Bangkok Trip Report: To Butterfly or not to Butterfly Part 2 – The Devil and the Angel

[numazu]

This is my 14th 12th trip to LOS and this is probably the shortest one that I have ever taken. I am taking a short trip to Bangkok in between my longer trip to Asia this May (referenced here). I was only going to stay for two nights but had to extend a third night, because of reasons that will be apparent in the report as it unfolds.

 

Background: I’m 36 35, Asian American, and have a 9 8 -year relationship with a great guy (white, 34 33). Why do I go to Thailand? Well, I’m a horny bastard, and believe or not between my bf (sex life still there but has declined), occasional Grindr and Scruff hookups, and the random trick, I need more. I am intoxicated by the sex industry in Thailand, and fascinated by their lives and try to make friends with the money boys and locals (copied and pasted from previous trip reports J).

 

My past trip reports, for reference:

 

Where I went to Myanmar and fell in love with a Burmese boy I’ve known forever (warning: incomplete): 

Bangkok/Yangon/Bagan/Mandalay Trip Report: Playing With Fire

 

Where I hangout with a bunch of Khmers and end up with a Burmese guy anyway: 

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

 

Where I Off a bunch of Tawan guys and enjoy Jomtien too much: 

Bangkok/Pattaya June-July 2016 Trip Report: To Butterfly or not to Butterfly

 

My first trip report, where I get sick in Pattaya and get called a liar by some of y'all: 

Bangkok and Pattaya Trip Report, Feb 2016

 

The main reasons why I write these reports are two-fold:

 

1. I write this mainly for my BF, who lets me do this Thailand thing, with only one condition, that I tell him everything. Writing about it is my way in telling him what I was up to in Thailand. He has a username here (that he has not told me), so he has full access to the reports.

 

2. I look forward to meeting up with forum members who like to share a beer, and share stories, about their experiences in Thailand. I do not have like-minded friends who know the reasons why I go to Thailand several times a year, and who fully understand the allure, so to the 15+ guys I’ve met through the 3+ years I’ve been going to Thailand, thanks for being there! And hopefully I can meet more. People are generally interesting, and they are more interesting in real life than just here in the boards.

 

Goals I set out at the start of this trip:

 

Goal One: Spend time with BurBoy, my Bangkok boyfriend, to celebrate his birthday

 

I will not be there for his actual birthday, but will be able to see him a week after that, to celebrate it with him. It will only be one night, but I will make this night count. I apologize if I did not finish my previous report, which would have illustrated the progression in the relationship between BurBoy and I, but I had my reasons. Hopefully those reason don’t come up again in this report.

 

Goal Two: Off three boys at New Jupiter

 

My friend, samebb, has been curating boys for me in advance of my trip. I only have one night, so I am also making this butterfly night count. Offing three boys is ambitious, and expensive, but since I have saved all those off fees by spending most of my time with my free boy BurBoy these past 6 months, I am itching to drop those long time fees on the three boys I've had my eye on.

 

Goal Three: Cement my decision on not giving up on Bangkok

 

I ended my last trip report on a sour note about Bangkok, and a hopeful note about Mexico. Interstingly enough, stuff happened over Songkran that made me reconsider my Bangkok decision. Mexico is still very much in the picture, and I am actually going there in 8 days (from this posting), but Bangkok is very much alive and well in my heart. This trip is to keep this thought alive in my head that Bangkok is still my number one destination for solo travel.

 

Will I be able to accomplish these goals? We shall find out. And pictured is a bonus location for this report. I'll let you guys guess where this is:

 

 

But first, a very, very very lengthy Prologue, next.

[fjeffmy]

welcome back.We all missed you so much here

[Jasper]

The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan.

[ggobkk]

Welcome back, Numazu!  And, welcome back Trip Reports.

[Alexx]

Very nice surprise to see the first part (well, the prologue) of your trip report this morning, numazu. I'm looking forward to all of it, I'd bet you made these few nights count as planned.

[t0oL1]

Don't forget trip report on Mexico too

[worldatlarge]

Welcome back Numazu. And if not possible to meet in Bangkok in the near future, maybe in Mexico as I will be there end of June, beginning of July!

[numazu]

If you notice in my intro that I skipped my 13th-trip trip report. That trip was over Songkran. Here is an overly long sample of the trip, before I get into the 14th trip:

 

Prologue: 24 Hours of Water

 

1 AM: DJ Station was packed to the gills

 

It was the first day of Songkran 2017, and the night before the gay circuit party GCircuit, so we should have known DJ Station would be almost unbearable tonight. My companions, BurBoy, the 23 year old Burmese boy who has been with me through many trips now, and Mark311088, the Brit-Asian whirling dervish who descended on my holiday like a tornado, completely changing it for the better, of course, were my companions tonight, and ultimately the whole week.

 

I already told you about the Hua Hin trip we had here, and samebb summarized the Songkran madness that followed, but this post is about the day in between those events. We tried our luck at DJ Station tonight, the famous gay dance club in Bangkok, having just visited it 4 nights earlier, the night when BurBoy and I first met Mark311088. Since tonight was the night before GCircuit, the place was packed with boys who were here for the parties, but still needed a place to party tonight. Wait, it was more than packed. We were trapped in there like sardines. It was not possible to dance anywhere, let alone comfortably stand anywhere to enjoy the two drinks that were included in the 300 baht cover.

 

 

We got in the line snaking out of Soi 2 onto Silom, and then finally get in the DJ Compound and upon getting to the entrance, we barely were able to get into the main club. It was just packed wall-to-wall with boys. We managed to squeeze our way through to the stairs to lead us to the second floor, but what welcomed us was more of the same. It took us about 15 minutes to get from one end of the floor to the other, after elbowing, pushing, and stepping on other people just to get to the other side. We emerged at the far end, but Mark311088’s feet were a casualty. He made the mistake of wearing flip-flops at DJ, and as a result his exposed feet were bloodied and bruised due to other people stepping on him. I suggested to him to go to the bathroom to tend to his feet, while BurBoy ambles up to the bar to order all our drinks with our tickets.

 

“It’s just a scratch,” Mark311088 says, smiling at both of us with his killer smile. We try to sip our drinks in peace, with Mark311088 taking a smoke break once in a while, but DJ was just too crowded for it to be enjoyable. We leave the club halfway into our first drinks to head back outside. It was still too crowded in the surrounding compound and in the other bars in the periphery. We decided to give up and just try again at some other night. We have so much partying still to do in the next few nights so this was not a huge loss.

 

We get back out on Silom and decide to have some beef noodle soup from the street food vendor usually found just by Soi 2. It was hot tonight, and eating hot noodle soup isn’t exactly optimal food to have in this weather, but we were hungry, right after wrestling our way through the boy soup we just swam through in DJ. As I ate and drank my soup, I sweated, a lot, but BurBoy was there to wipe my sweaty forehead, scalp, neck, everything. Still taking care of me.

 

We finish (330 baht for 3) and start walking on Silom to get to Soi 3 to our condo, and to Mark311088’s hotel, which was just past Soi 3 in the same direction. We talk about our plans for the next few days, which was going to be GCircuit, Songkran water wars, and some Soi Twilight time as well. As we walk we see a steady stream of water just travelling through the canals and drains of Silom, the remnants of the Songkran water wars that waged just hours earlier.

 

As we get to Soi 3, Mark311088 suddenly blurts out “Happy Birthday!” and gives me a big hug and kiss in the cheek. BurBoy quickly tells him that “Birthday no today, tomorrow!” Mark311088 says “Now 3 AM, now his birthday!” showing BurBoy his watch and the time. I just laugh and let them argue. This is where we part ways with Mark311088. We all hug and BurBoy and I make a left on Soi 3, while Mark311088 walks further down Silom.

 

Perhaps because it was just the two of us now, BurBoy then hops on my back for a piggyback ride. I put his legs wrapped in my arms and give him a ride to the 7-11 next to the condo. Before he gets off of me, he kisses my face, shouting “Happy birthday na!” This was gonna be a great birthday.

 

6 AM: Trouble back home

 

Home for me is California, and at 6 AM Bangkok time, it was still 4 PM the previous day there. BurBoy and I were sleeping when I get an uncharacteristic video call from my BF back home. He never video calls me when I am in Bangkok, so my heart skipped a beat, wondering what was wrong. I leave the bedroom and BurBoy with his stasis-like sleep, and try my best to compose myself and look like less of a banshee, as I do when I just have woken up. I put on my headphones and answer the call.

 

I don’t see my BF on the video but I see a baseball field. My BF was at a SF Giants game I think? The camera finally pans to him. He was wearing a SF Giants ballcap and sunglasses, all scruffy and handsome. He asks me how I was doing, and I could barely hear him from the ambient noise. I tell him I just woke up. I asked what was wrong? All of a sudden the cellphone was taken from him, and I see my best girlfriend, in the game with my BF.

 

“What’s going on?” I ask. She tells me whats up: it was our school's game night at the game, and most of our friends were there with the BF. My best friend asks me where I was, and why was I not there? I tell her I am in Bangkok. She asks what was I doing there. It was my birthday tomorrow, and she felt it was weird that I wanted to be thousands of miles away, away from the BF, and my good friends.

 

“I always spend my birthday here in Bangkok, on Songkran,” I tell her. She asks me why. I tell her because it’s more fun here. She says “More fun than us?” I say “Why are you giving me a hard time?” And then she says it. Over lunch my friends were grilling my BF about my extra-curricular activities in Bangkok. She asks me what I was doing there. I tell her it’s none of her business. She pans the camera around the bleachers. Most of my friends were there. I guess they were wondering where I wasn't there.

 

I tell her to give back the phone to my BF. She reluctantly gives it back. I see my BF slightly smiling. He asks again how I was doing. I said I was worried. Is everything OK, I ask. He shrugs and says he doesn’t want to get into it now. I can’t see his eyes to judge his mood due the sunglasses. Those blue eyes have said a lot to me in the many years we have been together, now it is hidden from me. He says he will go now, and will talk to me later. Before I have a chance to say goodbye the call drops.

 

It's morning in Bangkok today and it is my birthday. This is not how I want to start my birthday. I go back to the bedroom and see BurBoy still in his slumber. I cuddle with him and try to get back to sleep. I can’t, my mind is racing. This is not good.

 

10 AM: Songkran Trouble

 

It was the second day of Songkran, and BurBoy was awakened by the cacophony of sounds coming from Silom Rd just 100 meters away from the condo. “Good morning na,” he says in his usual boyish register. I half smile and hug him. I look at my phone and see that Mark311088 has been texting to see what we were up to and what to do for breakfast. I text him we will be ready in 20 minutes and to meet somewhere on Silom. Seeing all the hubbub of Songkran would be good for me I thought. We hurriedly shower (together of course) and put on clothes. We put on our best “Songkran-proof” clothes, and put our IDs, money and cellphone in these waterproof plastic pouches that we bought in Hua Hin.

 

Songkran was just starting for the day, and Silom was already closed off at this hour to accommodate the revelers. We did our best to weave around, dodge, and avoid the oncoming water skirmishes. We were successful, for the most part, in avoiding getting soaking wet, but by the time we got to Burger King, my whole back was soaked, and BurBoy’s front torso was soaking wet. Which made his sleeveless white top cling to his muscular torso, with his well-formed 6-pack perfectly outlined. Songkran suits him. We see Mark311088 waiting for us, drier than us and more successful in traversing the water melee. We all hug it out, and weigh our options on where to eat.

 

We decide on a hearty meal at the basement of Silom Complex. BurBoy immediately choose Zaab, so all three of us get a nice meal in. I talk about Zaab here and why BurBoy likes eating there. BurBoy and Mark311088 are in good spirits and I try to chat along, but my mind was elsewhere. Its hard to live in the moment, and enjoy myself, when my mind is back home, wondering about the my real life, and if it was in jeopardy. I barely eat my delicious rice dish. The two twenty-somethings of course finish their meals, as they usually do.

 

We head back out on Silom to assess the water wars currently happening. I was expecting more people at this time of the day, but it was early so people may be just be starting to come in:

 

 

We slowly make our way on Silom. The two were enjoying the joyous atmosphere. They tell me that we should all get water guns at some point and join the celebration. I nod tepidly, smiling, distracted with the thoughts in my head. The last thing I want right now is to join in this madness. Soon we get to McDonalds. I sit down on the steps in front, tired from the heat and the constant weaving and dodging. BurBoy and Mark311088 join me. All three of us sit and watch the current activity on the streets. I feel a painful tinge in my tummy. I tell them I wanted go back to our condo to use the bathroom, and will be back. Mark311088, perhaps sensing my discomfort with everything, suggest we all go back to our condo, which was just in Silom Soi 3, a block away from where we are.

 

As I rush to the condo, Burboy decides to buy a banana pancake right in front of our building. I wanted to go to the bathroom so Mark311088 went in with me while BurBoy got his pancake. I go to the bathroom, relieving myself, both of what was ailing me in my tummy and my head. I enjoyed the solitude while the boys enjoyed their pancakes. Afterwards I join them to be polite. I see them both on the couch watching TV, and join them while making small talk. After a while Mark311088 tells us he will be going to Babylon to meet a friend of his. We bid him goodbye as we make plans to meet later this afternoon.

 

When he leaves I go in the bedroom and close my eyes. I wanted my mind to stop thinking about things I can’t control, and enjoy what was here now, to no avail.

 

2 PM: Making Merit, Making Peace

 

I was able to take a nap for an hour, before getting woken up by the infernal music blasting outside from the Songkran madness. I scan the room and see BurBoy, wearing nothing but his underwear, playing with his phone. He sees me awake and smiles widely. “You OK na?” he asks in his usual boyish tone. I say “Yes,” somewhat unconvincingly. “We go temple OK? Make merit for Happy Birthday.” I think about it “Why temple?” He says “Because you Happy Birthday. Alive because Buddha. We go thank you.”

 

I reluctantly put on clothes, and get a feeling of dread of having to be outside again. BurBoy senses my discomfort and takes my hand to guide me as we traverse the craziness of Silom in the middle of Songkran. We get on Silom from Soi 3, cross the street and then get in Patpong, to Surawong. Songkran was in full tilt now:

 

 

We cross the street and cut through the Montien Hotel complex , and get to Rama IV. No water revelers there yet but we can see some already wet people walking the streets.

 

Wat Hua Lam Phong was our destination. This was the first time I’ve been to this temple, and hear about it a lot from the posters on here. Still holding my hand, BurBoy guides me around the temple compound. I’ve been to a ton of temples with BurBoy in the past (see trip report), but it’s the first time I’ve been with him to a temple in Thailand. As we enter the temple compound I see that the place is buzzing with activity. Most of the people there were locals, making merit, and giving thanks.

 

The famous livestock was there:

 

 

BurBoy was trying to figure out what would be appropriate for my Birthday merit activity. We go to this “fountain” structure with a steady stream of water around its base, where people put candles on. BurBoy tells me to pick the candle corresponding to the day I was born. BurBoy takes a Thursday candle, as he was born on a Thursday:

 

 

In front of the candle container was a little card and a little prayer you can say:

 

 

We light both our candles and I mimicked how BurBoy was saying his prayer. With both hands put up to my nose and palms clasped together in prayer motion, I try my best to say my prayer. It was hard to pronounce the words at first. At the 5th repeat I was getting the hang of it. At the 10th repeat a sense of calm went through me. By the last 3 repeats my head was clear. We set our candles on the water to float and watched as both our candles made their way through the current. There’s something always calming about watching water carry objects away with just the strength of its current. It was like watching the water carry all my troubles away.

 

We weren’t done. We go through the complex and we find these little altars where BurBoy would stop and pay his respects:

 

 

We get to the main temple hall and we both sit on the temple floor. BurBoy gives me a kiss and goes near the altars to kneel down and worship. As he does this I scan the room and just try to be at peace with my own thoughts. It was working. I feel so much better already. BurBoy knew what my soul wanted at the moment. If there is anything that can quiet the thoughts in my head, it’s a Buddhist temple – the ultimate instrument for mindfulness:

 

 

Our last stop was buying some paraphernalia for monks. BurBoy takes one of these and pays 200 baht for it:

 

 

He hands it to me. It was a gift pack for monks. We enter an aircon room with a monk seated on an elevated platform:

 

 

We all remove our shoes, get some orbs filled with water, kneel before the monk, give him our gifts and get blessed by him. Some kneeling, some prayers said by all (I didn’t know what to say so I just mumbled along). BurBoy had his hand in my hand the whole time this was happening. It was surprisingly intimate, and again, very calming, and respectful, and just what I needed. The monk sprays us with water, and the whole experience was like getting blessed with holy water in catholic churches.

 

When the blessing was done, BurBoy instructs me to take the orbs with water with us out of the room. He then tells me to water the plants with it (picture not me):

 

 

Water was used to bless us, and now the water is used to water the plants. Water that was used to sustain our souls, is also used to sustain the plants. I leave the temple, thankful that I am here in Bangkok, for the first time on my birthday.

 

7 PM: Trouble back home, Part Deux

 

We get back to the condo and we take a couple of hours of much needed sleep. I get woken up again by the sound of my cellphone ringing. It was by the BF. It was 5 PM Thai time so it was 3 AM where there BF is. This is odd. The BF is usually asleep by now, as he is not usually a party animal. I leave the bedroom and close the door. I sit on the couch and answer the call.

 

ME: Hey what’s up? Is everything OK?

BF: Nothing much. I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. It’s your birthday now here in California.

ME: Thanks. But is everything OK? Why did you call?

BF: I can call you on your birthday right. You’re still my BF.

ME: Yeah but you never call when I am in Bangkok. Now I get two from you this trip.

BF: Everything is OK. I just went to the club with our friends. We all miss you.

ME: Is <best girlfriend's name> still mad at me?

BF: She is and she isn't. We had a long talk about things. We… might need to talk about things when you get back.

ME: What about? I want to know.

BF: It’s OK. Just enjoy your vacation. I don’t want to disturb you. I just wanted to say Happy Birthday.

ME: Are you sure everything is OK?

 

This went on for a while like this. The BF was not giving me any clues as to what was wrong. After we hang up my head gets filled with worry again. Should I cut my trip short?

 

I ponder on this for a bit till I get a message from Mark311088 telling me to get off my butt and meet him and paulsf and samebb at Soi Twilight. I was not in the mood for social interaction at the moment, but figure the company will be what I will need right now. I wake up BurBoy and we get dressed to head out. Songkran at this point was in full tilt mayhem, and we got pretty wet from our walk from Silom Soi 3 to Twilight. It super hot today so the water was a welcome burst of coolness to counter the otherwise unbearably hot day.

 

We get to Twilight and I see Mark311088, paulsf, and samebb and some working boys already seated at Maxxi’s. It was Mark311088’s first Songkran so he was having a blast. The twilight boys were blasting a constant stream of water our way. Mark311088 Samebb and BurBoy were getting into the water fights, as paulsf watched in glee. I was just out of it, not having fun. Everyone was trying to cheer me up on my birthday but my mind was elsewhere. I didn’t want to ruin everyone’s fun so I just sat there quietly. Everyone kept asking me if I was OK and I always said yes. I wasn’t. I was thinking of going home.

 

BurBoy’s friend joins our table at Maxxi’s, and he had a big grocery bag with him. It was dinner time, BurBoy said, so we had to go. One of the Fresh Boy boys who was flirting with Mark311088 gave me a big kiss on the lips, and asked if I was going into Fresh Boy that night. I said probably not, because we had dinner plans, and then we had to go to GCircuit after. He frowned a little bit but smiled quickly and hugged me again, before I was carried away by BurBoy and Mark311088 to our dinner. I thank samebb and paulsf for being patient with my grumpiness.

 

(paulsf told me afterwards that the Fresh Boy boys were going to sing me a happy birthday and give me cake if I was at the bar that night. Oh well, there’s always next year.)

 

8 PM: Blowing out my candles

 

At 8 PM the water skirmishes have died down a little bit, but we all still got wet before we could make it to our restaurant, Mango Tree on Soi Tantawan. There was water everywhere, and we get to the restaurant wet, but since it was Songkran, the restaurant was prepared to accept wet customers. We get seated at a table in the outside courtyard, to help with drying out our clothes. We get our orders in, and I notice BurBoy’s friend take the shopping bag he brought with him and he turned it over to one of the waiters while talking to them in Thai.

 

So there were now three twenty-somethings in my table. Mark311088 was being pretty understanding and slowly but surely getting me out of my funk by making jokes and talking about silly and funny stuff. BurBoy was by my side, hand always in mine, and giving me kisses and talking to me softly. We get our food and have an excellent meal, as per usual with Mango Tree. We finish and BurBoy’s friend signals to the waiters that it was time.

 

It was time for my birthday cake:

 

 

It was chocolate cake, my favorite. The boys sang me the birthday song, with other customers looking on with amusement. I was kind of embarrassed, but happy, in a way that I wasn’t just minutes before. Mark311088 of course knew the words to the birthday song, and BurBoy and his friend tried to sing along as well. My birthdays are always interesting in Bangkok, and this certainly was not exception. I made a silent wish and blew out the candles. My wish was everything to just be ok.

 

I asked BurBoy how much it cost him to get me the cake. He didn’t want to say. I asked his friend, and after some coaxing the friend finally said that BurBoy paid 900 baht. There was also a nice bottle of red wine that came with the cake. BurBoy really did not want me to know how much that bottle of wine cost him. He said he wanted to drink the wine later with just me, alone, together. I felt really special getting this much care and attention from him. Paying 900 baht for the cake and some untold bahts for the red wine must have set BurBoy back. I felt special just being able to share this moment with Mark311088 as well. I felt so much better.

 

After dinner we were going to go to the first night of the GCircuit party. We decided to go to our condo first so BurBoy and I can get out of our wet clothes and change to our party clothes. We will then tuktuk our way to Mark311088’s hotel so he can change as well. On our way to the condo, we get doused with more water. Soaking wet on our way to our condo, BurBoy and I strip down to get out of all the wetness, towel dry, and then put on a clean set of clothes, underwear and socks, while Mark311088 waited in the living room.

 

We get our tuktuk to go to Mark311088’s hotel. Getting the tuktuk was probably the biggest mistake we made today. In the tuktuk, not enclosed, and exposed to everything, we were susceptible to anyone’s Songkran skirmishes. We had a few close calls as we barreled through Ratchadamri Rd. As we made our way to Ratchaprarop Soi 8, where the Tango Hotel was, it was clear that we weren’t going to survive the trip unscathed. Since the Soi was primarily a residential one, there were a lot of Songkran parties on it, with lots of people armed with buckets of water, who were ready to welcome us in the celebration. And we were, one huge cold bucket of water after another, and we were totally soaking wet after that.

 

I looked at Mark311088 and BurBoy. We were all laughing our asses off. We didn’t care that we were wet. We were having the time of our lives.

 

11 PM: Doing the Circuit

 

We get to Tango Hotel, Mark311088’s hotel, which was very close to CentralWorld, where the GCircuit party was. BurBoy and I try our best to dry our clothes, while Mark311088 changed. We did our best, but it was clear we just had to bear with the wetness. Mark311088 finishes getting ready so we start heading over to CentralWorld. We decide to take a taxi this time, even if it was walkable, so as not to incur anymore of Songkran’s wet wrath. We get to the location and meander through the mostly shuttered CentralWorld, and get up to GMM Love House were the party was. We get our tickets and settle in the party.

 

We get our starter drinks and then go in the main dance hall, and see that the party was well underway:

 

 

Mark311088 had a friend joining us. The two of them go way back. Let’s call this friend Fuji. He’s a tall, 20-someting Asian from a nearby country. We meet him in the middle of the dance floor and get introduced. Fuji seemed out of sorts at first. He was friendly but kind of distracted. We danced for a little bit, but then Fuji whispers something to Mark311088, and then leaves us. Mark311088 says he will follow Fuji out and tells us to wait for them in the dance floor. BurBoy just continue dancing, make out in between, and admire the boys. After a while we worry about our friends, so we decide to leave the main hall to get them.

 

Mark311088 says through text message that he was just taking a smoke break and for us to meet them close to the entrance. It took us a while to make our way to the entrance, as the whole lobby was filled with impossibly perfect muscular shirtless boys. We see Mark311088 outside the bathroom, waiting for Fuji. I ask him if everything was ok. He tells me the truth. Fuji was not feeling well due to taking 1 ecstasy pill before we got there, and was not reacting to it well. I asked if it was his first time taking ecstacy. Mark311088 says he thinks so. Fuji emerges and I suggested we get him a water. BurBoy gets two waters with our 1 drink coupon and gives Fuji the water bottle.

 

We hangout in the lobby for a bit, both to help Fuji calm his nerves and also to ogle at the perfection before us. Everytime I go to these circuit parties I promise myself that I will have abs like everyone else. Every time I fail. But I enjoy myself anyway. After a while Fuji tells us that he was just going back to his hotel room to rest. He should not have taken the ecstasy pill, or maybe he just should have taken half of it. We bid Fuji goodbye as we head back to the main dance hall. We will hang out with him again later in the week.

 

So, me, and my two best buds, were alone again, just the three of us, and we make the most of the party. We dance the night away. We admire the spectacle before us, and we thank our lucky stars that we get to do this together.

 

 

We didn’t stay long. We wanted to pace ourselves. There were two other nights of this to go to. We call a cab to get us back to Silom. Mark311088 joins us and we decide to check out Twilight again for a nightcap.

 

1 AM: Water Renews

 

We weren’t done with the night, so we decide to get the taxi to drop us off at Soi Twilight. We wanted to see if our friends paulsf and samebb were still there. We get there around 1:30 AM and see that Hot Male and Banana Bar were already shuttering their doors, and none of our friends were there. We all start walking on Surawong towards our condo. On the way, we stop by some street vendors and get some banana pancakes and mango with sticky rice. While we wait, we see some drunk gogo boys that I recognize from the various bars on Twilight, unoffed or done with offs, dancing in the street, in skimpy wet clothing, some with water hoses in hand. They were still in Songkran mode, but were not getting anyone wet. It was kind of hot seeing them let loose outside of work.

 

We get our street food and start walking again. We cut through Soi Tantawan to get to Silom from Surawong. We cross to get to Soi 3, and we stop by the 7-11 next to the condo. And there we proceed to buy almost everything on the shelf. Chocolates, potato chips, dimsum buns, microbiotics, protein drinks, gum shaped like hamburgers, waters, the works. We weren’t drunk, but we were hungry. I think we spent 400+ baht worth of snacks at the 7-11. We get back to our condo and spread out our bounty. We share everything, as only good friends do.

 

This was a simple end to my whirlwind birthday, and I wouldn’t want to spend it with any other people in the world at the moment. I thanked both of them for taking care of me today. We stuff our faces with food. We plan the rest of our holidays, and we enjoy the night and the circumstance. For one final touch, Mark311088 takes the mango and sticky rice and puts my birthday candles on it, for a last birthday blowing out the candles:

 

 

As we joke around and laugh about the day that just ended, it was interesting to me that me, an American, Mark311088, a British guy, and BurBoy, a Myanmar Bangkokian, would be able to meet at a city like this, and hit it off like we were the bestest of friends. I believe that this is the magic of Thailand. All three of us wouldn’t have met any other way. I said before that Thailand has worn out its welcome with me, but this trip, it has shown me a different side of it that was more interesting, more sustainable, and ultimately more satisfying.

 

At 3:30 AM, Mark311088 decides that he will just go home, instead of sleeping on our couch. He said he might meet up with this hottie and hung Issan boy he met last night, who was a massage boy and who was free for my friend. I was envious, but only slightly. I get to sleep in the arms of BurBoy tonight, so I think I’ll be ok. We all hug it out and bid Mark311088 goodbye. I will hang out with him for another 4 days this week, having hung out with him 5 days prior. I never really planned for my holiday to turn out like this, but I’m glad it did.

 

When our friend leaves, BurBoy and I go in the shower to prepare for the last act of the night. BurBoy loves his showers with me. And its water again, ever present all day, on my birthday, now closing out the night for me as well. Water was just everywhere today, and everyone was having so much fun with it. Maybe that’s why they love Songkran here so much. It's great to have fun with water, but water also cleanses, and renews, and nourishes. Today was a constant baptism for me, a salvation found through getting wet. And now, as the water washes through our bodies, so do my troubles and worries.

 

BurBoy kisses me. I close my eyes. The water still streaming down on us. Everything is going to be OK.

[reader]

You certainly have the potential for starting a side career as a gay novelist.  I know that the stuff you're sharing with us is real and not fiction. However, your ability to narrate the experiences of a gay man's travels in east Asia and elsewhere persuades me that you have the potential to become a serial novelist.  There's a not-so-short list of straight men who do it (mostly now with e-books) and then there's John Burdett who has managed to mix sexual orientation into his best-selling adventures of an Amerasian Bangkok detective.

 

On another note, I was wondering if your posts here could be the source of the concerns that your BF expressed on your birthday. Surely he reads them and your mutual friends would have no trouble locating them, either.

 

 

[steveboy]

Numazu,  reading your songkran report I had a mixture of nostalgia and satisfaction.  Nostalgia for last year's songkran which I enjoyed very much with a fraction of your activities, and satisfaction for being content at home just reading about your doings.  My head got a little winded reading all your coming and going, place hooping, foods and friends gluttony, endless water battles.  I have the endurance for all that, but I would be a 50, 30, 20.  50% of the time enjoyable, 30% of it with a neutral feeling of having an experience, and 20% with desires for all that to end soon.  Given the choice, I prefer to be a little under-entertained or under-celebrated than over-entertained, over-celebrated.

 

Hopefully on return you could explain to your BF the disfavor of leaving a relationship issue in suspense...  "will leave it for when you come back"...  Perhaps he should either not have mentioned it at all, or have discussed it right there to completion.  After all, in today's world you can have video talks for hours, and this time lost to sleep but with the issue resolved would have let you sleep much better thereafter. 

[numazu]

welcome back.We all missed you so much here

 

Welcome back, Numazu!  And, welcome back Trip Reports.

 

Very nice surprise to see the first part (well, the prologue) of your trip report this morning, numazu. I'm looking forward to all of it, I'd bet you made these few nights count as planned.

 

Thanks guys! It was just a matter of time before I got back to writing these. This was the perfect trip to do write about too. Only a few days than usual and fairly manageable to write about. I am also looking forward to others' trip reports as well. ggobkk, I am looking forward to reading about your adventures!

 

We shall see what kind of reception this one gets. I know I left the previous trip report hanging, so I am eager to finish this one, which shouldn't be hard, because its all done. I do appreciate feedback, any kind, about the report. 

 

Don't forget trip report on Mexico too

 

Welcome back Numazu. And if not possible to meet in Bangkok in the near future, maybe in Mexico as I will be there end of June, beginning of July!

 

Ahhh Mexico. I love that place so much. I may insert a paragraph or 100 about Mexico in this report. I am hesitant to do a full blown report on it, though there is a lot to say about it for sure. worldatlarge, unfortunately I will not be in Mexico that week you mentioned, though interestingly enough, I will be in another Spanish-speaking country the week(s) you are in Mexico. If there is anything interesting that comes out of that trip I will let you guys know.

 

You certainly have the potential for starting a side career as a gay novelist.  I know that the stuff you're sharing with us is real and not fiction. However, your ability to narrate the experiences of a gay man's travels in east Asia and elsewhere persuades me that you have the potential to become a serial novelist.  There's a not-so-short list of straight men who do it (mostly now with e-books) and then there's John Burdett who has managed to mix sexual orientation into his best-selling adventures of an Amerasian Bangkok detective.

 

On another note, I was wondering if your posts here could be the source of the concerns that your BF expressed on your birthday. Surely he reads them and your mutual friends would have no trouble locating them, either.

 

Awwww thanks reader! And thank you for thinking that my talent to put forth gibberish is worthy of a novel. It would be hard to do with my full-time job, my travel schedule, and taking care of my BF, so I guess these trip reports would have to serve as a main creative outlet. And thanks for mentioning John Burdett. I will look him up.

 

Some of you have asked me if I could put all these in a blog, ala ChristianPFC. I don't think I am in Thailand often enough to generate content that would sustain a blog of that kind. Plus the thought of maintaining a blog sounds like too much work for me. I can see how that would consume all my free time. But I am still thinking about it.

[spoon]

For me, a blog doesnt have to be updated as frequent, but serves as a safekeep of all your adventure writings in one place for easy access. It will also void of all the rules and regulations in some of the forums that u dont like or agree.

[JimmyJoe]

Numazu, I’m so happy and very pleasantly surprised to see that you have resumed your trip reports. Your experiences, so eloquently and thoughtfully reported are always enjoyable to read and so full of useful information for the newbie to Thailand that I am. I look forward to every installment.

Thank you.

And do report on Mexico!

[emailbroken]

No idea how you find the time to both have this experiences and write them up too.  Nicely done!

[GWMinUS]

WAITING WAITING WAITING

Let the Show begin!!!

[numazu]

Day 1.0: The Devil is in the Details

 

This Bangkok stopver is a smaller trip within a much larger trip to Asia. It’s no secret I was in the Philippines before going to Thailand, and I'm also going back there after the two planned nights. I booked Thai Airways mainly because of the schedule; it was the only airline coming from the Manila that gets to Bangkok at 3 PM, prime time to get to Silom and check-in to my hotel(s) and freshen up before starting my night. It also leaves Bangkok to get back to Manila at 2:45 PM, which gives me plenty enough time to enjoy a morning with the boy I had for the night, and leave for the the airport just at check-out time.

 

The tricky part was my accommodations. I originally booked my $45 a night AirBNB condo unit 3 weeks ago with the intent of getting a boy (or three) the first night, and then seeing BurBoy the next day late morning. Days before my Thai flight I realized the potential mistake I was going to make. The AirBNB condo I got, while good value for money and had everything I needed (including a washer and dryer), had no cleaning service for my second day. So if I had three boys in the room to stay the night, the condo unit will no doubt be trashed. The sheets will be ruined, the towels all used, some beer bottles and food will be all over for sure, among other things.

 

I did not want to risk BurBoy finding out that I was there the night before, much less finding out that I was just with (potentially) three boys, so I had to make alternative accommodations. It was too late for me to change my AirBNB stay to just one night, so I just booked a room at the Crowne Plaza Lumpini Plaza using points, which is my usual go-to hotel. I book it on my first night, and will still have the condo for both nights, even if i am only using it on the second night with BurBoy.  That way I can keep the condo pristine for BurBoy, as well as count on the limitless towels that the hotel can give me in case I off every boy that smiles at me in Twilight tonight.

 

So I get to the Manila International Airport two hours before takeoff. I get to the Thai Airways counter to check in.  While I wait for my boarding pass I ask if there were Business Class seats available. Luckily there were a few still available. I ask her if I can get a discount on their usual upgrade fee. She looks at my passport and my airline alliance status. She then offers me half price for the upgrade which was $110. I immediately accept the offer, since this was a 3+ hour flight. Getting a couple of hours of shut-eye might be what I need to prepare for the undoubtedly long night that lay ahead of me. I get my passport and boarding pass and off to immigration I go.

 

I get to immigration and I get a sight of this madhouse:

 

 

Not a lot of people at the Philippine Passport line, but in the International Passports line there were a ton of people. I patiently wait my turn. Unfortunately, there was only one cutie in line, and I couldn’t even get a photo of his face. He was handsome, nice butt, and tall:

 

 

It takes me an hour to get to the counter, and it takes the officer all of 15 seconds to put the exit stamp in my passport. I breeze through security, find the business lounge, and wait for boarding announcements. The plane mercifully takes off on time, and I am on my way. I get a pretty fancy meal, with this amazing liver pate thing and Thai Coke as a starter:

 

 

I was able to get some decent shut-eye on the flight all thanks to the almost flat recline seats, and next thing I know we are descending into Suvarnabhumi. Since this is already Trip # 14, I knew the drill by heart. I race out of the aircraft, follow the signs to immigration (300 meters away… 200 meters away… 150 meters away…) and then make the turn to the main immigration hall, and get stopped cold in my tracks:

 

 

Damn it, I thought it was the low season? Why are there so many people trying to get into Thailand on a Wednesday afternoon? I wait in line and quickly the people in my flight catch up to me and slowly form a line behind me. I’ve never seen the line snake out of the main hall and into the shops and walkways before:

 

 

I wait patiently in line. After 5 minutes I calm down enough to notice the cute boys in line, particularly this tall young one. I wonder where he is from and what was he going to do here:

 

 

I admired him for a while until I notice a sign at the far wall. “Thai Airways Royal Silk Class Line.” Damn it! I forgot about that! And I was so used to getting those Fast Track immigration passes to use that it didn’t occur to me that Thai Airways Business Class does not use those. I jump the ropes and the lines and get to the empty line that goes to two immigration counters with no people waiting. 10 seconds later I was out of there. No checked baggage so just raced to the ground floor to get to the taxi line.

 

I always make sure I have at least 1000 baht leftover from the previous trip so I can use it next trip, for the taxi and maybe some drinks or food if I was thirsty/hungry for the taxi ride to (usually) Silom. I get to the automated taxi stand, push the button, locate my taxi, hand over the ticket to the driver, get my luggage loaded in the back, and get into the passenger seat.

 

I say “Silom Soi Saam” to the driver. He repeats it, and then asks for more information in Thai. I answer in English of course, since I do not know Thai. I wish I did. I looked the part for sure. He repeats “Three?” putting up three fingers, perhaps incredulous that I knew what Saam meant and maybe I made a mistake in the translation. I counted in Thai for him to show that at least I knew how to count in their language. He laughs and acknowledges “OK, Silom Soi Saam!” He turns on the meter and speeds away from the airport. My hatred for airports is widely known, and how fast I can leave and get away from one is always a favorite game I play. Sadly, I get to play this game a lot.

 

It took us about 40 minutes to get to Silom. The driver turns into Soi 3 and he asks me if I have been to the condo before. I say yes, and pretty soon I ask him to turn into the parking in front of the building. The meters says 335 baht, adding the 50 baht airport surcharge, it was 385 baht. I gave the driver 400 baht and bid him goodbye.

 

I Whatsapp the owner of the condo saying that I was at the lobby. 3 minutes later he was there, shakes my hand and leads me up the property. I have rented from him before so he did not have to show me the in and outs of the property and the building. The property is nice, and perfect for lounging around for BurBoy and I:

 

 

The king bed had the towels on it, so I am glad I was not taking my money boys here, because for sure the bed and towels will be spent and soiled, and I won’t be able to explain away why it was so dirty to BurBoy:

 

 

I transfer some of my clothes and my toiletries from my bigger luggage to my backpack, as I only needed the essentials at the Crowne Plaza. I leave the condo and stop by the 7-11 to get a water to drink on the walk to Crowne Plaza. I walk my way to Silom to join the Bangkokians and tourists.

 

It was overcast today, and it felt hot and muggy, like it was going to rain soon. There were a lot of people walking the sidewalks of Silom, as always. I stop by a Krungsri ATM to get my bahts for the (supposedly) two nights. I make a left on Rama IV and to the very familiar Crowne Plaza. The doormen greet me with a “Welcome back!” and the concierge greets me by name. It was like coming home.

 

I get up to the 23rd for check-in, and the staff there greets me by name again. I went to the staff person I was most familiar with, who happened to be there that hour. She did not even ask me for my passport, and with a few keystrokes told me I was upgraded to their suite in the club floor. I thank her for the upgrade, knowing that I will need a bigger space for my planned three boys. She gives me my keycards, escorts me to the elevators and key in my floor.

 

I get to my room and get greeted by the familiar living room and bedroom combo:

 

 

 

This will do for sure. Not sure how to fit three boys in the bed but I won't worry about that now. I take a photo of the view, noting that the storm clouds are closing in:

 

 

I go to the bathroom and notice an oversight. There were only three towels in there! This definitely won’t do. I call the front desk and ask for an extra towel, totaling four for the night. 5 minutes later I get three extra ones. I give the employee 20 baht for his help.

 

 

I turn on the hot water for the tub and get in for a relaxing soak. This was going to be a good night.

 

Next… A night out at Silom.

[steveboy]

 

The tricky part was my accommodations. I originally booked my $45 a night AirBNB condo unit 3 weeks ago with the intent of getting a boy (or three) the first night, and then seeing BurBoy the next day late morning. Days before my Thai flight I realized the potential mistake I was going to make. The AirBNB condo I got, while good value for money and had everything I needed (including a washer and dryer), had no cleaning service for my second day. So if I had three boys in the room to stay the night, the condo unit will no doubt be trashed. The sheets will be ruined, the towels all used, some beer bottles and food will be all over for sure, among other things.

 

I did not want to risk BurBoy finding out that I was there the night before, much less finding out that I was just with (potentially) three boys, so I had to make alternative accommodations. It was too late for me to change my AirBNB stay to just one night, so I just booked a room at the Crowne Plaza Lumpini Plaza using points, which is my usual go-to hotel. I book it on my first night, and will still have the condo for both nights, even if i am only using it on the second night with BurBoy.  That way I can keep the condo pristine for BurBoy, as well as count on the limitless towels that the hotel can give me in case I off every boy that smiles at me in Twilight tonight.

 

 

LOL!  Cannot stay in a place without daily cleaning because too many boys in bed cause too much trashing to linens and the room in general,  which needs to be impeccable when boyfriend arrives the next day!   Speaking of a complicated life...

[GWMinUS]

OHHHHH

So you also have some Tales of the Philippines...

Again, WAITING WAITING WAITING...

I think you did well to fly on Thai, but they are much more expensive.

I am flying on PAL from MNL to BKK.

Departing at 09:45 and arriving at 12:05.

Here's hoping all goes as planned.

With the unrest on Mindanao and now the strange Incident at Resorts World Casino, I do not know...

INGAT!!

[steveboy]

OHHHHH

So you also have some Tales of the Philippines...

Again, WAITING WAITING WAITING...

I think you did well to fly on Thai, but they are much more expensive.

I am flying on PAL from MNL to BKK.

Departing at 09:45 and arriving at 12:05.

Here's hoping all goes as planned.

With the unrest on Mindanao and now the strange Incident at Resorts World Casino, I do not know...

INGAT!!

 

There are very nice Filipinos, and years ago I had good fun in MNL, but I find that the Philippines are a little too troublesome to be an ideal vacation spot, unless one enjoys nature at their numerous islands.  When I was there I kept feeling sorry for the people (which I don't feel in Thailand) and seeing too many military around.  But you must have found much that is attractive and that I am ignorant about.

[Alexx]

Excellent, numazu... you're not only back, but back in top form indeed!

[spoon]

Cant wait for the anticipated 3 boys off

[steveboy]

Cant wait for the anticipated 3 boys off

 

Hahaha... this reminds me of the stories we listened on the radio as children. Every afternoon they would end at the point of maximum suspense, so that the next day we would be sitting there waiting for them to resume.

[GWMinUS]

YES

I can just see Steveboy riding his White Horse down Surawong.

To free BurBoy from the clutches of Numazu!

 

Of course BurBoy does not want to be Saved...

[Boy69]

Numazu,I do enjoy your thread it's like reading a novel!Great stuff !

[steveboy]

YES

I can just see Steveboy riding his White Horse down Surawong.

To free BurBoy from the clutches of Numazu!

 

Of course BurBoy does not want to be Saved...

 

Can you see Steveboy riding his White Horse trying to rescue Numazu from his sliding down the easy path of lubricated cocks towards the entrance of Dante's Inferno ?

 

No.  My White Horse is in its stable, reserved for more worthy occasions, while I am fascinated and enjoy the travel stories too