Chasing dreams and illusions - report of August 2019 trip

[DrimVoiz]

36 minutes ago, vinapu said:

I know why !

Of course you do, lol    

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, Boy69 said:

Lucky you by doing so you prevented international diplomatic crisis with fainted cleaning Thai lady once received few thousand baht from you

been there , done that.

Siem Reap , year 2001. On my last day in the bookstore I'm checking interesting and well illustrated book about the temples. Cost 35 USD , I was about to buy it but some helpful s customers whispers that in airport they have the same for 25 $. Next day I'm flying out so put aside shiny 100 000 riels note / about 25 $ / and about 20000  riels just in case in small denominations. Then as now riels and dollars were fully interchangeable in the country at rate 4000 : 1 so you can pay in either or blend i.e.  10 $ shirt can be had for 6 $ and 16000 riels .

Next day I see book in the airport and price is indeed 25 $ so I pull my 100 000  but no, merchandise in airport past the controls can be purchased using USD only so 120 000 riels is landing indeed in the toilet attendant hands. Those days riels were unusable in Bkk, even now only few exchanges are buying them and only big denomination 50 and 100 grand.  

NO,  she did not faint, my guess is that those things are happening in airports and borders fairly regularly, after all what one will do in his country with unspent ngultrum, guarani or togrog?  

Only option is to put in on e-bay for collectors or future travellers to that country. By the way before my last trip I bought in such way 940 baht at 20% discount to actual exchange rate even after shipping costs were accounted for. So check e-bay, you may be surprised.

Generally when leaving Thailand I try not to have substantial leftovers , if I do I usually exchange them back in the airport, discount is surprisingly reasonable . Lesser amounts I spent in airport shops (pharmacy has  prices not inflated for the airport ) and coin change indeed I hand over to cleaner. 

This departure  I had very little spare time due to lines at passport control so took money with me. I know somebody who is going to BKK in October and 4490 baht should buy 2 Short Times  with soi Cowboy girls. 

 

 

[vinapu]

FINAL NOTES

Air

This time I did not go for cheapest price  nor fastest door to door time but for convenient schedule. Used EVA of Taiwan , arrival in Bangkok at noon and the same departure. That way both first and last full day can be fully utilized without worrying about raising early or catching taxi in middle of the night. About 100 $ more than cheapest option but worth it.

Hotels

Used Amara, Glitz , Baan Silom, and D’Varee Express Pula in Bangkok and Classrooms, Le Café Royale, Zing Resort Jomtien Complex and The Venue .

Amara luxurious and only one with breakfast included in the rate and great view from 16th floor room and even better from rooftop pool but did not utilize that pool  other then trying to impress visiting ChristianPFC , worth splurge for so inclined ,I may even stay there in the future but for my needs it’s just  too costly.

All others very solid quality and can recommend all of them with clear conscience. Close to the scene, no problems with visitors , everything working. Glitz has no elevator, Glitz and Express Pula required refundable key card deposit of 500 Glitz and 1000 Pula. Le Café Royale was only one checking and retaining guest’s ID. Also there possibility of bar noise sipping into room but I did not notice any annoyance.

My favorites are Classrooms and Baan Silom  for the same reason- very spacious rooms and in case of Baan Silom also sizable bathroom.

Tourist stuff

Maha Nakhon definitely worth the effort and expense, specially for over 60 with considerable discount. Great treat for the boys but make sure they enjoy it, if they are reluctant to go, don’t force it on them.

Glass closed when is raining and mornings are much , much less  crowded than afternoons and evenings but because of price crowds are still manageable. Shops accessible without need to buy  admission.

Icon Siam on first level definitely worth visit and in depth exploring. Terrace available through the Apple store is a must . Free boats from various points, most convenient from Saphan Taksin but may be crowded on weekend afternoons. Lots of street type food available and prices are very reasonable.

New subway / metro / line opened  connecting with existing one at Hualampong  , just cross the platform and Sanam Chai station is worth a visit itself  , as a bonus is short walk to Wat Po and not much longer to Grand Palace making it faster bur less eye pleasing connection then by river.

Apart from  Chao Praya Tourist Boat there’s new company Chao Praya River Line providing kind of competition. Departing times from Saphan Taksin pier are the same but on the river some stops are different so make sure you pick up one  suiting your itinerary better, One way 60 baht , day unlimited 200 and there are also 2 and 3 day passes.   I can spend whole day on the river.

Jomtien airport bus  ( 130 Baht) is not only mean to get to and from airport, it’s also very convenient and fast way to get to Bangkok proper thanks  to airport train as bypasses possible traffic jams on BKK leafy streets.

Food

I’m least adventurous when comes to food on vacations and utilize tried places like Foodland , Alt Heidelberg and Madrid Tavern Patpong plus street food. I don’t like chain restaurants.   When tried to be adventurous and ordered Phat Thai with seafood I got quite an allergy so watch what you are eating.

Two boys complained about food at Foodland but honestly I just think they used it as excuse to finish an appointment earlier. None of boys who were  not in rush had similar complain and I run almost all of my guys through Foodland at least once.

Massages

Senso great as always and Tim’s efforts definitely removed pain from my v calf after sitting on the plane whole day. My Hero , massage very short as they have other things in mind and think so do you but guys are 1^st class and worth returning. Arena , first time in my long history of patronage disappointed , perhaps due to my poor selection of guy but there were lot of hunks. Why I picked up twink , don’t even ask ( his smile but smile is not massaging you) ? Magic Touch the same experience as at  Arena , need to try again to form an opinion, well appointed. Nakart uneven , known guy great , new to me the same like those two substandard, Royal House good and fun. Paradise a must when in Pattaya,  shiny, excellent  massage and I landed great guy.

Bars

Visited Lucky boys, Dreamboys, Hot Male, Fresh Boys, Banana in soi 4, Jupiter, Moonlight and Tawan in BKK, BoyzBoyzBoyz , Dreamboy, Xboys, ToyBoys, Winners Nice boys and @Home bar in Jomtien, offed from  Tawan – 2 guys ST and LT, BBB – 2 guys ST ,ToyBoys- 1 guy ST, Moonlight – 1 guy twice  LT, Dramboys- 1 guy ST, XBoys- 1 guy LT, @Home – 1 guy 4 times LT.

My favorite by far at the moment is Moonlight, great models, great  regular guys , great show, great selection , even mamasans quite unobtrusive . Dethroned BBB  in my eyes , chiefly because guy there are fully dressed, without number nor name tags. Tawan is still friendliest and least pushy, Dreamboys has great guy selection, 2^nd best after Moonlight but music idiotically loud. Lucky Boys has most boys.

“Special”  shows are making come back and available in few bars. In every bar I visited  there were at least few boys I’d consider taking home so basically instead splitting hair in 4 as to what bar to visit just go wherever you fancy and chances of being bored or disappointed are very low if existing at all.

Of course long time residents may complain about boring shows, poor guy selection, pushy mamasans and expensive drinks but this is why we have them for and they are doing their best to satisfy their job description.

Guys

It is well known I like long time offs of muscular, hunky guys in late 20ties and up. It can be disputed and questioned by many but this is what I like  and prepared to compensate for. There are few pleasures greater than guy raising in dead of the night to sip a  gulp of water or go to the washroom, returning to the bed and embracing me or kissing like returning from far and wide. Waking up in the morning next to him and doing the same it’s just repaying favors.

Few readers noticed already that this trip was probably one of my best and this is correct, perhaps second best out of all 19 of them, only Dec 2015 was probably better because complete absence of disappointments but it was also 4 days shorter.

In fact only now, writing this report and digesting events again I see how great time I had. After first 2 nights a bit not what I expected , but just a tiny bit,  11 consecutive nights followed with long timers and none of them  not even once suggested they may be it’s time for him to go already. This is exactly what I like  and what I’m going to Thailand for .

 Z was kind of star of those 2 weeks and it was almost coincidental I bumped into him. Smart and witty but also with very good work ethic  and body to match, ‘lets go to the washroom and kiss” type of guy.

Whether fully dressed or absolutely not it was fun to be with him and still not even once he asked for anything.

But competition was very mighty, Wit , different type of person more quiet  but of great body and making impression he likes to be with me as much as I do with him , A of great musculature and prepared to be companion as long as I need him, never tired of my antic although of all he was most sleep deprived by me , Dam , of impossibly silky skin and very reserved who all of the sudden turned roaring lion in the room only to return to quiet himself in the morning. I owe to them one of best times I had in Thailand ever .

One may think that Tiger, both Arts, Handsome Cambodian, boy I offed from XBoys and ToyBoys , #65 , Kim from MyHero, Jack and Tim  from Senso were also runs but no, each of them was worth  a trip to see them and warranted repeat , either on this trip or in the future or did enough good deeds for me in the past so I could be very tolerant of they lacked something this time. And there was Roy from Tawan, Johnny from Dreamboys , #16 and model Smart from Moonlight who are my great hope for the future.

And Oud, who I did not manage to off, Dit who was absent day I was at Arena and great M from Senso  I only managed to shake hands with twice but carry so much of sweet memories from the past and his new boss Namu , one of three guys still in business I offed more than 10 times, all of them made that trip worth every penny and every minute spent choking on aircraft stale air. But there’s always next trip, right?

Forum Members

Thank  you to ChristianPFC, williewillie, Vessey, aussie_, biguyby, ggobkk, spoon, jimbiilp and Nickx for finding time to meet me , talk , bar hop and dine together.

That foray to MahaNakhon  with spoon , jimbillp , Z and A was most memorable and fun filled moment of that trip. Thank you gentlemen all.

I know colmx was coming to Pattaya on my last day and my apologies I did not manage to contact you, old people are slow  moving I guess

 

Thank you for your attention to this report, finally I shut up.

[DivineMadman]

Outstanding!

 

[vinapu]

10 minutes ago, DivineMadman said:

Outstanding!

 

you mean last sentence above ?

[spoon]

Wonder which boys you would take from lucky boys? I had a hard time finding one, since the one boy i had off before (uses to work in a diff bar) was taken already. Thanks for the report! As always, worth reading more than once. I too rate our outings to mahanakon and thereafter one of the highlight of my very short trip. 

[DivineMadman]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

you mean last sentence above ?

 

the whole report!!  

[traveller123]

Vinapu it must take you quite some time to write your wonderful reports.

They are much appreciated.

Enjoy your time back in your home country until it is time to do your bit once again for the good name of Farangs in Thailand

[reader]

8 hours ago, vinapu said:

Whether fully dressed or absolutely not it was fun to be with him and still not even once he asked for anything.

I owe to them one of best times I had in Thailand ever .

This is exactly what I like  and what I’m going to Thailand for .

Those takeaways say it all. You were a very lucky guy. Many thanks for allowing us to accompany you.

[vinapu]

6 hours ago, spoon said:

Wonder which boys you would take from lucky boys? I had a hard time finding one, since the one boy i had off before (uses to work in a diff bar) was taken already. Thanks for the report! As always, worth reading more than once. I too rate our outings to mahanakon and thereafter one of the highlight of my very short trip. 

when I was there there were few Id'take, one was even tried to get my attention and at least landed red note. And of course that boy you mention who as well was absent what I was there. Now I got word that guy I was interested in another bar works as waiter there. So like in every bar , even if hunks are missing there's usually somebody I'd take. It's why I like to check every bar although I understand those who skip certain venues by definition. I guess their loss ( and  a financial gain by saving on drinks). 

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, traveller123 said:

Vinapu it must take you quite some time to write your wonderful reports.

They are much appreciated.

Enjoy your time back in your home country until it is time to do your bit once again for the good name of Farangs in Thailand

Thank you, good that you noticed. Yes it's kind of time consuming but retracing mu own steps reading my trip notes was actually great pleasure so still I consider that time well spent.

Apologies for typos as usually I posted right after I finished typing so relied entirely  on auto-correct , I noticed it changes often "boy" to ' buy", I caught it several times. No,  I wouldn't ever classify my guys as a 'buy'.

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, reader said:

Those takeaways say it all. You were a very lucky guy. Many thanks for allowing us to accompany you.

Looking back at history of my trips , yes I was lucky indeed, perhaps low season played a part?  It can't be my good heart, LOL 

[DrimVoiz]

I like the summary part of your report Vinapu!!!

[BL8gPt]

Thank you for both daily and the summary reports.

A lot of useful information for my next trip, particularly about Bangkok, which I plan to visit this time, after some years.

[JackR]

Thank you for your report!

[ggobkk]

I’m a bit sad that this report has ended.  It’s been a joy following your peregrinations and it was fun being part of them even if only for a part of an evening.

Being one who reports on travels to the Forum, I can only be awed by your sense of humor and your ability to recall so much.

Thanks...hope our paths again cross.  

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, ggobkk said:

 I can only be awed by ........ your ability to recall so much.

Thanks...hope our paths again cross.  

It's not secret, I take a notes few times a day so don't need to recall much .

yes , I hope we meet there  again as well preferably when our favorite Y , now from Lucky Boys will be there  

[GWMinUS]

2 hours ago, ggobkk said:

It’s been a joy following your peregrinations

OH?? A new word for an American... I also enjoyed Vinapu's meandering journey in beautiful Thailand!!

[t0oL1]

                            Sept 16 vinapu wrote:

                          

                           ...I also booked one night at LeCafe Royal , if only to see how it looks after  renovations and closure. At 20 $ I could afford such experiment.

                              It was only hotel that trip where they wanted to hold on to my guest ‘s ID , who would think?

                              Rooms are painted white and so is furniture. Bit psychedelic violet light but when you torn it of and again on , it becomes normal white one.

 

                             I was there 12 days (of which 3 days I was sick in the room) and never figured out those damn lights(off then on again=white)

.                           I actually tried to thank the maid for changing out the lights to white bulbs. When I went back to the room again they turned violet again.

                             Anyway they are "black lights" and made it look like I had a tan. They get old in a hurry.

                           Worried about the decibels of music downstairs versus the integrity of the  mortar in the structure.

                          

 

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, t0oL1 said:

                           

                           Worried about the decibels of music downstairs versus the integrity of the  mortar in the structure.

                       

 

It was not that bad when I was there but my sample is just 1 night, still very good value for money that hotel

[t0oL1]

Wasn't bad upstairs my first drunken night there, but going about the downstairs areas late at night made me worry about the safety of the whole structure eventually.

Aging mortar continually subjected to sonic stress, harmonics and vibrations.

Usually ceased around 3:00 am

 

Walked through the lobby after Boys Music had closed. Two heavier female staff and a couple stacks of 1000 and 500 bT bills about 50cm tall on the counter.

They must be doing well.

[alex303]

Cracking report, thanks for taking the time and effort to share it with us...i especially loved the reunion with 'Z' (great 'spur of the moment' thing to do), hope you two manage to keep some contact going in your time away from LOS as he sounds like a great guy!

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, alex303 said:

Cracking report, thanks for taking the time and effort to share it with us...i especially loved the reunion with 'Z' (great 'spur of the moment' thing to do), hope you two manage to keep some contact going in your time away from LOS as he sounds like a great guy!

thank you , you did outstanding job and much better than mine with your report I just finished reading second time today.

Yes it takes time and effort  but recreating steps from trip is rewarding itself. 

It was spur of the moment to decide to go to see Z once more, I'm glad I did although feel a bid bad for guy he was playing pool with as he basically forced him to agree to drop the game, but at least I knew off of Z by him that night was of the table before i even boarded bus to Pattaya ( gentlemanly he told Z in the morning that I can't off him in the evening )  .

Great guy Z is  and out sized  personality but by definition I only keep contact with guys when they initiate it which is extremely difficult in my case as I live in the cave and stay away from all social media todays generation is drowning itself  in, email being my only contact with 21 century's technological  opportunities . I know I'm missing plenty but also know what I gain. 

I don't want broken hearts over hopes they have no chance of materializing.

Hope dies the last so I hope one day I will see again  him ,Wit,   A , Dam, M, Jack,  Tim  and others who made my 2 weeks  so fun filled.

[TotallyOz]

Amazing report with great details and wonderful information for future travelers to learn from an experienced traveler.

[faranglaw]

Loved this report, vinapu! I felt I was right there with you, or at least, wished I had been. And with a little romance too, very sweet how you ran off spur of  the moment to Patty’s to see Z. You, and he, got a just reward for that extra effort. 

And I for one appreciate all the accounting, tips of ST, LT etc. It helps me know what the market will bear. Likely:

Market price = vinapu price/2  

;-)