Reporting on my first ever trip to Bankok

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

Let me start off with a little background.. I am a heavy set 56 year old guy (turning 57 on my last full day in town). In the last couple of years, my body is not keeping up with my mind as far as youth..I have had a bulging disc in my lower back for almost two years now.. It pinches on my sciatic nerve, causing pain down my right leg, from hip to knee. Nothing has been of much help as far as improvements. I have had numerous epidurals, and visit a chiropractor regularly, but no real, long term inprovements. And the surgeon says I am not a candidate for surgury.  My latest ailment has been some pretty intense heartburn/acid reflux. This has  been going on for a few weeks, and intesifying before the trip. I went and got checked out to make sure it wasn't a heart issue, and after and EKG, exrays, etc, I was told my heart and lungs were normal. I got the pain under control before I started my trip, so I was hoping it would be manageable while I was vacationing.

 

I flew on United airlines and Eva air to get here. Phoenix to LA was United Economy class, and then the remainder on Eva (LAX to TPE to BKK) was in Biz class. Eva was a great airlines. The seats were comfortable, the service impeccable, the food good (as far as airline food goes). Unfortunately, after eating the "refresher" meal on the long leg, I quickly got SEVERE heartburn. It was very uncomfortable for the rest of the flights. The pain is so intense that it makes it nearly impossible to sleep. My original plan was to sleep as little as possible on the flights, since I was arriving at midnight. That way I would go to sleep as soon as I hit my hotel (Raya Surawog) and be on a good sleep cycle. 

The not sleeping much on the plane was accomplished, but that first night, I still could not sleep in my hotel bed due to the pain.. So I got up by 7am and visited a nearby hospital to get some stronger meds. An hour or so later, I was leaving the hospital after consulting with a doctor, with 3 different medicines for acid reflux/indigestion in hand. I started taking them right away, and shortly noticed a slight improvement. 

 

I had made plans to meet up with a poster from here at Gaythailand (Wheelz) at 1:30 for some lunch and tour of the surrounding area. He showed up on time and we went around the corner for some lunch at Dicks. We both got some Chicken fried rice (I was not of the strongest stomach yet, so wanted something bland). It was good. For anyone not familiar, Dicks in right in the middle of Soi Twilight (I think that is correct) so there are numerous bars, gogos, and massage places next door. We enjoyed our lunch, chatting and watching some of the boys from Bonny Massage next door. 

 

Wheelz had talked with a mamasan at A boys, who was supposed to have a few twink types available for us around 3pm. We walked the few blocks over to Aboys, and at first, it was still locked up tight. We continued on to another bar (on what Wheelz was calling the sleazy end of the gay spectrum). Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the place. While walking to this other bar, we passed the A boy mamasan on the street who was heading in to unlock and open up shop.  We had one quick drink at this other bar, but there were not boys there yet, so we went back to Aboys. 

 

At first at Aboys, there was just one boy downstairs, who was a favorite of Wheelz. The mamasan got us drinks, then headed upstairs to bring down a boy (hopefully) for me. Unfortunately, the boy was not my type at all. So we finished our drinks, and I tipped my boy 100  baht for his time and we headed back to Bonny Massage to get a massage.

 

A quick notice, if you are mobility challenged, Bangkok bars/establishments are not always easy to maneuver. To enter Bonny massage, you go up one flight of stairs, and then need to go up a second flight to the massage rooms. I quickly picked out a very cute guy for my massage. His name, I believe, was Try. The massage was to be a 800 baht charge, with minimum tip the same. We went into the room upstairs, and we both undressed. I was hot and sweaty so I wanted a shower to cool off. Try joined me in the shower without being asked, and proceeded to give me a nice washing..We went back to the room and commenced with the massage. It is on a mat, on a platform raised about a foot off the floor. No hole for the face in the mat. The massage was proceeding very nicely. Started off with "regular" massage, then body to body then when I flipped over, it got a little more sensual. He gave me a "Happy ending" while I did a little suckie suckie on him. After I came, we went back for another shower together. 

 

Afterwards, I thought was being nice and gave him 1000 baht. He looked at me like where is the rest. he tried to say I owed him 500 more since I had sucked on him for all of 5 minutes. I 

halfheartedly argued for a couple of minutes and finally reached in my pocket and gave him another 200 baht. After all, it was only another $6 USD. At that point, he seemed happy and we left the room. 

 

Wheelz had gone back to Aboys to off his boy there, and we had agreed for him to come back to my hotel at 5:30 and we would head off to Screwboys, which is his favorite bar. I got back to my room and layed down for some rest. When I got the call from Front desk at 5:30 that Wheelz was waiting for me, I got up and quickly got ready to go downstairs. Unfortunately, my right leg was having none of it, and I could barely walk. So I went down to the reception area and apologized for having to call it a night. I came back up to my room and stayed in bed, sleeping on and off until 7am this morning. 

 

Now, my chest is feeling 99% better, but my leg/hip are still a little tender, and my abdomen feel like I was punched in the gut. I assume this was from the rather rough massage yesterday, along with the walking we did. So that catches me up to today (Day two). I have tentative afternoon plans with a poster for an outing for a bite to eat and a visit to Hero massage. But for now, back to sleep to get more rest..

[santosh108]

Thanks for your detailed initial trip report.  I am very sorry to hear about all your physical challenges.  Fortunately you are in an excellent, beautiful city that has fantastic medical facilities.  Hopefully you will not have to visit them too often.

 

Please pace yourself and enjoy as you can the many wonderful joys and boys that Bangkok has to offer.  And please do continue to keep us updated on your activities.

[DivineMadman]

Welcome to BKK.  

 

For people with stair issues, The Prince on Suan Plu Soi 6 is basically all on one level, and no real stairs to speak of.  Unfortunately it's not for twink lovers.  http://theprincebkk.com.  The divine  (and expensive) Spa Bangkok has a VIP room on the entry level that you could reserve.  It's not so much a boom-boom house as the others, but the massages are first rate and you should leave happy (or at least I always do).  https://spabangkok.net/silom/  They are very responsive on Line during business hours.   Line ID:  SpaBangkok.  The more basic "Best Massage" I think has a room on the ground floor, not 100% sure.  Best Massage has some twinkler types.  Spa Bangkok and Best massage are both on the ground floor of the Silom Plaza.  Same building as Arena.  Map is on the Spa Bangkok website.

 

Spa Sathorn also has no stairs, but might be a bit out of the way and run down for a first visit to BKK.

 

Those are the ones that pop into my mind.

[vinapu]

Great report and you need to be praised for delivering on your promise to post trip report. Not always a case with posters asking for advice and information here and promising to report back.

 

Great choice of hotel, you should be happy in Raya.

 

Apart from medication for your heartburn /acid problems try to sleep / lay on your left side. Should give you at least some relief.

 

By A Boys probably you mean Super A bar. Don't give up on them , in Sept  they had few nice boys you may like.

 

With your back problems make sure massage boys don't mutilate you too much.

 

Have fun and forget about health problems

[Jhoony]

You sound like a very genuine person.

If not well keep it simple - sit on a stool at one of the two bars at the entrance of soi boy, enjoy, take one from there or a go go bar and taxi everywhere. Enjoy

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

Thanks for the  (mostly) positive feedback and the suggestions/input. Much appreciated. I met with another poster and we went for lunch this afternoon. We were going to grab a bit at Maxi's, but it seems to be closed for renovations. So we just grabbed a place at Dicks again. Afterwards, we took a cab to Hero Massage. Beautiful upscale place. Unfortunately,  I hesitated not once but twice and missed the boys I wanted. So after awhile, we decided to just head on out. So I came back to my hotel for a rest so I can be up to speed for a night on soi Twilight this evening. Is anyone else going to be out who might want to meet up?

[Jasper]

Enjoy!

Don’t forget to visit Jupiter at Soi 4.

Recently some cute Vietnamese boys joined the bar, particularly #23 24.

Show time 10:15 drink 300 baht

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

Just my luck. I travel for 28 hours around the world only to get sick. I was kind of feeling achy to begin with, so when I got back from hero massage I lay down for a nap. I woke up a couple of hours later and my bed was soaking wet. I'm running a fever and sweated my bed all wet. So I took a couple of aspirin to try and help with the fever. So I guess another night in bed early. If I'm not feeling better in the morning I guess it's back to the pharmacy and or hospital for more different kinds of medicine.

[reader]

Now, my chest is feeling 99% better, but my leg/hip are still a little tender, and my abdomen feel like I was punched in the gut. I assume this was from the rather rough massage yesterday, along with the walking we did. So that catches me up to today (Day two). I have tentative afternoon plans with a poster for an outing for a bite to eat and a visit to Hero massage. But for now, back to sleep to get more rest..

 

Sorry to hear about setbacks but glad to read that you're maintaining a positive attitude.  Newbies tend to be shy in discussing with masseur what they expect and this can easily result in a less than satisfactory experience--even if you were speaking a common language. The manager at most places can be of help in advance to assure better outcome. As in so many things you'll be doing, it all begins with good communications.

[ct2005]

..I have had a bulging disc in my lower back for almost two years now.. It pinches on my sciatic nerve, causing pain down my right leg, from hip to knee. Nothing has been of much help as far as improvements. I have had numerous epidurals, and visit a chiropractor regularly, but no real, long term inprovements. And the surgeon says I am not a candidate for surgury.  My latest ailment has been some pretty intense heartburn/acid reflux. This has  been going on for a few weeks, and intesifying before the trip. I went and got checked out to make sure it wasn't a heart issue, and after and EKG, exrays, etc, I was told my heart and lungs were normal. I got the pain under control before I started my trip, so I was hoping it would be manageable while I was vacationing...

Since you are from US, the chiropractor that you visited is he by any chance Dr John Bergman?

I have been watching lots of videos from Dr John Bergman youtube channel. Supposedly, your sciatic nerve problem could be caused by an unstable pelvis, your bulging disc & heart burn issues may mostly like due to the loss of the spinal curves in your neck & back... I liked his videos explanation and thought that the videos are very informative & practical.

 

For indigestion issues, perhaps you could try the following tips:-

1. do not drink water 30mins before or after a meal.

2. for serious indigestion, you will have to avoid all food that are difficult to digest or can cause stomach gas bloating issues. If you have this issues for quite sometime, I am sure by now you would already know what food to avoid or to avoid eating too much.

3. try the Japanese Water Therapy i.e. drink 800ml of warm water on empty stomach the first thing in the morning before you brush your teeth. Wait for 45mins before eating any food/breakfast.

4. The doctor's prescribed medicine for acid reflux (one that neutralizes the stomach acids, the other is the proton pump inhibitor) is not really the solution for long term. According to the theory I read, most heartburn/acid reflux is due to low stomach acid and not too much acid. Indigestion causes food to ferment ... hence produces gases which in turn causes acid reflux ...

5. Taking digestive enzymes will be useful. Limiting water intake during meals is still the most important.

& so on ...

[reader]

It really amazes me why Americans would fly 20 hours just to fly to Thailand.

 

Aren't there any gay massage places in U.S.A or even Latin America?

 

For all the Americans I know who fly to Thailand, it's a matter of preference for east Asians in an east Asian environment. Taking a boat would consume much time and taking a train or bus could easily prove more problematic.

 

Think you'd probably get a similar reply from Canadians and other long-distance travelers.

 

It is, after all, known as Amazing Thailand for good reason.

[vinapu]

It really amazes me why Americans would fly 20 hours just to fly to Thailand.

 

Aren't there any gay massage places in U.S.A or even Latin America?

in America you are getting shot in the church so what  chance one has by visiting gay massage place ?

 

As for Latin America , often is cheaper to fly to Asia than say to Buenos Aires or Asuncion , Paraguay  

[vinapu]

Just my luck. I travel for 28 hours around the world only to get sick. I was kind of feeling achy to begin with......,

get better fast , it's very unhealthy to get sick.

 

Try  not to have your A/c in the room too low as moving from cold room to steamy street doesn't do any good.

 

Keep smiling and you will be better soon hopefully. Thos things happens from time to time unfortunately, long trip, dream vacations and all of then sudden illness.  I recall TMax, poster here  had the same misfortune  few months ago.

[spoon]

I have had several very severe heartburn attack even though im still in my early 30s. Had them since my 20s. Ive googled few remedies and stumble upon apple cider vinegar mixed with honey. Work wonders and the results was quite immediate too. Just 2 tablespoon acv with honey to taste, and filled the mug with water. Drink after meal (lunch and dinner) i did them for 1 week straight and the heart burn and burping gone. Making them is a nuisance if you are travelling so when im travelling, i just take gaviscon with me, not really ideal but its a great quick fix.

[reader]

What works for me when I have indigestion:

 

1. If in a restaurant or bar, go directly to the bartender and ask for a glass of seltzer or ginger ale (NO ice). Then ask him to let you use his bottle of Angostura Bitters (frequently added to some mixed drinks such as Old Fashioned, Singapore Sling, Bloody Mary, Manhattan, Champagne cocktail, Pink Gin). Shake a generous amount into glass and stir.   It will fizz and turn the color pink to beige. Drink immediately.

 

Since language may be a problem, this is what the bottle looks like.

 

2. A teaspoon of baking SODA mixed with seltzer or ginger ale also does the trick.  Add bitters to it, even better.

 

Some airlines may also have a bottle of bitters in the galley.

 

Reference from Wikipedia

 

Angostura bitters are alleged to have restorative properties. It was reported to be a remedy for  hiccups and is thought to be a cure for an upset stomach.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angostura_bitters

 

 

[t0oL1]

sildenafil    gives me monster heartburn...

[ggobkk]

On my last visit, I had to have medical treatment for an infection on my right arm.  I went to the emergency room at Bangkok Christian Hospital on Silom...a short walk from The Raya.  World class facility with skilled physicians.  If you need to go there have your passport or driver's license as they need one or the other to register you.  Based on my experience costs are very low, quality of care is high.

[farangyai]

I hope you feel better soon.  We all know what a bummer it is to get sick outside your home country but it happens frequently when you are exposed to very different surroundings, temperatures, foods, etc.  I found after a few visits I adjusted and seldom got sick.

 

As for us Americans flying 20+ hours for fun in Thailand, I feel it is certainly worth it and I doubt I could ever find someone in my country who shows little concern over age differences or acts and looks like the Thai guys.

[steveboy]

in America you are getting shot in the church so what  chance one has by visiting gay massage place ?

 

As for Latin America , often is cheaper to fly to Asia than say to Buenos Aires or Asuncion , Paraguay  

 

LOL!  I have a near zero probability of getting shot in a church, for obvious reasons...

You are right.  A flight from the US to Argentina is much more expensive than to LOS, although distance is much shorter.  It is all a matter of competition.

[steveboy]

It really amazes me why Americans would fly 20 hours just to fly to Thailand.

 

Aren't there any gay massage places in U.S.A or even Latin America?

 

There is a Spanish say "nadie es profeta en su tierra " (no one is a prophet in his land), and this is very true for sex tourism.  Aside from the enjoyment, excitement to fly to a remote place away from home,  I must confess that I feel more "important" in a S.E. Asian city like BKK. Tourists we can be the exception, and are treated like that.  Having traveled 24 hours to get there gives a message of "class" to the people I want to impress.  This can make up for my ugliness and unattractiveness of being older, and, a big AND,  Asia is where the people I want to impress live.  I can walk for hours in the US without seeing someone I find attractive, and if there is one, I may not be the one he wants to see.  In Asian cities I see them right and left, and some notice me. It's like being in a candy store!.   Spending two whole days traveling in a trip, days which can still have some enjoyment, are easily made up in the fun of a two week vacation.  

[steveboy]

Let me start off with a little background.. I am a heavy set 56 year old guy (turning 57 on my last full day in town). In the last couple of years, my body is not keeping up with my mind as far as youth..I have had a bulging disc in my lower back for almost two years now.. It pinches on my sciatic nerve, causing pain down my right leg, from hip to knee. Nothing has been of much help as far as improvements. I have had numerous epidurals, and visit a chiropractor regularly, but no real, long term inprovements. And the surgeon says I am not a candidate for surgury.  My latest ailment has been some pretty intense heartburn/acid reflux. This has  been going on for a few weeks, and intesifying before the trip. I went and got checked out to make sure it wasn't a heart issue, and after and EKG, exrays, etc, I was told my heart and lungs were normal. 

 

I empathize with your condition, and I think that under these circumstances,  BKK is the best place you can be.  It is a matter of taking advantage of what is abundant there while avoiding that what is harmful to your body.  You can still have plenty of SEX while giving up on minor pleasures you can have everywhere else.  With your flaring gastric problems, it is wise to postpone the joys of food for your return home.  (honestly, I would not risk upsetting my stomach for any food in the world, no matter how "fancy").  Your body deserves to be handled carefully, and this should rule out massages in questionable places by questionable people.  I know, massage is a comfortable entry to happy endings,  but why seek some little sex as a byproduct of something that you may regret?  If sex is the attraction of BKK, why not go straight for it?   A daily short-term (or long-term if you have the endurance) off to a boy you most like in a bar, for daily good sex without compromise nor effort.  No need to spend much time in the bar and have sleepless nights, no need to eat the wrong foods in restaurants for some compromise. Perhaps the services of the money boys are not much more expensive than hanging around in other places trying to have traditional fun.

 

And once you have abused to your heart's content the abundant sex the place offers, feeling that you have contributed to the well being of many money boys, you can return home in one piece, ready to recover and improve with good habits for the next trip.

[faranglaw]

LOL!  I have a near zero probability of getting shot in a church, for obvious reasons...

You are right.  A flight from the US to Argentina is much more expensive than to LOS, although distance is much shorter.  It is all a matter of competition.

Actually, the distances from North to South America are much greater than people think. You are not just flying south, you are also flying East. All of South America is east of Savannah, Gerogia. The eastern time zone of South America is six hours different from Pacific time. I once used a tape measure and a globe to measure distances, and on the globe, the distance from Vancouver to Bangkok, and Vancouver to Buenos Aires, are exactly the same. Obviously, it's different from the east coast, but you are still traveling to a different hemisphere. Interesting, eh?

[paulsf]

I fly out of Miami. To Brazil it’s about 8 hour flight and costs run between $1500 - $2000.

Bangkok is almost 24-30 hours, door to door. Costs run between $800 - $1200. Last flight I got for $725. There have been some great fare sales to SE Asia this year.

[vinapu]

.  Aside from the enjoyment, excitement to fly to a remote place away from home,  I must confess that I feel more "important" in a S.E. Asian city like BKK. ......

 

BKK is the best place you can be.  It is a matter of taking advantage of what is abundant there while avoiding that what is harmful to your body.  

Steve as long as you stay away from model thread you talk a lot of sense I can agree with wholeheartedly like in those 2 posts quoted above 

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

What works for me when I have indigestion:

 

1. If in a restaurant or bar, go directly to the bartender and ask for a glass of seltzer or ginger ale (NO ice). Then ask him to let you use his bottle of Angostura Bitters (frequently added to some mixed drinks such as Old Fashioned, Singapore Sling, Bloody Mary, Manhattan, Champagne cocktail, Pink Gin). Shake a generous amount into glass and stir.   It will fizz and turn the color pink to beige. Drink immediately.

 

Since language may be a problem, this is what the bottle looks like.

 

2. A teaspoon of baking SODA mixed with seltzer or ginger ale also does the trick.  Add bitters to it, even better.

 

Some airlines may also have a bottle of bitters in the galley.

 

Reference from Wikipedia

 

Angostura bitters are alleged to have restorative properties. It was reported to be a remedy for  hiccups and is thought to be a cure for an upset stomach.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angostura_bitters

thanks, reader, but this was like typical heartburn x 100.