A Walk Down Walking Street

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We have just spent two days in Pattaya, a resort on the mainland renowned for Lady Boys and the sex industry. We would never have come here but for the fact that Billy and Ann from the velocette owners club are here on a long vacation and we’d arranged to meet up as it’s kind of on the way back from Ko Samet to Bangkok.



We had to change buses at Chonburi and get the public bus the rest of the way to Pattaya. That proved to be a long slow journey stopping every few minutes. We were dropped off the public bus at the terminal and stood around in a daze. The place was huge, busy traffic and noise everywhere. We had chosen a guesthouse from the Lonely Planet. Guide to head for but which way!? Using the sketch of a map in L.P. we set off for Soi 3, the address. After asking several times we were getting no- where. After what seemed ages we came across a clean looking guesthouse on a quieter side street so decided to literally ‘drop in’. Joy! They had a room vacant and at a good price 500 baht ( £10) our aimed budget price. Stan went up to check the room while I stayed with the bags. He came back with a big smile, the room was clean, a comfortable bed, air con and hot shower. Phew, we checked in then languished under a hot shower washing away the dust and sweat of the day. (nice!)



Once refreshed and feeling human again we phoned Billy, he whipped down on his bike and told us we’d done well finding this place as it was close enough to walk to the ‘happening area’ but far enough away to get away from it all. We arranged to meet for drinks later.



We grabbed a bite to eat then met up with Billy and Ann at a big shopping mall Billy had directed us to. From there they took us to a cocktail bar where there was a show going on. It was 3 or 4 ‘Lady Boys’ dancing and miming to music, for every new song they came out with different costumes on, some very revealing. Two of them looked exactly like ladies, smooth heavily made up faces, sleek groomed hair and, of course by some kind of interference with nature, slim ladies bodies and movements. If they opened their mouths to speak though, it was obvious what their sex really was.

At one point of the routine a performer’s padded top slipped down a bit revealing a completely flat chest. Others, howeve,r had on tiny bikinis; it was blatantly clear they were either on hormones or had had a ‘ boob job’!



From here Billy and Ann took us down ‘walking street’. Loud music and bright lights exuded from the hundreds of bars. Pole dancers of all nationalities displayed themselves just inside the bars or high up in glass booths overlooking the street. In addition, the street was lined with Lady Boys and prostitutes of all ages and sizes! Not to mention the numerous aging European men parading along with a young Thai Girl on their arm!



We stopped off in a bar to people watch for a while before jumping on a sawngthaew (small open bus) to take us back to our guesthouse. Billy and Ann carried on to where their motorbike was parked up.



Well, we’d heard a lot about Pattaya and it’s sex industry so at least now you can say we’ve seen it but we definitely won’t be back.



The next day we looked around in daylight then tried to get a taxi to the area where Billy and Ann had their apartment it’s 4 kms out of town in a much nicer area, but it proved impossible, it seemed the only option was a motorbike taxi and I was not keen on that. Billy offered to run one of us there and have a motorbike taxi following with the other one of us on, but after having seen one taxi driver crash and slide across the road earlier in the day I was not happy.



In the end, as the day was rapidly turning to dusk we decided to just go for a quiet meal and drink in town ourselves.



Next stop –Bangkok. At least we know how to get around there!



Monday 30th.

We have now arrived in Bangkok. Last night as we sat in a bar Szab, A Hungarian we met on the banda islands a year ago spotted us and walked in. We spent a pleasant hour catching up. It's a small world! He is off home today after spending a few weeks in Myanmar.

We set off for South West Thailand tomorrow and some more chilled out Island time!

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Comments

[visakh]

name of the hotel in pattaya
hey... loved your article... we are travelling on the 27th to thailand and planning to spend the 29th night in pattaya.. do you remember the name of the hotel you stayed in pattaya.. we are looking for something of the same cost.. thank you

[Still Crazy]

Hi, glad you enjoyed our blogs. The place we stayed was called Ban Yooh, just a small hotel/ guest house. Unfortunately I have no idea of the address as we just stumbled across it but maybe a taxi driver would know, it was close to all the action, but not too close and very clean and comfortable. Let me know how you get on sorry I can't be of more help