Bangkok/Phnom Penh/Siem Reap Trip Report: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

[ggobkk]

Patience, one and all, a suspense master is at work...

[numazu]

Day -7 to 0: Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans

 

So I have planned everything. I have the flights that will take me everywhere, the rooms that will accommodate me, and the boy that will make it all happen. I’ve been planning this in between other things in my life that have kept me busy. I won’t go into any details but some minor life and major work changes has gotten me really busy to obsess too much about the upcoming vacation. In all honesty, it was Cambodia Boy (CB), with his daily Line messages, that reminded me that the holiday is fast approaching. Before I knew it, it was a week before my trip, and I begin to get excited. And then things changed.

 

Curveball #1: Myanmar Boy (BurBoy) is planning to leave his Farang

Consequence: I want to see him badly, so I figure out how to fit him in this iron clad schedule

 

Little background on BurBoy here:

 

http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/10424-bangkokpattaya-june-july-2016-trip-report-to-butterfly-or-not-to-butterfly/?p=93004

 

I met BurBoy last October on Grindr. To me, he is not a Money Boy per se, and he did not expect me to tip him, but he worked as a waiter in a Ratchada area restaurant, not earning a lot of money but fine with it, and living with his family. He has lived in Thailand since he was 10, and now at 22 is more Thai than Burmese. He has been in more places in Thailand than Myanmar, has spoken, read and written in Thai most of his life, and gets mistaken for Thai everywhere he goes. Because of our income disparities, whenever I hang out with him I pay for everything. From meals, to drinks, to airplane tickets, or the occasional clothing or random gift purchase. He does not want me to tip him, and gets quite offended when it is discussed. He considers me a friend, who just happens to pay for everything. He has a handful of farang guys who tip him for sexual services, and he has a more traditional money boy relationship with them. I’ve encountered similar boys in this type of scenario numerous times before, but he is the one who has stuck with me the longest.

 

While I’ve spent a lot of enjoyable days with him in two previous trips, my week-long Phuket trip with him was particularly memorable. I spent 6 intense and romantic nights with him on the island, both our first times in Phuket. We explored the island together, went on the beach, swam and drank in one of many pools at the hotel we stayed at, and mostly spent the week shirtless or naked. It was a very surreal week that probably can never be replicated again, with him or anyone else. It’s very similar to having a summer fling: a sexual adventure free of hassles, commitments or drama, with an expiration date. With most of Thailand under eternal summer (with the occasional breaks for a torrential downpour, or ten), one can probably take numerous summer flings in a year. It’s certainly a huge selling point for me that keeps me coming back for more.

 

Clearly I was smitten with BurBoy, and I wanted to see him again after April in Phuket. But it wasn’t meant to be for my June/July trip. He met a farang who wanted to take care of him just weeks before my June arrival. He was very apologetic when he found out I was coming and said he could not see me. The farang was very territorial and didn’t want him to spend even just one night away from him. He assures me that the farang was paying a lot to be with him. I bid him good luck and moved on with my trip.

 

Fast forward to a week before my September trip. He messages me on Line, telling me that he is getting ready to leave his farang. He says that his was not a happy existence, filled with a lot of rules and restrictions he feels the farang has put on him.  He thinks he has gotten what he needed from the relationship (i.e. enough money to start over elsewhere). He feels that three months is long enough to live with the farang, and he wants to move on. He knows that I was planning a September trip and wanted to see me. He plans to go back to Myanmar for a while, to find more legitimate work and be Burmese again, and wanted to see me before he did.

 

Because he was going back to Myanmar, who knows when I will see BurBoy next. I wanted to take this chance. I had to find a way to see CB and BurBoy. Knowing BurBoy like I do, I know he will want me for himself, and would not want CB there. In the past I’ve broached the subject of a third more than once with him, and every time he has said he is not interested in a threesome situation. It is just different with him. With a traditional money boy situation, the customer has more (or sometimes the only) sway with what happens during their time with the boy. With a free boy, like BurBoy, the relationship is more or less equal, so I have to consider his preferences into (more) consideration. Even if I pay for everything else in our time together.

 

I get greedy. I try to work on CB to see if he will be interested in just staying in Cambodia after I leave. I mention to him that maybe he wants to spend more time with his family and would not want to go back to BKK with me. After some thinking he thinks it’s a good idea, and this is what he would prefer anyway. He agrees to just stay in Cambodia after our time in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap together. This means that I can see BurBoy my 3 nights in Bangkok. It will just be him, so the 2 bedroom condo would be a waste, since I only need one bedroom, but this is the least of my concerns.

 

Curveball cost to me: Wasted airfare for CB from Siem Reap to Bangkok - $109.

 

 

Curveball #2: Cambodia Boy (CB) has overstayed his Thai visa
Consequence: He has to leave Thailand ASAP, before I get there

 

Two days before my trip, CB throws this curveball at me. He calls on Line at 6 AM my time, panicking, and explains to me the reason for his state of duress. He says his friend checked his passport and told him that he has overstayed his visa by 5 days. He says he cannot fly with me because Thai immigration at the airport will fine him, or worse, bar him from re-entering the country because of the overstay. He tells me he will be taking a taxi to the Cambodian border at 1 AM Thai time later that night. This will enable him to (hopefully) circumvent immigration at the (supposedly) porous border between Thailand and Cambodia. He knows a way in Cambodia that will not have any Thai authorities that can check his status.

 

Actually, he explains all this to me in really horrible English. For some reason his English suffers when he is under duress. Luckily, one of his roommates chimes in and explains it to me in clearer words. He takes a photo of CB’s entry stamp and visa, showing me proof of the overstay. He then says that it will probably cost 5000 baht to get this taxi to the border. I immediately become suspicious. Maybe this is just a huge ploy for money. I ask CB if he needs money to cross the border. CB says no, his roommates are helping him, and he is coming with another friend who also needs to go to Cambodia, so this will offset the cost. I relax my suspicions and get back to being concerned.

 

CB then tells me that he obviously won’t be able to fly with me in Bangkok, and he will just meet me at the Phnom Penh airport, and will help me get a tuk-tuk to the AirBNB condo. He will still fly with me to Siem Reap, and will head back to Phnom Penh when I fly back to Bangkok.

 

So the wheels in my head start turning, and I send my Burmese Boy (BurBoy) a Line message asking when he is leaving his farang. He answers that he is leaving the next morning, and he has already told the farang he is leaving. I ask him if he can swing by the airport at around 11 AM on the day of my arrival in BKK to meet me at the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Hotel for a few hours of hello time. He says he will be glad to do it but he was curious why for only a few hours. I explain to him that I was going to Cambodia first before going back to Bangkok, and the 7 hour layover was an opportunity for us to see each other for a bit. I tell him I’ll pay for his cab ride back. He tells me he will just take the Airport Rail Link back to the city. So I still get a boy to accompany on the layover, just a different boy this time.

 

Curveball cost to me: Wasted airfare for CB from Bangkok to Phnom Penh – 2500 baht.

 

 

Curveball #3: My first flight gets cancelled, or MY FIRST FLIGHT GETS FUCKING CANCELLED
Consequence: Domino effect - I have to move or cancel flights to, from and in Cambodia, rebook or cancel hotels or AirBNBs, book new hotels for the new adjusted dates, rebook my flight back to the U.S.A.

 

I have talked about my dislike for airports in a previous trip report. My biggest hatred of airports, and of flying in general, is cancelled flights. I’ve had my share in the past, some more horrendous than others. Every time it has happened I’ve done my required whining to (mostly) blameless airline employees about the inconvenience, with mixed results. Sometimes I get bumped up to Biz or First Class for all my complaining, others I just get a simple “We are sorry”.  The effort of packing for a flight, getting to the airport, getting through airport security, and finally making it to your gate is torture enough; your flight getting cancelled when you went through all that trouble is just the icing on the turd cake.

 

So the day of my flight began mundanely enough. I went to work the full 8 hours. I get a Line from CB during work telling me he crossed the border safely without getting checked by Thai immigration.  My plans are still on. After work I go home and got a 2 hour nap in, and then haphazardly packed t-shirts, shorts, tank tops and sandals into my trusty roller bag. I then shower to be fresh for the long flight ahead. I get an Uber that got me to the airport in record time. I made it to my gate with 2 hours to spare for the 1 AM flight to Taipei, after which I will catch my connecting flight to Bangkok. I Line BurBoy and CB that I am on my way. They are excited. I talk to my boyfriend for 45 minutes on the phone to catch up before my flight.  To him this is just another trip to Bangkok that I am taking. No questions about what I will be doing. No questions about how long I will be there. Just well wishes for me to be safe and to have a good time.

 

We board the flight and I sit in my Economy seat. The aircraft pushes back a few meters, and then stops. After 30 minutes the captain says that there is some “mechanical issue” with the aircraft and the mechanics are fixing the problem. He says he should have a status report in 15 minutes. After 30 minutes, a flight attendant announces that they are still working on the issue. Right on cue, flight attendants swarm the aisles, handing out snacks (rice cracker bits) and water. It’s a small consolation for the wait.  After another hour another set of snacks get distributed (croissants and cheese), and the passengers are at this point restless. Some have been trying to track the aircraft status online but the status still says “on-time”. Some have been trying to already rebook their flight but the reservation hotline is closed at night.

 

Just before the 3-hour mark, the captain finally puts us out of our misery (or starts our journey to more misery). He says that the issue cannot be fixed, and we have to get off the aircraft. It takes us 30 minutes to all disembark. And then another hour for the airline staff to account for all of our needs. Everyone was angry, some more visible than others. A lot were talking about ruined vacations and wanting to get refunds. Those who needed hotels got booked for the night (it is already 6 AM at this point). Having been through this before, I get one of the airline baggage handlers (young hot Asian kid ) helping out with customers and tell him to give me his cellphone number. I text him a photo of my luggage I have handy for exactly this situation and ask him if he could take my luggage out of the aircraft because I was cancelling my whole itinerary (I wasn’t really cancelling, but you have this option to get a full refund if your flight gets cancelled and it’s the airlines fault). He promises to call me when he gets it out of the aircraft. I then ask one of the staff to take my email address and to send me a Delay Certificate detailing the cancellation for Travel Insurance purposes.

 

I get an Uber to get back to my bed. I text my BF about the news. He is still asleep. I text CB and BurBoy that I will let them know about the delay. BurBoy replies back, CB does not, assumingly sleeping from the early border crossing. I get home and set the alarm for 8 AM and take a nap. At 8 AM I wake up and call airline reservations and successfully get my flight rebooked for tonight. I also get my return flight to the U.S.A. changed for free. I moved it to extend my trip two more days. I set my alarm for 11 AM. At 10:30 AM I get a call from baggage handler boy and he tells me he has my luggage, and texts me a photo of it. I confirm that it is mine and tell him that I rebooked my flight for tonight. He tells me he will keep it for me till my next flight that night, again at 1 AM.

 

At 11:30 AM I go to work with about 3 hours of sleep. I did not want to waste a vacation day just sleeping in my own bed. My coworkers are surprised that I am back at work. I tell them what happened and it made for a good story. My job is easy enough that I coast through the day without any difficulty. In the afternoon I call my BF about the setback. He has gone through this with me before so there wasn’t any fuss. I leave work at 7 PM, get back home to take a 2 hour nap. Shower. Uber. Airport. Déjà vu. I make a fuss about the cancellation at the check-in counter, demanding for concessions because of the cancelled flight. I get one: they give me a whole row all to myself. I can sleep horizontally for the 14+ hour flight. Sometimes bitching works, sometimes it doesn’t.

 

I call baggage handler boy and ask if I can get my luggage because I was checking in. After 2 minutes he emerges from the office in the side door with my luggage. He is smiling, but it was clear he was tired. I ask him if he has had sleep. He says he only had 3 hours today, because he had to deal all morning with all the other cancelled-on passengers and their problems and their luggage. And he had to be back tonight for the early morning flights as well. As he hands me my luggage he shakes my hand, and tells me they are sorry for the cancellation, and gives me a huge heart melting smile. I ask him if he was Chinese, he says yes. He said he was from Hong Kong, and was hired by the airline because he spoke the language and could deal with the passengers who needed language help. He goes back into the counter and takes a “Priority” tag and puts it on my luggage. He says my bag will be one of the first to come out of baggage claim in Bangkok like the other premium class baggage. It was my turn to smile. I thank him and fish out a $20 bill from my wallet and give it to him. It’s my first given tip of the trip. One of many, I am assuming. I tell him to get some sleep. He says he will but not for another 4 hours.

 

(Side note: I put his cellphone number on Facebook. I find his profile and look at his pictures. Such a hottie! And he is only 23.)

 

I get to my gate and use the 2 hours before boarding to pick up the pieces of what’s left of my vacation. With little sleep, and delirious from all the activity of the last 36 hours, I decide to cut Cambodia time short. I decide on 2 nights each in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. One night in Bangkok before Cambodia, 5 nights after. I cancel AirBNB in Phnom Penh. I move Rambutan Hotel reservation dates and shortened to two nights. I retain BKK AirBNB. I email Novotel Suvarnabhumi and tell them I can’t make my reservation. I book the Crowne Plaza at Silom for the first night, and again for the last two, extended nights. I book another AirBNB for Phnom Penh, this time for a $30 a night, two bed condo in the middle of the city.

 

I rebook Bangkok Airways online for my Bangkok to Phnom Penh flight, and there is a rebooking fee. I Line CB to tell him to get a car service to drive us from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. If another curveball happens it is way easier to reschedule a taxi than an airplane flight.  And I rebook AirAsia for free, my flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok. Thank goodness for paying for that AirAsia Premium Flex fee.

 

Curveball cost to me: Phnom Penh AirBNB cancellation – one night ($50) plus nonrefundable AirBNB service fee ($21) - $71. Bangkok Airways rebooking fee – 1000 baht. Wasted airfare from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap for two - $140. AirAsia Siem Reap to Bangkok no rebooking fee. No fees for Novotel Suvarnabhumi Hotel cancellation or Rambutan Siem Reap Hotel rebooking. Advantage: hotel.

 

Lots of wasted money for sure, but this is what travel insurance is for. I never regret getting travel insurance for overseas trips than are more than a week long.  After all this I felt a sense of accomplishment. And then panic. What if this flight gets cancelled again? I think of just cancelling the whole thing if it does. We board and push back and take-off in record time. Perhaps to make up for the cancellation the night before? It doesn’t matter.

 

At cruising altitude I take off my shoes, fold up the two arm rests dividing the three seats in my row, take the three tiny pillows that came with the three seats and pile them onto the window seat, unfurl a blanket, lay down, and sleep. I miss the first inflight meal. I was so tired that I wake up 7 hours later. Finally, after dealing with so much change, I am on my way to paradise.

 

(All this and I haven’t set foot on Thai soil yet. The great lengths one goes to for love and sex.)

 

More to come…

[Rachman]

Great report so far. I look forward to the next installment.

[vinapu]

Listening to a bar boys story about other customers are often entertaining but I, for one, don't like it. Even he tells me good things, how generous, how handsome or how young the customer is. I have seen photos of a customer, been told where he works - a very well known company etc. I feel uncomfortable because I know he is going to tell other customers about me!

I'm the same , it's why I don't take their pictures and don't let them to take mine, as they say , internet forgets nothing.

 

Still few times they caught me off guard but at least dressed

[vinapu]

 Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans

 

 

I love your one liners - did you take creative writing course?

[ggobkk]

And I thought I was anal about planning and having all the boxes checked...hat's off to you.  

[Guest]

Thanks for another great report.

 

I guess CB has been badly advised over the visa issue. He could have just paid the fine and done it all legally. Probably less than 5000 baht.

 

Now he has a passport with a departure stamp from Cambodia & an arrival stamp in Thailand, but he is in Cambodia. How does he fix that for his next Thailand trip?

[Brummbaer]

My Thai BF hardly ever gets entry or exit stamps from Thailand any more. He can and does use automated gates at Suvarnabhumi where he scans his passport and the gate opens. So there are non-corresponding stamps from DMK or other places, where they don't have the automatic gates yet. I believe there are 2 more exit than entry stamps at present and nobody seems to care so far. 

Not sure if that works for other ASEAN passports as well.

[Brummbaer]

I guess CB has been badly advised over the visa issue. He could have just paid the fine and done it all legally. Probably less than 5000 baht.

 

 

 

completely forgot to ask...  how is a moneyboy in low season supposed to come up with spare THB 5000 ?And he probably and justifiably fears not being permitted reentry after overstaying.

[firecat69]

Numazu you had enough bad luck with airlines on that trip , to hopefully last for a life time.

 

I have had lots of cancellations or delays in the USA but luckily not once have I ever experienced such on my trips to and around Asia. Except of course when protesters  took over the BKK airport.

 

I guess I am due and better buy that insurance on my next trip.

[Brummbaer]

Sounds like a good insurance to have, if they cover all these costs you have due to one flight being canceled.  

[Guest]

completely forgot to ask... how is a moneyboy in low season supposed to come up with spare THB 5000 ?And he probably and justifiably fears not being permitted reentry after overstaying.

Pay attention. He was paying 5000 for the taxi to the illegal border crossing.

[witty]

Some moneyboys do travel in comfort and style.

[firecat69]

Here are the facts for overstaying a Visa.

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/overstay-visa-thailand.php

[Guest whall]

I never get travel insurance. Maybe I will next time I go. Love your report as I'm going to mirror the places you're going! Thx

[vinapu]

I never get travel insurance. Maybe I will next time I go. Love your report as I'm going to mirror the places you're going! Thx

I pass on this as well , medical insurance yes , but cancellation etc , no , I rather take a chance.

 

Waiting for a next installment for numazu's report impatiently 

[numazu]

Now you've done it again...  Eagerly waiting for your next post.

 

Master of Suspense is back !

 

I will admit I prefer finding your threads after they are done. I don't like when someone else edges me. you are a Master Tease.

 

Patience, one and all, a suspense master is at work...

 

I swear guys, I do not mean to ramp up the suspense. It just works out that way. I do not like how wordy I become with these posts. But the words just come out of my head and enjoy revisiting my trip through writing about it.

 

I noticed from your previous trip report that CB likes gossiping.

Listening to a bar boys story about other customers are often entertaining but I, for one, don't like it. Even he tells me good things, how generous, how handsome or how young the customer is. I have seen photos of a customer, been told where he works - a very well known company etc. I feel uncomfortable because I know he is going to tell other customers about me!

Am I being paranoid? Perhaps so. By the way my name is not Keith Vaz.

 

I'm the same , it's why I don't take their pictures and don't let them to take mine, as they say , internet forgets nothing.

 

Still few times they caught me off guard but at least dressed

 

I'm pretty sure CB has talked about me to other customers. I do not know this for sure, but I hope he does not show my photo. I told him to not do it, even if he has shown me some customer photos to me. I always tell him I don't like being shown the photos, but deep down I do want to see what customers look like who get his services. And we all know the boy talk about us with their friends. I found this out in Cambodia, more about this in a future post.

 

vinapu - taking photos of the boys is a must for me. Even clothed. I love keeping the memories with me. If someone ever hacked my cellphone they will be in for a big surprise .

 

I guess CB has been badly advised over the visa issue. He could have just paid the fine and done it all legally. Probably less than 5000 baht.

 

Now he has a passport with a departure stamp from Cambodia & an arrival stamp in Thailand, but he is in Cambodia. How does he fix that for his next Thailand trip?

 

My Thai BF hardly ever gets entry or exit stamps from Thailand any more. He can and does use automated gates at Suvarnabhumi where he scans his passport and the gate opens. So there are non-corresponding stamps from DMK or other places, where they don't have the automatic gates yet. I believe there are 2 more exit than entry stamps at present and nobody seems to care so far. 

Not sure if that works for other ASEAN passports as well.

 

Here are the facts for overstaying a Visa.

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/overstay-visa-thailand.php

 

I don't know his exact circumstances, but he always does land crossings when going to and from Thailand. He has never flown into Thailand. Not sure if the stamps situation is different there, as I have never done a land crossing. As far as I know he was due for a passport renewal, as his I think expires in October, as he asked for money for his passport renewal. This might take care of lacking a departure stamp since its a new passport? Not sure. I guess I'll find out when he tells me he can't go back to Thailand.

 

But he sounded so scared (bordering in tears) when he was telling about the overstay. This was his whole livelihood, and getting detained or being barred from going back to Thailand would definitely take out his source of income.

 

completely forgot to ask...  how is a moneyboy in low season supposed to come up with spare THB 5000 ?And he probably and justifiably fears not being permitted reentry after overstaying.

 

Pay attention. He was paying 5000 for the taxi to the illegal border crossing.

 

Some moneyboys do travel in comfort and style.

 

The 5000 baht seems reasonable to me. It cost me $100 to get a private car service to take us from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, so 5000 baht that will take him from Pattaya to somewhere in Battambang, which is a little further distance, plus the illegal border crossing, makes sense.

 

As far as low season, before going with me he had a long time off with an Asian guy who took him around Pattaya and Bangkok. Sufficed to say it was lucrative for him. He did bitch to me about the asian guy the whole week he was with him. With photos. 

 

Numazu you had enough bad luck with airlines on that trip , to hopefully last for a life time.

 

I have had lots of cancellations or delays in the USA but luckily not once have I ever experienced such on my trips to and around Asia. Except of course when protesters  took over the BKK airport.

 

I guess I am due and better buy that insurance on my next trip.

 

Sounds like a good insurance to have, if they cover all these costs you have due to one flight being canceled.  

 

I never get travel insurance. Maybe I will next time I go. Love your report as I'm going to mirror the places you're going! Thx

 

I've been plenty lucky with past trips so I think I was due for this bad luck as well. I don't get travel insurance for every trip but I do get it when its an extra busy trip with a lot of moving parts like many flights and different hotels and (with other trips) rental cars and prepaid parking and show tickets etc. Its especially useful if you go to a country where westerners are susceptible to contracting any maladies (the tropics, Africa), or if you plan on going scuba diving or snorkeling or jet skiing and hospitalization may be needed if something happens. Or if there is some political unrest that will require you getting repatriated or get extra hotel stays (Thailand protests, Paris transit strike - I got stuck in one of these). One flight cancellation/Jelly fish sting/allergic reaction/tropical storm and it makes the $75-$150 insurance for a 2+ week insurance coverage highly worth it. I bake the cost into my vacation planning.

 

And don't forget to ask for a Delay Certificate!

[ggobkk]

On travel insurance - over the years, it's been hit or miss if I'd get / remember to get insurance.  Last September, I slipped on wet pavement in Beijing, fell backwards and put a sizable gash to the back of my head (I was rescued by a hunky South Korean security guard who was there to protect Mrs. Park who was in town - but that's another story...

 

Condensed version - the fall, the verbal testing to see if I had a concussion, the short medical checkup, etc. etc. made me think that I truly wasn't invulnerable and that if I continued to travel (which I have and plan to do) then I needed to make travel insurance a regular thing. 

 

The next few trips I'd but from Allianz using the link on my airlines's booking page.  In July of this year, I read an article on the NY Times website about travel insurance and the demand because of terrorism.  While terrorism wasn't at the top of my list, the article had links to sites that compared insurance plans, reliability, pricing, etc.  The article is still available on the Times' website - but it wouldn't give me a helpful link to post here.

 

I had spoken with Allianz about a 12 month plan, but was told NO due to my age 71 (at the time).  Using Squaremouth (one of the links in the article), I specified a request for an annual policy,with lots of medical coverage, evacuation coverage, etc.  Also included was trip interruption, cancellation, and luggage loss.  Annual cost $193.  

 

Here are the coverages

Multi-Trip Plan Universal from APRIL Travel Protection - Policy Coverage Limits

This information is in the full policy certificate.

Trip Cancellation

No coverage

Trip Interruption

$5,000 per person

Hurricane & Weather

Common carrier delay for any length of time, Mandatory evacuation conditionally covered, Must be purchased before storm is named

Terrorism

Covered for foreign and domestic

Financial Default

Covered after 14 day wait

Cancel For Work Reasons

No coverage

Cancel For Any Reason

No coverage, This benefit is separate from Trip Cancellation

Emergency Medical

$50,000 per person, Primary coverage

Pre-Existing Condition

No coverage, Pre-existing look-back period 90 days

Medical Deductible

No Medical Deductible

Medical Evacuation & Repatriation

$100,000 per person

Non-Medical Evacuation

$50,000 per person

Travel Delay

$750 per person, $100 daily limit, Covered after 6 hour delay

Baggage Delay

$300 per person, $100 daily limit, Covered after 12 hour delay

Baggage & Personal Items Loss

$1,000 per person, $100 per item, $250 specific items limit

Missed Connection

$150 per person, Covered after 6 hour delay

24 Hour AD&D

$25,000 per person

Sports Equipment & Fees

Not selected

Rental Car Damage

Not selected

Money Back Guarantee

Free look up to 14 days after purchase

24 Hour Assistance Service

24 hour assistance provided

Identity Theft

Covered

Maximum Trip Length

90 days per trip

Maximum Number of Trips

No limit

Additional Benefits

Concierge Services Coverage

[Guest]

So if CB had overstayed his visa by 5 days, perhaps the better option might have been to pay 5 x 500 baht in fines & kept his records in order ?  

[Jasper]

There was the new immigration rule on overstay from 20 March this year. Foreigner are no longer just pay off the 500 Baht fine per day but if caught will get actually banned from re-entering Thailand.

Overstay under one year gets 5 year ban.

CB should be worried.

[numazu]

Day 1: One Night in Bangkok

 

I have landed in Thailand from overseas for more than 10 times now so I know the drill.  It’s almost a game for me now: how fast can I get from my airplane seat to the taxi queue on the ground floor. And because lately I usually have a boy waiting for me to get to my hotel room in Bangkok after I land, getting in touch with them as soon as possible is paramount, so that means I endeavor to have internet access the minute the landing gear touches the runway. I got my Thai SIM international roaming last trip, and I was able to use it in the U.S.A., including topping it off with Baht before my flight. Going to https://my.dtac.co.th/esv/en/quickRefill enabled me to refill my phone with 500 baht:

 

 

I was able to use my Chase Bank Visa credit card without foreign transaction fees, and the currency exchange is near the top rate, so no more waiting to line up at the dtac kiosk in the airport, or waiting to get to a 7-11 to top off the balance of my phone.

 

So I turn on my Thai phone and with a previous screenshotted internet plan I got before I left:

 

 

I get internet access for a month for 399 baht. It’s overkill to get a whole month, but at that cost, I don’t care. I can Grindr and PlanetRomeo and Line and WeChat and YouTube and Spotify and Google Maps and XTube my way through Thailand.

 

I Line my Myanmar Boy (BurBoy) and tell him an approximate time I will be at the Crowne Plaza. He does not reply but I am not concerned because it’s before 12 noon. I Line Cambodia Boy (CB) telling him I am in Bangkok. He replies happy and confirming my arrival in Phnom Penh tomorrow. I text my BF and some of my friends that I am safe on Thai soil. I check my work email to see if there were any pressing matters to attend to. And I post a status on Facebook checking in at Suvarnabhumi Airport.  All this before disembarking the plane. The curse of living in the 21^st Century.

 

I arrive in Suvarnabhumi having a full complement of sleep on the plane. Disembarking from the plane and the scramble to immigration were unremarkable. But getting to the immigration lines, I was surprised by the number of people getting in line. The main queue was almost filled to capacity. I thought this was the low season. Maybe a handful of big flights just got in at the same time. I put on my headphones and patiently waited my turn. When it was my turn to get queued up to the actual individual immigration counters, by divine providence the usher who distributed the people to the individual counters led me to a counter with no people lined up. The immigration officer quickly gave me the entry stamps in my passport and departure card and I am on my way to baggage claim. I already see my bag as one of the few already on the baggage carousel for my flight. I scoop it up, casually but purposefully go through customs, get on the always entertaining gradual incline escalators that get me down to the first floor. I push the button to get me the ticket that guides me to my taxi driver, give him a card I have stashed in my wallet that shows the map to Crowne Plaza with Thai directions (and I have a screenshot of it in my phone, in case I lose that card), quickly nod yes to the driver’s questions (Crowne Plaza? Go highway? 500 baht?), and I am on my way. I hate airports, so getting away from one as quick as possible is paramount for me.

 

 

Some traffic and rain and Crowne Plaza is on the horizon. BurBoy replies to my Line and tells me he will shower, get something to eat and head over to the hotel. ETA around an hour and a half. I get to the hotel and the doorman tells me “Welcome back!” I get the same treatment from the concierge. I have stayed here so many times now. I don’t know if getting recognized is good or not. It’s probably good since they know of my revolving door of boys. I check in and get upgraded as usual. I get to my room, take off all my clothes, take a shower, and take a nap. No matter how much rest I get in the plane, my body still gets jet-lagged all the same.

 

My phone wakes me up, its BurBoy Line calling me. I answer and he says he is downstairs. I kick the cobwebs off my brain and force myself in clothes and slippers. I peek at the mirror and I look like a gargoyle. Can’t fix that for now. I get down and see BurBoy, a little bit skinnier than usual. He sees me and I get flashed his trademarked endearing smile. He has grown his hair a little bit that makes him look 15 years old. At 5’9 he has a little height advantage on me and I love this about him. He is a little bit tentative and says hi. I apologize for my appearance as I walk back to the elevators and to the room. He puts his hand on my shoulder the whole way. He has always been touchy feely and not embarrassed about showing affection.

 

We get to the room and I tell him I am beat from jet lag. His response is typical BurBoy: he takes off all his clothes to his briefs and gets in bed and get under the covers. “Sleep?” he asks. I smile and take off my clothes as well. I peel off the covers and admire his leaner body. He has the classic golden brown skin, the tone that belongs to the people in posters for Thailand tourism found in Western countries. He has always been insecure about his skin tone, because of the Asian obsession to have whiter skin, but his browness is just the beginning of his beauty. He has perfect six-pack abs, now more defined with his skinnier frame. His pecs are still perky, but less worked out than before. His biceps are smaller but still have the enviable vascularity in each bicep that is hard to get other than with youth and genetics. His body has always been effortlessly muscularly lean. But it’s the face (its always the face for me), that takes this boy over the top. Looks 15, a smile that brightens any room, and large expressive eyes that make you wonder what he is about. 

 

And he’s mine, for now.

 

I join him in bed and hug him deeply. We begin kissing and cuddling. Memories of the week in Phuket flood back. I stop for a minute and cuddle. And then promptly fall asleep. A flight cancellation, 15-hour flight plus a 3 hour flight, and 7000+ miles travelled to see this boy and I fall asleep immediately when I see him. I have embarrassed all sex tourists everywhere.

 

Four hours later I wake up still in his arms. The aircon is cool and our exposed skin is cold from the cool air, but we are sweating under the covers because of the body heat caused by our skin contact. He is fast asleep. I look at the time and it is 7 PM. I shift my body and BurBoy stirs. I kiss his sweet face and he begins to wake up. I figured out a long time ago that this was an effective way to wake him up. I grab his cock and it already is semi-hard. I take his cock in my mouth and he and it are both fully awakened. I always have difficulty with his cock, because it is thicker than what I am used. I try my darndest, and he appreciates the attention. I get off the bed, take off my briefs and take his hand. “Shower?” He takes off his briefs in bed and runs to the bathroom to pee. I join him to turn on the shower. Crowne Plaza always has these rainfall shower heads that release water in strong pressure.

 

I get in and soon get joined by BurBoy. We start kissing and he is more forceful that usual. “Did you miss me?” He says “Yes, many miss you,” while smiling and giving me the look of love. I continue kissing him, just savoring the moment. He gets out of the shower to take the soap and unwrap it. He then starts to give me a soap down. He loves giving soap downs. My chest, shoulders, back, pits and legs. And then my groin area, paying particular attention to my already erect cock. He then rinses me down and tells me “Finish now.” I get out of the shower and towel down. I see him soap down his own body, especially focusing on his ass for prepare for what’s to come. I finish drying and look for my condoms and lube.

 

I lay down on the bed, stroking my cock, waiting for my boy. He emerges, towel hung on his left shoulder. I gesture for him to come over. He sits right next to me and proceeds to kiss me. He puts his ass on my groin and grinds for my arousal. I savor his body, torso, maginificent nipples, and perfect six pack. I put his cock in my mouth and try my best to give him pleasure. The thickness really kills me, but I try. I put my hand on the shaft and start sucking the head and working the shaft. I get into it and see and feel that he likes it. He moans with pleasure and pretty soon he tells me “I cum.” I don’t stop, and he finally cums in my mouth. I take everything, and there was a lot of it.

 

(I run to the bathroom and spit it all out in a sink. There was a lot of it. I saw how much of it was there.)

 

I come back and he asks me if I was OK. I said I was. He takes my cock and starts sucking and get me back in the mood. He then unwraps a condom and puts it on my cock. He puts a little bit of lube in his ass, and then on my cock. He lays on his chest to expose his firm ass. He knows how I like it. I slip it in and start thrusting. He moans in approval. It doesn’t take me much. I haven’t cum in a week. I let out a loud moan and cum in the condom. Welcome to Bangkok.

 

I pull out and he sits up to kiss me. I begin to pull the condom off my cock and see that I have cum a lot. Some of the cum spills on the carpet. I laugh and he sees what happened and was shocked. I say “its ok” and I go to the bathroom and wrap the condom in toilet paper and discard it. I come back and see him dabbing the spot of the carpet with spilled cum with the towel. I then think how much spilled cum these carpets have seen and caught.

 

We shower and prepare for dinner. I decide on G’s Bangkok Restaurant on Silom Soi 4 as a welcome dinner for me. He has been with me at this restaurant before. There is a good spot in the corner in the back of the restaurant and we settle in. We put our orders in, and Guido, the mercurial owner, greets us warmly, and recognizes me and welcomes me back. He tells us that they are starting Oktoberfest and have some fabulous beers on tap. I order a Pilsen while BurBoy orders a pale ale. We both get tall glasses, as we weren’t man enough for the big boot glass. Guido then shows us “Sink the Bismarck” a beer with a whopping 41% alcohol content:

 

 

I tell Guido to save the bottle for another time, maybe for when I was feeling particularly adventurous. I then explain to BurBoy how potent the beer was (by explaining how most beers are 3% to 8% alcohol content, doing a pinching motion for alcohol and hand wide gesture for water, and then do the appropriate gestures for the 41% alcohol content). His eyes widen and he tells me that he forbids me from drinking it. Guido then tells me “Wise boy you have” and laughs.

 

We soon get our meals and start our feast. We both get delicious seafood orders. They never disappoint. I see Guido chat up the guy sitting on the next table and find out he was also American. I chat him up and get into a pleasant conversation about life back home, Bangkok, Thailand in general, and my impending trip to Cambodia. BurBoy listens intently but does not join in the conversation. Guido then joins in and it quickly turns to a conversation about the U.S. Presidential Election campaign season. We reached a consensus about Trump and Clinton and hope for a more favorable outcome for us. He tells me that he has a party at his townhouse on election day to watch the results on TV, and he invites me to come if I was in town. I thank him and tell him it will probably be more fun to watch election returns this way than back home.

 

As we wrap up dinner I look at the time. It was 10:05 PM and my thoughts go to seeing a gogo show to wrap up the night. I am flying to Cambodia tomorrow and would like to get rest to prepare for the intimidating travel schedule ahead. I tell BurBoy I wanted to go to a Tawan show, and explain to him what kind of guys the bar is known for. He is intrigued by the idea of a bar with only big muscle men, so he was eager to go. He is not a gogo boy or traditional money boy so I was not sure if he would go for it.  But he is a gay man after all, and gawking at half naked men is probably as universally gay as Madonna.

 

I pay for the meal and drinks (950 baht) and we both get a hug and kiss from Guido. I tell him we shall be back in a week to sample more of his beers. We head out and I look to my right and see that Soi 4 was in full swing, despite the low season. I head back to Silom Rd with BurBoy behind me. BurBoy grabs my right bicep and we walk arm-in arm, hanging a right on Silom, make a left on Soi 6 and head over to Soi Tantawan and get to Tawan. The tout up front literally tackles me to get me to get in. I don’t mind getting manhandled by this one. Inside, the bar was almost full on a low season Saturday night. They were trying to get us to sit on the seats in the periphery but I wanted a good vantage point because it was BurBoy’s first time in this bar. I head over to the section next to the stage on the side of the toilets and see that a seat was available. I tell one of the captains I wanted to sit there, and they produce one more chair to get two seats next to each other for us. It was good enough for now.

 

The show has already started, with the ladyboy show. Same sequence as my last trip:

 

The show starts with a drag show. I’ve never seen any drag shows here at Tawan before. I thought that was the antithesis of what Tawan was all about: hyper masculine muscular men. But here they were, lip-syncing their guts out, and dancing like there was no tomorrow. CB was actually impressed by the singing and dance moves, and made comments throughout the numbers. There was an interlude where there was a hideous drag queen singing to a Chinese love song that didn’t go over so well. A total of 4 drag numbers. I didn’t know where Tawan was going with this.

 

During the ladyboy show some guys seated right in front leave. I tell the Captain immediately that we want to get reseated in front. We do and now we will have muscle and cock and ass waved right in front of our faces. Before the main show started, four coyote boys in briefs head up onstage and on the pedestals on the side and start dancing. They were clearly not Tawan boys, as I have never seen them before, they were younger and leaner muscular. They weren’t doing any choreographed dances but were just dancing to the music. This was new to me. The boys were hot but it turned boring after a few minutes. After this, the numbers come and were virtually the same as the last time again:

 

Anyway, there were a total of 5 numbers featuring one guy solo on stage, with them doing classic beefcake poses, with different flourishes that depended on the personality of the guy and the type of music. I liked these numbers, because it shows Tawan as its best: showcasing the guys and their muscles. Mekhin was one of them, looking a bit tired and sad, but still impressing people with his muscles. There was one guys who was playful and sexy, and added gay flourishes to his beefcake poses. I will want to off this guy next time.

 

There were also a couple of numbers with pairs. These again were different from what I’ve seen in the past. These were more expertly choregraphed, and the guys were hot and game for the dance moves. One number had two guys go through a whole sex act, from foreplay to simulated fucking, to music and choreographed steps. It was super hot. They both looked like they were both into each other, which is a big part of selling it to the audience. 

 

BurBoy was entranced by the whole spectacle, but was frowning in some of the sequences. Right at the end of every number he leans over to kiss me. Such a sweet boy. He has his arm around my arm the whole time. Again, the skin contact makes our arms sweaty. We produce heat when together. I see some farangs eyeing BurBoy. I’m glad my boy’s charms are also universal. The show ends with the same four coyote boys come back and do the same dancing. And then the Tawan guys parade onstage to advertise their wares. I pay for the our drinks of 400 baht each. It’s almost 12 and we head out.

 

I ask BurBoy if he liked the show. He said it was OK but “not original”. He said that he didn’t like how big the guys were and most of them had a “one-pack”. I ask him what a “one-pack” was, so he lifts up his shirt and tells me he has a “six-pack”, pointing to his tummy. He indeed does and I poke one of them before he pulls his shirt back down. I tell him that most of them are probably on steroids, so water retention is sometimes a problem. He asks me why I know this, and then teases me that I’ve probably offed everyone in the bar. I just smile and deny it. I certainly have not offed everyone in the bar, though not for lack of trying.

 

I wanted to take it easy tonight, so I tell BurBoy we are just heading home. We have 5 more nights together after Cambodia so we can pace ourselves. As we head down Surawong Rd I savor how amazing I feel tonight. All the problems related to my flight coming here seem like a distance memory. The healing has begun. I thank my lucky stars that I get to come to this amazing place and meet equally amazing people, and I can put all my first-world problems and responsibilities in the rear view mirror, (including not having a rear-view mirror) for a while. As we pass Soi Twilight BurBoy leans over and gives me a big kiss. The first night in Bangkok always holds so much promise, and right now, it is delivering big time.

 

(Oh, and back at the hotel, BurBoy got so horny that we chuck wow together. He insisted on fucking me but I tell him to save that for another day. But why ruin a romantic ending with a chuck-wow episode.)

 

Tomorrow, Cambodia.

[vinapu]

Day 1: One Night in Bangkok

 

 

I Line my Myanmar Boy (BurBoy) and tell him an approximate time I will be at the Crowne Plaza. He does not reply but I am not concerned because it’s before 12 noon. I Line Cambodia Boy (CB) telling him I am in Bangkok. He replies happy and confirming my arrival in Phnom Penh tomorrow. I text my BF and some of my friends that I am safe on Thai soil. I check my work email to see if there were any pressing matters to attend to. And I post a status on Facebook checking in at Suvarnabhumi Airport.  All this before disembarking the plane. The curse of living in the 21^st Century.

 

 

thanks for  a good and long-lasting laugh

 

 

 And then promptly fall asleep. A flight cancellation, 15-hour flight plus a 3 hour flight, and 7000+ miles travelled to see this boy and I fall asleep immediately when I see him. I have embarrassed all sex tourists everywhere.

 

 

I will be lobbying so we all forgive you

 

I then think how much spilled cum these carpets have seen and caught.

 

 

now we know why smart places like Raya, Nantra or BBB Inn don't have a carpets - easier to keep spotless

 

 

Tomorrow, Cambodia.

I wish it's already tomorrow

[Guest whall]

Gross about carpeting. I'm going to always wear something on my feet next time I'm at tarntawan.

[vinapu]

 

there are  some rumors on forums about Tarntawan being closed but it seems those will be Tarntawan apartments only on corner of Suriwong and soi 6    , hotel will be still open 

[numazu]

Day 2.0: From One Buddhist Kingdom to Another

 

I wake up at 9 AM to the alarm. I am going to Phnom Penh today. I tiptoe to the bathroom to do my business and then to ultimately shower. I come out and see BurBoy still sleeping. I slip under the covers and spoon him for a while. I kiss his back, his neck, his hair. Soon he stirs and says “Hello.” I tell him we need to get up because I have to catch a flight. He asks what time I need to leave the hotel. I say 10:45 to 11 AM. I grab his cock and see that it is rock hard. I suck on it for a bit before asking him to shower. I can’t waste time this morning, but can see that BurBoy was game for sex. I would have to make it up to him in 5 days.

 

While he does his business and showers I pack my stuff. Not much to pack because I just checked in yesterday. I eat some of the fresh fruit provided in the room by the staff. I get an AirBNB message from the owner of the condo in Phnom Penh, on my AirBNB app in my phone, asking if I will be needing a tuk-tuk to pick me at the airport. I tell him yes, my flight lands at 2:55 PM in Phnom Penh airport. I get a reply from him an hour later, telling me the tuk-tuk is all set and the driver will have my name on a piece of paper at the arrivals door.

 

Meanwhile, BurBoy emerges from the bathroom and I tell him we have time for breakfast. We head down to the 23^rd floor to eat at the Panorama restaurant where the Crowne Plaza has their breakfast buffet. Lots of standard Western fare like bacon, sausages, breads and cheeses, some Japanese items like sushi and pork soup since the hotel is popular with the Japanese, a Chinese section with some dim sum and congee, and pastries like croissants, cupcakes and souflees. In my experience only the Intercontinenal Bangkok exceeds it in terms of variety and quality, but then again I only stay at IHG properties when in Bangkok due to points availability. 

 

We both stock up on food. Seems like we got hungry from all the activities and cumming twice yesterday. I love seeing the boys stock up on food and cleaning up their plates. BurBoy has a variety of food on his, from pastas to meats to dim sum. His palate is more diverse than most boys I know. We both shovel the food down, knowing that I needed to go soon. I mention to him that he is more than welcome to use the gym here when I leave. He has mentioned last night that he has not gone to the gym in a month since he was with the farang most of that time. He says he can access the gym near his apartment near Chatuchak market. I ask him how much per day? He says it’s a whopping 20 baht a day. I look at my wallet and give him 500 baht. I tell him to go everyday before while i am in Cambodia, and to get himself a protein drink as well for a post-workout treat. He takes the money and says he will work hard.

 

We get back to the room to get my luggage and his little backpack. I give him a deep hug and a deep kiss, since I know I won’t be able to do it in public. He takes my roller bag and carries it with him. I check out (0 baht and 25,000 points), and ask the check out lady to call me a cab downstairs. We get to the downstairs lobby and the cab is waiting. The attendant asks me what airport and airline. I tell him and he tells it to the driver. My stuff gets loaded in the back and I say goodbye to BurBoy. He then takes me by the shoulders and gives me a hug and a kiss. I forgot that he is not afraid of public displays of affection. I kiss him back awkwardly and get into the cab and say goodbye. In the cab I Line him thanks and tell him I will see him in 5 days. He responds with a bunch of emojis.

 

On the cab ride to the airport I look into my bag and gather my passport and Cambodia e-Visa. The visa was insanely easy to get. I went to https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ and clicked on “Apply Now”. I put in the application on August 9. Used my American credit card and since the fee was in dollars ($37), no exchange rates to worry about. I used a photo I have on my work ID badge and cropped it to their specifications. Two days later on August 11 I get the approval and the visa. I print two copies of it in color. It looks exactly like this, except obviously this is not me:

 

 

My issue date is August 12, my expiry date is November 12, and the length of stay is the same, 30 days. I cut one up to fit into my passport and have the other one just paper size.

 

I get to the airport, and 500 baht later I get to the counter of Bangkok Airways. I check-in my roller bag and they ask me if I had a laptop inside my check-in luggage. I say yes and they say if its possible I should put it in my carry-on for safekeeping. I don’t argue but I wonder if they’ve had problems with people taking valuable items from checked luggage before. As long as no one takes my condoms and lube I’m fine. I take the escalator to the security line on the next level up from the check-in level and I see that it is pandemonium. A ton of people in line to get through security, on both sides, and the line is slow to move:

 

 

Again, Its low season, but this is the busiest I’ve ever seen it, and I’ve flown out of Bangkok after New Year’s.

 

It’s 11:30 AM now and my flight leaves 1:45 PM.  Seems like a lot of time but I am nervous. The line is moving at a glacial pace. Other people are also nervous and wondering what the hold up is. I get a peek of the line to immigration in the next room, and it is packed with people as well. I try to be patient and put on my headphones and listen to music. I get some texts from Cambodia Boy (CB) checking up on my progress. I tell him I am scheduled to be in Phnom Penh at 2:55 PM. I do not tell him about the lines. He has gone through enough. He texts me photos of himself having some bread with his friends. I am looking forward to seeing him and the city.

 

At 12:15 PM I finally get through security. I see that the hold up is not with security but with immigration. The line is moving slower even before we get to the escalators to the main immigration hall. At the end of the escalators where Thai passport holders go one way and everyone else goes another way, I see that the Thai lines are way more packed than the foreign ones. Lots of upwardly mobile Thais taking trips this time. Must be progress. But the foreigner line is still packed:

 

 

I try to choose what I think is the fastest individual line and patiently wait in it. There were a couple of people who already had their flights leave them still in line in front of me. When it was their turn, the immigration officer takes one look at their boarding passes and turns them away, presumably because their flights have already left. They leave defeated. I am adamant to see this through and not get discouraged. Eventually it’s my turn and it takes the officer all of 15 seconds to put my departure stamp on my passport. It is 1:00 PM so I am fine, but I see on my boarding pass that boarding for my flight is at 1:05 PM so I sprint to the gate. It takes me 15 minutes to get to my gate (with a bathroom break) and they are already boarding. They call my zone so I just go directly to the gate lady and I am on my way. We board a bus that takes us to the aircraft. The bus fills up and we get carted to the aircraft.

 

I get to my seat. Crisis averted. I am understandably extra nervous about this flight because of my previous experience. We take off without any fanfare and I relax. I had to skip the lounge access for Bangkok Airways because of the lines, but do appreciate that Bangkok Airways allows any class you are to have lounge access that serve some basic snacks and drinks and more comfortable seats to wait for your flight.

 

Since the flight is only one hour long it is a wonder how the flight attendants can serve a full meal, drinks and immigration materials to all the passengers, accounting for take-off and landing procedures. But they do. They serve the meal as soon as we get to cruising altitude. It is chicken curry with rice, with some veggie things and a coconut dessert thing. It hit the spot for me, maybe because all that lining up and worrying has made me hungry:

 

 

After that the meal they distribute immigration forms. I didn’t need the visa application because of my e-visa, but the departure and arrival cards and the custom forms I do need:

 

 

One thing they did distribute that was interesting was they gave us Cambodian SIM cards on the Smart network. I pop out the nano SIM and put it in my Thai phone SIM slot. I keep the handy instructions for later.

 

 

As soon as I do this, the captain informs everyone we are starting our descent. It’s a mad dash for the flight attendants to take as much trash as they can from us before landing. At descent, I look out the window and see this:

 

 

A far cry from the metropolitan Suvarnabhumi surroundings. It is obvious that most of  Phnom Penh is still fairly rural. I get excited about the prospect of exploring Phnom Penh and seeing CB again. It is raining outside, but it does not affect our landing.

 

We disembark and get to immigration. There was no one else there except the passengers of my flight and the immigration officers. It was so quiet. I almost thought I went to the wrong place. Quite a departure from the madhouse of Bangkok. I stand in line behind one other person and soon it was my turn. No questions were asked and he took my cut up e-Visa and the arrival and departure card. He stamped my passport and stapled the departure card on one of the pages of my passport. He kept the e-Visa. I look at the stamp, valid for 30 days. Painless.

 

I get to baggage claim and my bag was already on the carousel. All the bags were wet from the rain outside. I take it and head to the bathroom right next to the customs guy. I go through customs (i.e. one person standing) and hand him the customs declaration form. He just took it and looked at me for half a second. I inch my way towards the arrivals door and pretty soon I was outside. No taxi stand, no bus counters, no vans to get you to places like Bangkok. Only a curb that all vehicles use to take the passengers away from the airport.

 

As I leave the arrivals door, I don’t notice the tuktuk driver holding my name on a placard. I don’t notice the torrential downpour happening outside. And I don’t notice the throngs of people waiting for their loved ones to come out. I only see CB, with a big shit-eating grin on his face, happy to see me. He waves his long arms up and down to get my attention. When I see him, I am relieved. I am finally in Cambodia, and my boy is waiting for me.

 

To be continued…