in the road.
The left passage was similar to the entrance of this area.
The right passage was much smaller & they’d have to go single file through it.
“QUICK. THINK!” Dante murmerred. “Go left or right?”
Stevland started left but Dante grabbed his shoulder & turned right. Xander lagged a little behind the two because he opted for sandals > shoes tonight.
If it weren’t for the adrenaline activating their night vision, they wouldn’t have been able to see a thing in this pathway. Xander noticed the faint sound of drums in the distance.
The passage was musty, as if the humidity of the day was trapped in here. Still, there was a growing breeze the deeper they went.
They’re coming up on the end of the passage now, a soft orange light colors their grayscale world as they get closer.
They’re almost out.
AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Stevland jumps up & hits his head on the brick ceiling of the passage. Dante’s heart skips a beat & he snaps his neck around to see what happened.
Xander was kicking off his sandal in the dark passage, looking deeply disturbed. Both Stevland & Dante looked down at the cause & saw a wriggling cockroach; half dead & stuck to the sandal.
Dante dashed forward & knocked the cockroach off with his shoe. Xander has a cockroach phobia. Oddly enough, he didn’t mind most other insects but cockroaches were his nightmare fuel.
They had no time to lose right now though so Dante shook Xander back into the moment & they pressed forward out of the tunnel.
Suddenly, they were surrounded by massive blazing torches & hit with a gust of fresh air.
All three took a moment to let their eyes adjust. They were frozen in awe at the structures they saw & the dancing flames ahead of them. A figure was creating mesmerizing windmill with flaming ropes.
Stevland: “Dude, it’s like another world. I don’t see a single light bulb anywhere, it’s just torches!!”
Around them were dozens of large structures made of bamboo that served as platforms, bars, huts, tables, statues, figures, & more. They were all filled with merchants serving drinks & selling souvenirs.
Ahead of them was a sea of people mingling with garlands around their neck while drinking out of colorful sand pails with straws.
The sounds of waves crashing & drums echoed throughout the beach.
Xander is the quiet type, but you could clearly see his amazement at the scene. They say his eyes open wider than most people’s; they bulge.
After glancing at both his homies, Stevland says, grinning:
“Let’s disappear.”
They casually blend into the crowd & dance their way around to one of the structures which offered them a vantage point. There was a lounge on top of one of these bamboo structures that housed the DJ on the bottom & people on top.
They reached the top & found only 2 chairs open on the level so Dante headed to the rails while Xander & Stevland sat to catch their breath.
Dante leaned on the railing & his eyes scanned the area where they entered from. Then the other entrances to the beach. And then the crowd.
He didn’t see any headlights. He didn’t see a high-powered flashlight either; just colorful rave lights in the crowd.
And then he saw something.
An officer walking down the alleyway parallel to where the bros entered from. The officer was met by a second officer who was hiding in the shadows by the entrance of the beach.
They were hardly visible, but it looked like they were annoyed. The newcomer officer was waving his hands around & the other officer signaled him to follow.
They both came to the entrance of the beach, which was really just where the sand started, and looked around. They didn’t take another step in.
After a minute, they turned.
And walked away.
Dante was amazed. “Is it a jurisdiction thing?” he thought.
He scanned the beach again for several minutes & realized there wasn’t a single uniform in sight.
“Must be. What a crazy ass way to start the night hahahaha” Dante laughed to himself, finally chilling out.
At this moment his ears tuned into the party, hearing electronic music from the beach & a sweet Bob Marley song from their elevated level. “Is This Love” was playing.
Dante could see that people were having the time of their lives. In one part, there was a casual atmosphere with lower music where everyone looked engaged in lovely conversations.
In another, a large group formed a circle around a couple people where they were using a torch to light something on fire…
A long, snake-like line burst into flames & suddenly people were taking turns to jump through.
Dante turned around to find Stevland & Xander chatting with the bartender, Reggie, who had braids as long as himself wrapped up in a rastacap.
Stevland: “So how long have you been here?”
Reggie (bartender): “It ave been thirty years now mi bredren. Mi deh yah fi every full moon party”
“I think he means he works every full moon party,” Xander whispers to a confused Dante.
Stevland: “Wow man. This is our first time, we just got here tonight. What’s the party like?”
Reggie: “yuh like girls? There lots of dem yuh like fi drink? mi wi tek care of yuh. Just memba tuh wear ya boots son”
Reggie winks & laughs slow & heartily.
Xander: “I think he means condoms Stevie. No boots, no boobies.”
All four of them laugh & release the last of the intensity from the getaway chase scene.
Reggie: “Now wah yuh boys ave planned fi tonight? mi cya get yuh sup’m fi jink right now?”
Stevland: “I’ll have a bottle of Singha. Thanks dude!”
Dante: “Hey man thanks. I’ll have the same thing.”
Reggie: “Wah bout fi you? wah mi cya get you?”
Xander: “Uhhh… Nothing for now.”
Xander doesn’t like alcohol. It almost always makes him sick.
Dante doesn’t drink often either, but he also doesn’t like refusing a gesture as friendly as Reggie’s.
Stevland on the other hand is a beer connoisseur. He walked off the plane in Bangkok weeks earlier like, “I dare you to catch me refusing a beer. I will try them ALL.”
Dante: “Hey Reggie, do you know about a place called Mellow Mountain..?”
Reggie: “Ahh yea… dat wah yuh boys had planned? tuh climb di mountain?”
Stevland: “Not exactly. We’re looking for magic mushrooms…”
Reggie: “… sup’m magical huh? eff that’s wah yuh wa -”
Reggie stops mid-sentence & raises his head. He then looks to his right & directs our attention past the furthest reaches of the party to a region that was dark.
“Wah yuh wa there…” he pauses, looks up again & continues, “yuh betta hurry do, eh feels like ah storm a come”
A gust of wind hits them as their excitement rises.
The dark silhouette of a mountain was barely visible, but a few string lights at the top were guiding stars to their destination.
Dante: “A trek to Mellow Mountain huh…”
NEXT EPISODE COMING SOON!!
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