Amazing Thailand
It was truly an 'Amazing' Paintball tournament weekend for everyone who traveled all the way to Pattaya Thailand for the PIPC. The exotic location, the people and the event organisation was great. Everyone got to experience an exotic Thailand Resort style weekend and played paintball too.
The Amari Orchid is an impressive hotel with a lovely garden and pool. Having breakfast in the garden and a dip in the pool was something we don't get to do on tournament weekends. The hotel was walking distance to the beach and the bars and clubs so it was easy to get around especially when we found motorbikes that were easily available for rent. Actually everything is easy to do in Thailand- if you wanted to go somewhere, do something or eat something, it would be easy to organise it.
We got to do so many new things we don't get to experience on a typical paintball tournament weekend. We went for massages, shot real guns, drove go-karts and rode motorbikes around town like a bunch of bad ass paintballers. The food varied from eastern exotic to western, I ate Thai style deep fried fish eggs and jelly fish to German sausages and baked sole and I will never forget our dinner of Saturday night where we just ordered the whole menu at some seafood coffee shop in town and the total bill turned out to be about $6 Singapore dollars each.
The opening dinner party and Captain's meeting at Club Climax has got to be the most glamorous and hottest Captain's meeting and opening party ever. They had girls in bikinis parading and grinding on the pool stage and that just about kept every one's attention for over 2 hours.
The tournament field at the Eastern Indoor Stadium was excellent - it was FLAT and smooth, it was like playing on a grass court for tennis with very short or little grass. Our feet were dry with no risk of sprained ankles. Dives and slides went smoothly. The only thing that got to everyone was the heat. The Iranians had the most innovative way of cooling down which was to cover their whole body from head to toe in prickly heat powder which has a cooling effect.
Despite the Eastern Indoor stadium being in an isolated place, there was enough food and drink stalls around the event to keep everyone happy. The drink stalls serve drinks with loads of crushed ice which was excellent. Cokes, Sprites and Fantas with crushed ice went down real nice in the heat .
I thought it would be a hassle to have to walk across the field to the other side to get air and enter the field but we got used to it. Having consistent 3500psi plus air all weekend was a big plus for everyone. Any minor problems with the air nozzles was quickly fixed. I thought everything ran smoothly throughout the weekend and the players could just concentrate on their game.
Paint, water, toilet and vendors were available on hand nearby and despite the sun and heat we were quite comfortable in the tents and tables provided. With the dry climate we could have our gear bags on the ground and not worry about getting them wet and we had a lot of chairs to sit and put our gear on too.
I have never been to a players party and the party at Differ was pretty cool. We had something to eat and got down to the serious business of getting our trophies. It doesn't get any better than having drinks with our trophies on the table. Dave Youngblood, the CEO of Dye pretty much summed it up in his sport speech where he praised Thailand and its people and Thai paintball. Yes congratulations to Thailand Paintball which has come along way and now have topped it with a great event in the PIPC.
On a side note I must say that despite the political protest that went on at the same time. We didn't see anything apart from people smiling and waving in cars and trucks honking around Pattaya. We went to Bangkok on Monday when the protesters gave the government an ultimatum to resign. We didn't see a single red shirt protester and everything was peaceful.
This PIPC tournament was memorable because it had that special Thai hospitality touch. The contrasts, the laid back style, the exotic, the beautiful people and the wonderful welcome made this event that much special for us all. I look forward to coming back next year.
Kop khun kap Thailand.
Next post- my 'Thank yous'
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