So I just got back from the beach, where I was by myself for the weekend (friends bailed). I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet some girls and test what I've learned. I'm also trying to get over a pretty serious case of oneitis, so I thought this might get my mind off her. Not sure if this is the right place for background info on me, if interested, I'll answer questions in the comments.

So this was my first time doing real cold approaches. First set of girls actually approached me to take a picture of their group (two girls, and three guys I think). Both were quite...unattractive (maybe a 4 and 3, but mostly pleasant. I got chatting with the one that approached me (HB4) just for the sake of it, mainly small talk. Her friend (the stereotypical fat cock-blocker) was pretty keen dragging her away to do something else, so it didn't last long. However, this approach did give me an idea that I think is very helpful for guys like me who find it difficult to do cold approach. I kept a lookout for girls taking selfies, and asked them if they wanted me to take their picture for them. All of the girls I approached were very thankful, and it's an easy excuse to start chatting. My next set was two girls (both about a 5). I overheard them talking in my native language, so I approached them and said I couldn't help but overhear them talking and thought it would be rude to not come say hello. They were nice and talkative, asking me if I knew any good places to party in the area. I told them we should meet up at night and head out to some bars, and thus gained one of their numbers. I thought it would look better if I had some company at a bar if I tried to pick up other girls. I later realised however, that I couldn't reply to their SMS messages, because they were using an international SIM. I'm not sure what the lesson is here...has anyone tried to ask for multiple methods of contact, or should I just have made a time and asked where their hostel was? Would that have been weird? Anyway, I left to go watch the Argentina vs Belgium match on a big screen, but in the corner of my eye I spotted two insanely gorgeous girls both at least an 8...maybe 9, taking photos of each other. I mustered some courage and headed over, and asked them if they wanted a pic together. They were happy for the offer, and started posing extremely seductively together. I think I was actually shaking while I was taking their picture, and I started sporting a pretty big hard on. I think one of them noticed, because I saw one of them whispering something to the other, and they both started slightly smiling. I gave back the phone, and at this point I started falling apart. I asked where they were from, and if they were alone (they were), then words failed me, and I couldn't work out how to say something to the effect of "can I join you?". I couldn't work out anything good, so in the end I mumbled something like if I could buy them a beer (I know...weak). They said they don't drink alcohol, so I asked how old they were, and they said 16 (I'm 26...). This made me even more nervous, because I felt kinda creepy, even though 16 is perfectly legal here. They continued taking photos of each other, and kinda ignored me, so i said goodbye and shuffled off.

I went back to the match, and later headed back to my room, trying to work out how I could contact those two girls. At my hotel a group of guys invited me over to drink some whiskey, so soon I had a new group of people to go out with. It's pretty much downhill from here. We headed out, but before we got too far, the whiskey I'd been drinking on a totally empty stomach caught up with me. In short, I got totally wasted, phone got stolen, along with about $100 cash. I'm just glad nobody noticed my $3000 watch...Next day I was feeling pretty demotivated, but I decided to head out again. I decided to take some of the pressure off and just approach without the intent of getting a number or anything. Just talk. Only ended up approaching one group of girls (3 girls, all about a 6) with my new favourite method. I took their picture, and tried to make small talk, but the conversation became one-sided pretty quickly (me asking questions, them giving shorter and shorter answers) and I gave up.

I'm disappointed in myself that I couldn't work up the balls to approach any more girls (there was one very attractive girl that I was just too slow to react on as she walked past me in the water then disappeared, and two very attractive girls who were with an older woman I assume was their mother) but I was just not in the mood, and went home. I learned that my approach anxiety is still killing me, even though I've come a long way considering my past. I don't know if any of you guys get the feeling that you're...boring. Should I be trying to seem more enthusiastic? I'm a pretty mellow speaker with people I don't know, sometimes all I hear myself saying is data with no feelings. How would you go about approaching girls with their mother? Ok that sounds sick, but I'm pretty sure they were about 18-20...although maybe my age guessing has a lot to be desired.

Biggest lesson: Don't drink like a tool.

TL;DR approached 4 sets of girls, technically number closed one. Quite a lot of all round fail otherwise.