Phuket and it is surprisingly busy. A lot of Ladyboys I photographed in the past have gone home for low season. The bars are full of families and couples on holiday. Patong Beach has become less and less a naughty playground since the tsunami. There are loads of Aussies and Germans, a few Brits. I didn’t hear many American though.

Pattaya is a ghost town. I think Pattaya’s reputation as Sin City is in its last leg. Whet is Ironic is I think that the “dirty old whore mongering men” are the tourist attraction now. I saw more Families than punters. I was looking for a Vacation Rental there and went on www.tripadvisor.com and you get hotel reviews as well. I was reading a review of the Nova Lodge.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293919-d447138-r16868704-Nova_Lodge-Pattaya.html

read the first 2 reviews they are hilarious. I don’t know if the Travel Agencies are selling Pattaya as a family place, but of they are it is not a place for young kids.

Bangkok is slow. Every low season I hear the usual complaints about this is the worst on record or I have never seen it this bad. I have to say it is dead. The lady who owns the salon I go to said she may close after 10 years because she has no customers. I also think that many landlords are raising rates because of all of the build up of the Sukhumvit from Sio 1 to 71. This whole area is growing an unsustainable rate (my opinion). Those of you that have been here and taken the Sky Train will remember the skeleton of a building at the Nana station. It just sold for a record price for land in Bangkok http://www.propertyexpat.org/?l=en&a=299385.

It’s a small world after all.

I have a few small world stories. They also pertain to how small Hawaii is as a state. I will give examples of 2, the most recent first.

I was in a taxi going from the Phuket airport to Patong beach. As we are driving the taxi stops in the middle of the road and blocks traffic before a police road block I’m thinking Rocket scientist! He jumps out of the car and and goes to another cab. It appears that another taxi has broken down. Since their aren’t that many meter taxis in Phuket they all know each other it was his friend. He decides to take his friends fare in the same cab as mine. I of course renegotiate the rate. On a side bar, they have you over a barrel they inflate the taxi rate because they know you don’t have any choice. Do not feel at all bad about trying to negotiate or renegotiate if something happens that gives you the advantage. The guy gets in the car he is Asian with long hair. We start to talk and it ends up he is also from Hawaii. He is from Maui but he lived right down the street from where I live now before he moved to Phuket.

There are only about one million people in all of the eight islands that make up the main Hawaiian Islands. To meet people from Hawaii when I travel is rare but to have someone plop down at random in the same taxi as me it freaky.

Story 2 2006

Seanchai and I went on a trip of discovery to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and while I have to say it was a disappointment from a shooting standpoint, I had a great time with some friends that I know there. We went to some great restaurants that ran the gamut of ambiance. We went to an outdoor restaurant that the owner hunted the duck that was on the menu. His wife had a way to prepare it (I think part of it was beating it into submission) that made taste as good as filet mignon. Of course being by the sea the fish was spectacular. We also went to a restaurant that carries a Michelin Star. It was decadent, I had a Foie Gras starter and for my main Sweet breads with beef tongue. I was in gastronomic heaven. We ended the evening with a 1996 Trinidad Fundadores and espresso. Lovely.

But I digress from my small world story. Seanchai left early because of the drought of shooting and I went home a few days later. On the flight from PV to San Francisco their was a flight attendant who was Asian. Hawaii has a pretty distinctive accent if you know what to listen for. I heard the accent and asked her where was she from. She said “Honolulu” I told her so was I. She came back after the flight had taken off and asked me where in Honolulu. I told her and she said the used to live on the same road. She asked the address and I told her. She left and went back to work. About 30 min later she came up to me and proceeded to describe my house to a tee. I told her that she just described my house. She told me she used to rent my house! Needless to say I was floored. On a flight nowhere near Hawaii I meet someone who used to rent my house!

By the way I will get the names of the restaurants in PV from my friend down there.

If you happen to go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and you do fancy a cigar. I have never seen a better selection of truly vintage cigars any where in the world than at the Casa Del Habana in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Address Aldama 170
Phone 322/223-2758

Makati City Manila, Philippians
Don’t go Makati if you are looking for GGs I went to 2 bars in the so called red light district on P. Burgos St. and nothing much to look at. Each bar the girl said the bar fine was 10 drinks. That is $3000 pesos so you put that and paying the girl and you are up to almost $150.00 US, which is ludicrous.

I did have an interesting side trip. I went to a comedy bar in Ortega to meet a TS and was surprised that this Karaoke bar has 2 TS’ that work there full time as performers. They sing in between customers. It was great I highly recommend it. She told me that most comedy bars have either TS or female impersonators working. She also said these girls are not pros they are girls with jobs, so if you have a little courage and maybe a little game check out these club you might find a cool girl that isn’t looking to fleece you.

When your anywhere in the Philippines watch your taxi drivers like a hawk. I got in a cab asked for the meter I was in the back seat it looked like he turned it on but he just turned on a little red light. I got to my destination and he said $200 P I knew it should only be 100P so I started to argue with him. Luckily the TS I was meeting was there and came and gave the driver shit or I would have been SOL. I don’t mind the money it is the principle. Don’t take for granted that I am a stupid foreigner. I will be venturing out when I finish my shooting schedule.

I found most of my models online. I did my home work searched out the dating websites and came across quite a few. Makati has some street walker TS but no bars. Be careful when venturing out on the side streets. Don’t forget that some of these girls have the strength of men and you are a target for them.

If you go to the Starbucks in Glorietta shopping center and exit up the alley that runs along side the Sangri-la hotel you cross the street at the cross walk and continue on the back street that runs behind the Peninsula Hotel You can find TS along this road after 7:00pm (I couldn’t find the name because the street sign was down). If you want GG’s at the end of this street across from the Mandarin Oriental hotel there is a watch box (a place police are during the day.) there are always girls there from 8:00pm on. Last night I took a girl from here and it was P1500 ($30.00us) for anything I wanted. She gave a great very enthusiastic blow job that almost brought me to climax and great shag (her name is Irie maybe she is a Rastafarian).

These are some samples of a naughty girl I shot on this trip.

I walk almost every day between Asok and soi 4 (Nana). Last night it was raining I was smoking a cigar and I had an umbrella so I decided to walk back to my hotel. I some times stay at the Hotel Citadines Sukhumvit which is on Soi 16. I was on the odd side of the street looking at all of the girls and food stalls.

As I passed Robinson’s and crossed the road close to the stairs going up to the Asok BTS station. This kid maybe 9 or 10 carrying roses walks up to me and proceeds to impede my path. Really pushing into me. I looked around to see if he was trying to push me somewhere for others to pounce but their was nothing around. I physically pushed him away a couple of times then I felt him trying to get into my front pocket. I grabbed his wrist and twisted it pretty hard. I wanted to slap him on the back of the head but I knew 50 Thais would come out of the wood work and beat the shit out of me. I stepped on his slipper and kicked it into the street he went after it and I kept walking.

Like I said the kid was between 8 and 10. Short spiky hair carrying Roses. Their is a family of people living under the overpass here. A couple of the kids try to clean windscreens and this one picks pockets.

I tried to find police, I know they wouldn’t do anything but they might scare the kid.

A tip from Frank when you travel keep the thinest profile wallet you can. Keep your money and your wallet separate. The best and cheapest anti-theft device you can have on your person is a rubber band. Wrap this around your wallet and cash you will feel it tugging against you pocket before you feel the hand of a pro.

F

I did my first visa run since I started coming to Thailand. I am not living here, however I am staying her longer then a month. So unless you want to pay 1000THB a day for an over stay fine. You can head for the Cambodian border. I went on a bus from a company that had daily service to the Poi Pet border crossing. It leaves at 5:00 am and comes back about 3:00pm the same day.

Being my first time I realized shortly after the Bus departed I was not adequately prepared. I brought an eye shade, a book, and a large bottle of water. What I forgot was ear plugs. The droning engine noise kept me awake and since I didn’t sleep the night before because of the 4:30 meeting time. I am throughly exhausted. The bus ride is about three and a half hours each way. You arrive at the border and you are ushered across. This company had vans pick you up from there and take you to a casino on the Khmer side. There you wait for about an hour and a half, you have a brunch (not that good) and either play the slots or wait for the trip back across the border.

I know Thailand is a prosperous country at the moment, however you realy realize it once you step across the border. You go from clean streets with motorbikes and trucks on the Thai side to human powered carts and bicycles on the Khmer. The streets are dirty on the Khmer side as are the people and abject poverty is visible everywhere. While sometime in Thailand you say to yourself “How does anything ever get accomplished here.” then you see that it could be much worse.

On the way back the company showed a couple of movies and dropped us off at a variety of different spots in the city. I would definitely make this trip again if I needed to maybe next time I’ll take my camera, they also have a trip to the Laos border. Maybe I’ll try that.

After having the problem with Fon the night before I was real reluctant to photograph Paula. Usually a hair cut this short isn’t for fashion on a ladyboy. It is because she was sent to jail for some reason. Usually drugs or abuse or something. Paula insisted that it was a choice and not because she went to “monkey farm”. While I didn’t believe her I took a chance, and as I have heard all of my life your initial feeling is usually correct. Well I am sad to say it was. While this shoot has some extenuating circumstances, it is not enough to compensate for her lack of focus and paranoia. The electricity went off in my house. It happens in Thailand. She was convinced that the police were coming. After she calmed down that is when she couldn’t focus. It was fucking hot I have to say with no AC. But her lack of focus continued after the power came back on.

Gobi I have shot before. I saw her on Soi 6 High Boss Bar and I could see she was drugged out of her mind.

She got my phone number from some one and in one night between 1:30 and 5:00 am she sent me 9 sms messages and called 3 times. I told her I was looking for new girls and if I had time I would shoot her, I lied.

In the next week I had at least 10 sms messages a day and a couple of phone calls. I am glad I had rented a house well out side of town or she would have showed up at my place.

She is crazy. Stay away from her.

Fon from King’s II bar on soi 8 Pattaya Beach road is fucking nuts! I found a beautiful ladyboy named Bee from this bar and their was a couple of other B’s working there. I asked them if they wanted to shoot and told them what they would have to do. They all said yes. I was a bit unsure about Fon but she had blond funky hair and she said she has a big cock (lie) and can cum many times so I said ok.

When she came to the shoot she immediately asked how long the shoot would take. I told her about 2 hours maybe less if she is good. She started complaining then, I should have known then and their. We get back to the place I was shooting and it starts again. How long? When she decides to go first she won’t stop looking at any glass surface or mirror around so I have to stop the video many times. She was murmuring under her breath I’m tired or hurt. After 30min she collapses into a chair. I was pissed. I said if you don’t want to do then I take you home. I go up to get Bee and the fight ensues. She want’s paid and want’s the photos deleted or she calls the police. I delete the photos and tell her to fuck off no work no pay. Their was nothing for her to break I saw her looking around, I had already hid my cameras. She said she wanted me to delete the video too. This is not that easy I have to record over it. I told her I would but it takes time. She goes crazy.

By this time her friend is fighting with her as well. She decided she wanted out. She tried to open my front door but wasn’t intelligent enough to figure out how to do it. She started yelling. I finally opened the door with the hopes of getting her into my car and on the way out of the area. She starts talking to people walking past the gate to the house now I get worried. Finally her friend and I talk her into the car and get her back to Pattaya Town. She is fucking nuts! It’s always the ugly ones that give you trouble.

Pattaya 2008

Pattaya is one of my least favorite places in Thailand. It seems like every time I go there it confirms my beliefs.

In 13 days I was able to shoot more than 40 models. I tried to shoot 4 a day but almost every day something happened to make it impossible. Either a no-show or a model forgot ID, or just plain crazy. I had some problems on this trip that I have never had before. I will post some girls you absolutely need to avoid when you go there.

The next stop on the road trip was Yosemite National Park.  With Damazo sleeping in the back we were ready for a great day.   As we were driving into Yosemite their was snow on the ground in sporadic patches.  Damazo has never touched snow! We stopped and had a small snow ball fight by the side of the road.

On a side note.  Seanchai has been making little videos of a slice of his life.  This isn’t for public consumption but for memories and posterity.  We stopped in the high desert in between Death Valley and Yosemite.  We had been listening to rock and roll on Seanchai’s ipod most of the trip.  Seanchai had this brilliant to make a karaoke video of the 3 of us rocking out to “In The Morning” by The Faces he set up my video camera with the fisheye lens on the top of the SUV pointed at the big blue skied plain and we rocked our asses off.  Even the cars driving by realized we were having fun.  We did the whole song, after we finished I went up to grab the camera… Seanchai had forgotten to push record DUH!

I haven’t been to Yosemite for years.  I had gone camping there a couple of times before and since every photographer who has an affinity for Ansel Adams will make the trek if they can. I was and still am awe struck by the majestic beauty of the place.  This time I took my camera but more for pics of my mates and I.  When you are young you think you can find a new perspective on the place.  I have realized that it is probably the most photographed place in the region.

We kicked Luiz a few times and he did get out of the car a couple of times.  We had a great day.