The Journey from Injury to a Southeast Asia Adventure

Me and my friend went to Thailand and China twelve months ago, and we enjoyed Thailand so much we decided to return. I shared a story from our last trip .

Two months before our holiday this time around, me and my friend went out in Birmingham, England with a group of our friends who we have known for many years from university. When we get together, things get very messy. This time was no exception, and my friend, who I was going to Thailand with, got completely drunk and ended up stumbling into the road and getting run over.

A Broken Foot Nearly Ruins the Thailand Trip

He bounced off the side of the car and his foot went under the rear wheel. He went off in an ambulance, and whilst we carried on drinking it’s what he would have wanted. His wife does not forgive me for it. However, the next day he told us he broke five of his toes on his one foot. It had swollen to double the size, and he had some deep cuts and bruising elsewhere, as well as broken fingers.

Two months passed, and even though his foot was not properly healed and he couldn’t walk properly, he still came away on holiday with us. I knew he wouldn’t miss this trip, but that meant I had to be more aware of his mobility issues and injuries whilst away.

As with our last trip, because my friend is married, we couldn’t just go to Pattaya and party. We had to go to other places and do some sightseeing first. So we decided to visit Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for two nights. Next was Jakarta in Indonesia for three nights, then to Bangkok for three nights, and finishing off in Pattaya for seven nights.

A Business-Only Stop in Kuala Lumpur

We were not expecting much from Kuala Lumpur. We thought it would be like Dubai a strict Muslim country. We only had two nights in the city. Our hotel was right around the corner from the main strip. Beers started from £5 and went up to £10. You couldn’t find beer cheaper in bars elsewhere. But Bukit Bintang is the heart of nightlife. It was actually cheaper to drink cocktails.

We were surprised at how good the nightlife was, and you also have ladies of the night walking up and down the street and also hanging out in the bars. Women were all foreigners from Vietnam, Africa, and even from Kazakhstan. The cheapest short time price was 500 Malaysian ringgit, which is about £90. Some girls wanted 800 ringgit £146.

We initially thought this was expensive, but thinking about Bangkok prices 3000 baht for short time, 1000 baht for the bar fine this works out at £106. So very similar.

Nightlife in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang

My friend got all cozy with a girl in the bar around 300 a.m. So, I was sat there like a spare part. So, I contacted this cute Vietnamese girl I talked to earlier in the night and asked her to meet me in the club. She did. We danced for a bit and had a few drinks. Then, we decided to take the girls back to the hotel for aerobics.

We only had one full day in Kuala Lumpur. So, we spent the day doing the main sites the twin towers, the caves, etc. which was tough going on 3 hours’ sleep and being hungover, but we had to do it to appease my friend’s wife.

The Vietnamese girl found me whilst drinking on our second night around 400 a.m. because she knew it was my last night. She offered short time for 350 ringgit about £60 a bargain. We remain in touch now, and she said if I ever go to Vietnam to let her know and she would meet me and show me around. I found out she was 42, so may not be doing what she does for long. Maybe massage parlor soon.

Kuala Lumpur has good nightlife, but it is very much concentrated into one or two small areas. There are ladies available. You can drink and dance with them, but unless you’re going back to your hotel afterwards, they will not hang around for long. It is strictly business. You definitely won’t find the girlfriend experience or the girls wanting to just spend time with you for the price of a few drinks.

Jakarta Feels Chaotic but Cheap

Next stop was Jakarta, Indonesia. And because we landed on a Sunday, we quickly found out most of the bars were closed or very quiet. We then went up to an entertainment area south in Jakarta. And on Sunday, ladies’ bars were open.

When we approached, there were 8 to 10 women outside. Once inside, the mamasan quickly gave me and my friend a young, attractive girl each to sit with us. So, we got them a couple of drinks. But we weren’t just entertaining those girls we were surrounded by the others. A couple of the other women asked us to play pool. So, we agreed. We lost, of course. They then asked for money or a tip because we lost.

I then got talking to the mamasan, who I got on with really well. The longer we were in there, the more the other women were asking for money for various things. The girl I was drinking with initially started dancing on me and grinding on my lap. There was an older lady talking into my ear whilst this was happening, saying things like, “Oh yeah, she is grinding on you. She likes to dance. She likes you.” It was actually quite funny. I couldn’t stop laughing.

The First Jakarta Bar

The mamasan then asked me to buy her some cigarettes from the shop opposite. Then they all started asking for different things, making a big shopping list. I can’t remember how many times I said no. I then said to my friend, “This is all too overwhelming, and I can’t relax.” I was concerned our bar tab would be heavily inflated also. So, I told my friend, “We should settle up the bill now and see what the damage was.”

To our surprise, the drinks charged were as advertised. What also threw me is that I was not used to the currency. £50 equals 1.1 million Indonesian rupiah. So, I was paying for things with lots of zeros, and it made me feel like I was actually spending more than I actually was.

The girls offered to come to our hotel for 1 million rupiah, which I thought was a lot of money initially about £48.

Getting to Know the Jakarta Bar Girls

We got the mamasan’s number and said we were going to the other bars. The mamasan text me throughout our stay. So on the last night, we decided to go back to the bar. I told the mamasan I felt uncomfortable with all the girls asking for money, to which she replied she would tell them not to bother us so much. So we decided to go back to the bar. We talked, danced, and played pool with the girls and had a really good time.

Of course, they were trying to go back to the hotel with us, but at that point we knew we could get lady company a lot cheaper. We really got to know the girls that night, and they told us they work there for nothing. They make no money from drinks, so the only way they get money is from tips or from aerobics. That would explain why they’re quite aggressive, asking for money constantly. Of course, their big payday is when someone takes them back to the hotel, and even then they have to give the mamasan 10 percent commission.

Exploring North Jakarta After Dark

Indonesia is a chaotic place. We spent the day sightseeing, which we did pretty quickly. So, we decided to go to North Jakarta. We saw online that people live in shacks alongside a live railway line. So, we wanted to go see more local areas.

People in the north are very poor, but they are so friendly. I don’t think they see many Western tourists there because when I was walking around, it was like we were celebrities. Every street we went, people were greeting us, shaking our hands. The children came up to us and wanted to ask what country we were from and wanted to practice their English.

When we were walking on the train tracks, the local people were waving to us and trying to call us over to their homes. A group of girls were screaming and asking us over. We carried on walking a bit further, and one girl ran up to me and said, “I want your baby,” whilst rubbing her belly and asked me to go over to her house. I just laughed it off and carried on walking, but my friend said she was deadly serious.

I then had random women asking me where my hotel was and if they could come. It was a real buzz.

The Risk of Visiting Local Areas

However, walking around areas like that has its dangers. Once on the tracks, at one point, a man pointed to my sunglasses and said he wanted them. I said, “No, they’re mine.” He then quickly walked past us and said something and pointed for us to go back the way we came. As we walked off, my friend said he felt a bit uneasy at that point if we carried on, he could be waiting with other people.

However, we watched him walk down the road and cross the tracks to the other side. So, we carried on with our little adventure. Even though most people were very friendly and welcoming, there is always a risk as a tourist. The situation could change in an instant, so you always have to be vigilant.

A Bargain at the Jakarta Hotel Nightclub

On this night, we ventured into an entertainment area in North Jakarta. There are a few clubs and bars where you can pay to sit with women. Freelancers and a lot of KTV karaoke bars which is not really our thing.

Our research online took us to a hotel which had a nightclub attached to it, and we knew they potentially had girls to hang around with. We weren’t sure what to expect, but let me tell you, this place is a well organized establishment. We went in and sat down they had a DJ and an MC on stage, and the place was busy.

We ordered some drinks, and then a woman came up to us and said something, but I didn’t quite understand what she said. She walked off, and within 5 minutes she came back to our table with about 15 girls lined up in front of us. She told us to pick one each. My friend looked at me and said, “This is so awkward.” I told him to hurry up and pick one because the longer they stand there, the worse it will be.

We picked a girl each, which was difficult because all the Indonesian women there were stunning. I asked the woman who brought the girls out what happens and how much. She said it’s 375,000 rupiah for 1 hour with the girl about £18 to sit with a beauty, and you buy her drinks on top of which are the same price as the customers.

The Upstairs Room in Jakarta

I went to the toilet through another big section of the club, and that’s where most of the girls were camped out. There must have been at least 150 girls in there. After 1 hour, my girl said to me, “Do I want to go upstairs?” I said, “Okay.” My friend went with his girl also. The mamasan then came over and gave us a room key.

We had a memorable private time together, and there was no rush to finish and go downstairs. The club was closing, so we went to the main desk to settle the bill. We were expecting to pay 375,000 for the time in the club and a further 375,000 for the aerobics. However, to our surprise, the cost for the girl was only 375,000 in total. That is £18 to spend time with a girl in the club and the room.

The girl asked for a tip afterwards, so I gave her 200,000 about £9. She was very happy with this. My total bill for the whole night with drinks came to about 800,000 rupiah. The only reason it was that much is because they charged my friend’s drinks to my tab. Also, I wasn’t bothered because the total bill came to only £35 about $40.

We had such a great time here, we returned the following night, and I ended up with the same girl, even though I wanted a different one. I was disappointed, but I would have felt bad for sending her away because she seemed really pleased to see me again for more aerobics.

Returning to the Jakarta Club

The Nuru Massage Experience

The following day, I thought I would venture out on my own. Whilst my friend was resting, I found a nuru massage place a 10 minute taxi ride away. They had a bar where you can drink with the girls, saunas, steam rooms, and a swimming pool.

The mamasan came up to me and scrolled through her phone of all the girls available. Again, there was so much choice, and all were very attractive. She said for the massage and use of the facilities it would be 800,000 rupiah £36. A nuru room massage in Pattaya starts at 3000 baht plus 700+ baht.

I picked a girl and went to the room. I have never had a nuru massage before, but my friend told me the gel is thick and comes out of a pot. He said if she uses baby oil or something else similar, it is not a proper nuru massage. She started massaging me with baby oil, and I thought, “Oh well, it’s cheap enough better luck next time.”

But then after half an hour, the nuru gel came out, and she gave me a body to body massage with a private finish. She asked me to stay for a drink and if I wanted to use the facilities. I declined because I needed to get back and get ready for our last night.

What Jakarta Nightlife Taught Me

In summary, Jakarta nightlife is spread across the capital in pockets, and you have to do a lot of research before going. The capital is huge, but taxis are cheap. There is a different vibe about Jakarta. When we landed on a Sunday, the nightlife was quiet, and it seemed to ramp up later in the week. It is not like Thailand where every day is a party.

The red light areas at night feel more underground and sleazy a bit. There are normal bars, clubs, hotels, KTV bars available, and all places we went into were perfectly safe with no incidents of being ripped off. You can get massages and aerobics just like in Thailand, but for a fraction of the price. And the Indonesian women are very attractive and friendly.

I would say the girls in some of the clubs do not really engage and mainly sit on their phones and make no effort unless directed by you or by their mamasan. It is by far the cheapest country we have visited for nighttime activities.

Bar Hopping in Bangkok

We then arrived in Bangkok via Air Asia from Jakarta, and I picked up food poisoning which affected my ability to entertain the ladies. But it didn’t stop us from going bar hopping and enjoying ourselves.

First night in Bangkok, we went straight to Stumble Inn, and I met a woman called Pang. She was 44. She told me she was married to a wealthy man from Dubai and lived there for 8 years. But the relationship died, and now back in Bangkok working in the bars, which she enjoyed. This woman was stunning, and after just two drinks, we were fooling around. She was grinding on me, kissing, dancing very closely and showing off in front of me.

Our fooling around caught the attention of other people in the bar to the point where a man came up to us and said, Can you calm it down a bit? We don’t do stuff like that in this establishment. I took this in a joking way. So, we continued messing around it was all good fun. She wanted to go back with me for a long time and quoted a price of just 4,000 baht, which is cheap for Bangkok. I told her I couldn’t go with her that night because it was our first night and we were heading to Nana Plaza.

We hit the nightlife hard on Soi… I can’t remember which bar it was, but I was approached by a bar girl who was 62 years old. So, I thought, why not? I will buy her a drink. My friend thought it was hilarious and made fun of me for days after, saying I broke the record for entertaining the oldest bar girl in Bangkok.

Nearly Getting Ripped Off in a Go-Go Bar

Our last night in Bangkok we headed into Soi Cowboy, and I prefer this street compared to Nana Plaza as I feel it’s a bit more edgy and the girls are a lot more fun. We were making our way up the street and we came across a go go that I read online is known for ripping off tourists. I told my friend about it, and because we were pretty drunk, he said, “Let’s go in. It could be fun.”

Now, I’m not going to name this go go bar because obviously it should not be named defamation laws in Thailand are quite strict and could give him a problem. I said, “Are you mad? Going in there to be ripped off?” He said, “Come on, it could be exciting a bit dangerous.” So I said okay we’ll have a look.

Red Flags in Soi Cowboy

Red flag number one Girls outside said, “Come in, and if you don’t like it you can leave. No problem.” Two girls came in with me and two girls escorted my friend in. Red flag number two There were only a few girls on stage and only one or two people in there.

We sat down and started talking to the girls. I was going to make a quick exit at that point because the vibe was not great. But within two minutes, a drink came across for me and my friend two shots each for all four girls. The server then asked me to sign for the drinks. I said, “I’m not signing because I didn’t order these.” I then turned to my friend and asked him, “Did you order the drinks?” He said yes, while laughing.

The server then went to him and asked him to sign. At that point, he must have seen how much it was, and he started saying he wasn’t signing it. He told me it was 3000 baht. I said to him, “Well, you ordered the drink, so you’ve got no choice. Let’s just pay up and get out of here and not kick up any more trouble.”

So, he signed, the four girls downed their two shots, and instantly said they had to go dance on stage. Complete rip-off joint. My friend apologized to me and said the mistake was on him. He made me pay half the bill, though. Even though you think you’re in control, my friend knew the risks, and I went along with it. These places can extract money out of you very easily, and before you know it, you have a 3000 baht bill within 10 minutes like we did. Haha. No big issue though. It could have been a lot worse.

Pattaya Becomes the Main Event

Next destination was Pattaya, and my stint of food poisoning was over, so it was back to business. We arrived on the second day of the Pattaya fireworks event. Watched those from a beach bar, and then my friend went back to the hotel. seven days of non stop partying had well and truly caught up with him.

So I spent the first night in Pattaya on my own which I have never done before. I always had my friend with me to stop me making bad decisions or finishing the night too early with a girl.

My First Night Alone in Pattaya

I ended up going to a bar and got talking to a woman. She was all over me and flirting big time. The girls kept coming up to her asking for things. So, I asked her if she was the mamasan. She said no she was the owner of the bar. After a while, the flirting continued, and then I looked down at her left hand and saw an engagement ring and wedding ring. I said, “You’re married.” She said, “Oh, no. Thai ladies like to wear rings on all fingers.” I laughed and said, “Yeah, whatever.” She then told me the truth, which was fine.

Shortly after, she took me over to two girls she said was their first night at her bar, but I decided to sit with them too and buy drinks. It’s difficult sitting with more than one girl because you try to divide your attention evenly. One of the girls I met was Da. She was the same age as me 42 and a really nice, down to earth girl. The owner came up to me now and then still flirting, still whispering to me that she wanted me, etc. But I shrugged it off. Even Da said to me, “Why do you not go with the manager? Because she liked you.” But I didn’t want to because she was married.

The Three-Day Rule Strategy

From now on, my friend did come out with me drinking every night, but I did not see him in the daytime at all. Apart from meeting up for lunch occasionally, he spent most days resting his foot and sleeping, which enabled me to do my own thing in the daytime.

When we go out, we wanted to venture to as many bars, go gos, etc. as possible. And I would not leave my friend for a girl during the night. For that reason, I used my friend as an excuse for all the girls who asked me to bar fine them by saying, “My friend wants to carry on drinking.” And that usually worked.

I usually saw a stunner midway into the night, and my strategy was to get their contact details and meet them the day after in the afternoon, or at 3 or 400 a.m. after drinking. And that strategy worked out well.

Soi Six and the Korean Bars

The next couple of nights were down Soi Six mainly, and what I found interesting was at the top of the road there were half a dozen bars that catered for Korean tourists. When we came last year, the girls were not interested in us at all. But this time, I got grabbed into at least four of them. Maybe Korean and Chinese numbers have dropped, so they are having to diversify.

Anyway, the girls there are still picky. This cutie dragged me in, and I said to her, “Will someone sit with my friend?” And she asked five or six girls standing outside. They looked at him and turned back around. I wanted to stay with this hottie for a bit, so I told my friend to go to the bar on the opposite side of the road so we could see each other and meet up after a couple of drinks which we did.

We returned to the bar where Da worked to watch the football. The manager kept telling me to bar fine her. I asked her how much, and she said she doesn’t go with customers. I said, “Okay.” When the manager went away, Da said that she would meet me in the daytime in a couple of days so I don’t have to pay the 1500 baht bar fine, and we can go to Jomtien Beach and back to my hotel after a swim. That was fine with me.

Meeting Tum, the Unpredictable Bar Girl

Last year, we stayed in another hotel for a few nights, and at the start of each night, we visited a bar opposite every night for a drink before going out elsewhere. The girls in there were so much fun and treated us good because we visited there a few times. We decided to go there to see if the same girls were there, but they had all moved on. We went in for a drink anyway. This is where I met Tum.

She was great fun and a bit crazy. She was different from girls I had met so far, and we had good banter making fun out of each other whilst flirting. Back in England, I tend to go for the crazy girls, which always backfires long term. Again, she wanted me to bar fine her. I said no because we were going off drinking. We exchanged numbers, and she said she would wait for me or wait for her payday, whichever way you look at it.

From this point on in the holiday, it was one girl in, one girl out daily, but still managing to spend every night partying with my friend and meeting various girls in the bars.

When Tum Starts Stalking Me

Whilst out, Tum was messaging me a lot. Most I was ignoring. She kept saying she would wait for me to finish. So, at 400 a.m. when we finished drinking, I text her and said she could meet me if she wanted. She did. And I took her back to the hotel for aerobics. And again in the morning she wanted to stay with me, but I told her I can’t.

Went out that night different area and again she was texting me saying she would wait. But this time she was saying, “Why you not meet me? You want other girl?” I said no. Then she messaged me saying she was drinking on LK Metro and sent me a photo of my hotel. I text her and said, “You’re a crazy stalker.” I would probably find her outside my door later. She said she can’t go into the hotel unless invited so no, otherwise she would. I laughed it off.

We ended up on LK Metro and saw her in a bar with her friends. I then text her and said when she is finished, she can meet me up the road. She did, and that was night number two with this girl. She left the next day around midday.

An Afternoon with Da

I then went to meet Da. She met me at my hotel, and we went to Jomtien Beach, went back to the hotel, went swimming in the pool, then back to my room for aerobics.

We had a little accident, and the protection I was wearing came off at the worst possible moment. I was panicking not only from a potential pregnancy point of view, but from an STD point of view also. But she was pretty relaxed about it. She said she wanted to go and eat some English food that she has never tried before. So, we went to Wetherspoons and met my friend.

Worrying About the Morning After

She ordered bangers and mash and said she needed a real sausage, cheeky girl, and a pint of Guinness. This was definitely not her first rodeo, and with a sense of humor like that, she must have met English men before. Haha.

She said she would get a morning-after pill on the way home. I could not risk that. So, opposite Wetherspoons, there is a pharmacy. I went over once we finished eating and got the morning-after pill. I gave it to her, and I saw her open the package, but I didn’t actually see her take it. Neither did my friend when I asked him. She wanted to go out with us drinking after, but I said, “No, it’s just me and my friend.” So, we went out, and I waved her off.

Another Night with Tum

Again, Tum was messaging me as usual, trying to secure her income for the night which is fine. I know the name of the game. We didn’t finish drinking until just before 600 a.m., and Tum was still texting me saying she is still waiting. I told her to come if she wanted, but I didn’t want to pay the usual 2000 baht. She said 1000 baht was okay, but I gave her the usual 2000 baht anyway just for her commitment in waiting that long for me to finish drinking.

I met her again, took her to the room, and she went into the bathroom to shower. What I didn’t realize was the last two nights, Tum had used one of the toothbrushes the hotel provided for free and put it in the glass. I had my own, but when Da came earlier, she also used the other disposable toothbrush, and I left it on the counter.

The Toothbrush Problem

When Tum came out of the bathroom, she said, You had another girl here. I said, “What are you talking about?” She then showed me the toothbrush in the bathroom and said, “That isn’t mine. That is another girl.” I had to think on my feet and said that I used it. She didn’t believe me. She then got into the bed, turned over, and gave me the silent treatment. Within 5 minutes, she was asleep snoring her head off. She must have been tired waiting for me for so long.

When she was asleep, I emptied all the used wrappers and tissues in the bin just in case. I was actually okay with her going to sleep because I was way too drunk and tired to be doing anything.

We woke up around midday, and it was like nothing happened aerobics resumed. She then told me she had the day off and she wanted to spend it with me. I had nothing to do, so I agreed. We lounged by the pool, went swimming, had more aerobics, and then went for food. I told her at about 700 p.m. she had to go so I could meet my friend. She wanted to come with us drinking, which I couldn’t because I had arranged to meet a girl called Far.

A Day Spent with Tum

The Stunner on My Final Night

I met Far online she was an absolute stunner, and it was my last night, so I had to get to her before I left. Far turned up at 845 p.m. 45 minutes late because that’s Thai time. I told her I wanted to take her out of the bar now. The bar knew I was waiting for her, so they said I had to buy her five drinks first and pay the bar fine. We can all blame the Koreans for this. I would not normally pay that, but for this girl, I made an exception. ten out of ten. We went back to the hotel and had aerobics with her.

I then met my friend around 1130 p.m. for more bar hopping. Tum and Da were messaging me most of the night to meet me again. Out of the two, Tum was more fun. She was getting more jealous. However, the more time I spent with her this is a crazy concept because these girls are going off with loads of customers but as soon as they think you’re going off with another bar girl, you better be prepared to deal with the consequences, especially if you have seen the girl more than once.

The Final Night with Tum

I liked Tum, but I told her I had no money left to try and put her off from coming around the last night. But she said she didn’t want money she wanted to spend the last night of my holiday with me. So, you guessed it. I met her again for the final time for more aerobics. I did give her some money in any event for her time.

Both Da and Tum saved me paying the bar fine at their bars, and I spent full days with them for nothing. So to me, that gesture meant a lot because they could potentially get in trouble at work.

Saying Goodbye in Thailand

I wanted to meet the girl from my last trip, but she went home to Buriram, and the other girl has a relationship with an English guy and he was there while I was, so it was difficult for her to meet me. We messaged each other a few times, but we couldn’t align at the same time to meet. But on my last night, I told her I was going home the next day.

When my regular Tum left at midday for the final time, the girl from my last trip in 2024 came to meet me just for 20 minutes outside my hotel. It was nice to see her again and that she made the effort to see me and say goodbye before I left. She told me her partner was applying for a visa to take her to England, and I wished her all the best. She was nervous about leaving Thailand and said to me if things didn’t work out, would I help her in England? I gave her reassurance and told her it would be fine and she would have a great time.

Reflections on the Three-Day Rule

I know all about the three day rule, and usually I usually move on quickly. However, on this trip I met Da three times, and I met up with Tum four days in a row. We all know you can get feelings for these girls very quickly in a short period of time. And I do believe the bar girls can also get feelings in some cases.

I bent the three day rule a little, but I felt I was in control and used my friend as an excuse to get out of spending too much time with these girls. I would say though if I was in Pattaya on my own, I think this trip could have turned out very different, and I probably would have spent a lot more time with Tum and Da.

Feelings After Returning from Thailand

I’ve kept in touch with these two women. For how long who knows? When I returned home, I was depressed for a good few days. It is a shame. You meet some amazing and kind people in Thailand, and it does get harder to say goodbye to some of them, knowing you probably won’t see them again. However, a small number of these girls have kept in touch with me, and we are more like friends now, and I enjoy hearing from them.

I tell these girls from day one not to bother asking for money if they want to remain in contact after I leave Thailand. Probably why only three or four still message.

It was tough trying to adjust back to boring life in England. But I am guessing everyone experiences the same feeling who visits Thailand.