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Thread ID: 115441	2011-01-18 11:50:00	Dodgy countries.	Nomad (952)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1170797	2011-01-18 11:50:00	I am going overseas as Air Asia and Jetstar put some cheap fares out some time ago. I have been to mostly pretty safe places or places that doesn't pester you about (like Japan). There are those places in JP I know but if you avoid those for me it has been fine. No one has pestered me. Last year in Kuala Lumpur I got pestered with massagers or tattoos and on one occasion by a pimp. It was on the main street (Bukit Bintang) which a no. of foreigners went for the massagers (more therapy than erotic) and the pimp occasion was on the main street but towards some distance away. This time I am spending just 2 nights ine each of KL and SG and thought I picked up a cheap fare to Bangkok and everyone knows what BKK is known for. I arn't into those nor into the bar scene. I am more a Masterchef and Museums type :D With my research; I found that some quite nice hotels are quite close to those dodgy places and even friendly, ie., they have no quarms if you take your new purchase to your room. So this thing is understood as same old that it's just what goes on around here :confused: I have some friends in each of the places which we will catchup since High School .... Then I researched Jakarta and Manila, they were the two other options I considered which was quite cheap also for the airfare but I chose BKK due to that more people go there instead. So I was researching ... even in Jakarta a 5 Star Hotel has a girl bar. What the heck? Like inside Shangri-La's BAT's bar but might not be in the restaurant and I guess security would be quite tight and noise level is maintained right? Are all hotels like this or ... and I read that some people walking outside the most $$ strip - the financial and diplomatic areas outside the series of 5 star hotels and bank head offices etc .. can be pestered by the unwanted people even as early as 6pm. How do family tourists manage? Then I researched Macau which has all the 5 Star Casino Hotels and there are prostitutes there also? To me doesn't appear to have a good look at these upmarket hotels. Maybe part of Asia can be seen as like Eastern Europe. Would it be true that some people say even a city like Bangkok is v safe might be in terms of serious crimes but Bangkok has more of petty crimes and pestering annoyances? You know dodgy taxi drivers, unregistered drivers who want to be your tour guide and take you to places to earn commission, pick pocketers, beggers .....	Nomad (952)
1170798	2011-01-18 13:04:00	I spent a good part of 3 years in Indonesia, its cool yes but also dirty and dusty. in comparison to my latest country (china). There are many differences between the two, basicly indo is poor, and it shows. lots of poor people living in poverty. also the rubbish is very prevalent. In comparison china is clean, no the streets aren't polished to a shine but there is hardly and litter and the public transport is amazing. No more dusty sagging "blue bird" taxis, instead you can get an old but clean taxi that will get you most places for under 20-60 yuan ($4-$12). Most places in china they won't haggle you (except silk street market). If you want upmarket (but at a price) you could go to Singapore. or even richer, United Emirates. Both are very different. Taipei is another amazing city. My knowledge of Macau is very out dated and I doubt most people will want to see the things that the family saw when over there in the late 80's. As for the sex club bars? its a marketing ploy to get the young teens from australia and Europe over. I mean, you have a 18 year old guy and he has choice of $200 a night for some flash place that specialises in roast duck or $230 a night for the place with a built in whore house? This is mostly because the market has changed, no longer is travelling reserved for the wealthy middle aged or the receiver of a large inheritance, its a quick trip away from the parents for students fresh out of college. a last chance to have a massive piss up party before settling down at uni (for more piss ups :p) Unfortunate for those who just want to get away and experience the world. My advice would be to stay away from the large tourist spots that draw the younger lot. its usually trouble. If you get to Indonesia, check out Ubud and the tjampuhan hotel. its an old palace and very beautiful. if you can afford it stay there. when I went in '05 it was spectacular http://tjampuhan.com/ In response to the "tour guide syndrome" its a good idea to learn some phrases such as "all ready eaten" in case of offered food and "all ready been" in case of took took or rickshaw rides. also learn stuff like "too busy" and "no need" etc. Other than that, enjoy your travels to the fullest and make sure you look at every aspect of the country, no matter how freaky!!! yesterday I had an interesting meal of roast scorpion :o	The Error Guy (14052)
1170799	2011-01-18 18:52:00	Friend of mine got drugged and robbed in Manilla, she was lucky not to get raped as well, she basically remembers virtually nothing of the 3 days it took to wake up in hospital	gary67 (56)
1170800	2011-01-19 00:21:00	Its been a fair fews years since I have spent time in SE Asia, but a couple of travellers tips. Don't put your wallet in a hip pocket, a side pocket is preferable, and in a crowd keep your hand in the pocket on it. Don't carry any more money when you go out on the town than you need to. (the old service trick was your ID card and cab fare back to base inside your socks, but SE Asia was a bit wild in those days) Be careful of in room safes in hotels, they are not always secure. My daughter had all her money taken from her room safe in China - fortunately got it back, the offender was hotel staff. As far as the ladies of Thailand and some neighbouring countries are concerned, the advice we gave the troops was, if they do it then they have got it and you will catch it - odds used to be better than 50% on. Chances of being a victim of major crime very low unless one does something exceedingly stupid, Chances of being a victim of petty crime quite high.	KenESmith (6287)
1170801	2011-01-19 00:33:00	Nomad ... read the paper and you'll find out you're already living in a dodgy country ... Hope you have a great trip.	SP8's (9836)
1170802	2011-01-19 00:50:00	Then again a trip elsewhere may stop him being bored. :)	Snorkbox (15764)
1170803	2011-01-19 01:08:00	I mean, you have a 18 year old guy and he has choice of $200 a night for some flash place that specialises in roast duck or $230 a night for the place with a built in whore house? Uuuhhhh.....knowing what I might catch over there, I think I'll indulge myself in roast ducks and other roast specialties. :p	qazwsxokmijn (102)
1170804	2011-01-19 01:41:00	Nomad ... read the paper and you'll find out you're already living in a dodgy country ... Hope you have a great trip. It's not like one gets pestered here walking down Lambton Quay in the lunch hour. One pimp even chased after me after I said no. He spoke English. He then asked me what I want and that he can organise it :rolleyes: Those taxi drivers I came out light. The hotel security guy even works with them. I stayed at one of the cheaper "Air Asia" hotels so not sure if those are like that. I should of known better. When I took the cab to the accom they have those counters which you pay them so you just handover a voucher to the driver so you don't even have to say a word. Then one time, I wanna see the Twin Towers, I mistakedly offered a fixed sum which I found out later it was more than needed. Cos at the time, I had been tricked so wanted to settle a price before I got in. Then when I got out of the cab, I found out on Monday the Twin Towers Observation Deck was closed :badpc: The occasion was that I asked two drivers to get to this park, they both didn't know. The third driver took me when I show him the map etc. He also didn't know what was the art gallery. So he apparently drove past it and down this tunnel and did a u turn as the meter was ticking. I think I paid 10RM when the meter said 15RM. After I visited the place I flagged down a cab and he knew where the monorail station was, the price was just 4RM or so .... :annoyed: Also due to myself, I walked to the main station and saw this buses going to the airport and for a great price than my express airport train. So .. I popped up after paying only to find that it went to the cheaper mostly Air Asia "LCCT" airport and not "KLIA" :lol: I took a cab to the other airport but all up "taxi + bus" was the same price as the express train so I guess that was alright. But ... I didn't talk to the driver, I went back into the airport using the arrival entrance after speaking to the officer cos I had to get a taxi voucher.	Nomad (952)
1170805	2011-01-19 01:44:00	One pimp even chased after me after I said no. He spoke English. He then asked me what I want and that he can organise it :rolleyes: :lol: "You want fat girls? We got fat girls!"	qazwsxokmijn (102)
1170806	2011-01-19 07:07:00	Nomad, I can give you suggestions on where to stay in Bangkok, cheap but nice, and safe. A friend went there recently and I spent ages researching hotels. I have been there 4 times since 1990. PM or email me for the info. My advice for BKK - see the Royal Palace, do a boat tour of the canals (one of the small narrow boats, 4 - 6 passengers), wander around Khao San... and after two days GET OUT and go north to Chiang Mai, either by 1st class overnight train or by plane. Also consider Ayutthaya - only 1 hour north of BKK by train. BKK is worth a short stop but the chaotic noise, traffic, pollution is not conducive to an enjoyable stay. Also, unless you want to get trash drunk with 20-something party goers, avoid the southern islands unless you opt for a quiet family type of resort.	Strommer (42)
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