EricV
Members
-
Joined
-
Last visited
-
-
-
-
If you like the vibe of Nimman in CM, check out the Ari and Thong Lor neighborhoods in Bangkok…
-
-
-
-
-
Sensible list of priorities. I’d recommend to add one more thing, if you are intending to relocate (especially, if it is the first time relocating internationally): access to your embassy and local government & private services, ie getting your visa, bank account, relocation services… setting all these things up is much easier in the capital city than in smaller towns in the provinces. Government and private institutions are more used to expats and there are more service providers to assist the transition. So, even if you end up settling in the provinces, starting for a few months or a (few) year(s) in Bangkok may make your move much easier.
-
-
If you are considering Chiang Mai as a place to live, check out the Nimman (Nimmanhaemin) area & see if you like the vibe. It’s more residential, less touristy, popular with a younger crowd and has lots of bars, restaurants, etc.. You have been successful on Grindr, so might give that a try there…
-
-
-
Apparently, 33 nations will be able to use the egates, with most European countries and Canada in; US, China, Russia & India are out. You will have to have entered once ( or twice, depending on source) with the exact same passport before to use them... TiT - so last minute changes can still happen... Hopefully, that will ease the lines. For US (and Asian) citizen, an APEC card is your best bet. Business Class is officially out for priority (only handicapped, elderly, pregnant etc), but individuals have reported luck at trying anyway... As always, depends on the person you deal with ...YMMV As others have said, there is no reliable way to forecast lines: a few large planes arriving early/late (which is common on long-haul flights) and hundreds of extra arrivals will clog up the lines. If you want reliably fast entry, paying for FastTrack is your safest choice - just realize it might not be needed when you get there...
-
Yes, they do! They also want free sex with all the Filipino guys...
-
Your best chance for a sensual spa massage in Hoi An is "Male Massage for Men" spa. "Relaxant Wellness Spa" has male therapists and very good, inexpensive therapeutic massages, but sensual only if you really click with the therapist... Male Massage is down the street from a gay bar, Living Colors. All three places are on Google Maps
-
I realize jimmie50’s question is solved, but this is helpful for others, too! im with pong & peterrs on this: SQ has a stellar on time record, fantastic service & SIN is one of the most efficient airports available. So, I’d always book the 1h connection! There is a better than 90% chance that you will make your flight. In the off chance that there is an excessive delay on the first flight, SQ will be waiting for you with a boarding pass for the next flight upon arrival. The chance that the next flight is sold out in business class and you have to wait longer is pretty slim. Why would you book the longer layover if getting on that flight is pretty much your worst case scenario in case of delay? I have intentionally booked longer layovers when I wanted to shower and get off the last flight refreshed. And I plan longer layovers with other airlines/airports, but not with SQ/SIN! In general, if you purchase a connecting flight on one airline, you can make the connection. They can’t/wont sell you an unlikely to make connection - and they will carry the cost of a missed connection. Each airport has “minimum connection times” the airlines comply with. Just be cautious with back-to-back tickets you find online - you are not protected on those, even when both tickets are on the same airline, and they don’t necessarily consider minimum connection times.
-
-
I can second Toto. there is also Pizza Lovely, one of the food trucks at the entrance to the complex - good pizza & people watching… you can sit & have drinks at the bar 2 or 3 trucks down and order from one of the food places as well…
-
Repair services are available and inexpensive in the Philippines: every major mall will have a Mr Quickie (not kidding, that is the actual chain name) that does alterations, clothes-, shoe-, bag- or luggage repairs. Small repairs are only P50 or P100 and they are very creative - pretty much anything can be repaired… for more complicated tailoring, there are specialized alteration shops, ie turning long pants into shorts, taking in or shortening pants/shirts…you’ll find them often in the basement or other less prime locations.. there are many different store brands/names - just ask the info desk at the mall or the front desk at your condo building for the nearest one, they’ll know…
-
-
Do a search for "global expat health insurance" - there are a number of large insurance companies offering health care coverage globally. I don't know your age or health, but the quotes I saw were a fraction of $1,300/mth when excluding USA...
-
BGC is the Nr1 area to live in Manila, with the most sought after condos, the best restaurants, cafes, bars, stores, spas, hair salons.... It has a pedestrian area at the center, small parks, wide streets & side walks, no street parking ... It's also the cleanest and most organized neighborhood... Makati is the former it-neighborhood, now eclipsed by BGC. It also has all the above, but with old street layout, narrow streets and narrow or non-existing sidewalks, less clean more traffic chaos, older buildings,... Both areas have plenty of educated, middle class (and of course upper class/wealthy) locals and expats. As @bkkmfj2648 has discovered and described in great detail in his Cebu post, your best bet to meet locals, paid or unpaid, is online - and in Manila, your best chances to meet are in BGC & Makati... There is no comparable gay scene to Thailand, with regards to gogo bars and sex clubs. There are a number of spas for men with wet areas/sauna with male masseurs, including in Makati, Infinity Spa is one of the chains...
-
@bkkmfj2648 glad you rented the moto, drove to the end of the island and had a good experience with the guards. I found that if you smile and are kind, most Filipinos will go out of their way to help you go/do what you want... I did think about other options - high rise beach places - for your trip to Vietnam. Danang is a great choice as your primary base. You could also check out Nha Trang: endless beach, lots of high rise, many tourists, mostly Russian, plenty of tourist infrastructure/restaurants/bars/massage places... Kind of opposite is Vung Tau, about 2 1/2h from HCMC/SGN airport (direct Van available). Lots of high rise being built along the beach, mostly Vietnamese tourists, few foreigners, but English spoken. Can't help with gay bars/clubs/massages in either city, but based on your Cebu report, you are very good at figuring that out. Have fun on Boracay, looking forward to your report.
-
@bkkmfj2648 I think you did exactly the right thing by going past the security guy down the escalator. Your story sounded very familiar - I've been in that situation, having been sent in circles, getting upset and doing the common sense thing in the end anyway. Now, I try to do the common sense thing before I get upset and while I can still smile at the person asking me to do something non-sensical... better for my heart & everybody involved... A little rule bending here & there will make your life in the Philippines a lot easier... @Travelingguy
