I had talked Jeff into climbing a half day with me, so that morning we hastily made our way to meet with Jane. Today she took us to the Northern part of Railay called Diamond Cave, where there were 3 decent routes. Despite being somewhat hung over the night before, we pressed ourselves up the rock face. Jeff is a tall, lanky guy, but despite his long limbs, he was a natural climber. With a bit of advice and encouragement, he ascended the 3 routes and was having a great time. Day 5 was otherwise a lazy day for all of us. That night we hung out at Bamboo Bar, which is a popular spot along Railay East. Stewart, who is friends with Vanessa and James, is a partial owner of Bamboo Bar. He's quite an interesting character in all facets. His appearance is of a lean and somewhat imposing demeanor. When you hear him speak though, you think 'Mike Tyson', because he's very soft-spoken and has a high-pitched voice. Covered in a diverse array of tattoos and flamboyant jewelry, you would never think that this guy is a former surgeon and the most qualified medical professional on Railay. If you get badly hurt in Railay, he's your only hope.
The bamboo bar likes to run a lot of night promotions to attract a crowd and tonight was the routine Muay Thai match. Tonight was Phuket vs. Railay. The scrawny Railay opponent was outmatched and got slapped around. Afterward it was 'open mat' for anyone wanting to goof around in the ring. After a few people messed around, Mike talked me into a quick sparring match. For 45 seconds, it was a furious match of roundhouse kicks, jabs, slaps and rolls. I picked Mike up and dropped him hard onto the mat, shaking the stage and frame. The crowd roared "ooohhhhhh" in approval of my brutal dominance over my tubby opponent. We were soaked in sweat after that so a cold beer and cold shower really hit the spot.
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