The Rum Diaries

Staring: Thai Rum or better known as Sang Som.

To set up the whole scene I suggest you take a moment and allow the following video to play as background music. 

 

Although I am not a huge spirit drinker (2 martini’s I’m on the floor) If I had to choose a spirit of choice it would be rum (dark rum to be more specific).  Now this probably has to do a lot with Mike, for him rum ranks up there with the Vancouver Canucks, he likes it a lot.

Mike vs Sang Som (Round 1)

Our first night in Phi Phi we had and took the opportunity to camp out on the beach in Maya Bay. For those of you who unfamiliar Maya Bay was used as the back ground for the filming of the “The Beach” you know the one where Leonardo DeCaprio spends most of his time hanging out topless…….will save that day dream for another entry.

During the day while the beach is absolutely stunning it is crowed and over run by tourists but at night they limit the numbers that are allowed to stay on the beach to about 20 people (by stay I mean you are given a mat, sleeping bag and small pillow and told to go find some sand). 

Fast forward to the arrival of Mike, Risha, Jason, Corrie.

Upon arrival we were each handed 3 “rum bucket” tickets each.

Definition of Rum Bucket: 
            Rum, a hint of coke for color in a sand pail.

Now to fully appreciate this story there are two factors that need to be taken into account.

Point 1: The guys putting on this little experience are not stupid. They know that handing out rum buckets will not only make everyone a bit more sociable but it will also make sleeping on the beach more enjoyable.

Point 2: Mike and Jason have for many years now have had a long-standing bromance (as explained in previous posts) and this was the first time they had seen each other in quite a while.

The night proceeded as follows:

9pm

Risha: Mike can I have one of my tickets now.

Mike: Yah about that…..

Risha: Seriously

Mike: This stuff is REALLY good we should think about bringing Sang Som home  with us….

12pm

Risha: Yes Mike I’m glad that you find me better looking then Jason, but can you do me a favor and stop telling him he’s ugly you are going to hurt his feelings. Yes that’s great that Sang Som is a better friend to you then him but as this is your first date with Sang Som why don’t you wait till the morning to make that announcement to Jason.

2am

Risha: Yes Mike I’m glad you like Sang Som but I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself here and maybe you should do a bit more market research as I’m not sure there is a market for this stuff in Singapore or Canada

Risha: Jason where are your pants?

3am

Risha: No Mike for the last time we are not taking Sang Som and 11 of his brothers on the plane home with us. Go to sleep.

6am

Risha: (To the couple who went to bed first) Again I am truly sorry and apologize that you could sleep last night, oh really you could hear Mike and Jason snoring from the other side of the beach……well you should have drank more rum.

2 days later I bought Mike a rum and coke to which he replied, “What the hell is this? This is like the worst rum and coke I’ve ever had. Seriously you paid money for this.

End result:  Sang Som 1  

                    Risha & Mike 0

Maya Bay

Risha vs. Sang Som (Round 2).

So I think it’s important to understand that this trip took place two weeks before I turned 30. I don’t like birthdays. They stress me out, this year even more so.  

However the lead up to the big 3-0 I was feeling with okay and with my new friend Sang Som I was feeling even better and figured I could take on the world.

So I tried.  

Mike having had his “big night” with his now x-friend Sang Som earlier in the week and having gotten what ever it was out of his system was pretty happy grooving along for the rest of the week.

The night started out fairly mellow we went out for dinner had a few beers to which afterword Corrie announced her and Jason were tired needed to go home.

Not me........... I was on a roll. 

Mike and I decided that a walk into town seemed like a good idea and stumbled across a reggae bar with a Mauy thai ring in it.

Having done a bit of Mauy Thai a few years ago and really enjoyed it and not been able to find a decent gym in Singapore, I got excited and wanted to go in and watch a few rounds.

And who should be there but our old friend Sang Som in his trusty red bucket.  It being one of our last nights on the island, in a bar with a Mauy Thai fights going on  I was happy and  decided that the night would be about going with the flow and flow it did.

 You see unbeknown to us at the time was it turned out that the Mauy Thai ring was open to the public meaning if you wanted to get in and spar you could and not only that at the end you were given a free rum bucket!     

Sang Som influenced conversation (1 Bucket).

Risha: You know Mike I think I could probably handle myself in the ring.

Mike: I don’t think that’s a good idea

Risha (with ego way out of check) : You know if we ever found ourselves in a street fight I think I could hold my own

Mike: You couldn’t and I still think getting in the ring is a bad idea.

Risha: Your right Mike they would probably pair me with a little hundred pound 5’2 Asian girl if I’m getting in I’m fighting a guy.

Mike: mmmm why we continue to watch for a while and make a decision in a bit.

Sang Som influenced conversation (2 Buckets) 

 Coach Risha : Okay what you need to win this fight is this, this and this

Israeli dude who just finished his 3 year military service: yah okay…thanks

Coach Risha: No worries let me know if you need any more advice.

Sang Som influenced conversation  (2.5 buckets)

Risha: Okay I’m in! but I’m in a dress and need to borrow a shirt and pair of shorts

Mike: Risha this isn’t a good idea……

Risha: Relax Mike they are going to put me in the ring with some girl who’s had a few drinks and probably has no idea what she’s doing

Sang Som influenced conversation  (3 buckets) 

I get into the ring and look across to see some 6’2 Amazonian Swedish girl who is built like a brick shit house staring across at me.

I then look down at my loving husband for moral support and he has his head in his hands refusing to look up at me.

Bell rings – 1 round.

I get my ass kicked  and handed over to me on a silver platter.

I sheepishly climb out of the ring with newly equipped swollen and slightly purplish cheeks and one blood shot eye, and to the voice of a REALLY angry Mike.

Angry Mike:  “You bloody sawdust head, I told you this was a bad idea this is the stupidest thing you have ever done ”
 (There were a few other words mixed in there but I was to busy half laughing and crying to pay close attention.)

Angry Mike: Are you happy now sawdust head, can we go home now?

Risha: Nope

Angry Mike: why not?

Risha: They haven’t brought me my bucket yet.

Stupidity and Sang Som prevailed.

The next day, following the night’s debaucheries, Mike having no sympathy for me and my ragging headache did manage to calm down and to stop calling me “Sawdust head”. Although his day was brightened  up when we did the walk of shame pass the bar only to see a giant poster of the girl who kicked my ass on it holding a champions belt.

 End result: Sang Som = 2

                   Risha &Mike =  0

There are no pictures,  no videos and we unanimously agreed no need for round 3.

I can't wait for my mother to read this post.