One Big, Amusement Park
Loi Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the twelfth month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. In the Western calendar, it happens during this time of the year. Hand-made krathong, made from banana tree trunk and banana leaves and decorated with flowers, are floating in a river. This event is more identified with Chiang Mai, a metropolis in Thailand's northern region. Swarms of sky lanterns are lighted and launched into the air, resembling jellyfishes swimming aimlessly through the dark sea.
The festival pays respect to the water spirits, but a foreigner would be enticed by the postcard-like images. Thailand is like a big, amusement park, which turns this southeast Asian country into a mecca for travelers. Danny Boyle, novelist and screenwriter, was once a young backpacker drawn to this part of the world. He had a memorable experience, but it wasn't something he expected.
"I made my first trip to Asia while I was still a teenager in school," he acknowledged. "And I've been back at least once or twice almost every year since."
"This book is anti-traveler in a lot of ways. That was absolutely my intention."
“The Beach” (1996) was critically acclaimed, prompting thousands of travelers to head to Thailand. Danny Boyle turned the book into a hippie movie, with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role.
"I really don't see Leo fans jumping on planes and coming to Thailand. I hope not," he mused.
The road to paradise
Richard met Daffy at a pub in Khao San Road, that place in Bangkok where backpackers would live. Richard, a young Englishman, was intrigued by Daffy's description of a desert island in the Andaman Sea. The coastline was no like other, the Scot would emphasized a number of times. Richard wanted adventure, and this seemed like it. He needed travel buddies, so he persuaded Étienne and Françoise, a young French couple who were staying in a hotel room next to his, to join him. They departed after Richard received the news about Daffy's suicide.
The trio have to trek a dense jungle, bribe a boat contractor, and take a long swim before stumbling into a fortified community inhabited by former backpackers. They were strict about who would join their close-knit group, and in their case, it was the news about Daffy's death that gave them the pass. He happened to be one of the founders. Richard recalled Daffy's words, and how he was right all along. The days became weeks. Bliss turned into boredom. It led to disillusionment. Then the community's link to the Golden Triangle.
No comparison
Critics compared Garland to Graham Greene, as the novel would remind them of "Heart of Darkness" (1899). Garland brushed off the compliment.
"That's really quite flattering, to hear someone say, that I have created a new genre, travel fiction," he said.
"But I look up at my shelf and see Graham Greene's 'The Quiet American', and I think, now that's real travel fiction. I think the praise is a bit ridiculous. You have to realize that literature about backpackers is pretty limited."
The author won't deny that he penned a semi-autobiographical book. He had enough of travelling, but he would still remember the people he befriended. He would meet them sooner or later, as Europe became a smaller place. He cringed at such a thought. Was it something he didn't include in the novel?
