Londoner

We've been in Bali, Krabi, Samui (Chaweng and Lamai) and Phuket in the last few years. All gay-friendly, none "gay" in the sense that Jomtien's beach once  was. The sheer openness of Thailand's gay scene-even now- has not been replicated anywhere I've visited across four continents. But I've not been ito Brazil, sadly.

Still a lot of gays go in the afternoons to Dongtan to socialise but few boys. Unfortunately females have infiltrated  in recent years.

We've been in Bali, Krabi, Samui (Chaweng and Lamai) and Phuket in the last few years. All gay-friendly, none "gay" in the sense that Jomtien's beach once  was. The sheer openness of Thailand's gay scene-even now- has not been replicated anywhere I've visited across four continents. But I've not been ito Brazil, sadly.

Dongtan beach in Pattaya is not exclusively gay as used to be in the past and the gay section in Pathong beach Phuket is gone . unfortunately no gay beaches anymore in Thailand though gay friendly.

My memories are sweet....and I was  thirty  years younger in the Golden Age. A mere slip of a forty five year-old!
But Vinapu's right; it's good growing old with someone you love. It's good that we enjoy simple things together...a walk on the beach, a nice meal....an early night. Well, to be honest they all are now!
Furthermore, Pattaya may have lost some of its attractive sleaze and a lot of its former vibrancy, but it is cleaner, has better air and beaches, better restaurants, better travel from a better airport. And much else.
I no longer travel Economy. We stay in better  hotels. We eat well. We spend money on clothes- well, one of us does. On a more  melancholy note, an added sweetness results from the fact that we know that this won't last forever and so, as I often say, carpe diem. Each moment together- and in Thailand- is priceless.

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments.
Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally,  good grace.
Particularly one who remains the only love of my life.
Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame.  And then we experienced Pattaya.
How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.
 

I’ve come across this problem many times particularly a few years ago when I was into fitness big time. Offed Boys found my desire to leave them in bed for early morning runs incomprehensible and not once did one take up an occasional invitation to try a little exercise, even though most had hard fit young bodies, usually from a previous life of working in the rice fields. 
Walking from the hotel in the Jomtien Complex to the beach or from Sunee to the Ambience was not at all what they wanted to do. The incentive of a present failed to persuade one boy to walk with me to Soi Buakhow Market from Boyztown. 

What a coincidence ! This morning I woke up before 7 as my bed warmer wanted to go to the gym early and sent some message to my sister. She, being aware about time difference, responded with comment " why you are up so early", my response was exactly as, quoted above. Not that she is aware about why I' m so happy here, he, he. 

My memories are sweet....and I was  thirty  years younger in the Golden Age. A mere slip of a forty five year-old!
But Vinapu's right; it's good growing old with someone you love. It's good that we enjoy simple things together...a walk on the beach, a nice meal....an early night. Well, to be honest they all are now!
Furthermore, Pattaya may have lost some of its attractive sleaze and a lot of its former vibrancy, but it is cleaner, has better air and beaches, better restaurants, better travel from a better airport. And much else.
I no longer travel Economy. We stay in better  hotels. We eat well. We spend money on clothes- well, one of us does. On a more  melancholy note, an added sweetness results from the fact that we know that this won't last forever and so, as I often say, carpe diem. Each moment together- and in Thailand- is priceless.

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments.
Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally,  good grace.
Particularly one who remains the only love of my life.
Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame.  And then we experienced Pattaya.
How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.
 

My memories are sweet....and I was  thirty  years younger in the Golden Age. A mere slip of a forty five year-old!
But Vinapu's right; it's good growing old with someone you love. It's good that we enjoy simple things together...a walk on the beach, a nice meal....an early night. Well, to be honest they all are now!
Furthermore, Pattaya may have lost some of its attractive sleaze and a lot of its former vibrancy, but it is cleaner, has better air and beaches, better restaurants, better travel from a better airport. And much else.
I no longer travel Economy. We stay in better  hotels. We eat well. We spend money on clothes- well, one of us does. On a more  melancholy note, an added sweetness results from the fact that we know that this won't last forever and so, as I often say, carpe diem. Each moment together- and in Thailand- is priceless.

As, far as I'm concerned, good days, are now. Old days were good but as with old shoes or underwear, once gone there, s no use of them. 

Took Mike Taxi from Pattaya to BKK 1200 baht, driver showed up early, like always...was a female 😲
Had to stop for gas before leaving, why she wasn't prepared? Then restroom stop within 45 mins, wtf.

Got to Tarntawan, feels like home here, I know all the staff.

Was going to meet my German friend at Circus at 9pm, so I slept even though I wasn't tired.....
Stopped by Hot Male on my way to Circus, didn't see Alex so I just kept going.....Circus was busy but not packed. Watched the drag shows from outside and talked to a couple of the host boys from Cambodia....My German friend that lives here usually wants to go home early, but we stayed until midnight, I was surprised, but he liked one of the Cambodia boys and he tipped him....he never tips boys, lol

Did a walk around soi 6 from Silom as all the massage shops were closing and went to Super A....was late, sad and disappointing  @reader maybe I was just too late 😟

Walked back to Hot Male and Alex was there, his night off but was drinking (surprise, lol) I like him so much.

Went over towards ScrewBoys, everyone was outside because was a drag show on....I cruised and chatted with a few guys, one really got my attention. I told him to see me at Hot Male when he finished. He and a friend came over and said they were going to Banana Bar for after hours.....I went to my hotel to refill some cash (I don't have so many pockets) and went to Banana Bar, you'd never know anything was open on soi 4, was pitch dark..... went upstairs and found Screwboy guy and we hung out and got progressively drunk together.

Invited he and his friend back to my hotel, but first a stop at Foodland for food.....then so much fun back at my room. We went on for HOURS....I hope to see him again tonight, I hope he's alive, he still hasn't read my line message.

I woke up horny around 11am and checked Grindr...was some guy my type, said he was hanging out at Lumphini and would come for 1000 baht, no need to negotiate at that price.

I waited outside of the hotel to make sure he looked like his pics....he did. 30 minute massage then we had some good sex, another one I'd see again, maybe tomorrow.

The screwboys guys only asked for 1000 each if I went with both, was almost like 2 for 1 .....

First night was a good one....I hope the rest of the nights are as much fun.



 

Was he Thai? if so, I've noted before that Thai guys are averse to walking more than a few metres. On the other hand, if he was a newbie , he may not have understood that Ambiance was just round the corner. That wouldn't surprise me..... I recall a massage guy in Jomtien telling me he'd never heard of Boyztown and hadn't a clue where it was.

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments.
Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally,  good grace.
Particularly one who remains the only love of my life.
Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame.  And then we experienced Pattaya.
How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.
 

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments.
Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally,  good grace.
Particularly one who remains the only love of my life.
Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame.  And then we experienced Pattaya.
How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.
 

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments.
Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally,  good grace.
Particularly one who remains the only love of my life.
Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame.  And then we experienced Pattaya.
How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.
 

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments.
Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally,  good grace.
Particularly one who remains the only love of my life.
Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame.  And then we experienced Pattaya.
How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.
 

Reader and Travellerdave have said more or less everything I wanted to post and so I'll add just a couple of comments.
Now in my seventies and with my eightieth (more or less) trip only a few weeks away, I can express my profound gratitude to those who led me to Thailand in 1995, provided me with the necessary information to enjoy myself, and of course those who attended to my needs with a smile and, generally,  good grace.
Particularly one who remains the only love of my life.
Consider; some of us lived through decades of concealment, fearing exposure and-at least in my case- suppressing an essential aspect of our character for fear of arrest or public shame.  And then we experienced Pattaya.
How lucky we were. How fortunate I still am. And grateful, even if the vibrancy of Old Boyztown is long since gone.
 

I first visited Pattaya in 2001 in company with another gay friend. That was just before the internet and websites like this one took off and due to scarce information we had no idea where to stay and where to find the gay scene. However we quickly found our feet one way or the other and enjoyed the exotic (for us ) atmosphere, the amazingly low prices (72 baht = £1), the food and hotels, the bars and gogos (took us a few days to find Sunee) and of course the boys . Especially the boys !. 
Since  then I have visited Thailand numerous times, mainly Pattaya, but also bkk and a few other places. On return home from the first few trips friends and family were very interested in hearing all about my travels (my accounts varied according to the audience). This was before many people became active on the internet and only a few commented about the racy reputation that the country was beginning to acquire. That changed around the mid 2000’s, especially when accounts of under age sex started to appear in the tabloid  newspapers and everyone started surfing the internet. I started to play down my visits and even lie occasionally as to where I spent my holidays.  The gay friend of my first visit stopped going. 

Advance a few more years to the 2010’s and the Pattaya gay scene began to thin out, especially in Sunee which previously contained maybe 10 gogos plus a good number of bars. Contrast that with the booming str night life available to non-gays with girlie gogo’s opening all over, adding to the numerous beer bar complex’s. Visitors from non-farang countries, who don’t visit the gay bars greatly increased. The gay scene much reduced compared with the earlier period pre 2005 (the good old days ?) and gay visitors have become an even smaller minority than previously.My theory is that the unsavory reputation as regards sex and drinking has impacted more on the gay communities. There are other factors of course: the decline of the $ £ Eur against the baht and the.perceived less attractiveness of available Asian male prostitutes.
 
 

Looking back to the Thailand of 20 year ago or 20 years into the future isn't going to help you appreciate what it offers today, especially if you dwell on the misery you perceive in others.
Loneliness is endemic for most older men. Health and financial issues weigh heavily.
I'm certainly in that age group. I travel to Thailand as often as I can because it renews my spirits and my outlook. Without it I fear I might too succumb to misery.
Instead of rejecting the miserable, try smiling toward them. Who knows when some day any one of us may find ourselves in similar straits. 

The "sucky-sucky girls" - ladyboys- of Kuta in Bali were famed for their ability to steal wallets while administering oral sex. 
I never met any.

Retirement, unlike working,  is about being rather  than doing. 

Yes. That's even worse!

Retirement, unlike working,  is about being rather  than doing.