Just got back from Bangkok. Went there on 26 Oct. on business. Ate something, spent 4 days in bed, could not get down to Pattaya or even to the local bars for any action but I did drop in for an inspection run in Patpong. Will give you the run down when I feel better. Off to the doc tomorrow.

Damn! Did you eat from a street vendor? So far, no intestinal explosions to hinder research here. I am not eating from ANY street vendors, though, only from big hotels and medium-or-bigger restaurants.

I am in Pattaya looking at the beach and babes this very second. Just got back from a tour of Kholine Island with a honey. The best place to take a sweety if you want to be in 90 degrees, 80 degree water and in sufficient seculsion and distance from civilization to fuck in the water and on the beach... in the daytime! "Lan" from the Tahiti Queen on Beach Road. She has a friend about 4'9'' and 80 pounds who just got in the biz and is the smallest (read: tightest) little thing. Lan started out ST last night at 8, wound up LT plus a day. Will seek more English fluency in my woman tonight. Lan: Smile "10", Body "7", Face "7", Physical Performance "8", Vocal Performance "7", Attitude "6", Shyness "4". Overall, a "7". Swinging on her pole, she will sell you with her smile. Fair warning!

Had a nice evening with a 29-year old in BKK my second night here. What a performer. "Noga" from Nana bar "G-Spot". Mother of two, little sag, but it sure wasn't evident in her performances. Taller, about 5'9''. Noga: Smile "10", Body "7", Face "7", Physical Performance "9", Vocal Performance "9", Attitude "7", Shyness "7". Overall, an "8".

Had a few each ST from Nana and Pattaya that aren't worth mentioning. Great dancers, lousy in bed. Isn't that a rule of thumb?

All for now, will post full report upon return and recovery. Off to prepare for visiting Lan at her club prior to another evening of research.

From a brochure about traveler's diarrhea that I found in my doctor's office:

For travel of three weeks or less, Pepto Bismal can be taken as a preventive regimen against bacterial and other forms of diarrhea. Dosage is 2 tablets, 4 times a day, beginning the day before departure through 2 days after return. Use of Pepto may cause constipation, or temporary and harmless darkening of the tongue and/or stool. This product contains salicylates, similar to aspirin. Do not take it allergic to aspirin.

On two trips to Thailand and a trip to Costa Rica, I followed the Pepto Bismal regimen without getting diarrhea. Some of my fellow travelers weren't so lucky. They learned to carry extra rolls of toilet paper and fresh underwear.

Dart got a kick out of the fact I used bottled water from the refrigerator to brush my teeth while I was in Thailand.

When I wasn't in the mood for beer and ordered a soda instead, I always drank them rather quickly so that the ice did not dilute the soda and contaminate it.

Some might think this is going a little bit overboard. I just call it being cautious. I do the same when I am in Mexico.

I used bottled water to clean my teeth, drank only beer, ate nothing washed and not cooked, did not eat fruit at all and I still got sick. Took me a month to recover completely but Im ready to head back to Thailand tomorrow (dont I wish).

When I've gotten sick (Burger King, Taco Bell, hole-in-the wall BBQ place) I've generally been able to identify what I had eaten that got me sick. Were you ever able to narrow down what you had eaten or drank that got you ill?

I must admit, I started to get a little sick during the last few days of my trip. Nothing that was going to keep me from screwing though. Just some early symptoms like a runny nose, cough, and sore throat.

It hit me a little harder on the flight back and my first few days home, but it was nothing that kept me from work.

As I was thinking about it more, I started feeling lucky I wasn't sicker than I was. Why? It had to be all the kissing with all the different girls.

Supposedly the mouth is one of the dirtiest places on the body and one of the worst for germs. Even though most, if not all the girls brushed before the session and then mouth washed after brushing, I think the sheer volume of girls I must have kissed was the reason why I got a little sick. I still have some lingering symptoms, but nothing that put me in bed for days.

So I think the food and water is only one component. I can remove the risk from that. But I am not going to remove the risk from kissing. I’ll take lots of aspiring and my chances on that!

In the 4 1/2 months I speant in Thailand last year I was only sick once, it was either the Carlsberg Drafts or the Peanuts served at some of the bars in Pattyaland. I was down for 2 days with some of the worst stomach cramps I think I have ever experienced, finally got prescribed some "Muscle Relaxents" to stop the cramps (Thank god for the Australian Doctor who was staying in my hotel). The only problem is that when I took my Barfine home that night I was a little too relaxed.. some times you just can't win...

I eat off the streets all the time, especially the Chicken skewers... I know I probley should not but it is very good after drinking a few Singhas. I have also travelled extensivly in the country side where you really don't have much choice when it comes to food and never had too much problem. I think sometimes it is just the uck of the draw...

Scooter

Yujin, that's some interesting info. Thanks for sharing! I can't take Pepto without 'woofing', (better than syrup of ipecac for me), but for the majority of guys, this may work well.

Personally, I take Imodium with me on any trip afar and it's served me well on the few times I've needed some help. (This used to be a 'script only' med known as Lomotil, but it's now available over the counter in the US.)
That and a broad spectrum anti-biotic like Keflex, or Cypro should cover you for any 'uprisings'. (Most docs will give you a script for one of these ABs if you ask before a trip, and let them know where you're going, and why you want them.)
For nausea, I keep Compazine on hand. (Again, a pretty easy to get 'script' med. Though interestingly, not a med available in MX.)

Key point!!! Make SURE that you have a copy of the script for any meds you take with you abroad. Not always needed, but if you are asked to provide it, you damn well want to have it available. Nothing will screw up a trip like hassles with LE over drugs.

Scooter, sounds like you picked up a nasty little bug. Did you do an anti-biotic regimen, or just the muscle relaxants?


StrikeEagle

D'Art No, never could figure what it was, maybe some meat I had in a curry stew. Tasted good.

StrikeEagle: FYI Lomotil still is a prescription drug, it's a controlled substance being a weak cousin of Demerol. Narcotics always cause constipation, which is why they work with a bad case of the runs. Imodiun (Loperamide) at one time required an Rx, but no more.

StrikeEagle,

When I told my doctor where I was going, he wrote out a Rx for Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) 750 mg to be taken with Imodium. The Imodium was available without a Rx, but the Ciproflaxacin was expensive and not covered by my health insurance. Since I planned on practicing safe eating and drinking, I decided to by-pass on the Ciprofloxacin.

When my buddy go "food poisoned" in Thailand, I found the Thai brand name equivalent for Cipro on the Internet - Cifloxin, Cilab, and a number of other names. I went into the pharmacy on Sukhumvit near the Nana Hotel and explained what I wanted. He gave me 15 tablets for 20 baht. Wow, I was surprised it was so cheap. A lesson to be learned, if you get food poisoning or diarrhea, there's no need to suffer if you can make it to your local Thai pharmacy. The medicine is very cheap. As always, be careful when self medicating yourself.

Yujin

I stand corrected on the Lomotil/Imodium issue. After looking up the detailed drug info, the differences are clear.

What I can say is that the Imodium works just as well for me as did the Lomotil.

On the subject of Cipro (sorry for the earlier typo) I'm guessing that the 'generic' brands that Yujin got in LoS were from India. Since India doesn't recognize drug patents, they tend to make available a number of 'generic' drugs for very cheap prices.


StrikeEagle

The manufacturing process and methodology is protected by patents in India, the chemical composition and molecular structure is not. Hence the Cipro.

Yugin,
"Ciprobay" or Norfloxin as they call it in Thailand is about 600B for 17 tabs.... It is a common drug to treat the clap over there, some people take it before leaving country "Just in case" though there are many reasons not to do this (and I personally would'nt recomend it), to each his own...

The cocktail of Ciprobay and Zithromax will cure many VD strains according to the Labels. I had to take cipro last year for Strep that would not go away and I was supprised all the things it was used for.

Also,... While in BKK there is a small clinic up Soi3 next to the hospital, the doctors in there speak good english.

In Pattaya there are a few Ausie doctors working there as well as several hospitals. I don't know if I would trust the Pharmacists there to make diagnosises and prescribe the correct medication... just my opinion..

Scooter

I've traveled in Asia for years and at times ate everything in site including fresh fruit salads on the street( as I do in the zone) and didn't get sick other times I tried to be more careful and wound up with amebic dysentery and allmost died.

It's hard to figure. Like other things I think when it's your turn to draw the card...

I've lived in Thailand for 5 years and my recommendations are the following:
Eat spicy food often
Brush your teeth with tap water
Eat food off the street
Eat lot's of fruit
If you do these things you should build up some resistance to having any 'problems'
If you don't have time to build up the resistance, well, then wing it like a foreigner!

Except for the fruit, that is exactly what I do in TJ. It paid off a few weeks ago when a friend who seldom eats street food and I had identical quesadillas from my favorite cart. He was immediately very sick. I did not have any adverse effects whatsoever. The only time I have been seriously ill was when I stupidly ate ceviche in a nice restaurant. I had eaten it there several times before with no problem, but I really should have known better.

I'm going back for my second visit in three months. In November (see trip report), I was very careful with food and had no intestinal explosions at all. My sickness came from the God-awful pollution. I returned home to antibiotics and a week of coughing up multi-colored crap. I am weighing taking oxygen vs. an air cleaner for my room. No, I am not kidding! And I WILL be wearing a face mask when touring the streets next time. I don't give a damn how it looks. Being an asthmatic, my lungs say FUCK YOU much faster than those without asthma.

Indy,

Just one more reason to spend time at the coast.


StrikeEagle

Strike,

Agreed. In November, I stayed 7 nights in BKK. This time, maybe 3 total. It would be just two (the night of arrival and the night before departure due to a damned 7AM United flight), but I want to allow a full evening for a sequel performance at the Eden Club.

I plan on 'conducting research' more in Pattaya this time, as well as at least three days in a new destination for me, PP. We'll see how my luck goes with getting an expedited passport before I leave a week from Monday... the damned ex-wife threw it away by accident (read: women's intuition).

Passport renewal in USA. US airlines will not allow you to board for a foreign destination if you passport expires within THREE MONTHS of your departure. If you plan on going abroad chech the expiration date on your passport.

If I can get this passport expedited, it will be less than a week old when I step on the plane. Expiration should not be an issue. Ten days and counting!!!

I've been meaning to share some of my experiences here on the board. I've posted the occassional report but here's something a little more substantial.

I've got a story to tell about getting sick in Bangkok. I've never had any problem with the food and I eat from the street vendors often. The problem came from sitting behind two sick people on the long flight from LA to Taipei.

About 3 days after my arrival that virus had overwhelmed my system. It kind of came out of nowhere, or maybe it just seemed that way because I was back in heaven with all those sweet Thai ladies and feeling fine.

It was a Saturday night and the next day was the Queen's birthday. For those who don't know, that's also the defacto Mother's Day in Thailand and to honour the Queen most of the businesses shut down for the day. I knew with the current Interior Minister in office the bars would most likely be closed (and they were) and so I went out that night looking for a "long time" session that might stretch into the next day if she was good.

I spotted a new number at Long Gun (Soi Cowboy) and we seemed to have some real chemistry. After barfining her I started to feel a bit unwell as we made it back to my room. It was nothing too much at the time.

We had a good session and then drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night my sinuses just wouldn't stop draining and my throat was killing me. My girl got me some water and stayed by my side. In the early morning (about 4 hours after we got back to the room) I couldn't sleep. My girl gave me a concerned look and touched my forehead. It was burning up. She jumped out of bed, got dressed and marched out. At first, I thought she was afraid of catching this bug and decided to cut and run, but then I saw that she left some of her stuff behind.

About 30 minutes later she came back with some medicine and food. She stayed with me all day and didn't leave until Monday afternoon. I wasn't very fun to be with at that time but she stayed and took good care of me for 2 days. Not only did she give me cool towels for my fever, she also worked wonders with her lips and tongue on my other head. It was about the best care a guy could get.

After a few days I was feeling up to taking on Pattaya again. Did I ever see her again? Yes, I made a point of saying goodbye before flying off and on my next trip she ran over and jumped in my lap when I came back to Long Gun. Even though this girl was great to me (and believe me, I did show my appreciation) I wasn't interested in any long term arrangements.

Unfortunately, every time I went back to Long Gun she would expect to go with me and I kept declining. The last time I was on Soi Cowboy I was supposed to meet a friend. Just my luck, he emailed me and said that he would "probably" meet me in Long Gun. Damn, I knew what that meant. I was hoping to run into him in another bar, but I had to keep ducking into Long Gun to see if he showed up.

There was my girl, wondering what was up and why I was looking around the room all the time. I told her "I'm looking for my friend." Ha! You know how many times these girls hear that old worn line. I've used it too many times myself when I didn't want to come out and say no to a girl. Well, this time I meant it, but it was like the boy crying wolf too often. This girl got pissed. She was sure I was looking for another girl.

Later I ducked into Rawhide nearby. These two are sister bars with the same owner and the dancers freely migrate between the two bars. I'm well known in Rawhide and count a number of girls there as among my friends. I sit down to have a beer and just kill some time until my friend gets his ass down to Cowboy. Well, some new girl who doesn't know me tries to be cute and jumps in my lap and starts pawing me. I'm not interested at all, but guess what happens? Yes, my girl follows me into Rawhide to check up on me and sees me sitting there with this girl climbing all over me. She storms over and says "You look for friend. Yeah!" and leaves. I thought she was going to break a bottle and carve me a new face from the look in her eyes. At that point I gave up on my friend and went back to Nana.

So, next week I'm heading back to Thailand. Will I go back to Soi Cowboy. Sure! I love the place, but I think I'll stay out of Long Gun for awhile.

These Thai ladies can truly be wonderful, but they are possessive as all hell.

I've been to Thailand a few times but never got sick. Neither did my friends.

These chicks are possesive. Guys who date other chicks in the same bar are called 'butterfies'. Why is it ok for them to fuck other guys but not ok for us to fuck other girls? LOL.

Because its the MONEY. Your money is her money. Possesive is what its called. Would you like to see a candidate for your job walk in the office every dauy?

Great excuse, Frenchie. Are you hoping she reads it?

Just kidding. I know first-hand what you mean about possessiveness. Jesus!

Also, I get sick everytime I go. I thought it was due to my weak lungs, but my Doctor thinks it is an airborne virus. I was nursed once by a lady... no head though! Damn it! Next time... hell, I can count on getting sick again and needing a nurse.

I'm heading back for a month next week. I am making quite a few 'friends' in the right places and expect to enjoy this trip more than ever. I wonder when the curve levels out on enjoying the women, and starts to get old.

I've used the illustration before about the farang parallel to the bargirl:

APPLY NOW Fit and fun American men wanted to service 400 lb, smelly, obese and non-English speaking women who want to pay you for servicing their flabby, unattractive bodies for hours on end. Must be able to breathe under weight and cum without positive physical stimulation. Models and porn stars a plus. When you apply, be prepared to fuck the manager. She is 600 pounds. Hurry!

Indyla, I'm also returning next week for a month. Maybe we can meet up sometime.

This will be my fourth trip in 10 months and I don't see the curve leveling out at all. It just gets better and better as you find the good places to go and begin to make connections.

That would be cool. I'm still working with my travel agent for a last-minute flight. I'm hoping to catch someone else's cancellation. This time of year is damned tough for reservations, especially the Tokyo-BKK leg.

694, you're a fuckin' genius. I never thought of it that way.