After the uneventful one hour ride, we arrived at the Sekupan terminal of Batam. I forget how or when, but I must have called my regular driver in Batam, Eddy who works out of Hotel 2000, cause he was there to pick me up. And I was greatly relieved that I would not have to go through the process of trying to pick a taxi again. Although I must say, the taxis in Batam are now generally newer and cleaner, and most of them actually have a sign on top identifying them as "taxsi".
With Eddy driving me for the normal rip off price of 100,000 for 3 hours, I checked into Hotel2000, went to the internet café, then to the bank, only to discover that they wouldn't accept my Visa TC, they only accept American Express. We looked around for a booking and ended up taking a cutie from Mutiara. But it was a mistake. She did not like bule. No real problems, just no chemistry or any effort on her part to make a go of it. Tried to have sex at 6pm, lousy short bj, dead fish fuck, had to finish myself, unloading on her tummy, while she watched TV!
Dinner was my usual ration of beer, and BBQ street food. We slept apart, the room was sort of hot, and I just had no desire to try to snuggle with her, nor she with me. She left at 8am without a morning session, and just enough of a tip to cover the ojek. Worst sex so far this trip.
5-21-04: I spent a really relaxing, pleasant day alone. I passed on the breakfast buffet of fried noodles and fried rice and bought some fresh bread at the Morning Bakery down the street from Hotel2000. On my first visit in 2000, this bakery was a hole in the wall, no seats, and not crowded. In 2003 it had expanded to include over 30 seats and tables, more displays, and it was packed. I had to wait inline to make my purchase. Back in my room, I munched the bread, read my book, had some coffee, watched TV, wrote in my journal, and the morning passed quietly.
In the late afternoon I headed out. I walked to the Barelang internet café, near the Harmoni hotel. It had a really fast connection. Then up the street to Red Cock pub. This place is more a restaurant and less a pub now than in 2000, when it first opened. And it's more expensive. There were no customers inside and the pricey menu kept me out as well. I walked across the street to Lucy's. There were a couple of Aussie guys hanging out, normal for Lucy's. Beer was 16,000!, simple cheese and crackers 15,000. Soda water 10,000. Between the increased prices and lower exchange rate, things seemed far more expensive than my previous trip here.
I walked back to my hotel going past the Melia hotel, where I stayed my first trip to Batam. The attached department store was closed, out of business, as was the grocery in the basement that I had found to be a very bule friendly place to shop.
I returned to my room and watched TV until 7pm, when Papa Banana opened.
All the girls were "doable", some I remembered from a week ago, some were new. But none were as attractive to me as the adorable little D and I booked her immediately. We headed out to A1 pujasera, the popular seafood outdoor restaurant. Huge place, easily seating 200-300 customers, with maybe 30 food stalls around the perimeter. We had steamed shrimp 35,000, spicy fried crab 40,000, gong gong (conch in shell and D's favorite food) 25,000, two bowls of rice 4,000, 1 beer 20,000, 1 soda 10,000, total 140,000, very expensive for dinner for two in Batam. But it was all very good.
Taxi back to hotel and another nice sex session, short but good bj, nice fuck, really easy to finish when doing it with an attractive willing partner! I got a couple of pics of D. We both slept well. She roused me for session two at 5am! Then dressed and left at 6:30. I wonder why she likes to leave so early? Oh well.
Photos: Papa Banana D 38 39
A buddy of mine recently found some more pics of D on the internet, taken perhaps in Jan. 04. I did NOT take these pics.
Photos: Donna 40 41 42 43 44
We chatted about going to Bintan Island. She really wanted to go. I think it's a desirable resort destination for locals. But I only had one more day left, and I just couldn't make the effort to do it. I would have liked her to spend the day with me, but did not ask her and was not disappointed when she left. We sort of teased each other about my booking her again that night.
5-21-04: The last full day of my Riau Island adventures. Since D left so early, I went down for a very early breakfast, then sat in the lobby, sipped tea, and watched the parade of working girls exiting the hotel all morning.
I wanted a driver for all day. My regular Eddy was already busy, had to take the second guy in line. No English. Crap. I was never impressed by Eddy's knowledge of the night life scene, and he never recommended places or girls, never seemed to know where the "good stuff" was. But at least he spoke good English.
I wanted to visit two more places I had read about in various forums on the internet. The first was sort of a brothel village area of Nagoya called Samyong. All reports said to stay away. One described it as a filthy crime ridden village. I asked my driver to take me there and he did not want to. I insisted, and he agreed as long as I promised to only look quickly and not stop or get out of the car. I guess the reports were accurate! As we approached along a narrow dirt road my driver rolled up the windows and locked the doors. There were some wood shacks, a few girls hanging out, and a few scary looking guys. We turned around and left. I did not see much but based on the condition of the barren wood shacks the place looked less hospitable than all the other brothel villages I had visited. Based on my driver's clear look of concern as we drove though the place in broad daylight, I assume the description on the net I had read of the place was not far from the truth.
The next place I wanted to see is basically an apartment that has girls available. I have no idea what kind of place it is, or how it is run. I only had vague directions to the place, as follows:
Rumah Susun at Kampong Utama just behind BNI Bank. One guy says he got a very good girl there.- It near to the big apotik & the road leads up a slop.(slope?) There are shop below the Ruma Susun. A small canteen next to the staircase. RS = means block of flats-passing the Hotel Nagoya Plaza on your left, continue on through the traffic lights, go uphill past the bank, at the 24hr Kimia Farmav pharmacy, turn left up the hill, 150 metres you get to an old block of flats - a big place. Was it the 1st or 2nd block? On what level did your driver bring you?
Grils are very nice & clean.No short time there. only booking. Paid Rp250/ for a girls din't get her name. Good service & happy going.
My driver took me to an apartment building and along the way I thought I saw some of the landmarks noted in the directions, so I think I went to the described place, or something very similar, in the same area. The 3 story apartment building was run down, dirty, poorly maintained, poverty conditions by US standards, perhaps average by Batam standards? We climbed the concrete stairway to the third floor. My driver talked to some male and indicated to me it was OK to enter. The apartment was large, with a hallway that circled around like a "U". Perhaps it was two smaller apartments joined together? There were maybe 5 small rooms off the hallway as we circled around. Each room had several girls inside, many sleeping, but a few awake and doing laundry or playing cards. The rooms had virtually no furniture, just mats for sleeping. There was a kitchen and bath and a few ladies who looked like they were doing housework and cooking chores. None of the girls looked ready to work. No make up, poorly dressed. I don't know if that is they way they look all the time, or if they dress up a bit at night. Aside from that I did not see any girls that were really outstanding or different in terms of age or beauty from the other venues I had visited.
Next I went looking for a good straight massage. There was supposed to be a place across from Puri Gardens. I think we found it, but it was closed. Went next door to Escapade. Got a good totally straight massage. Interestingly, she started on my front, then had me roll over to finish on my back, possibly to avoid the tent pole problems under the groin towel? Who knows? After she finished I requested she massage my head and face for an extra ten minutes and that was the best part. Tipped her 20,000, I think the fee was around 60,000 for 90 minutes.
Went shopping at Lucky Plaza. I think this is the same place I went three years ago, but it's totally remodeled. Everything is new, clean, and upscale. I couldn't find any T-shirts that said "Batam" on them. I had a small bowl of bakso for lunch, simple soup with rice noodles and beef meatballs 6,000, at some small café type place.
Then I went back to the hotel to shower, change, and relax. At 6:30 I went out to Papa Bananas. As in previous visits, I arrived very early, at opening time, and was the only customer. I tried to get the girls to give me lap dances, maybe have a contest? Went over like a lead balloon. I got some nice lap dances, and tipped 10,000 for each one. But the girls didn't seem to get into it, or understand the concept. To them, it's a warm up or test drive to get a booking, and when I did not offer booking, they wandered away. Granted it was early, I was the only customer, and I am not a party kind of guy to begin with.
I chatted with the owner a bit and he said the girls can get into "party mode", but it depends a lot on the customers. In other words, if a group of customers are having a party, laughing, drinking, tipping, buying ladies drinks, the girls will liven up considerably.
I sat with D, who showed no signs of jealousy or competition when I got lap dances from the other dancers. We chatted. I asked for booking. She said no. Really? Yup, really. No reason given. Fine. No problem. She made SR sit with me. She was cute. She had that same soft touch D used. Booking.
I told her up front I wanted bj to finish, ice cream. She pointed to her mouth? I nodded.
Back at the hotel she obliged per our agreement, but I don't think was too happy about it. She did the bj but I had to provide a lot of manual self support. I finished as intended, and she ran to the bathroom. Not only did she rinse her mouth, I actually saw her washing her tongue! Cute.
Photos: SR 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 53 55
NBA playoffs were on TV, so I watched. I sent SR out across the street to buy some BBQ chicken and fried rice 60,000, another rip off. Oh well.
I drifted off to sleep. SR kept checking to see if I wanted sex, bless her heart. Convinced I did not want another round, she slept. She was a deep sleeper, barely moving all night. In the morning she was not too interested in providing any services. I finally just put her hand on my dick and much to my surprise received a super delicious, slow, teasing hand job. She got me really close to the edge, then we fucked. She wasn't particularly talented, but the hand job had gotten me really hard and fully aroused and extremely sensitive. I relished every slow tortuous movement of her hips until I could hold out no longer.
She left at 8am, wonder why D always left so early?
5-23-04: The last day. I had to get to Sinagpore airport by 8:30pm to meet the air courier representative who was holding my return ticket.
My goal for the day was to spend all my leftover money, keeping just enough for the trip home, and to have fun doing it. I asked around and get several different opinions about the best ferry to catch in order to get to the airport by 8:30pm. Popular opinion was ferries left Batu Ampar terminal at 4pm and 6pm. 6pm was too late, but 4pm was way too early. A 5:30 departure would have been perfect. The front desk said I could leave from Sekupang terminal at 5:45, and they would accept my return Penguin ferry ticket. OK, plan made. I counted my money, I wanted enough for a massage, a short time at Papa Banana, a few drinks, the taxi fare to Sekupang, and the dock fee, which I assumed was 1,000 like at other terminals. I figured I had to change one more US$20 and did.
I got packed up, checked out, put my luggage in the trunk of my driver's car, and headed out for a massage, telling my driver I wanted a less traditional massage, ie: one with a happy ending. He took me to some joint across from "Linda 2" massage. The sign just said "traditional massage". It was a dump, typical Indo dingy everything.
I got an older gal with a good figure. The massage was again very different from the previous ones. She used no oil or powder, started on my back, and used more pressure point tactics than deep muscle and tissue massage. It was pretty good. She tried to do that pressure point stuff on the nerves on the inside of my thighs, up high near the groin. I've been told that when done right, it's a remarkable feeling. She did not do it right. It hurt like hell and I didn't feel any beneficial results, at the time or later on. I had taken Vit V in anticipation and got obvious wood a couple of times, especially when she rubbed my butt and thighs. But it went soft as soon as she tried her leg nerve thing.
She finished, left for five minutes and came back. I asked her to massage my head and face, recalling the wonderful head massage I received the day before. She seemed to agree, then tried to pop a mint into my mouth, which I refused, fearing drugs or bugs or something of the kind. She leaned over and kissed me full on the lips (I realized the reason for the mint!) while reaching under the towel and firmly grabbing my dick. OK, not so traditional! And the hell with the big head massage, little head is OK too.
My experience is that ladies who a little older and who give really good regular massage, are also experts at hand jobs. This gal was no exception. I was rock hard due to the mutually compatible Vit V and her great hand work. She leaned over and showed me oral skills equal to her manual ones. She offered something in Indonesian, I had no idea what she said but her hj and bj were so good I figured I should say yes. She stood on the bed straddling me, and pulled her pants down, offering full service. Uh, I did not have a condom available, and declined, motioned for her to resume the bj and try a little prostate massage at the same time. She did, and I popped a really intense one in her mouth. She pulled away a little bit, but continued stroking with her hand and let her face get messy. Damn good.
Now came the hard part. We had not negotiated a price for the extra service, only that the massage was 40,000 for one hour. I gave her 120,000, thinking 80,000 for her service was more than appropriate. She took it, then asked for 40,000 for the room. Damn!! I explained that I gave 40K for the room and 80K for her. She accepted that without making a stink.
I went outside but my driver was not waiting for me. I grabbed a regular taxi off the street and went to Papa Banana. Good thing I had my luggage with me and did not leave it in the taxi.
Again I was only customer, and got there just in time for the Friday 4pm opening. I forget their hours, but something like open at 6:30 weekdays, 4pm on Fridays, and 2:30 on Sundays. Probably changes from time to time as well. I imagine closing is when there are no more customers or no more girls, which ever happens first?
I passed out all my leftovers, including hats, my XXXL giant T shirts that the girls loved to wear for pajamas, condoms, tic tacs, candies, pez dispensers, etc, and my electronic dictionary/translator which had served me so well. The dictionary went to the head cashier, who spoke English very well and was very interested in my dictionary. I thought she might be the most appreciative and get the most use out of it. I cornered D and we had a surprisingly candid chat about why she refused booking with me the previous night. Her story was she had a regular customer who flew in from time to time and always reserved her for all night booking when he was in town, and he was in town. She proceeded to tell me where they ate dinner, where they went out drinking, what hotel they stayed at, how many times they had sex, what acts the engaged in, whether they used condoms or not, even how much he tipped! I was really surprised at her candidness and matter of fact style in relaying all this information! Turned out, yes he tips way more than I do!
I liked D, but opted for a short time with T, a thoroughly professional skinny whore with a great butt. We used the Papa short time room upstairs. T delivered a great bj and good fuck, much more skilful than either of the other two Banana girls I had booked. Short time was 200,000. Then I went back down stairs and spent the rest of my time snuggling and chatting with D - the clear first place winner of the trip. Is it funny that I did my last short time with another girl? Then spent the last 45 minutes with D, who showed no jealousy or resentment or anything other than affection for me? Cool, huh?
Photos: Papa Banana T 56 57 58
Around 5pm I decided it was time to go to the Sekupang terminal to catch my ferry. The front desk lady told me it was an easy 20 minute drive and the ferry leaves at 5:45. Plenty of time I thought to myself.
Hey, no taxi? I thought there was always a taxi hanging around Lucy's! Damn. The owner offered to take me back to Hotel2000 to take one of their taxis. Bless his heart. Eddy was not there, but the driver who spoke no English was. We got in his much older car and were off. I had learned at Lucy's that the international dock pass that I needed was 10,000, not 1,000. That left me just 38,000 for the taxi, when their published price to Sekupang was 50,000. I told the driver, and he still agreed to take me for the reduced price, at least I think he understood I did not have the correct amount?
There was a LOT of traffic, and the driver took his sweet time! All the other drivers drive like maniacs, why was this guy being so careful? Going so slow, letting the trucks pull in front of him, stopping and waiting at every stop sign, damn we were cutting it close.
We arrived at the terminal at 5:40, no time to lose! I ran to immigration ignoring the touts. I handed the guy my passport. Some of the business cards I had collected were in my passport. The "officer" removed them and returned them to me with a disapproving look. Then he announced he could not find my departure card. What the fuck??!! I was in a panic. I had to catch the ferry, this ferry. I frantically search all my pockets and handbag for the departure card. I finally sorted through the business cards he had returned to me, and bingo, there it was! The asshole had given it back to me without even looking at it! Shit. I raced through customs check and to the door that led to the dock to board the ferry. The doorman asked me for my dock pass! Shit, where the fuck do I buy that? It's always just before you board!!! You guessed it, he pointed back out in the lobby, back through customs, back through immigration, all the way back to the front door of the terminal building. Here the dock pass is the very first window!!! I had to get this ferry, the next ferry did not depart until an hour later, and that was way too late. Shit and double damn fuck, I'm SCREWED!!!!!
A nice looking, well dressed young man asked me if I needed help. He must have seen I was close to crying! The door to board the ferry closed, it was hopeless, nothing I could do. I missed the damn ferry. The ONLY ferry that would get me there on time.
I asked if there was any other ferry going to Singapore. He said yes, the Ocean Raider was leaving in a few minutes. Hope! He offered to take my passport out to the lobby and get the dock pass and take care of everything for me. Uh, I am in a total panic here, but not totally insane!!! I did not hand over my passport, but he led me back through customs and immigration. I was certain the officials would give us shit, but they did not! We just walked right by. Of course they would not exchange my Penguin ferry ticket. So I had to buy a new one. And I only had 8,000 rupiah I had saved for the dock pass, nowhere near enough for the ticket to Singapore. But I had some Sing dollars, and they accepted that, what a stroke of luck. It was the money I was saving for the taxi in Singapore to take me to the airport, but I'd have to figure that out later, I had no need for the taxi if I couldn't get to Singapore!!! The ticket was Sing$22, which included the boarding pass. The nice man took my money and pushed his way to the front of the line, purchased the ticket, and led me back through immigration and customs, and again, unbelievably, the officials ignored us, God bless this man! I ran to the ferry just as the doors were closing. I was the last passenger to board, just made it. Whew! BTW, the Ocean Raider was a really nice, large, modern ferry much better than even the popular Penguin ferries.
I had 45 minutes to gather myself, count my money, search all my luggage for extra change, found an extra $1 Sing coin and praised Allah. I had Sing$12.50, which just might be enough for the taxi from the ferry terminal to the airport. Wasn't it just about $15 departing from airport, but that included an airport surcharg which would not be charged for a trip going TO the airport. Would my luck hold?
HELL NO!!! We arrived at the Singapore World Trade Center terminal at 7:50pm, a fifty minute ferry ride, and a one hour time difference. If I could get a taxi right away, and if I had enough money, I could make it. Taxi should only take about 20 minutes, assuming not much traffic at 8pm. The WTC terminal had remodeled since my last visit, and I was not sure where to go. I eventually found my way to the taxi queue and damn it all to hell, there was a long line, at least 30 people waiting. No fear, this is Singapore, efficient Singapore. No doubt a stream of taxis would soon appear and take all of us to our destinations….WRONG!!! One taxi came in ten minutes. Time was ticking, and I was back in major panic mode again! I mean trembling horrified panic! I suppose I should have been calmer, it's not like the world would end if I missed the plane. But I was traveling air courier, and not only did I need to pick up my ticket from the agency at 8:30, I did not want to fuck up and ruin my chances of getting future air courier tickets.
At 8pm a middle aged decent looking guy worked the taxi queue, offering a ride to airport for Sing$30. I only had Sing$12.50 and in desperation I offered it to him. He laughed at me. Then I had a stroke of genius. I still had US dollars to buy my BART train and taxi rides home from the airport. I offered the Sing guy US$10 and my Sing$12.50. To my utter surprise he took it!!! Ka Ching! I hit the jackpot! As long as he was not a crook and would really take me to the airport!
He had a full size van, and explained that if we had been able to get other riders, we could have split the $30 fare. Yea, fine, just drive sir and get me to the church, err, I mean airport, on time!
We got there at exactly 8:30pm. I ran to the meeting spot and did not see the agent. Ten minutes later he showed up and handed me my ticket. I MADE IT!
I still had one more obstacle. I need to change some US$ to Sing money so I could pay the departure tax. The agent showed me a money changer that was still open, and thank goodness, again, he did not object to changing just one ten dollar bill.
I made my way to immigration and turns out my courier docs were wrong! There is no longer a separate departure tax at Singapore airport. So I had about fifteen extra Sing dollars, that I am sure would NOT work in the BART ticket machines or with the taxi driver back in the good ole USA. I had used Sing dollars in Indo, and US dollars in Singapore, but in USA one can only use American greenbacks. It sucks to be home!
Due to the continuing SARS scare, the airport was near deserted, and the Boeing 777-200 that seats nearly 350 passengers, had no more than 30 people on board. I made myself a bed in one row of seats and slept all the way to Narita, changed planes and made the connection back to the USA. Like I said before, it sucks to be home.