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Or you could just stop being another entitled "ugly American" and learn another fucking language, the native one of the country you're actually visiting.

i am in Bangkok for a three month trip. It's a great place to spend American winters. While those of you on the East Coat are enjoying hopefully your last blizzard of the year, I spent most of my day pool side on a 96 degree day. Gotta love retirement. i had a situation a couple of weeks ago that shows the warm and friendly side of the Thai people. I decided to go to Hanoi for a long weekend. Another city I am falling in love with. Great people, food, a city that's starting to grow up fast. All packed and ready to go. Grab a taxi infront of my condo. Great day, no traffic, friendly driver, takes about 25 minutes. Get out of taxi, get luggage, get to airline check in counter. Opps...where's my wallet. Panic sets in as I realize I have lost my wallet. I had $200. drivers license, 1 credit card and my debit card. I live off my debit card and really messed up without it. Sat down for a minute to take stock of what's happing. Bangkok has many different taxi company's, and I had no idea which one I had used. Tourist Visas are 30 days. You have to leave the country for a day or more then come back. This was my 30th day and I had to go. I had my passport, couple other credit cards, and about $50. Cash in my backpack. Wallet is gone, nothing I can do about it now, so get on the plane to Hanoi. I had prepaid hotel and airport transfers so was covered there. Hanoi is very inexpensive City. Figured I could do credit card cash advance if needed. Learned how to have a fun weekend and be frugal, something I'm not in Bangkok. Back to Bangkok, hopping maybe I left wallet in Condo (nope) on the phone canceling cards and ordering replacement license. Lucked out, with int'l collect numbers for banks and fast and friendly service. I use Chase and I rec'd new debit card by UPS in 5 days. A special thank you to TotallyOz as he is here in Bangkok and let me use his address for delivery. Last night as I'm taking my 5pm nap before heading out to spend time with my friends, big knock on door. One of the workers from my condo building says your taxi here. I said I didn't order taxi. Language is an issue. He finally pulls out his wallet, points to it and said taxi. Then it hit me. Taxi has my wallet. Head down and sure enough there is the driver and he has my wallet. Nothing missing. All the cash there. Wow. Lots of thanks and smiles on my part. I gave him a very nice tip and he was all smiles. Language was an issue with everybody standing there, so didn't get the story. Today a worker I know that speaks English talked to security guy . Taxi driver found wallet when he got back to city. He knew I was only gone for few days. He remembered where he picked me up. Finally was in the area. My license has my picture on it. He asked security guy. Fairly easy as I'm only Caucasian living in the building. Wallet returned. Thailand is a country of amazingly friendly, caring people. There's a reason they call it, Land of Smiles. Taxi drivers do get a bad rap here for not using meters, or picking you up, falling asleep while driving I got a good guy. 10 days after I lost wallet, he still took the time to find me and return it. He was concerned for me. Asking if everything is ok, am I ok. It was one of the better happy endings I've had in Bangkok.

During my fun in the saunas i had the opportunity to speak with some garotos and some local customers (i can speak a kind of average portuguese and i tend to be confused as a local too). Sometime i read posts about people overpaying garotos... I don't want to talk about the problems that people may have with their ego, but please...DO NOT OVERPAY GAROTOS, especially in saunas. This is not only to preserve the business which depends on the locals and their spending capacity (quite low because of the crysis), but also for your own personal safety. 1) Garotos are in saunas to work, following saunas rules and standards. If you overpay them, you will not get a better service. If you lowball them you will get a bad service. Pay the standard going rate, or make a deal but do not try to get a rate lower than R$100 2) Garotos see you as living Mastercards. Overpay them and the only thing you'll get is FAKE INTEREST. A guy will stay with you for money, because it's working...a guy will stay with you for free, because he really likes you. You are the ATM, they are your toys. Period. 3) Acting like a gringo in a sauna and overpaying garotos will just make you look ridiculous, and trust me...garotos talk about customers. It's quite funny to see tourists who can't speak a work of portuguese, smiling when garotos at the table are making jokes about him in portuguese. You'll also get some weird looks from locals if you act stupid. Remember that respect in Brazil is extremely important. They're very welcoming but keep your egos for yourself. 4) Outside saunas, if you wanna hang out with a GP from Grindr....do not give them the idea that you have money to waste (the GP will make this link in his mind: Overpay->TONS OF MONEY). You'll increase the risk of getting mugged or worse. Remember that outside saunas, you have to expect everything.

Welcome to the ranks of the retired, Suckrates. I retired quite early and having been retired for many years, I can report that I've not been bored yet. My suggestions assume that your finances are in good order, that you're in good health and can live comfortably. 1. Make a list of what you want to achieve in the next 12 months. File it away so you can check it in a year's time (FWIW I found that I had a blast in my first year and happened to do none of the things I'd listed) 2. Decide on places you want to travel and see. Stay for longer than you would usually and really get to know the place. (I found longhaul airfares to be reasonable when you travel midweek and outside the holidays) 3. Make a list each day of "what you have to do" but feel free to do other things as the mood takes you. 4. Take some exercise each day outdoors - it can be as little as walking for 30 minutes twice a day. Eat well and healthily. The goal in retirement is to stay active and enjoy life to the fullest. 5. Inject a little structure into your life if you enjoy routine. Visit a local coffeeshop daily, talk to the grocery store clerks etc. Swim daily if that's what you enjoy. 6. Before I retired (and I planned it for 12 months beforehand), I realised that the one thing I would miss from work was the company of younger men. So I joined an expensive gym that's well located and has a preponderance of members in their 20s/30s. As an older man, I stood out but I hired a personal trainer and I came to know more people. The gym helped me make some new friends, find a boyfriend and provided some hot dates. And if I may add one last observation: as a retired man, you have to put yourself out there and be sociable; make sure you dress well when you go outdoors, and do not "let yourself go"; you will find younger people who take an interest in you.

Welcome to the joys of retirement. When I retired I moved from San Francisco to Ft. lauderdale. When it came time to pack up for the move, I suddenly realized I had enough junk to fill an 18 wheeler. I then made a decision. If it doesn't fit in the car, it isn't going. Now I have become very much a minimalist. Kitchen table, pull out sofa, lounge chair. Barely a nik nak or picture. Now instead of spending all my time doing housework, I sit by the pool, read books, walks at the beach, go to the movies. I remember with the passing of my parents the time spent cleaning out the house. My mother was a saver. It took a month for my sisters and myself to pack everything up. I decided I didn't want that with my passing. I figure my sister can empty my place in about 2 hours. Enjoy your retirement, don't become a slave to your home in old age. If you don't need it, get rid of it. You worked hard to get to this point. I've now found time to spend 6 months of the year living in Bangkok. I won't tell you what my hobby is here

I am newly retired as of Jan 1st this year, and therefore I am still figuring out my new life, and struggling over how to fill my days. While I never was a planner, I was always a "goal" oriented person and tired to find "purpose" in each day. So its been difficult, although I do work 1 day a week at my OLD company, and 1 day a week at a local supermarket (NO, I am NOT a bagboy). Today, I decided to tackle my pantry and freezer because recently I cooked some stuff that was in my freezer, and had to throw it out because clearly it WASNT FRESH.... I have a walk in pantry and a huge freezer, and can report after several intense hours, BOTH have had a re-birth.. In the pantry I found stuff dated back to 2003, unused, and several other years were represented too. Needless to say, ALL of it was a toss... In the freezer the oldest item I found was some frozen food dated 2013 (not that bad, but still not FRESH) All of it was a toss. I ended up with 3 garden trash bags full of stuff, and my only regret was that I couldnt send it to a food bank..... So THIS is retirement, huh ? Can any of you RELATE to this, and do you have any suggestions for me ?

Disco just lost a legend:Joni Sledge. We were family.

I not only 110% agree with you i have been saying the same thing for years! I have a good friend, naive but good person who feels the need to not only overpaybut give gifts to even the guys he doesnt go with! One evening i was sitting with a group of them and i was surprised to hear them say "he is just a fool to give his money and gifts to us!" They did not appreciate his generosity but also did the bare minimum in the bedroom for the quickest time! Throwing money around in Brazil does not buy you respect!

It all makes sense, and I do make a daily plan, and excercise every day. But so far, it doesnt seem purposeful and I am considering volunteer work for LGBTQ as opposed to a gym membership as I detest working out and would only be terribly distracted if there were actually hot guys there. I might be able to accomplish a similar end volunteering at LGBTQ. I am not so much interested in younger, any age is OK as long as theres some commonality. And I love the beach so once the warmer weather arrives I will start my sunbathing. But I guess I cant expect too much in only 3 months, as I am still figuring things out. And its a funny thing, that I scrimped and saved for my retirement, and ended up with a considerable amount of money, BUT I cant bring myself to SPEND it.... I am still saving for old age, eventhough I am IN my OLD AGE.... I someone would tell me I will die in 1 year, I probably would spend like a drunken sailor. But with my longevity an unknown, I am still gripping those Dollars tight.

I'm planning a trip next January, so I'm eager to hear about the experiences. This is invaluable. Thanks. And Lurker and I share the same preferences for twink tops!

Great to hear. I know you've been trying to work this out. I'm actually talking to a friend right now that is checking into the Raya. I'll ask him tonight how he likes it. He said he picked it because its next to Soi Twilight. It does have best location. Getting in at midnight is something most of us deal with. If your ontime and stay at Raya, you will probably have time to run next door for quick drink before all the boys go home, twink tops won't be a problem. More tops in Bangkok than bottoms. I doubt I'll be there those dates. I'm here now for 3 months. I tend to go for the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. My sisters get angry if I miss the holidays. Lots of time till you go. You'll pick up a lot of good info. Some of the best weather in November. Low 80's day and about 70 overnight, with lower humidity. Now it's 95 days and 80 overnights with lots of humidity.

I will take possession of the house in 30 days. The.process has been pretty easy so far. I have both a Mexican and American(living in Mexico) real estate agents working with a attorney in mexico. You have to put 10% down to start the process and the 90% balance at the closing! Then about another $10.000. - $12,000. In MexicanTax and "closing costs on top of the final purchase price. But not much red tape actually a lot less paperwork then buying a home in the U.S.

You can lie to your phone as to location. No comparison between Grindr and Hornet IMHO. To Kevin C. You are searching a Latin country so Brown Boys is what you are going to get certainly not White as in USA. Plenty of lean muscular bodies not sure about noses not important to me.