Clubbing solo

Have you ever done it? It’s definitely not something that needs to be accomplished. I'm just curious if I'm the only one. It strikes me as being a little strange although I don’t mind doing it at times. I’ve done it in Saigon, Phnom Penh, Siam Reap and now, Kuta. I don’t think I ever went to a club in my twenties. And now in my mid-thirties I seem to be going all the time. Well, when I’m traveling anyway. It's something to do.

I went to Sky Garden for the fourth time in five nights. The fourth and most recent time I was alone. This place is so big and there are usually so many people you can just blend in. Be a fly on the wall. And that's all I wanted. Oh and they also had cheap drinks. So I wanted to partake in that and be in a social scene without actually being social. You know, listen to some decent music without jamming the ear buds in my ears and perhaps even get to watch some pole dancing. Free pole dancing? Twist my arm.

I had just come down with a cold and I had to wake up at 6am the following morning so it probably wasn’t the best time to go to the club, but I wanted a beer or two. I walked in shortly after 10pm. They knew where I was going. Every floor I ascended, there was somebody directing me to the next flight of stairs, leading eventually to the fourth floor and the free flow of cocktails from 10-11pm. Hard to beat a free drink even if it isn't particularly delicious.

I had one and wandered around. Went back grabbed another and went down to the first floor where I leaned on the mezzanine and watched the dance floor below me. Watched the guy in the tank top try to pole dance under the strobe. Life was in slow motion. I ran out of free mojo so I went back to get some more. I swore I was going to buy a drink and not just be a cheap bastard.

I eventually ventured back to my spot overlooking the dance floor. Shortly thereafter the music picked up and I spotted my love climbing the pole again. It was 11pm now. Apparently that’s the time when the club gets serious. The dancer captured my attention for a while, as they do. I needed a beer. I don’t know when they arrived, I think I was just distracted, but eventually I was in the company of four local girls. I couldn’t tell if they were working girls or just friends having fun. I hate to often assume the former, but it all too often seems to be the case.

They were quite nice and diverted my attention from the sweaty pulsating figure in the distance, but she was never far from the corner of my eye. They took some pictures with me, we danced a little and I bought another beer. And then some guy came by with a couple strawberry daiquiris and I drooled. They looked delicious. A quick comment about his beverage and soon we were chatting about women, lndonesia and our respective (recent) occupations. And then we were drinking another beer.

It was time to go. I knew I had drunk too much for such an early wakeup, but I wasn’t working so the missing brain cells wouldn’t be missed. Just the lack of sleep and a headache, but I could sleep on the bus and the headache would eventually go away. Another fine night of clubbing solo. Didn’t quite manage to be the fly on the wall as I had initially intended, but I think I had more fun than I otherwise would have. I might have to do this more often.