Angeles City

[Dg8787]

Holy amigo Pedro.

Looks like they are all out to scam you. Some hotels do charge for the 3rd and extra person. Kind of standard hotel policies. Should have touched the blood and licked your finger and said, nope it is old blood!

Newer trikes passenger cages are framed with 1 1/2 to 2 inches stainless steel pipes. That is the code now. Lot safer than the old 1" pipes. I have found most trike drivers to be relatively safe. It may look like chaos but it is controlled chaos. Haven't seen any road rage amongst the trikes.

Keep skanking on!

[Wicked Roger]

Let me tell you what I already know.

A. I was charged 500 PHP extra at Juanita's for having two women. I also got stung in another for dirty sheets (one of them had her period), and they tried to stiff me again, saying the sheets were dirty / red even though I had had nobody stay with me. I dropped my pants to them when checking out. This is a feature of many hotels, trying to fleece you with extras. Beware and maybe ask in advance.

B19. Other mongers: As I didn't go there to bang them,. I avoided them mostly. One of the things wrong with bars is Australians with tattoos think they have a right to talk to you and explain in detail to you what morons they are. One asshole who hung around the hotel bar annoyed everyone one by one with h is tale of woe..

You are a charmer PM and am sure the mongers happy you did not engage with them. Angeles is what is it is and I don't like it for some of the reasons you noted (singlet wearing westerners, not just Aussie as most are American). And 500 pesos is $10 - you pay way more to get there so don't ***** about $10 as makes you sound like a cheap charlie LOL.

[PedroMorales]

Boys can we take this petty crime and less than armed robbery debate to General Info?

PedroMorales you got enough valuable info and insights here to make a wise decision for yourself.

In the event you go to Angeles I hope you will file a report on the girls.

Let me tell you what I already know.

1. Getting there and away: we are discusisng that now with respect to petty crime.

2. Hotels:

A. I was charged 500 PHP extra at Juanita's for having two women. I also got stung in another for dirty sheets (one of them had her period), and they tried to stiff me again, saying the sheets were dirty / red even though I had had nobody stay with me. I dropped my pants to them when checking out. This is a feature of many hotels, trying to fleece you with extras. Beware and maybe ask in advance.

Be. Hotel Fenson as it now calls itself is ok, a bit away from Fields which suits me. Rooms were basic as were the skanks for hire in the bar. Western food ok for a change.

3. Transport: Jeepneys are ok. Trikes are a hepatitis danger if you get hit. They are inconsiderate bad drivers. Can't stand them. The trikes by Fenson are a different class as they sit and wait for custom.

4. Food: Good local food available and worth it for the price conscious. Big fish for PHP 100.

5. Haircuts / laundry: Plenty of good service. The shears / iron scissors are a laugh. Very pppular in Philippines but would be good for cooking up fried chickens.

6. Clothes shopping: It seems to be they no longer do the big sizes. I got some bargains – very expensive shoes – in 2nd hand shops. The cheap place in Angeles was a waste of my time as nothing fitted me and I am not particularly big.

7. Exchange rates: vary significantly. Ask around.

8. Street urchins: a nuisance.

9. Jailbait gangs: hang out with very ugly third sexers. I hung out with my two skanks observing them and those they attracted. There is an obvious market there for lamb. The ones I observed look definitely like traps.

10. Bars: Outside of morning coffee, I can't stand the places though I do find their outfits hilarious /.

11. Street scams: I can't stand the Viagra sellers and must confess to getting caught twice: once for getting my shoes shined and buying a fake phone. Agree on price beforehand and don't buy shtt off the street.

12. Bareback was not an issue. Only one,. A bar skank, insisted on cover.

13. Clap: I got a mild case of chlamydia. If it happens to you, go to the hospital and don't waste your time with the clinics.

14. Clap treatment: I took double dosage of the recommended generic drug and I gave the rest away to my preferred skank. I just went into a few pharmacies with the same prescription. Be advised the hospital doctor recommended only two generics and said the others were useless.

15. Clap at home. I got a thorough checkout when I returned home and was cleared for everything. So I'm good to go again.

16. Skank quality: Iprefer street walkers, chatting to them and sizing them up. I fed the main two at, for them, a high end restaurant (Jollybees) and then went karaok'ing with them which was fun even though I go drunk on Red Horse. They enjoyed the night but became too clingy afterwards as I was one of their rare meal tickets.

A. I liked one of my main skanks and paid her well. I liked listening to tales of her hard life and what I paid her was worth that alone. The last time I bonked her (with a condom) I paid her what she siad was the biggest she ever got in her life). I hope to see her again and might treat her to a trip home – if she is not disease ridden.

Be. Her wing woman and the one to get her into the game is a lost cause. Pregnant with her third child, lives at home and gambles the nights away when she has money, her kids are half feral and get fed occasionally.

See. Hotel skanks: They have their own little scene going and I don't like to be in such clubs. Better staying out of them as we tip them money would best be given to a real worker as a tip.

17.

Best: Angeles is just a place to puss it up,. Many frequent flyers have already made a baby there and they return to see their lady and drink an ocean of beer and hang out where they can flaunt their sexism and say naughty words like fggk and cyynt in bars without getting booted out.

Worst: Angeles is a one horse town and it does not even have the grace of Pattaya. It is a small area and the trikes and vendors are a real pain in the ass. Unlike Pattaya it has no way of going upmarket or changing its image. It is simply a place to go and bonk poor farmers' daughters and take a bunch of anti biotics afterwards.

18. My performance: I just wanted to bang a lot of chicks until the urge passed. So it worked for me.

19. Other mongers: As I didn't go there to bang them,. I avoided them mostly. One of the things wrong with bars is Australians with tattoos think they have a right to talk to you and explain in detail to you what morons they are. One asshole who hung around the hotel bar annoyed everyone one by one with h is tale of woe.

A. His girlfriend aka hired working girl was up in Subic banfging some guy and asking him for more $$.

B. He had already given her a very substantial sum of $$ for the right to bang her on her off days from Mr Tuk Tuk.

C. This guy was the wrong side of 60, looked older, had a bum leg and dressed like he was a hand on an outback sheep station.

D. Everyone told him what he already knew: that he was pay for play and he should f – off back to Australia. He's given her access to his bank account etc. Or maybe he'the given access to his ex wife. Either way he was screwed. The guy refused to see he had no game on and all he could bring was his pension money. I don't go to Angeles to listen to fools like him.

20. Happy hours: May Australia pensioners hit the bars for happy hour and then vanish. They are long term residents and have their own beer swilling culture afoot.

21. More information. Not much. I go to Angeles to bang women in a cost effective way. For that, I need to get there, have a hotel that is fit for purpose and a steady supply of women to suit my needs. I feel this is best done by just getting the right one for the occasion and ramming her. Unless women are genuinely into 3 some, we are paying two to get less than 1 can give us.

In the event you go to Angeles I hope you will file a report on the girls.

I am not too much bothered about their looks and I see no point in paying much extra for supposed stunners half of Korea have already humped. I find their back stories interesting but diminishing returns etc I find many of them are bonked out and are too jaded with sex to put in the effort.

[Dg8787]

Boys can we take this petty crime and less than armed robbery debate to General Info?

PedroMorales you got enough valuable info and insights here to make a wise decision for yourself.

In the event you go to Angeles I hope you will file a report on the girls.

[PedroMorales]

I've now been traveling for more than 40 years, throughout all of SE Asia, a good part of Africa, much of Eastern Europe as well as Western Europe. I've lived / worked / traveled in 55 or 56 countries, and in all of those times, and through all of those countries was robbed exactly once-in Paris, in broad daylight, on one of the nicest areas of the left bank. I've never had problems anywhere in Thailand or the Philippines, despite having walked solo throughout Angeles City several times. Perhaps I've just been lucky, or perhaps it's the fact that in third world countries I never take public transportation. For me, it's not an "adventure" but an uncomfortable, easily avoidable hassle. I carry nothing but a credit or debit card, a driver's license and enough cash to get me through the night and I take a private car or a taxi to wherever I'm going.

GE.

When the Nazi officer tells Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca that Germany will also invade the USA, Bogart quips back there are places in the USA no one should invade as they're all mad gang bangers etc. Soi 6 in Pattaya is very much a walk on the wild side from 3-6 am and it and the beach are best avoided. We are trying to get a happy medium here and jeepneys etc help us to monitor our expenditure rather than constantly arguing with taxi / tuktuk / trike drivers we imagine are out to stiff us. I actually like public transport up to a point and I've caught several trying to dip me on them.

Avoiding little scams can also make us prey to bigger scams. The key thing is to be alert, to have a good idea what to expect and to have good situational awareness. Some places like Soi 6 or Dau station in the early hours leave no room for evasive action and that is the nub. Going native is fine as long as one remembers one is not a native and one is vulnerable, all the more so if in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Charm City Dave]

I've only traveled in 36 countries, and agree your number can be punched anywhere. I'm reminded of Haing S. Ngor--who survived the savage horrors of the Khmer Rouge before starring in "The Killing Fields, he was shot to death outside his apartment near Dodger Stadium in LOS Angeles by robbers looking for drug money. I was held up at gun point in Rio in 2003 1/2 block from my hotel. I had very little money on me and swear I could see the gunman deciding whether I was worth a bullet or not. And have been victim of petty theft a few times including a Therma chick who stole my cell phone in my hotel room right under my nose. I tend not to take public transportation unless I know a city well, as I do when I spend a month or more in Medellin. I do agree with the carrying the bare minimum when out and about. I have a 2nd 'older' cell phone that provides me data while out and about and runs off my project Fi provided spare sim card. The thing I always agonize about is taking the passport with me. Getting stopped without it (even with a copy of the ID page or drivers license) can lead to awful hassles in many parts of the world. Of course having it stolen can be its own nightmare.

I've now been traveling for more than 40 years, throughout all of SE Asia, a good part of Africa, much of Eastern Europe as well as Western Europe. I've lived / worked / traveled in 55 or 56 countries, and in all of those times, and through all of those countries was robbed exactly once-in Paris, in broad daylight, on one of the nicest areas of the left bank. I've never had problems anywhere in Thailand or the Philippines, despite having walked solo throughout Angeles City several times. Perhaps I've just been lucky, or perhaps it's the fact that in third world countries I never take public transportation. For me, it's not an "adventure" but an uncomfortable, easily avoidable hassle. I carry nothing but a credit or debit card, a driver's license and enough cash to get me through the night and I take a private car or a taxi to wherever I'm going.

GE.

[GoodEnough]

My own experiences in the past 30 years of international travel. 2 attempts in Mazatlan on the same day. Once on the street 2 guys were getting ready to do a snatch as one waved money in my face while the other tried to sneak up behind me. Then on the bus back to the hotel a pickpocket had his hand all the way in my front pocket where I keep my money. I turned to tell my girl that our stop was next and felt it. Tight jeans too. He removed his hand and tried to look invisible. We got off the bus without further commotion. In Bangkok a trio of adolescent Cambo girls waved flowers in my face while removing small bills from my shirt pocket. Since we all look alike they tried it on me again 20 minutes later. I caught the oldest and did not let go until the police arrived. Some do-good English speaking Thai woman told me I could not restrain the girl. The police were happy to get her though. They claim they deported her. They were all back on the street 2 days later. I too was picked on the baht bus in Pattaya. They got my passport with $300 US in it from a buttoned cargo pocket. Lesson learned on that location. 2 women tried to pick me in a Thai supermarket as one asked me about cheese I was looking at while the other came up behind me. If it seems weird. Look around.

I've now been traveling for more than 40 years, throughout all of SE Asia, a good part of Africa, much of Eastern Europe as well as Western Europe. I've lived / worked / traveled in 55 or 56 countries, and in all of those times, and through all of those countries was robbed exactly once-in Paris, in broad daylight, on one of the nicest areas of the left bank. I've never had problems anywhere in Thailand or the Philippines, despite having walked solo throughout Angeles City several times. Perhaps I've just been lucky, or perhaps it's the fact that in third world countries I never take public transportation. For me, it's not an "adventure" but an uncomfortable, easily avoidable hassle. I carry nothing but a credit or debit card, a driver's license and enough cash to get me through the night and I take a private car or a taxi to wherever I'm going.

GE.

[Crazy4Thai]

My own experiences in the past 30 years of international travel. 2 attempts in Mazatlan on the same day. Once on the street 2 guys were getting ready to do a snatch as one waved money in my face while the other tried to sneak up behind me. Then on the bus back to the hotel a pickpocket had his hand all the way in my front pocket where I keep my money. I turned to tell my girl that our stop was next and felt it. Tight jeans too. He removed his hand and tried to look invisible. We got off the bus without further commotion. In Bangkok a trio of adolescent Cambo girls waved flowers in my face while removing small bills from my shirt pocket. Since we all look alike they tried it on me again 20 minutes later. I caught the oldest and did not let go until the police arrived. Some do-good English speaking Thai woman told me I could not restrain the girl. The police were happy to get her though. They claim they deported her. They were all back on the street 2 days later. I too was picked on the baht bus in Pattaya. They got my passport with $300 US in it from a buttoned cargo pocket. Lesson learned on that location. 2 women tried to pick me in a Thai supermarket as one asked me about cheese I was looking at while the other came up behind me. If it seems weird. Look around.

[GreenBud]

Getting an attempted robbery is not that bad experience in my books, it goes with the territory of traveling.

LOL! Really?

I don't think you should travel, if you REALLY get robbed all the time. LOL!

Since I've started traveling extensively from the late 90's, I've been robbed twice, both non-violent. Once I was picked on the Songthaew bus in Pattaya. Luckily, it was just before I was going to the ATM. Only lost about $40. The other time was in Angeles couple of years ago. I went into a jeepney at the main station at the end of Fields. One guy came and sat next to me, forcing me closer to the other guy. It was way too crowded, even for Pinoy standards. This raised my rip-off alarm. I had my hands on my wallet and cell phone in my pockets. At mid-way, they got off, and I realized they took my coin purse which had about 80 cents. Due to principle, that episode was very irritating. I hate to be robbed.

Knew and heard of guys who ended up in the ER or with worse injuries and loses.

Geez! I don't meet those type of people. Of course you read about those stories, if you read a lot. Crime happens in almost every city in the world.

I was Bangkok several weeks back and taking some friends around and could not believe the number of scammers around nowadays. Different type of robbery. Just a silver tongue.

LOL! Robberies and scams must follow you around. LOL! How many scams are there? Years ago, they had the jem scam. Are they still around? Once I met a Nigerian that wanted to talk business with me. Supposedly he was rich, but he was taking the cheap non A/C buses. LOL! Then you have the touts that wants to take you to the massage places for their commission. Not really a scam, IMO. Then you have the rip-off ping pong shows at Patpong. That's a scam that's still around.

Are you that same "guy" that's writing that it's suicide to go out after midnight in Phnom Penh? That guy is a moron.

[Bushes]

Wait a motherfucking got damn minute. I, for one, am not about to let this bullshit slide by. You mean to say that someone has tried to rob you MORE than 8 different times in MORE than 8 different places? I have been to all of the places that you name many times over and not once has anyone attempted to rob me, and I have been known to hang in some shady ass places.

This shit right here lets me know that it just may not be the place as much as it is the person. Do yourself a favor. Next time one of these attempts is made, tell the robber to pause. Tell him that you will give him all of your money, no problem. But tell him to first tell you why does everyone keep trying to fucking rob you wherever you go. You need answers dude. And believe it or not, PI is not the only place where robbers carry guns.

Man you are confusing the shit out of us. First you say someone has tried to rob you more than 8 times, then you say you have not had any bad experiences. Do you not count being robbed as a bad experience? I don't know what kind of security you have been practicing, but if it had caused me to get robbed more than 8 times, then I would consider switching it up. I don't practice any stinking security and again have never had anyone try to rob me.

Wow. Sorry for the confusion.

The security article is written in another ISG thread. I think Colombia.

Getting an attempted robbery is not that bad experience in my books, it goes with the territory of traveling. Unfortunately, it is still common in the US and many other places. I cannot control it so I just accept it as a price of living or traveling. No ER visits or police station visits or major loses. Knew and heard of guys who ended up in the ER or with worse injuries and loses.

I actually avoid dangerous places, to a degree but I do take calculated risks. What I am is very aware of my surroundings and that is what allowed me to escape most attempts or see it coming. In most of the cases I was either alone or effectively alone; meaning I would not be able to depend on my companion to fight. In a couple of the cases, it was my companion that was the primary target.

Sometimes I know I am a target because I am in a suit or carrying expensive accessories. I am also long in the tooth so have be trekking around a long time.

You are fortunate if you have not had any attempts. I was Bangkok several weeks back and taking some friends around and could not believe the number of scammers around nowadays. Different type of robbery. Just a silver tongue.

As for the PI, I don't take the buses as many in this thread do. I travel with too much tech. I don't have a safe place to leave it if I need to travel between cities.

[Mr Enternational]

In New York, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Athens, Jakarta and Manila are just some of the places where attempts have been made on me.

The PI is different because some do have guns.

Wait a motherfucking got damn minute. I, for one, am not about to let this bullshit slide by. You mean to say that someone has tried to rob you MORE than 8 different times in MORE than 8 different places? I have been to all of the places that you name many times over and not once has anyone attempted to rob me, and I have been known to hang in some shady ass places.

This shit right here lets me know that it just may not be the place as much as it is the person. Do yourself a favor. Next time one of these attempts is made, tell the robber to pause. Tell him that you will give him all of your money, no problem. But tell him to first tell you why does everyone keep trying to fucking rob you wherever you go. You need answers dude. And believe it or not, PI is not the only place where robbers carry guns.

Someone on ISG posted security suggestions which is similar to what I have practiced for several decades. Knock on wood, I have not had any bad experiences.

Man you are confusing the shit out of us. First you say someone has tried to rob you more than 8 times, then you say you have not had any bad experiences. Do you not count being robbed as a bad experience? I don't know what kind of security you have been practicing, but if it had caused me to get robbed more than 8 times, then I would consider switching it up. I don't practice any stinking security and again have never had anyone try to rob me.

[PedroMorales]

Getting the bus from Dau bus station to Manila during the day is a real hassle. First you get a trike to the station from AC. Then trying to actually get your luggage stowed in the hold and yourself onto the crowded bus is a nightmare, particularly with a swarm of street urchins circling. The street urchins are either trying to go through your pockets or trying to get your luggage stowed in return for a tip. There's just too much pushing and shoving trying to get on and you don't know if your luggage has been stolen or is safe until you get to Manila.

I now just get the taxi from margarita station which is around 2,600.

Last time, the bus from Dau to Pasay and the airport worked a charm. Finished bonking, gave the skank a tip and a pat of the bum to send her on her way, trike to Dau, bus to Pasay and a shuttle bus (150 PHP?) parked next to my bus to the airport. Perfect logistically even if the Manila traffic was awful. I tend to pack light and defensively, keeping all valuables close to hand. I have met guys in Thailand who lost everything (so they said). Once, getting a night time taxi from Pattaya to the airport, the guy stopped mid way and a guy got into the back seat. I was ready to fight to the death (stupidly) but it was just a mate of his.

The money aside, it is these crowds we try to avoid as we get older. In London a bus driver told me how junkies try to regularly rob his cargo. On a long trip up the Mekong, the bus driver motioned me at every stop to watch my stuff.

I can handle most bus station chaos and I always try to keep an eye on where my stuff is (ditto going through airport security) but the early hours with luggage would mean I run too high a chance of being in someone's cross hairs. And I have got stories form reputable sources in Pampanga.

[Engine Driver]

I think bus travelling is safe but the early hours are not worth the risk. If the wrong people clap eyes on me at 3 am at Dau, my race is run. 99 times out of 100 it would be safe but I don't want to be Mr 100. I'll stay in Manila where I have an interesting playmate.

Getting the bus from Dau bus station to Manila during the day is a real hassle. First you get a trike to the station from AC. Then trying to actually get your luggage stowed in the hold and yourself onto the crowded bus is a nightmare, particularly with a swarm of street urchins circling. The street urchins are either trying to go through your pockets or trying to get your luggage stowed in return for a tip. There's just too much pushing and shoving trying to get on and you don't know if your luggage has been stolen or is safe until you get to Manila.

I now just get the taxi from margarita station which is around 2,600.

[Bushes]

It still happens.

Random and opportunistic. It happens often in jeepneys.

Last one that I recall on a bus occurred along EDSA in the middle of busy traffic near the turn off to the SLEX past Magallanes around June/July this year.

Two guys in a team. They were thwarted by an off-duty rookie cop who became a hero by tackling one of the guys and got himself shot in the foot for his trouble.

Despite ones logical assumptions about quiet and out of the way places, my friend in the NBI tells me that the most likely place where crimes occur are in the really busy places where there are lots of people which allows the crooks to escape easily into the crowds. That happened to me in front of SM Megamall in a crowd of people when I was divested of some possessions. No chance of pursuit. They vanished into the swarm of people.

IMHO, happens everywhere but more frequently in some places. My experience is that you will receive almost no help, if you are by yourself, whether it is a developed or third world country. Most people that come at you will have at least one accomplice. In New York, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Athens, Jakarta and Manila are just some of the places where attempts have been made on me.

Raising attention does not bring official or non official assistance in time. I have tired raising a commotion while following the people as they tried to disappear into the crowd or go down side streets (I ain't that stupid). Assistance, if any, will arrive too late usually. Weapons were not usually used in busy areas. Never go down deserted streets unless you have to and, on those occasions walk down the center of the street so you can see people approaching and hopefully you can out run the assailants.

The PI is different because some do have guns. Whether or not they will successfully fire is another issue.

Someone on ISG posted security suggestions which is similar to what I have practiced for several decades. Knock on wood, I have not had any bad experiences.

[Shark5]

Not something I'm going to do when I can arrange for a car via the hotel that will get me there safe and sound for $50 USD or 2700 pesos. I don't think saving $40 is worth the trouble or risk when I don't know my way around.

When I was in Manila a few weeks ago I found lots of taxi's wanting 2,500 php to go to Angeles and some even offering to go for 2,000.