We Travel Again

[vinapu]

9 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

 I think most of them just want to travel, and aren't very picky.  Their well-traveled friends have gone to these places and posted on Facebook, so travel-envy kicks in.  I know a bunch of Thai and Laos "working" guys who have gone to Vietnam just with their friends, so it clearly has attractions for them, including being inexpensive.  Freelancers regularly go to Singapore and KL (and China of course), so those places are always on the Facebook radar screen.  I think fewer go/or get taken to the Philippines.  

.........  

Personally, when I go to be tourist in one of the Myanmar-Laos-Cambodia-Thaland-Vietnam countries, I prefer to bring guy from that country, so I have local guide/interpreter of sorts and they usually enjoying showing off their home countries (and often their homes).  But they all love Singapore and Bali.  (Recently I took someone to western Java, and he liked it.  But I think he just likes to travel.)

 

you are clearly on the roll with that comment.

( my underscore in quotation), any trip for them , even few days foray outside of city where they are working is welcomed distraction and chance  to break daily routine. Most of those guys don't have much money for leisure travel and are lucky if they get more than 2-3 days off per month.

Wherever we take guys with us we should be prepared that they will share our interest in the place only to a certain degree unless it'll be their home country and even say Cambodian guy  taken to Cambodia likely will long more to see his family and friends than Angkor Wat or Preah Vihar.

So we should be prepared to give them their freedoms at least at some time during day but be firm with what we want to explore at that time , with guy in tow or not.

 

 

[Boy69]

17 minutes ago, vinapu said:

you are clearly on the roll with that comment.

( my underscore in quotation), any trip for them , even few days foray outside of city where they are working is welcomed distraction and chance  to break daily routine. Most of those guys don't have much money for leisure travel and are lucky if they get more than 2-3 days off per month.

Wherever we take guys with us we should be prepared that they will share our interest in the place only to a certain degree unless it'll be their home country and even say Cambodian guy  taken to Cambodia likely will long more to see his family and friends than Angkor Wat or Preah Vihar.

So we should be prepared to give them their freedoms at least at some time during day but be firm with what we want to explore at that time , with guy in tow or not.

 

 

Yes I agree .most of the boys don't share the same interests as we do,from my experience boys love big cities and nightlife : BKK,Pattaya or Chiang Mai but when I took them to islands in the south or touristic places in the mainland they were bord .most of them do not like to be exposod too much to the sun so beaches are certainly not their cup of tea.

Being with a boy 24/7 is not so easy as many may think I did it before but won't do it anymore only ST for me from now on 

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, CurtisD said:

In addition to the temples and the broader view, the sight of around 31 balloons from three different companies all aloft in the same breeze is quite something.

..........

 

 

The in-flight magazine of the local airline featured an article on a group of temples perched on top of a dramatic volcanic plug with the appearance of rising sheer into the air from nowhere.

The monkeys are a complication.

 

The ascent must be undertaken barefoot. The golden brown monkeys are cute. People feed them, so they cluster around the path and do what well fed-and-watered monkeys do. Do Do. A better prepared couple are wiping their feet with sanitary wipes post-descent.

 

31 balloons already !!!  When i was there in  2001 there's was one  and it was very recent novelty. Still probably best 200 USD spent in my life. I wonder how much it is now with all that competition ?

Place you went to is called Mt. POPA, it will not be any consolation but then I had the same problem you guys had - barefoot ascent and descent with monkeys holy shit and pee all over but from  your narrative  at least it looks there are regular cleaners. 

Place is  very impressive though  so readers should not to be discouraged  from visiting but rather prepared with water and towel to wash their feet after all climbing is done.

I run out of "likes" today as it seems to be daily  limit , will make for it tomorrow.

[CurtisD]

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

Still probably best 200 USD spent in my life. I wonder how much it is now with all that competition ?

Competition has not lowered the price. Around $375 from memory.   

 

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

Place is  very impressive though  so readers should not to be discouraged  from visiting but rather prepared with water and towel to wash their feet after all climbing is done.

Totally agree.

[DivineMadman]

5 hours ago, vinapu said:

Wherever we take guys with us we should be prepared that they will share our interest in the place only to a certain degree unless it'll be their home country and even say Cambodian guy  taken to Cambodia likely will long more to see his family and friends than Angkor Wat or Preah Vihar.

So we should be prepared to give them their freedoms at least at some time during day but be firm with what we want to explore at that time , with guy in tow or not.

In my experience this has never been a problem.  Guys enjoy being a tourist in their home country.  Something they don't always get a chance to do.  I've consistently been impressed that guys I've traveled with have been interested in museum visits, etc., which aren't part of their limited school curriculum.  More often than not they want to take in a museum at a slower pace than my in-and-out-in-40-minutes pace.    And then when it comes to going to a different country, be it Singapore or Malaysia or Bali, etc., again, I've always found them to be excellent traveler/tourist/companions.  I've never had any problem with them not being interested in a 1:00 am to climb Mt. Batur, pre-dawn trek to Borobudur or a visit to temples or art museums in Bali.  Only problems I've ever had have been (1) desire for home country food, (2) appropriate sunscreen or sun protection and (3) one year a grown man I was traveling with was too scared to stay and watch the Ogo-Ogo demon parade in Bali.

It may of course be that I just have good luck with my guys.  

[hank75]

2 hours ago, CurtisD said:

Competition has not lowered the price. Around $375 from memory.   

Per person or per balloon? At any point did you feel unsafe or the operator was unskilled? I generally dislike heights but would be willing to take a risk for this magical experience, would want a very professional and safety focused  operator to ease  my mind. 

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

It may of course be that I just have good luck with my guys.  

or you  took better  care in selection whom you traveled with

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, hank75 said:

Per person or per balloon? At any point did you feel unsafe or the operator was unskilled? I generally dislike heights but would be willing to take a risk for this magical experience, would want a very professional and safety focused  operator to ease  my mind. 

don't be chicken and just go, focus your mind on what you see from above , not operator skills, balloons are expensive and operator wants  to return home as much as you do

[hank75]

24 minutes ago, vinapu said:

don't be chicken and just go, focus your mind on what you see from above , not operator skills, balloons are expensive and operator wants  to return home as much as you do

I’m asking because it’s also possible I may travel with family members instead - their safety is paramount, more important than my own! 

[DivineMadman]

1 minute ago, hank75 said:

I’m asking because it’s also possible I may travel with family members instead - their safety is paramount, more important than my own! 

You probably already know, but if the wind is above a certain threshold the balloons do not rise that day.    So if it's important to you or your family (as such a unique experience may well be), you might want to consider building in some flexibility to the schedule to allow for this.  Often easier said than done.

[CurtisD]

3 hours ago, hank75 said:

Per person or per balloon? At any point did you feel unsafe or the operator was unskilled? I generally dislike heights but would be willing to take a risk for this magical experience, would want a very professional and safety focused  operator to ease  my mind. 

Per person.

There are three companies operating balloons and all have a very good safety record. 

Our pilot was very experienced. 

No concerns at all.

[hank75]

38 minutes ago, DivineMadman said:

You probably already know, but if the wind is above a certain threshold the balloons do not rise that day.    So if it's important to you or your family (as such a unique experience may well be), you might want to consider building in some flexibility to the schedule to allow for this.  Often easier said than done.

I did not know this, actually. Very good tip. I will likely have opportunities to return but not family members. So it has to happen first trip, if at all. Thank you I will keep in mind. 

[CurtisD]

Solo Bangkok Interlude

Back in Bangkok, Bangkok Guy and I go our separate ways for a few days as both of us are working.

This gives me the opportunity to visit the bars over a couple of evenings and my experience highlights how changeable the bars can be. Some of my experience was so far from expectations and past experience that what follows comes with a warning to the uninitiated – do not base your plans on this report!

Lucky Boys – First visit I settled in to enjoy watching the parade. Many guys and a range of types from twink to beefy but, unlike previous visits none to my taste. Homely to an extreme. Second visit slightly better, a couple of guys to my taste: I give one 100Bht.

Fresh Boys – First visit my plan is to enter, look, and leave without committing to a drink if it appears disappointing. What I find is a large number of guys covering the full twink range from small to swimmer to twunk. Some great smiles and bone structure. Mostly Cambodian, some Lao and Burmese. One guy has striking bone structure and I ask him to sit with me. Very tempting. But after a week with Bangkok Guy, not tempting enough. I give him 200Bt which he accepts graciously although it is not what he was hoping for. Second visit, the same group and I again tip the Cambodian with striking bone structure.

Moonlight – First visit, I see the show for the first time and it is very professional, so much so that I stay for the entire show. Finally I see why Babe has so many fans. The rest of the models, not for me. The one who really catches my attention is a non-model performer in two of the acts with a great face (my view) and cropped hair. Very tempting, but he only appears in those two acts. Second visit I arrive before the show and get a better sense for the non-models. Only one appeals and I tip him. No sign of the performer.

Jupiter – First visit, 10pm, empty to the point of cavernous darkness! Full staff of waiters. Only about five guys coming on-and-off the stage. Almost no audience. I sit in the ‘VIP’ seats! Spooky. Second visit, 9.30pm and the VIP seats close to the stage are empty but reserved. Thin crowd, about ten guys on rotation, none of whom grab my attention.

Banana – I spot Banana as I leave after the first disappointment at Jupiter. Up the stairs and I should have followed the view-first buy-drink-later strategy, but I am not concentrating. About ten slender guys but none that appeal. As with Lucky Boys homely to an extreme.

Dream Boys – First visit, I catch the last couple of rotations before the show starts. A range of types. Show is too slow paced, although the diva is good. As another member has noted, she looks like Eartha Kitt.  Someone should tell her: I think she could channel Eartha well.

Three guys really appeal to me. But it dawns on me that I would rather be being silly in front of Japanese TV with Bangkok Guy than having a romp with a random hot guy. My butterfly wings are Toast.  Second visit the three guys who appealed the first time are not there and only one replacement with the same appeal.

Screw Boys – I make two visits on the same night. One too early, a fraction before 9pm, finds about six guys plus a couple playing drinking games. Mamma san is pleasantly chatty and says too early, come back around 10pm. I return about 10.15pm to a full house but also the middle of the drag show so not so easy to see the twenty-plus guys. A couple have nice faces but they need feeding.

Hot Male – Had a good conversation with the host with the vampyric incisors, whom I like. Business slow. Chinese not have so much money. Even Chinese New Year had been slow. One guy really got my attention. From Issan, swimmer-ish build, great smile and wearing tight jeans that revealed great promise. The host caught the direction of my gaze (it was pretty obvious) and with great enthusiasm said “Yes, like can!” shaping his hands into something between a Red Bull and a Beer can. I tipped the guy generously, but went no further – silliness with Bangkok Guy in front of Japanese TV retained its appeal. I am truly Toast. Happy Toast, but Toast.

[firecat69]

12 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

In my experience this has never been a problem.  

It may of course be that I just have good luck with my guys.  

I think it  might be more likely that you are just a nice guy who takes people the way they are instead of the way someone might want them to be.

Sorry couldn't resist and now I will disappear once again.

[spoon]

19 minutes ago, CurtisD said:

Jupiter – First visit, 10pm, empty to the point of cavernous darkness! Full staff of waiters. Only about five guys coming on-and-off the stage. Almost no audience. I sit in the ‘VIP’ seats! Spooky. Second visit, 9.30pm and the VIP seats close to the stage are empty but reserved. Thin crowd, about ten guys on rotation, none of whom grab my attention

Do u recall what day is your visit? Surprised to hear only 5 guys on your first visit and 10 guys on second visit? Did wuhan virus really impacted the boys attendance? Apparently one guy i know working there also told me he is sick, maybe just flu so he didnt work that day, so maybe u caught the day when many of the boys got the flu? Hehe.

[spoon]

24 minutes ago, firecat69 said:

I think it  might be more likely that you are just a nice guy who takes people the way they are instead of the way someone might want them to be.

Sorry couldn't resist and now I will disappear once again.

Wow, such a rare post from long gone poster

[CurtisD]

5 hours ago, spoon said:

Do u recall what day is your visit? Surprised to hear only 5 guys on your first visit and 10 guys on second visit? Did wuhan virus really impacted the boys attendance? Apparently one guy i know working there also told me he is sick, maybe just flu so he didnt work that day, so maybe u caught the day when many of the boys got the flu? Hehe.

It was midweek.

Coronavirus was news, but I do not think was to blame for the low numbers as no other clubs (eg Moonlight, Dream Boys) were like this.

However, thinking back on it, there was overall a lower number of Chinese at the clubs compared to past visits. 

The host at Hot Male was amusing. At one point he broke off our conversation to help a new customer. When he returned I did a double-take: he was wearing a mask. He took it off laughing 'Chinese customer'.

[DivineMadman]

11 hours ago, CurtisD said:

Dream Boys – First visit, I catch the last couple of rotations before the show starts. A range of types. Show is too slow paced, although the diva is good. As another member has noted, she looks like Eartha Kitt.  Someone should tell her: I think she could channel Eartha well.

The Eartha Kitt look-alike that I had mentioned earlier was at Freshboys, not Dream Boys.  I did point out the resemblance to her and showed her some pictures a long time ago when we first met at X-Size.

11 hours ago, CurtisD said:

Hot Male – Had a good conversation with the host with the vampyric incisors, whom I like. 

His name is Kai.  I like him also.  He used to be at Classic Boys before moving to Hot Male (when it was on Soi Twilight).

[lotus123]

On 1/29/2020 at 9:38 PM, CurtisD said:

Bangkok

 

Since the last trip Bangkok Guy and I have added Line video chat to communication-by-sticker. Given our linguistic deficiencies, ‘chat’ is a bit of an over-statement. It is more face-reading – we both get to see that the other is well and happy.

 

Apart from struggling through Chinese tour groups blocking the entrance to immigration while they receive their collective instructions, my journey is uneventful, just as I like it.

 

After a brief nap I am up and bouncing and head for breakfast on the hotel’s riverside terrace. Over breakfast it dawns on me that I have not really thought through this choice of hotel.

 

The concept is good. Find a relaxing spot by the river where we can spend a couple of days before we travel doing nothing except sitting by the pool while I get over jet lag.

 

The execution, well, I must have been busy with something else when I booked this.

 

The hotel is very nice.

 

But the pool is crowded with families with kids. Exactly what I avoid. No quiet swimming of laps here.

 

Bangkok Guy arrives in the evening and after dropping his bag in the room we head to Vertigo for a joint birthday dinner.

 

After bringing each other up-to-date (he is working for his sister who, after genealogical enquiry, is actually his much older cousin) I ask him what he would like for Christmas. I had said I would get him something. He looks at me as though I am quite odd. “Cannot say. Has to be surprise.” Surely Falang you realize this?

 

“In my family we ask each other, so that people get what they want”. His face lights up – “Get what want?” I see where this is going but keep a straight face “Yes, what you want?”

 

Bangkok Guy elaborately holds out his hand, spreads his fingers and strokes his ring finger.

 

“You want another finger? Why you want six fingers?”

 

“Noooo” he says, tilting his head back and rolling his eyes in mock exasperation.

 

Think of something else.

 

“What I really want?” again with that twinkle in the eye. “Yes”.

 

He points – “That what I want”. I try to follow his finger. “….. What?” “Building”. He is pointing to a tower block.

 

I'll ask for such simple things when my birthday occurs
Two apartment buildings that are labeled "Hers and Hers"

 

I am dining with Eartha Kitt.

 

A waiter passes carrying a cake with candles and soon ‘Happy Birthday’ breaks out a few tables away. “You want?” A definite no from Bangkok Guy “I too shy”. “You want?” he asks me. No. Not my thing.

 

Toward the end of the meal I get a surprise business call, which I have to take. I signal sorry to Bangkok Guy. It takes a while. Once I am off the phone we turn to dessert. That is Bangkok Guy turns to dessert. He is very keen on dessert. I usually do not eat dessert but, to enable Bangkok Guy to indulge while retaining face, the etiquette is one dessert with two spoons, with my spoon receiving much less use than his.

 

Bangkok Guy signals to the waiter and what arrives is not the dessert menu but a birthday cake and the whole song-and-dance.

 

“How they know?” Bangkok Guy signals complete lack of knowledge. I know that too-innocent look. Surprisingly it is fun and once he sees my grin Bangkok Guy is very happy. We enjoy the cake.

 

The check arrives and I decide the waiter deserves a decent tip. Bangkok Guy sees me add the 1000Bt note and his face turns into a series of question marks before politely but decisively taking charge and taking the check folder from me.

 

His next shock is the bill. It is a stunner. A little over 9000Bt including service fee and taxes with no alcohol. You pay for that view.

 

He, very sweetly, tells me how we will handle this.

 

First, there is already 10% service fee. He will handle tip. Waiter will be happy. If I handle tip, waiter die of shock. You want kill waiter? 

 

Second, we now eat Thai. (We do).

 

He tips 200Bt and the waiter is indeed happy and, what is more, lives to enjoy the 200Bt.

 

Back on the ground I tell him he was correct. I will now follow his lead on tipping (I do). “In Thailand is already service fee. Save 800Bt”. Bangkok Guy is very happy with his contribution to the evening.

 

 

[lotus123]

On 1/29/2020 at 9:38 PM, CurtisD said:

I'll ask for such simple things when my birthday occurs
Two apartment buildings that are labeled "Hers and Hers"

 

I am dining with Eartha Kitt.

 

I spewed my water at this.

[CurtisD]

Sightseeing in Bangkok

Bangkok Guy and I reunite for a couple of days sightseeing.

We begin with the area around the Grand Palace and Wat Pho but find the numbers of tourists oppressive and retreat to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant for a quick bite of pork with noodles (120Bht and very good) before crossing the river to Wat Arun. Since I last visited Wat Arun about fifteen years ago it has enjoyed a facelift and looks very clean and white. I get a kick from the decorations made from old china crockery.

Re-crossing the river Bangkok Guy welcomes my suggestion that we sightsee with air conditioning and we decide to go to the Art and Cultural Center near National Stadium BTS to see the exhibitions. In this heavily touristed area the taxis all want no-meter Falang rates which is not how Bangkok Guy rolls. He is Thai person and expects Thai person rates. We take a TukTuk and welcome the breeze.

If you have the opportunity to see the exhibition Spectrosynthesis II before it closes March 1^st go to see it. The LGBTQ art presented is of very high quality. Bangkok Guy’s reaction to some of the more obviously sexual works is amusing. On encountering them his face registers shock combined with engagement and he emits a quiet, almost unconscious “Oh My God”. “Oh My God” is his standard utterance when faced with something surprising.

We each buy the exhibition t-shirt.

Bangkok Guy is innately very modest. He still dresses and undresses outside my line of vision. So I wondered what he thought of some of the more explicit works.

Over dinner we go through the pics I had taken of various works. The degree to which he liked the works, or not, bore no relationship to how explicit they were. Rather, it corresponded to the degree to which he could relate to the work. Naked Issan boy with two falang, yes. Christ child with two fathers, yes (because he has a soft spot for children). Two Queen-ish Chinese Opera performers, no. 

We also enjoyed the photo exhibition by Princess Maha Chakri. Quite apart from the professionalism of the images what appealed was the quirkiness of the selection. Sort of ‘scenes from the life’. Not only Thailand, as expected, but shots from overseas visits and even her dog with a massive chew toy.

The following day is River Trip day. For some time I have wanted to hire a long tailed boat and explore the river and canals. After discussing prices with operators at Taksin Pier Bangkok Guy asks me what I want to do, his face suggesting that he has a better idea. Following his lead, I decline the 4000Bht requested for a longtail boat and he takes me to the Chao Phraya Express Boat where for 60Bht we get to spend around two hours traveling along the river as far as Nothaburi, where we disembark and wander through the market stalls.

One stall has great bonsai. I would really like one but can’t take it back home. “If had apartment here, could have” says Bangkok Guy.

On the return trip I notice a woman wearing a lucky bracelet similar to one Bangkok Guy had shown me internet pics of, hinting that a good friend might think of buying him one. I failed to take the hit.

I point it out to him and he confirms that yes, this is what he was showing me, although it is a ‘made in China’ replica. Apparently the best ones are real gold and come from China Town, which by coincidence is a stop on the route. We disembark at China Town and Bangkok Guy is excited. These lucky charm bracelets clearly mean a lot to him. The charms are fat hollow gold dragons, the larger the luckier (of course).

We are now Shopping, which means a lot of comparisons and China Town has many, many goldsmiths to visit. Unfortunately for Bangkok Guy we arrive at 5.20pm and the shops shut at 6pm. He runs out of time. The problem is that none of the style he likes, a single dragon on a red draw-string cord, are large enough to fit over his hand. With more time he can get one made to fit. I think they are quite stylish and, as it means a lot to him, I happily give him the cash to get one later. 

I smile to myself that this is also a somewhat unusual business development expense.  If the charm brings luck, his prayers will be answered and I will generate more business. Not something I am likely to run past my accountant.

Back at the apartment after dinner the long day outdoors and the exposure to the reflected light off the water has left me pink, Bangkok Guy brown and both of us tired. We opt for a nap before going to Bamboo Bar for jazz.

As usual, I rise and dress first. Unusually, Bangkok Guy does not want to get up. “You go, I sleep”. This is my last night. At the end of my last visit Bangkok Guy, ever up and cheerful, got a little down. Same thing is happening now. I re-hang my clothes and join him in bed, where we spoon and sleep through until dawn.

Writing this, I notice that I refer to Bangkok Guy’s expression a lot. Limitations on verbal communication mean that we watch each other’s face and body language carefully and fairly constantly. The benefit of this is that I think we are pretty aware of each other’s state of mind, enquire and get feedback and get a lot of the basics right. It is probably one of the reasons we get on well.

We have tentatively planned the next trip.

These days I am a bit inclined to run the business to maximize interest rather than profit, an advantage of my stage of life. In the coming year I am going to drive a lot harder on profit. I had planned to do this anyway, as I felt I had become a little self-indulgent. I now have the additional motivation of needing to provide enough ‘pennies on the dollar’ to make a difference to Bangkok Guy.

In particular, I would like to get him the capital to fund one of his (fairly modest) business ideas so that, hopefully, he develops confidence in his ability to build something for himself. He is bright enough and not work-shy.  But he has no experience of, or examples of, anyone getting ahead except through relationships with Falang or Chinese.

Time for that to change.

[GWMinUS]

On 2/2/2020 at 6:48 AM, CurtisD said:

Manila I do not like. However, the areas of natural beauty might be interesting as he likes the outdoors.

Malaysia I have not considered as my understanding is that it is not gay friendly?

It seems you are both Adventurers so I think you would definitely enjoy visiting El Nido on Palawan. And you do not need to stay at one of the Posh We Own the Island Resorts!!! You can fly direct from Manila and now I think also from Cebu-Mactan Airport. You can visit the Catholic Churches... ENJOY

[CurtisD]

On 2/7/2020 at 1:29 AM, GWMinUS said:

It seems you are both Adventurers so I think you would definitely enjoy visiting El Nido on Palawan. And you do not need to stay at one of the Posh We Own the Island Resorts!!! You can fly direct from Manila and now I think also from Cebu-Mactan Airport. You can visit the Catholic Churches... ENJOY

This looks great. Thanks for the suggestion.