Bribery a norm in S Korea
[QUOTE=GoodEnough;1946410]I hadn't realized that Korea had moved to become part of SE Asia. I must have missed that newsflash. Given that politics in Korea is likely cleaner than in many places in the West, I seriously doubt that Koreans have a natural talent in the area of bribery. I think they're often just smart businessmen who recognize a growing, affluent market here created by their fellow countrymen, and they're trying to capitalize on it.[/QUOTE]Bribery is a culture in S Korea. You can buy anything with bribery, even better school grades, better universities, promotion, contracts, just about anything. Bribery is not limited to just money, lunches and dinners, some are even lavished with cars, big wedding presents and also for funerals. It has been so bad, that only a couple of weeks ago, a law has been passed to limit the bribes. Lunches / dinner cannot be higher than 30,000 won, wedding and funeral gifts limited to 100 000 won etc. It's going to put a lot of expensive restaurants out of business in S Korea. They know the business of bribery.
5 days in Angeles (+some necessary days in Manila)
After long time of just following other mongers stories, I finally decided to share my own. I had my first mongering experience earlier in Pattaya, but this time headed for Angeles, as some fellow expats were traveling there also from China. In other words, I'm +30 Westerner working in China and decided to escape local National holiday period to better place. Sorry about short parts also in Manila, but they were more necessary evil in transfer process to Angeles. Long post ahead.
Arrival Day. Flying from Shanghai to Manila. With Typhoons raging, no surprise flight delayed, totally 4 hours. Finally arrive Manila in midnight, with customs totally full of people. Grab a taxi which despite all the warnings of rip-offs, runs by meter and takes 200 P from airport to H2 O hotel, next to Ocean Park and Rizal. Arrival after 1 o'clock, so fell too tired to go mongering.
Day 1 - Manila:
To have some material to show also to "less understanding" colleagues and friends, made a power tour of visiting all nearby sightseeing destinations, including Rizal, Fort Santiago, SM City Intramuros and two big churches there. Crew was filming some commercial just in front of the church with stunningly beautiful model. Good first sign of stock. With that out of the way, could focus on main agenda. Night time arrives and after reading reports from couple of sources, I set EDSA complex as my target. Planned to take taxi from H2 O to SM Mall of Asia, eat and walk from there to EDSA. This plan was immediately demolished as taxi that I jump in start immediately rip me off after driving short bit. Doesn't agree on using on meter and ask 400 P for the trip. Considering I paid less then 200 P for double as long trip from airport yesterday, I though fuck it, jumped out and start walking. Well, it wasn't short walk but I finally arrived EDSA around 8 o'clock, and instead mall, made pit stop to Burger King along the way. Totally empty of customers. I go around all of the 7 bars, checking stock and finally decide to sit down with chick in the bar immediately left side of the entrance. Girl wasn't stunner, but 8. However she was quite funny and easy to talk with strong GF vibe. Couple more drinks later I decided that with first real night, I can go with this. By this time, there started to circle some Japanese customers around bars, which was slightly surprising as I was expecting to see tons of Koreans. Barfine was high as also expected, 2000 P + 4000 P LT for the girl (starting price was 5000 P but managed to negotiate it down), but this I was OK also since following days would be much cheaper. When waiting the girl to change cloths, took one more stroll. Have to say quality had improved also in other bars and there were at least few stunners here and there. Small regret of making early decision. Back to hotel without major scamming by driver, two pops in the evening, one in the morning and I was very satisfied for the first service, very GF experience and could do her again.
Lesson learned= Don't do too quick pickup too early. - Total damage for 3 pops = 7000 P (2000 P BF + 4000 P girl + 1000 P drinks).
Day 2 - Angeles:
Departed to Angeles with Swagman hotel's bus. Traffic was absolutely horror in Manila's side and trip took bit over 4 hours. Met fellow expats who had picked up their long term girls already and head for dinner in Phillies sports bar just before Fields main walking street part. Good restaurant for street viewing with fellow mongers and chicks going back-and-forth. Also in front of the restaurant seemed to be main gathering point of lady boys. More frequent visitor expat told me that number of lady boys have increased a lot recently. Around same rate as Koreans have. 1+1=2? After dinner started bar hopping. Went to Atlantis and witnessed 4 chick pole dancing acrobatics for first time. Then some smaller bars and then dollhouse. After making too quick pick in Manila, didn't want to repeat same this night. Finally around 12 o'clock fellow expats were leaving and I was still only one without company. Dollhouse had nice selection earlier so I returned there. Quality had gone down a lot and all the stunners had been picked up already earlier. Started going smaller bars left side of Lancelot until one of the girls outside of the small bar looked good enough and I agreed buy her a drink inside. No idea of the bar name, but it was totally packed with people and girls. Completely opposite of dollhouse that was getting more empty. Drink one with the girl until spotted even better one on the stage. Invited her also over. Dumped the first girl and after more drinks, agreed BF with the stage girl. 2400 P. 21 years old mother of one with husband dead. Arrived to hotel where she quite early informed she need to return quite early back to her boyfriend, which somehow I had misread from earlier comments from dead husband. Total mood killer for me. One pop and I sent her home.
Lesson learned = Do proper interview of family situation in bar. - Total damage for 1 pop= 4000 P (2400 P BF + 1600 P drinks in multiple bars).
Day 3 - Angeles:
Girls were number one agenda, but getting wasted was high also in priorities. Started with expats drinking shortly after lunch time, first in hotel pool, then balcony and then in nearby sports bar while watching start of Formula. Around 4 o'clock (afternoon time) I started to feel rather drunken already so I waved to my friends and started early mongering this time from Perimeter. I had read good words about Candy Bar so decided to start there. Big group of Koreans occupied the place and had took all best looking girls. Remaining girls not worth it. Continued bar hopping one by one from Candy bar towards Fields. Started to be really drunk with having beers in multiple bars along the way. One bigger bar (perhaps Eruptions, not sure) had quite OK looking lady who I invited over to table. She was missing front teeth, but the girl herself was super funny. Also lots of joking about her missing teeth. She was really pushing me to take her and begged the BF of 1600 P. It was early evening and I couldn't really imagine shagging girl with teeth like that so skip. Short dinner, more drink and more drunk later I found myself again in Atlantis. One small girl, with nice body caught my eye, 27 why, mother of one, no husbands / boyfriends. After couple of drinks finally BF her. Unfortunately being super drunk started to turn against me. I agreed with her to continue go other normal bars to continue drinking and continued by KTV for just two of us. Finally I did something really really stupid. In drunken brilliance, I thought I want to travel with her to Arayt Mountain and send her to pick up exchange clothing from her home. She said she can do it, but she comes later in the morning due needing to take care of baby first. I sent her off, return hotel and collapsed to bed.
Lesson learned = Don't get too drunk and start doing too stupid things. - Total damage for 0 pops = A lot. Drinking started already way too early and should not be counted to "Mongering". Starting from Perimeter part likely around 7000 P (3000 P BF + 2000 P KTV & bar next to it + 2000 P drinks).
Day 4- Angeles:
With embarrassed hangover, told other expats what (didn't) happen last night. At least they had good time about it. Slow day time followed up again start of drinking bit after lunch. This time I promised myself not to use strong alcohols so early and just drink beer to stay in control. Around 4 o'clock I departed again and something really unexpected happened. I was a block away from walking street when somebody slap me on the head. The chick from yesterday! Just on the way to Atlantis for make-up, etc. She had actually come to my hotel in morning time, but staff couldn't contact me (too deep sleep) so she wasn't let in, I even double check this story later and guards admitted girl visiting there. Props to security + cons for my missing morning pop. After some apologizing to girl, I agreed paying her BF for this day to partly make up my own mess-ups. Then we made you-turn and went back to hotel for quick pops. Took her to dinner also followed up some light bar drinking and one more pop in the hotel. She told again after that, that she need to visit home to check her baby who is sick at the moment. Still feeling bit shamed of previous day, I agreed. She told me she will return later morning like she did previously. This time I instructed security to let her in directly.
Lesson learned = Some unexpected turn of events can occur. - Total damage for 2 pops = 5000 P (3000 P BF + 1000 P dinner +1000 P drinks).
Day 5 - Angeles:
Woke up rather late, but girl not returned. OK, perhaps now we were even and that's it. Tried calling her also but no answer. Proceeded with breakfast in Kokomo and just the minute I have my breakfast served, same chick calls and tells me she is now at the hotel. Picked her up for breakfast which after returned to hotel. She looked absolutely devastated and told had not slept at all during night while taking care the kid. Quick pop, but then she slept most of the day in my hotel bed. I didn't dare to leave her to room alone so just doing other stuff such as reading book. Before dinner took her with me to had drinks with expats, followed by actual dinner. At the same moment, my major issue started, lack of money. My MasterCard was rejected in all ATM's I tried and finally Central Park Tower's ATM ate the whole card. Staff told that only Security bank officials can take it out and that will take time. Loaned some money from other expats so good to go for now. Same chick had been helping this whole time, so again I felt some gratitude so I once more BF her, especially as she told me that after 3 BF days she could have free day. I was considering it as a buy 3 get 1 for free and agreed. While paying her nightly BF in Atlantis, continued drinking there also. Have to say today there was one absolutely stunner in the stage, perhaps the best looking girl I had seen in whole trip. When I mentioned her to my girl also, she said that stunner does only Koreans. I could see that, because many Westerners tried choosing her, but she rejected them all. Finally some Korean in the first floor (I was sitting in second floor) chose her and she happily departed with him shortly after. More drinks and back to hotel. Opposite of being dead fish and being bit drunk, Atlantis girl this time fucked like an animal. Perhaps best sex I had ever had in my life.
Lesson learned = Cash is the king, avoid using credit cards in Angeles. - Total damage for 2 pops = 5500 P (3000 P BF + 1000 P dinner +1500 P drinks).
Day 6 - Angeles:
As usual, A. Chick always had some difficulties with schedules. Early morning she got call from her mother, asking her to come home. Could hear her son screaming on the background like crazy. Let her go, but before that we agreed that she would also accompany me next day to Manila for one day stay. Would need to leave early morning, so she should return around afternoon. Same time my expat friends were leaving, so had final drinks and continued swimming by myself in pool. Time passed on and no word from my A. Chick. Dinner time passed also and went to Kokomo to eat alone while admiring the street view. Finally after dinner and still no word from the A. Girl, I considered myself dumped and thus free to roam again. I was bouncing between Lancelot, Club XS and one bar next to them, until saw absolutely one of the cutest girls so far in the stage. Super shy and danced like shit. Chose her. One of the worst English speakers so far (which is still great compared to most of the Asia). She turned out to be 19 years old, who just started working couple days ago. Also she claimed that I was first customer to truly chat with her, no BFs also so far. I didn't take this too seriously but decided still to go along with it and BF her. While she was changing, Mama-san came to me multiple times and made me swear that I would be kind to her, because she was her youngest girl (that I believed) and not been BF yet (bit harder to believe). I also started to worry is she perhaps younger than they are telling and double-checked her ID. Matched, so all good to go. Back to hotel and one of strangest shagging I have ever had. She was indeed super shy, which made me bit believe that I really might've been her first BFiner. Atlantis chick was definitely better in bed, but this shy girl I was "almost" ready to marry. Very kind, cute and funny all in same baggage. But again, she also had baby, with small marks in belly to prove it. Already earlier evening she said she need to return earlier to take care the baby which I was fine, since I sleep best alone. One more "special" pop and I escorted her out. I really wanted to exchange contact details with her, but beside being new, she seem to come from very poor background. No own cellphone and she was using her mother's shitty old Nokia phone. No clear idea either if she could use email / apps (or even had heard of ones). A shame, but almost reason itself for me the return later again and likely search her.
Lesson learned = Even after thinking you have found good girl, there are always better available. - Total damage for 2 pops = 3500 P (3000 P BF +500 P drinks).
Day 7 - Manila:
My final full day and departure back to Manila. I still gave final call attempt to Atlantis girl but no success, so I jumped to bus (this time from Central Park Tower) and head back to Manila. While in bus, Atlantis girl naturally calls me and ask if she can still join me. Explained that she had to take the kid to hospital previous day and she couldn't give me single call / message during it. Perhaps truth, perhaps not. She also gave me video call in which I have to admit she looked again totally destroyed without any sleep in long time. Background of place she lived looked terrible. Too late at that point so I said my final bye-byes to her. Night time with barely any money left due my MasterCard issues, decided to simply have stroll in LA Cafe and see the offering. Arrived there around 8 o'clock. Not satisfied at all. Had couple of drinks and stayed total of two hours. During that time I saw exactly two girls that I would want to shag, other one being directly taken to one Filipino group's pool table (friend or outside ordered escort, no idea) and other one was just stalking for Koreans, no eye contact on Westerners. Speaking of which, two Koreans did walk in and around 10 "best" looking girls immediately surrounded them. Nothing like that happened to any Westerners. After one round of drinking, Koreans left together with one girl, rest of the girls returning disappointingly to their posts. I considered this also as sign for me to retreat, left and walked back to my hotel near Rizal park.
Lesson learned = Head for the EDSA if want potential beauties but only if you ready to also seriously pay for them. - Total damage 0 pops= 500 P (500 P drinks).
Departure and final comments. Took the taxi from Waterfront to airport, meter working and totally damaging 186 P. No problems in airport and quick return to Shanghai. All in all I was satisfied with the trip. Constant "Single mothers" made my life more difficult, but last two chicks were both excellent in different ways. Atlantis girl due "girlfriend" experience, including all of its headaches with schedule issues + stunning sex on one of the evenings and shy girl due very different and unique experience. If / When I come back, I really hope I can find "shy girl+", who would not have kids yet. That could be closest to perfect package for me that small sum of money can buy, but perhaps too much demanded. Compared to Pattaya, average level of girls was lower, due some Angeles bars having real swamp things and fatties in the stage, which are mostly absent in Pattaya's walking street Go-go bars. Something for everyone's tastes I guess. However Angeles girls offered much more of GF experience, while Pattaya everything felt more like simple business transactions. Another matter of noting was the Koreans vs Westerners. Often I could see Koreans walking together with drop dead gorgeous stunners, while Westerners with more average level girls. I assume Westerners have their more long term partners vs Koreans hitting the bars immediately on opening hours and picking the best pieces. Need to try next time the same. Pattaya I might return, but Angeles I will definitely return.