The scientific name is psilocybin mushroom. It is also widely known as psychedelic mushroom, or the colloquial name: magic mushroom. It is used mainly as a recreational drug whose effects can include euphoria, altered thinking processes, closed and open-eye visuals, an altered sense of time and spiritual experiences. As with many psychedelic substances, the effects of magic mushroom are subjective and can vary considerably among individual users. The effects typically last anywhere from 3-8 hours, depending on dosage, preparation method and personal metabolism. The first 3-4 hours are usually referred to as 'the peak', in which the user experiences more vivid visuals and distortions in reality. (Wikipedia)
The only times I have seen magic mushroom being sold openly to public were in Amsterdam and Indonesia. Technically, the mushroom is illegal in Indonesia, but from my experience, this doesn't seem to apply in Lake Toba, and the Gili islands. The first time I encountered it near Lake Toba, I was too scared to try. I was solo traveling for the first time, and I heard a fellow traveler getting a bad trip from a mushroom shake. I didn't know what a bad trip was, but it didn't sound very enjoyable. The second time I was in Toba, I was with my mom, so trying the mushroom was out of the question. In Amsterdam, I couldn't pluck the courage, because again, I was alone and staying with a host I didn't quite trust. So when I went to Gili Trawangan with a friend in 2016, it was just perfect--I had someone to look after me if anything went wrong.
Unfortunately, she was down with the flu and had to stay in bed. I was still determined to venture out on my own in my quest to find the magic mushroom. I planned to buy a takeaway mushroom shake and have it in the safety of my room. Near the place where we stayed, there were a lot of expensive bars. Only a few of them advertised the shroom shake. Cheapest was Rp200,000. I continued to walk clockwise around the island. Gili T is a small island. To circumambulate it would take just one hour and a half, if you walk fast. There are no cars, only bicycles and horse-driven carriages. On my way to the sunset beach, I found a lonely shack, with a few beach boys loitering outside. They sold a shake for Rp150,000. I tried to bargain but they said that was the going price. I thanked them and continued walking in search of something cheaper.
And I found one at the Gili Boys Bar. The price ranged from Rp100k for the low magic level, to Rp500k for the "fucking bloody super duper strong". I asked for the cheapest, and he said he had run out of the low-strength shroom. Besides, he said, for someone my size, I would need at least a medium one to feel the effect. That was kind of insulting, but I let it slide. He offered me one for Rp150k, but I said I was only willing to spend Rp100k. I was about to walk away when he relented. The mushroom was wrapped in banana leaf shaped into small cones. One cone was Rp100k, and they would simply add more cones to increase the strength. They'd blend it with any fruit of your choice, but apparently it goes best with pineapple and soda water.
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| The bartender mixing my drink |
I couldn't taste the mushroom at all, for all I knew, it could have just been plain pineapple juice. I finished my drink, paid him and left. He was surprised that I was leaving so soon. But my hotel was on the other side of the island. I had a long way to go, and I had to move quickly before the mushroom effect started to kick in.
I walked and walked and didn't feel anything. It had been about 20 minutes. I even had time to stop at the beach, dip my feet in the water and photograph the sunset. I was beginning to think I had been duped. Maybe the guy was pissed off at me for haggling too much, and had chucked the mushroom away when I wasn't looking.
I continued walking, and not long after, I started to feel a familiar buzz. It was not much different from an alcohol high. But while the latter disappears easily unless you keep drinking, this one was more sustainable. My head felt big but lighter, as though it was a balloon. And I was still functioning well--I could still check my phone and figure out where I was on the map. I was certain that I could handle more.
As I reached another part of the island, I saw that there was a row of maybe 5 to 6 small bars, all advertising magic mushroom, and all proclaiming to be "Dr. Feel Good" who could take you to heaven and back. I stopped at one of them, can't remember the name now, I don't know if it even had a name, and ordered a cone. This time, they mixed it with Coke. When I finished the drink, there were some teeny bits of mushroom left at the bottom, so I fished them out and nibbled on them. Not gonna waste any. It was rather tasteless though. The bartender and a couple of local guys started chatting me up, asking me to stay till sunrise. That was the sunrise beach by the way. I told them I had a friend waiting and we were supposed to meet up for dinner. They talked to each other in their local dialect which was incomprehensible to me, but I had a feeling they were talking about me and I was beginning to feel uneasy so I said goodbye and left. I knew I had about half an hour before the second dose would start to have an effect.
I felt excitable, a little jittery; I could hear my heartbeat in my head. I felt pleasantly warm and fuzzy, and just...happy, but kinda lonely. I went back to my room, and saw the bathroom tiles move. No, they throbbed. The patterns on them danced in circles and looked luminescent. After a while I thought there was an aquarium behind those walls with fluorescent fish swimming. I stared and smiled in awe for I don't know how long. And then I laughed at my hands because they looked cartoonish, like knobbly carrots growing out of my arms, and one hand was much bigger than the other. I think it lasted a couple of hours, but then again I lost track of time.
My advice? Do it with a romantic partner or a group of friends you don't mind having an orgy with, and it would make for a fabulous night. ;-)
