FTA 2007: Girls, Guns & Beer

14-16 September

Bintan was the earmarked location for the 31st FTA, with this year's all-star line-up featuring the unique twist of a girlfriend for each participant. We left Tanah Merah on the Friday evening and took the easy ferry across to Mana Mana (now with the moniker Nirwana Beach Club). Friday night was a low-key evening of beers, pasta and a bottle of Macallan before retiring respectfully. Kevin arrived on Saturday morning and the respect stopped there. Shot some air rifles and loosed a few arrows, hit the banana boat for a bit of head-slamming jocularity, played some beach volleyball and frisbee, and capped off the day with some sunset ski-doo. Awesome. The night experienced a trough around dinner time but we soon put things straight by returning to our balcony and setting to our drinks in workmanlike fashion. The couple format meant that many fell earlier than would otherwise be expected, but Luke and I stayed up with Dawn pondering cause and effect. Sunday was mainly a write-off of lazing around, having beers and watching the rugby. Took the 5.30 ferry home and made it back safely in a state of non-toxic bliss.

Tiger Translate Bangkok

Friday 7 September

In truly OTT style, I got a few hours sleep and went straight back to Changi to hop on a flight to Bangkok. Cruised through the new airport there (great only one-way) and hit downtown, lunched and met up with the team just after their media session. The hot and heavy Bangkok air was in stark contrast to the cooler Bali breeze, but as night fell I made my way to RCA and attended the launch event for Tiger Translate in Thailand. The totally up-for-it crowd of young Bangkok hipsters flowed in steadily until the ex-club Astra was heaving to locally brewed punk rock chicks and a Japanese Ikebana lighting guru. Chilled on the street before hooking up with Barnaby for a couple of beers, then made it home for a few hours sleep before the flight home. 24 Jam.

Seminyak

4-6 September

After all that activity we made a concious effort to do nothing for the remaining three days - and nothing we certainly did! Had some coffee, bought some DVDs, flollopped in the pool, ate wonderfully and checked out some stunning sunsets. Something about staying in such a gorgeous villa makes you want to milk every moment of it by not leaving, which in turn induces a vaguely uncomfortable feeling of sloth. Swimming in the sea is always the best antidote.