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BlueHawaii
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Lessons Learned
From my 2nd trip to Bangkok:
1. Samut Prakan. The Ancient City, Crocodile Farm, and Open Market. When going out of Bangkok, make sure you know how you are going to get back! Finding a taxi to take you there is easy, but finding one to bring you back is not. After a great time at the Ancient City and Crocodile Farm, Bebe wanted to go to an open market somewhere nearby, in Samut Prakan. It was 6:30 pm and already full darkness in Nov. There was a snake show going on, and the density of people in the market was about the same as Chatuchak, if not in size. Bebe bought something like 7 cakes, all tied together. After emerging from the crowd, we tried taxi after taxi to give us a ride back to Bangkok. None would take us. I couldn’t even help to get a taxi, as I did not speak the language. At least I was with 2 girls that did, but I could tell by the expressions on their faces that we were all in a controlled panic! Wan even started trying to cut a deal with the tuk-tuks. They asked me if I would take a tuk-tuk back. I said no, too far, too dangerous! If a taxi wasn’t going to Bangkok, a tuk-tuk surely wouldn’t. I asked about buses, they did not know. After about 10 tries, we finally found a taxi that would take us. This probably took only about ½ hr to find a taxi that would take us, but it seemed like an eternity. There was very heavy traffic, and it took us about 1 hr (170 baht on the meter) going down Sukhumvit. Later I asked the girls how they get back from their uncle’s home in another province. They said they have the taxi wait to bring them back. I asked another BG what she would do. She said “I go police station.”
2. Patpong street touts. Don’t say anything to these guys. I was showing 2 friends how to Skytrain down to Patpong. Our target was King’s Castle I & II. As we were walking down Silom, a brown, middle aged man pops up along side and says “Where you going?” “To King’s Castle”, I replied, thinking this harmless conversation. “Aaah, I’m manager at King’s Castle, I bring you there.” Now we could have bumbled around and found it ourselves, but since I was unfamiliar with Patpong myself, I figured “What harm can having this guy take us directly to King’s Castle be?” He took us to King’s Corner instead, saying this was a very famous place. He sat behind us, constantly pestering us to take one girl or another, and spitting as he talked. Later in the trip, I found out that “Many ladyboy in there.” Anyway, we did not take any “girls”. He said “We go King’s Castle II?” I said yes. He took us there and sat with us again. Now this is where the stomach bug hit me (see below) and I decided to leave without getting a girl. As I was leaving, he said “Ok, you give me 200 baht!” “I’m not giving you 200 baht!” I said, and I left. The next day I found out that 1 of my friends took 2 girls home, the other went home to rest due to flu-like symptoms. The Man asked my friends for money also. They did not give him any. So he turned to the 2 girls my friend took, and asked them for money. Surprisingly, they gave him some! 300 baht each, I think. To the girls credit, they did not ask to be compensated for this. When asked why they gave him money, they said that they see him every day and that he could cause trouble for them. What kind of trouble can this guy cause? Anyway, my bad. From that point on, we learned not to say anything to the Patpong street touts.
3. Medications
a. Antibiotics. Prior to both trips, I paid a visit to Kaiser Travel Medicine to get some shots. Both times they prescribed Ciprofloxacin for diarrhea, and told me to bring some Imodium AD as well. The Cipro to kill the bacteria, and the Imodium to stop the diarrhea. Since I didn’t need to use any from my last trip, now I had a double dose of Cipro. Yet another way for my HMO to milk me, I thought. But this preparation paid off in spades. On the 3rd night, I think we ate some bad food. At 1st, I thought it was just the hot, spicy Thai food, but at some point you have to stop the denial that you are sick on your holiday and treat yourself. After 3 doses of Cipro, I was as good as new. It took me out of action for 1 night, but only 1 night.
b. Cold remedy/prevention. “Airborne” and “Zicam”. On my 1st trip, I flew in via Japan Airlines with a bunch of coughing Japanese tourists returning home from their holiday in Hawaii. Sure enough, 3 days later I got a fever during my stay in Bangkok. On the return flight, I was the one coughing, passing it back to the Japanese tourists on their way over. I asked the doctor at Travel Med how to prevent catching a cold from the people on the plane ride. He laughed and said there really isn’t any way if the person sitting right next to you is coughing. “But things like “Airborne” might help.” How about surgical masks? “Yes, but you have to change them every 15 (?) minutes.” How about “Zicam”, will that help? “It might.” I have heard good things about Airborne, from supposedly reliable sources like nurses, and the doc mentioned it on his own. It’s a plop-plop-fizz-fizz antacid looking pill that you drop in a cup of water and drink. Easy enough to get a cup of water on the plane ride. Zicam is one of those zinc based remedies. A petroleum jelly-like substance that you squirt in your nose to prevent or short the duration of cold symptoms. Both are OTC. I think Airborne is a herbal remedy and there is some controversy over Zicam making you lose your sense of smell? But I swear by both products. There were a couple days that I woke up with a slight sore throat, probably catching my friends cold. Took some Zicam and by noon the sore throat was gone. Hardly scientific data, but whatever turns you on to staying healthy. The problem with Zicam and Airborne is that you have to take it every 3 or 4 hours during the plane ride or when you feel sick. Don’t forget this detail. The less of us that are sick out there during our holiday, well…the less of us that are sick out there during our holiday.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:25 pm on Nov. 6, 2005
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dagul
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Hello BH,
I can sympathize w/your taxi concerns. I once left downtown Bkk to hang out and have dinner with these 2 girls I met at King Garden. I had no idea where I was, only knew that it was about a 20 minute car ride outside of the Sukhumvit area. By the time dinner was over and we went outside it was dark. The neighborhood was kinda spooky with no people or cars anywhere to be seen. After about 15 minutes of just waiting a taxi finally rolled by and we swiftly hailed the guy down before he made his way around the corner. I highly doubt I was in any danger but I was getting a little anxious.
Ah hell yeah, ignore the touts. My friend and I learned the hard way after being ripped for 5000 Baht during our 1st hour out a few years back.
http://bkkx.com/cgi-bin/forum/topic.cgi?forum=9&topic=587
I also got sick as a dog flying out to Bkk last year. I know I got the bug on the plane. I was sick for 3 weeks, almost the entire time I was on vacation. My only problem was I didn't put myself out of action for 1 or 2 nights like I should have. Instead I kept drinking, smoking, f*cking, like it was the last night there, and as a result, I was sick the whole damn time. I half-assed the million pills I got from the Phuket pharmacy. My coughs sounded like I was on the verge of dying from lung cancer.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 8:06 pm on Nov. 6, 2005
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cocoroso
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You are so pity. How could the guy suddenly turned up before you be the manager of king castle.
They are bluffers and try to get money and kick backs from girls and mamasans.
kindness for no reason means want something.
For the girls who gave him 300B each could be harmed in many ways and this kind of guy is always dangerous not only in BKK but also in your coutry.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:27 am on Nov. 7, 2005
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Blattsucker
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Blue H, some nice but obvious warnings, but then again for newbies nothing is obvious.
I found your taxi problem a bit strange. I have not been down there, so I don't know what taxi's think there. But I would say that if you need a taxi anywhere in LOS then just put your big white ass at the curb and wave a purple 500 Baht bill around. If nobody stops for you, you should contact Stephen Spielberg and ask him if he is planning a remake of the Invisible Man.
This would not work in Dagul's case, but finding a place in LOS where you are alone is a Herculian task in itself.
And about the touts. You can bumb into one anywhere. They are just not as obvious as the one you got. I was taking some pics in Lumpini Park. And a guy started a conversation to polish his english. Did I have time? Ofcourse, I had a small 2 hours before I wanted to meet a friend, so he could talk to me. So we talked a bit, about me, about him and life in general. Then it started to piss like hell and he invited me into a bar inside the park for a beer. We talked some more and after about 45 minutes it cleared up and he wanted to show me a place with girls. As I'm always open to a new experience I said OK. But I warned him that my friend was waiting for me in about 45 minutes, so just looking, NO BUYING. Yes no problem. So after a 15 minute hike we end up in... of all places... Patpong. Great I was a relative newbie, but that I could find with my eyes closed. So with only 30 minutes to get back to Nana he starts showing me girls in some upstairs joint. Average looking girls but at high prices. So I now had 3 reasons (ugly, high price, no time) to leave and I did. That was when he became nasty. The fact that I warned him almost 2 hours in advance meant nothing to him. I owed him money for his time and the beer he spend on me. I gave him 100 baht to get rid of him.
Now I don't think I would be that generous, but then it solved the problem in a quick and clean way, so I'm not totally unhappy.
About your sickness, I seem to be very different from you. Thailand works like a medicine on me. Every time I am sick and I enter LOS I'm cured the next day. (Once flu and once foodpoisoning). I know this does not mean anything, but I'm very happy that this works for me like this. 
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 6:57 pm on Nov. 10, 2005
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harold444
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why dont one of you tough guys pop a tout in the mouth...lol. they look like they would kill you for some baht, why do you even listen to them. wot I like to do is as they start walking wit me I do like ALLEN IVERSON crossover dribble, start one way then turn quickly, they all fall down and I got to run like hell........lol.
wots almost as bad is these gay guys wanting to sell you dvd vd cd bbd abcd,ets. they touch you on the arm...yuck.
any chance did one of you friend barfine number 54 from king castle2, the one that looks like jessica alba?
ps mr hawaii thank you for not referring to your girls as your girlfriends.......lol. makes your adventures more believeable.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:36 pm on Nov. 10, 2005
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bimmher
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Blattsucker,
Not sure about this place for a taxi but I can tell you were you will not be able to get a taxi if your life depended on it.
Try the Kings Birthday at night at the Royal Palace (I think that it the place). Around 11:30 pm with thousands of people all around you and three outdoor bands playing all at once.
No taxi's, no tuk tuk's only moto's. I was with two girls and another guy.
We were out of luck and if the bands had stopped playing and the whole crowd decided to leave we would have been there forever.
We ended up finding a public bus pointing in the direction of BKK and got on. Went about 15 minutes to get out of the crowds. When it looked like an ok place got off and started walking.
A tuk tuk came along after about 5 minutes and we grabbed it and got back thank God.
The touts like you found are the ones to really watch out for as at first you just think they are being nice and want to talk. Really they still have the idea of getting some money off of you somehow.
The Patpong touts I second don't say anything to them just ignore them even if they just keep following you. Never tried the crossover dribble technique? Interesting option?
As far as getting sick I don't get sick from the plane ride over.
I do end up with a sore throat after awhile that I always think is some std from DATY. Never has turned out to be one but always starts making me think it is 
I have also had the odd time where as you say "at some point you have to stop the denial that you are sick on your holiday and treat yourself ". I think it was during those times I really appreciated just how much better the hose by the toilet is : (
bimmher
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:54 pm on Nov. 10, 2005
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BlueHawaii
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Harold,
Don't underbid for #54 at KC II. She's a cutie! I had her in my grasps (bought her a drink), but I already had another one next to me. Tying to get rid of the 1st 1, I offered them 1500 baht ST each. They countered with 2500 baht. The street tout that was with us probably had something to do with it also, but when I refused the 2500 baht, they left. They would have accepted 2000, but I didn't want the 1st one. I was going to approach her separately after I got rid of both of them, but THIS is where the stomach bug hit me, and I left, etc. etc.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:09 pm on Nov. 10, 2005
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paddyc01
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Jessica Alba???? Guys (you know who you are) why didnt you take me there????????? 
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:15 am on Nov. 11, 2005
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gym
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I have had the taxi problem before esp if you want to go to suk during rush hours. With my TGF in tow I stayed at the comfort in by the airport to get my early flight. Called a taxi to go to Suk. With much relutance we began our trip--I am sure some drivers would have taken off without us.
Anyway he told my TGF he really does not want to go there--so I tell my GF to tell him to take us to the last Skytrain station. He was very happy and the trip to get to Suk on the skytrain was less time than the taxi ride would have been.
Side note while on the train noted a large perportion very attractive TG's. It was around 7 pm. When stopped at NANA what do you know most of them got off. Nice way to view the talent in light before the darkness of the gogos.
About GI illness--got it on my last two trips--both had very sympathetic TG's who stuck with me through it. I do love the hose. Anyway told my best friend my adventures and my deleima "SP." He told me to bring Cipro the next time. He is a Gastroenterologist at Wash U in St louis.
Each trip the fun is to live and learn. Jan 06--back
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 10:45 am on Nov. 11, 2005
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BlueHawaii
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As I plan my trip to the Philippines for 1st hand comparison with LOS, it occurs to me to post 1 more lesson learned that I wanted to share with the uninitiated:
If booking your hotel reservation on-line, make sure there is no currency conversion in the transaction. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to confirm this is to e-mail the Internet site in advance or call. On my 1st trip, I apparently booked with a Thai company. So the price I was quoted in USD was converted to Baht. There is no exact exchange rate, but rather a daily range, so naturally the company is going to use a rate that is in their favor (more Baht per USD). Then, when my credit card company converts back to USD, they naturally charge me more $/Baht. Also, most (or all?) credit card companies have a foreign exchange surcharge - anywhere from 1-3%. This increased the cost of my hotel room from the quoted $114/night to something like $119/night. If there are any financial experts out there, correct me if I am wrong.
My case may have been an innocent conversion cost, but on my 2nd trip, my friends got outright scammed. I got my room for ~$85/night (Landmark Hotel). My friends got theirs from a different website for $62/night, but it apparently involved conversion to Euros or something, and perhaps also Baht. They didn’t look at their credit card bill til they got back, and they were charged over $100/night!
Not surprisingly, the website could not be found when we got back. Don't let them scam you!
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:22 pm on Jan. 30, 2006
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