numazu

Day 1: The Quarantine 15 It’s no secret that my preference is for guys with a little bit of muscle on them. That’s just a preference, it’s like if men were all on a grocery store shelf, it’s the first one I’d pick out of the rest. But that does not mean that sometimes I'll venture further into the aisle and pick something fat-free, or something with more fat content, or something saltier (I don’t know what that means). I go with what is fun at the moment, and that kind of open-mindedness was improved by the pandemic, another unintended consequence of the event that changed all our lives. So in picking the bar to go to tonight, being pressed for time, I decided on the low hanging fruit, the one that has worked for me in the past, filled with my usual preference for boys. I also had to balance that with what Tiago, my companion, would enjoy the most as well. Granted, that this is his first time going into a Thai boy bar, or any bar that had escorts (he has not been to the saunas in Brazil, he said), so he was eager to just experience it all. So I had to pick one with a decent show. So there was just one bar I could think of that fit all this – Moonlight Bangkok. My first impression of Moonlight, July 2018: They are adept in using social media to evangelize their brand of boy bar. Which I admit bode well for them in the lonely months during quarantine. It is always interesting how any establishment that depends highly on reputation and hype dealt with the pandemic. In March 2020, as the world closed itself to deal with the pandemic, I remember Moonlight going from hyping Songkran 2020 (to which I was looking forward to): to temperature checks in March 15, 2020 (they tried!): to closure in March 18, 2020, with an expectation to reopen in 2 weeks (just like me who thought this was just a 2 week thing): to continued closure: to some reason the Moonlight models working at HotMale bar: to a final reopening at the end of September 2020: And a great show soon after, with an amazing model, Mr Jack, and his “sexist” underwear. i wish he would come back, he is hot: Through it all, they’ve maintained their social media presence, keeping the light on in that sense, and always kept everyone informed about next steps. I think with all the uncertainty with what pandemic has brought in our lives, having this reliable source of info, good or bad, was a comfort. Kudos to the management of that establishment, I think this should be an example on how to do social media, and customers are not left with gossip and hearsay to sustain them during those dark days. Back to the present: Happy Beer Garden has never changed. For some reason one of the waiters recognized me and asked me how I was. I do not remember him at all. Anyway, after a few pleasantries, I told him we were in a hurry to make a 10:30 PM show at Moonlight so we had to get our food in a jiffy. Since Tiago is Brazilian, he does not like spicy food, so I had to scour for the mild offerings in the menu. I settled on a chicken dish with rice, which he still thought was spicy. I told him to get used to it, since he’ll be here for 6 months. I also got a Thai Icea Tea to calibrate my taste buds and remind it how awesome Thai food was and to get ready for its many delights. Luckily the waiter was true to his word and we were out there in 15 minutes, which gave us plenty of time to saunter over that unpronounceable alley way off of Surawong Rd to Moonlight. I guess Mr. Nut is now the face of Moonlight? Great choice. Things that felt familiar: the 400 baht entrance fee with welcome drink, no changes in seating and stage. AC was on full blast. We get guided by a mamasan to our seats, which was toward the back and at the center, which I thought was pretty good seating. Tiago sat down, and looked around, took it in, smiling the whole time. He looked across the room, and found 3 boys, some in underwear, some shirtless, some in tank tops, some in pants. The boys rotated, but it was always 3 at a time on stage. Tiago then had a million questions, possibly the same exact questions I had when it was my first time in this bar, and in a Bangkok boy bar. Yes, all the boys are available for sex. Yes, you can use the number to identify the boy you want to off. No, most of them are Thai, but some are from Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. A boy costs probably 2000 baht to 5000 baht, depending on the boy snd the length of the off. Yes, most of them are tops, but there are a lot of bottoms as well. And the most important answer – Maybe, I can get a boy, but only if you’re comfortable with it. Tiago looks at me and shrugs. He tells me he always defers to me for that. “Let’s see who is hot among these guys,” he said. We were asked our drinks. Tiago, who doesn’t drink, ordered a water. I ordered a “rum coke”, which was a test drink I would order in every bar in order to judge who served the stiffest drink. This is a test I’ve employed in other establishments, and there was oftentimes a correlation between how good or strong my cuba libre (rum and coke) was to how much fun I’d have that night, since cocktails are of differing quality in the world. Tiago asks how much the drink was, I tell him it was roughly 55 Brazilian reais. “That seems really expensive,” he says. I tell him that this is like an entry fee, and tell him the entry fee to the Sao Paulo’s Lagoa sauna is 65 reais, without any drinks. And I tell him that we get to see this one-hour show, so it all is pretty worth it. The drink was pretty weak. Not a good sign lol. Before the show started, I see a familiar face among the rotating boys. The boy who has defined all my Thailand visits. The boy who other offs has been measured against – MonBoy, the Myanmar boy from Mon State. My first impression of him, in June 2017: I tell Tiago the cliff notes of my past relationship with MonBoy. He takes a look at him and tell me to invite him to sit with us. I mention to him to come over. He bows, but was hesitant, and then gets off the stage and goes over a group of 4 Thais sitting just to the left of the stage and talked to them for a bit. MonBoy then goes over to us. “Where sitting?” Mon Boy asks. Tiago schooches over to make a space between us so MonBoy can be sandwiched in between. Good sign. He greets both of us, and then leans on me and asks “Your boyfriend?” pertaining to Tiago. Good question. When we were planning the Doha-Dubai-Bangkok trip, Tiago brought up the subject of what were supposed to be to each other while traveling. This question came up when we went on that trial run to Mexico, when he was showing immigration hotel accommodations for Cancun where we were staying, which had both our names on it. He told immigration that I was his boyfriend, and I was American, which was code for “Don’t worry about the Brazilian entering your country, he is with an American who will pay for everything.” He even showed the immigration people our pics together (chaste ones having dinner, walking along Paulista Street, at the gym). I told him sure, this will work for Thailand too, but not in Qatar, or the United Arab Emirates. Not true, it did work, indirectly, in Dubai, where we checked in together at the Hilton. When we handed over our passports, the handsome check-in guy asked us if we needed a King size bed instead of two doubles. I replied “King, of course” and the guy didn’t even bat an eye. I reflexively said “Yes, he is my boyfriend,” after introducing him as such for a better part of 2 weeks now. MonBoy then looks at Tiago and shook his hand. Tiago, all Brazilian, pulls him in for a hug. They laughed. This might actually work out. After some initial greetings, MonBoy tells me that he is actually committed to a short time encounter with the Thais he talked to before. But he says that he can meet up after that if I was still interested. I told him of course. He gives me a kiss in the cheek, and gets Tiago’s left hand and kisses his hand, and leaves. This works out, no payment of an off fee. I explain the situation to Tiago. The show starts, and quite frankly, nothing has changed in the numbers, the drag queens, and the quality of the show. It’s like I’ve never left and just saw this same show the week before. I knew certain songs were different, and some numbers were different, but it all just felt the same. What changed me for, however, was I was with Tiago. He kept asking first-timer questions that were interesting and funny. Like “Is that really a guy,” or “Do Asian boys kiss like Brazilians,” or “Do these shows also exist in Brazil?” I tell him, no. The shows in saunas in Brazil were kind of different. Some drag queens, yes, depending on the venue, but the males did not have elaborate numbers like here. In Brazil, it was just a man, a very muscular man, stripping sensually to nothing but his undies, and then showing his ass, and then his erection, after the number was over. “Which one do you prefer? This, or Brazil’s way?” he asks. I think about it for a minute. I tell him it depends. Sometimes I like this spectacle and disciplined dance numbers. Sometimes I’d just like to see a large cock. So, “Os dois – Both,” was my final answer. “Very American of you,” he tells me. That was not the first time he has called me as such during this trip. Just some asides, and this might sound a bit petty, but I did notice some models were a little less defined than before. Don't get me wrong, they still look fine. The pandemic was hard to us all, and I am in no prized shape either. Maybe its because I was with Tiago, and therefore I was measuring everything with his (fairly large) measuring stick, but judge for yourself. 2019 in the left, when I left them last, and 2022 how I’ve seen them now: Mr York Mr Tum Or maybe they just had a big dinner, who knows. I did like Mr Korn A LOT. He has this cocky humbleness to him, and once in a while he would smirk and I see possibilities. Maybe a future off: The show finishes. Some live entertainment was next, and as advertised, it was pretty fun, and the vocalist, May, was pretty good I think this was a good addition to the bar. If we weren't tired, we would have stayed longer: I get a message from MonBoy, telling me he is going to his client’s hotel. We leave Moonlight. I tell him we were going to Patpong, to see what’s up. Next post, another Boy Bar to go to (which one, can you guess), and a familiar face, next.

Day 0: Brazil on my mind, even in Thailand Needless to say that I have changed some personal information of certain individuals mentioned, due to some weird stalkers in this site. So Brazil had me for itself for a better part of a year and a half during the pandemic. And when you get to know a place for that long on a regular basis, you tend to get to settle on what works for you best, after the initial novelty wears off. After running wild through the famous saunas of Brazil, I’ve actually grown tired of it all, believe it or not. Don’t get me wrong, sex with a variety of beautiful guys will always be on the table for me, but during this time, working remotely in Brazil had me looking for something more substantial, after getting tired of the run-of-the-mill sauna-show-cabine-programa routine. Because of the dire economic circumstances the pandemic has left some of the less fortunate of us, you can find that even more boys are available than usual. Most of them are after money, of course, but I have found that a few of them needed something else. I’ve certainly have met a few very interesting guys, who would not sell themselves in a Brazilian sauna, nor expose themselves in escort websites, but would like to earn a few dollars from you. I found these guys mostly from referrals from other boys, and they appreciate the discretion you give them, not being found out by familiars in saunas or websites, and they will pretty much do anything for you. And then there are those, when I tell them I am going to Europe or Dubai for some work or vacation for a few weeks, ask for just a one-way ticket to the place in question, and they will be more than willing (thrilled in fact) to accompany you during your stay, free of charge (you pay for incidentals of course), and when its time for me to go, they opt to stay in Barcelona or Paris or Dubai or London, where they try to earn the money they were after in the first place (by usually escorting). I am probably responsible for a (not) significant amount of Brazilians ending up in Europe or the Middle East, using this method. And then there’s this Brazilian guy who wanted to Thailand. Let’s call him Tiago. He is 28, European facial features, always bronzed skin, and let’s just say he is from the south of the country. Beautiful, of course, with a MMA fighter's body. Oddly enough, I met him at a Smart Fit Gym in Sao Paulo. He was a personal trainer there, and a working boy introduced me to him in one my visits to his gym. He didn’t work at the sauna in Sao Paulo, nor did he sell himself in the websites. He did, however, belong to a Jiu Jitsu team in Sao Paulo, and did personal training on the side to pay the bills. He has done some MMA fights (20+), but wanted to train in Muay Thai, in Thailand, to expand his resume. He intended to stay for 6 months in Thailand, and has saved up enough for the gym fees and accommodation in his chosen Muay Thai school. What he didn’t have was the airfare to get to Thailand. There has always been a Thailand-Brazil connection I wasn’t aware about till this trip. So during the next few months we talked about it that possibility, in between some dates and gym training with him, of course. Throughout all that he didn’t ask me for any tips during my time with him in Brazil, I guess to sell me the idea that he is trustworthy and worthy of the cost of an air ticket. So when I told him in April that I was thinking about going to Thailand, after a trip to the Middle East, he said that was perfect timing, because that would get him back to Brazil in December, in time for Christmas and the Holidays. He even made himself available for the two weeks before to accompany me with some business in Doha and Dubai, before heading over to Thailand. I told him I’d go the extra mile and take him personally to his Muay Thai gym, which was not in Bangkok, but was a plane ride away. He was excited, and so was I. I was as curious to get to know more about this side of his life, as he was about going. I took him for a test run to a nearby country just to see if we were gonna be good travel buddies. He passed with flying colors. So in the next few weeks we try to get our requirements ready for Thailand. As we were entering Bangkok in mid-June, we didn’t have to do a COVID test to get to enter Thailand, but we still needed to complete the Thai Pass, which was easy enough since we were both vaxxed and boostered and he was able to get official documents and QR codes from the Brazilian health authority after some expected red tape. We still needed COVID tests to get into Qatar, and to complete their version of Thai Pass (Ehteraz), but that was easy to do as well, with my help. I guess after going through all this for almost two years, a few more QR codes was just easy-peasy for me to complete. Two weeks in the Middle East with Tiago was a blast. He was game for a lot of my shenanigans, kept fit in the hotel gyms while I was working, and on my free times, he devoured all the tours and walking that was needed to explore the rich wonders of the area. He was even open to certain sexual exploration if he thought it would be fun to join in, and left me alone if he knew I wanted some alone time. Through it all those two weeks just flew by, and pretty soon it was time to go to Thailand. We were in Dubai to catch our Qatar Airways flight to Bangkok via Doha. I decided to cash-in some Avios points from my British Airways account and buy us Business Class tickets, which was a just a surprisingly cheap 40k each from Dubai to Bangkok. Since our flight was at 5:30 AM, we decided to not sleep the night before and just enjoy Dubai nightlife. After an interesting encounter with some gay Emiratis hanging out at a Starbucks in the JBR district in Dubai, we were on our way to the airport at 3 AM. At the check-in counter, the nice Qatar Airways lady didn’t even check our Thai passes or COVID vaccination cards or any of his documentation. She was flirty and had some tips for Thailand, since she’s been there once. We played along, and got our tickets eventually, if we were cutting it close to boarding time. She ended with bidding us good luck, and she was sure we will have a great time, since we were men. Not sure what that meant but we ended that convo. We were actually the last ones to check in. And the last ones to board. Still, Qatar Airways is famous for its top notch in-flight service, so we were pampered all throughout. I am always amazed by their first class service on one-hour flights. They are still able to get us 3 drinks and some yummy breakfast even with the very short (40-minute) flight from Dubai to Doha: Doha airport on a Sunday was a madhouse. The place was packed. And there were almost no places to sit at the Biz class lounge but we managed. This was indeed a sign the time of COVID restricted travel was over. There was still mask wearing in the airport but that was the only apparent thing I can see that was COVID-related. Since we were super tired from not sleeping the night before, we slept the whole 6 hour and half plane ride from Doha to Bangkok. We got woken up by the flight attendant to say that we had to unrecline our seats for the initial plane descent. Still, five stars to Qatar Airways, we were still served a full dinner while we were descending, since we missed all the in-flight service. As we landed, I got a bit of goosebumps and got excited. I was too tired to actually think about it before, but it just dawned on me now that I was going to be in Thailand after 2 and half years of being away. I started going to Thailand in 2014, and after a few years, the novelty has worn off. But after being away for that long I think the distance was all I needed to recharge my longing for Thailand once again. Tiago, of course, was beside himself. He was super excited to start his life in his new home. Once we were our of the plance we raced to immigration. All this was still super familiar to me, the walk to the immigration desks. We eventually got to the intermediary desks, the Thai Pass station: It was painless, they just needed to see the QR code, passports and COVID vaccine card. They attached stickers to our shirts saying we passed Thai pass and we were on our way to immigration. Since Tiago’s English was not that good, I knew I had to help him with this process (as I did in Doha and Dubai). At the immigration desk, I got my usual 30-day stamp. When it was Tiago’s turn, the immigration officer confirmed if the dates in the immigration card were correct. I said yes, so Tiago got his 90-day stamp. No other documentation was asked. Not the letters of invitation Tiago has from his Muay Thai gym, not our COVID vaccinations, not his yellow fever vaccine he got because that was requirement by the Thai government. Figures. And I always wondered, why people from the USA or UK or some other rich country can only get 30 day tourist stays in Thailand at a time, while Brazilians and Colombians, among others, can get 90 days? After getting our luggage, I immediately get 20,000 baht from the ATM. Then, as a favor, I immediately got Tiago a Thai SIM card from dtac for 90 days, which cost 1100 baht. I didn’t need one since I got Google Fi cell service. I then swiftly guide us to the ground floor to the taxi line, got a taxi ticket from the thingie, found our taxi number and taxi stand, flashed our AirBNB’s address and directions, in Thai, to our driver, and we were on our way, for a 40 minute ride to Silom. Along the way, Tiago commented on how efficient I was with getting things done at the airport. I told him that Thailand was a very familiar place to me, and I still knew how things were done even after years away. Since Tiago was Brazilian and naturally warm, he immediately tried to talk to the driver, who obliged with Tiago’s broken English and answered with some broken English of his own. Noone understood anyone though, since the accents were unfamiliar to each other, even if both were speaking English. Except to me of course, I was used to hearing both accents, so I was there to pretty much smoothen out the conversation. It was pretty entertaining, and pretty soon we arrived at the AirBNB. I chose to stay at an AirBNB for our Bangkok stay, after staying in hotels for two weeks in Doha and Dubai. An AirBNB will afford us many creature comforts that hotels won’t have, like a washer and dryer in the unit (two weeks in the middle east meant we needed clean clothes), two bedrooms for cheap (more on this later), and some basic kitchen stuff if we needed to make something. Also, it’ll give Tiago a glimpse of Thai domestic life that he will be living in pretty soon, something that is not apparent in the insular confines of, say, the Crowne Plaza Lumpini Park, even if I love that hotel sooooo much. It was 9:20 PM by the time we got to the apartment. I knew I wanted to at least check out a boy bar or two, even if we were both tired, so we had to hurry. And Tiago was hungry. So to save time, we showered together (hot water in the unit worked!), and prepared for the night ahead. Since it was raining, I decided to get us a Grab Taxi (which I downloaded on my phone on the way to the apartment), and set up our destination to the first restaurant I thought of that served food really quickly: Happy Beer Garden. As we get off the taxi and before we go in to eat, I look across the street: The end of Soi Twilight, and the beginning of something else. I remember that I when I used to eat at Happy Beer Garden, when it was around 8 or 9 PM, and I’d hear boys shouting at me from across the street, sitting in bars that don’t exist anymore, enticing us to join in the fun once I was done with dinner. Those were amazing times. I wonder if those time will ever come back. Probably not, as Soi Twilight was not coming back. Time to make me new memories. Next post, guess which bar we went to first?

I mean, that’s a big assumption on your part. I’ve dealt with some loss during the pandemic, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to put that on here. But yes, I can see how travel during the pandemic would be morally ambiguous for sure. All I can say is that this is how I spent my pandemic time, knowing the risks I was taking and I was exposing others, who have made their own risk analysis during that difficult time.

Thanks @Vessey. I'm afraid that its not going to be quite the same experience for me like my old Trip Reports. Probably a combination of the post-pandemic era surroundings, my changing tastes, or my changing circumstances. Still, I think it is still worth it to put on here. Well, we'll see LOL. Thank you. The irony is that I've been traveling way more than before (it that was possible) so I have way more to share, but I have less time to write about them! I did, however, think that this trip report was something worthy of some time, even if some of my other experiences are also worth something as well. The Middle East, for example, was very eye opening. LOL. Was I a bad freind? PM me @ggobkk, about your plans for September!

Introduction If this pandemic has ever taught me anything, is that to never take anything for granted ever again. My last trip to Thailand was in December 2019. That trip was the only Thailand trip I had that year, having prioritized Brazil and Colombia that year. I was already figuring out that Brazil catered more to my evolving taste for both boys, sex and entertainment, but I was still wanting to go to Thailand because of the food, the locations, and yes, of course the boys. Thailand's unwillingness to reopen as soon as others have (during the pandemic), however, has given me the opportunity to visit Brazil more, thus deepening my connection to that country, at the expense of the Land of Smiles. Throughout all that though, I've been trying to go back to Thailand since it always will hold a special place in my heart. I remember my last international trip before air travel was paused during the pandemic. No surprise, it was to Brazil. I remember entering Sao Paulo on March 17, 2020. The plane was half full, the streets of Sao Paulo where empty, and everyone was sheltering in place, even if Carnaval ended just 3 weeks before. On March 19, Brazil closed its land borders. After that, I finally decided to go back home on March 23, 2020, fearing that flights back to the USA would be cancelled eventually. And I was right. On March 27 they announced that Brazil would close all its borders, even air, on March 30. Thailand had a similar thought process, closing its land borders on March 18, and then all borders on March 26, 2020. I know that I am not the only one to think that this pandemic was only going to be 2-week thing when it started. And then a month rolled by, and then 3 months. Since I was just at home, my routine started to change. I exercised more. Ate better. I did more video calls, both for work, and for friends far away, similarly stuck at home, wondering when this will all end. I’ve gotten lots of desperate cries for money from boys (Brazil, Thailand, Colombia) without any incomes with all the saunas and clubs closed. Though it all, I thought I did pretty good for myself, and actually was able to focus on other important things that I wouldn’t normally would have without the urgency of the pandemic looming all over us. I was pained of course, as I had plans to go Thailand over Songkran in 2020: And then something miraculous happened: Brazil decided to open up again. July 30 was the date, so after only 4 months of staying put, I was able to travel again. And it was glorious. Less people in airports and airport parking which meant less time needing to be at the airport. Less people flying which means either instant upgrades to Business class, or having a row to myself in economy. Less stupid tourists clogging up the streets, and less people in the streets in general. And yeah, you had to wear a mask in the plane, but at that point, I’ve gotten used to it, and counted myself lucky to still be even traveling to care. And with Brazil’s infinite wisdom, most of the clubs in Rio and Sao Paulo opened up as well, which meant that I was sometimes the only gringo at the premises. I certainly made the most of it, judging from these trip reports: Through it all though, I’ve had Thailand in the back of my mind. When the hell will it ever open up? 2021 rolled around. Apart from my monthly, multi-week trips to Brazil, I’ve pretty much scoured most of Western Europe, the Middle East and Mexico. But Thailand has remained closed. (I’ve also have been keeping my eye on Japan, which is still in a weird reopening phase. I’ve been dying to return.) I see domino after domino of COVID restrictions fall down. Except Thailand. I shared this in August 2021: Then the Phuket sandbox happened in July 2021, and while appealing, still was too restrictive for me. And news about the bars still closed was disheartening. Then Thai Pass was introduced in November 2021, and that felt more appealing to me, though the RT-PCR requirement, and the quarantine hotel requirement was something that was a bit unnerving to me. It just introduced (perhaps unnecessary) wildcards to a supposedly wonderful trip. I’d rather just go straight to Brazil, (even with their evolving COVID requirements as well – from medical insurance requirements, to COVID test, to having scrapped everything as of April 2022), and their open bars. I finally bit the bullet and bought my ticket to Bangkok last April. I was heading to Dubai in June, and found it interesting to instead head over to Bangkok after that trip instead of high-tailing it back to California. Also, Thailand dropping the COVID test requirement for vaccinated travelers was the deciding factor for me as well. The COVID dominos were starting to fall in Thailand. The June 12 announcement that the USA was dropping its COVID testing requirement to enter the USA was another domino falling that was just icing on the cake. It seems that the stars are aligning in just the right times for me to make a comeback in Thailand. So next post will be my preparations for the trip, and the REAL reason I am going to Thailand. P.S. To new posters, yes, I am always this long-winded when it comes to my trip reports. An example:

It's a double-edged sword right? I was at Thermas in Barcelona last week on a Wednesday and it was deserted. A handful of boys and clients were at the premises, and the general consensus was if the clients don't come, most boys don't as well. Which makes sense. The boys are not fixed employees, and they won't come if there are no clients. Even worse with the entry fee for the boys, which is also true in the Brazil saunas. I may be wrong but it is different in the Bangkok bars right? The boys get a cut every night for showing up? I may not be recalling this right. Still, yes, the premise is sound. You will get your pick of the litter if there is fewer competition. I make the most of it when I am in any establishment (exception was Sauna GO.63 in Sao Luis, Maranhao in Brasil - 2021 was not a good year for that sauna), and tend to get some fun out of the emptiest of bars. I remember when Brazil first reopened in July 29, 2020 - I immediately went to Rio a few days later. I found a deserted Ponte 202 in Copacabana on a Saturday with only 3 boys and only me as a client. So drank and partied with all 3 in the premises and they shared with me how tough the pandemic was. I think I had a threesome with 2 of them and tipped the third guy. That was fun. Yes for only one night. I have a jam-packed schedule for that next trip and it took me some clever maneuvering to even get one night in Pattaya. But I intend to make the most of it. My days of luxuriating in Thailand for weeks at a time have ended. There is so much more of the world to see. Yes, my spy has told me the same thing, that things are more or less fine and I should go, that's why I am trying to go. And thanks for the tips on where to stay. I may try Classroom since it is recommended by a few of you here. Looks like I won't be sleeping at all in Pattaya with all that activity!

Alrightey guys. I just concluded a multi-week Europe trip and now am planning my Thailand trip in earnest. I have multiple goals for the trip (both bar and boy reasons and life reasons), but it looks like I'd like to try Pattaya for ONE night and would like to know how recent trip goers have fared there. I was surprised to hear that a boy in my past (and some of you have met this boy) is still working at a bar there, and he has told me that things are more or less back to normal at his bar. That made me decide to at least devote one night there this trip. Some of you may have known this already. Another boy from my past is still working at Moonlight. Looks like time has stood still. So how is the bar landscape in Pattaya? I like boys, and bars with shows, so what's it like there now?

This is a big reason why I don't post my trip reports any more. While a tiny minority, there are super creeps out there that make it not worth it and ruin the joy I've felt in the past. It became so bad that I've had to delete my Instagram in the past because of a stalking issue from this site. As a rule I never pass on any numbers of boys I feature in my trip reports. That is just asking for trouble. And your mileage may vary anyways... Any good fortune I've had may not translate to you, and vice versa.

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Just echoing what has been answered here: it's not worth it. To be more specific: I have flown them a few times since the pandemic started, all biz class. They have fallen so far down in quality that I can't say I will fly them again till they improve. I've flown their Bogota to Rio and Sao Paulo to Bogota and their biz class meals are cold sandwiches and not a lot of drink options. Both flights are not lie-flat (6 hour flights) and they have that weird "extra reclining seat". The seat was more hinge-ing more than reclining. Not comfortable. I'd suggest eating at Bogota airport (more or less back to great dining options) if coming from there. The shorter biz class routes I've taken, Mexico to San Jose Costa Rica and the Costa Rica to Bogota flights, were fine/not good. Traditional extra reclining seats and again not good food and drinks. I think if you can get the LAX to Bogota, or Madrid to Bogota flights, I think you'll be more or less fine. I've taken both this year and both a lie-flat normal biz class seats (tho showing their age), and the meals were decent with a fine selection of drinks. Not sure if they are administered by a different part of Avianca, but I feel they were fine, and are cheaper than most biz class products.

Still hoping that the subject can be kept in Thailand, I appreciate any info from people who actually are there now or have been there recently. This response is more appropriate in the Latin thread. But, this is a known effect of the internet, even in Thailand. I've known countless boys who never ever think of setting foot in a sauna because they feel "dezvalorizado" or devalued in the saunas. They don't like how 'some' clients treat them in the sauna (talk to them for hours, ask to show the goods, lay hands on them aggressively, waste their time, and still not go out with them or pay them). In websites, they do get bombarded by countless requests for pics, but at least they are in the comfort of their own homes, they can attend to all hours, and it pays more. The saunas will always be a venue for the ones who need instant cash, and for those who don't want their pics out there in public due to privacy concerns, but generally there are countless more non-sauna boys out there who are available. Even the gogo boys who would normally would ply their wares at the sauna wouldn't do it because of their feeling that the sauna is just a constant series humiliations for them, but would gladly go out with a client if the interest (i,e. money) is there. While yes visually the saunas are really where its at, I find having sex in the saunas to be non-ideal. Cleanliness, quality of facilities, and sometimes the stress levels of the boys (that you expect to perform for you) because of having to ply their wares for hours, doing many programas, before they get to you affect the quality of the experience. While the popular days of the week (especially at the end of the month when the rent and child support is due) in the saunas make it hard to get available rooms to do the deed, I find that more boys go on these days that don't go on slower days like Sundays (because there are fewer clients) appear on the popular days, and if I can't go out with them in the saunas, I get their numbers and set up a rendezvous later, in the comfort of my own apartment, and maybe grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying the city I am visiting. Lately, I've found myself not taking boys to the suites on the day I see them, and just meet them after or the day after and get to know them more. I think this is obvious, and attitude is everything. I am merely asking about best days to go with the larger number of boys in the week, in the Bangkok boy bars. There, I derailed my own thread lol. On to Thailand: Thanks you two for this. and i miss both of you! i do intend to go to Soi 4 since I've had great memories in the past. Looks like there will be a lot of excitement to go around! Any more tips? I am looking forward to this trip. Any Phuket tips as well?

So, I'm finally planning my long-awaited return to Thailand. I'm looking to go around July time, which I am hoping that the current pandemic-era travel requirements will be eased even further by then. I am basing my optimism on some articles that have stated this, including this one: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-07/thailand-mulls-easing-covid-test-rules-for-vaccinated-visitors I do understand that the rules are fairly fluid, and we are of course talking about Thailand, the Land of Smiles and Ever Changing Minds, so I am assuming some risk here, and maybe the new COVID variants will further complicate things, but right now, I am finally planning the trip in earnest, and have put my money where my mouth is by actually booking a flight to Bangkok. Brazil has been my go-to this pandemic for finding my boy delights, and depending on the day of the week, certain locales (the saunas) have better days in the week to go than other days. For example, it is known that the best and busiest days for the Rio saunas are Tuesdays (Clube 117) and Wednesdays (Pointe), and generally Sao Paulo has the weekends as good days (and Thursdays for the new-ish sauna Fragata). Are there such rules in the Bangkok boy bars? Or are weekends just the known best days for the boy bars because that's when customers go? Or are they all open everyday, and it doesn't matter what day you go? Or has COVID just made this a more complicated question? I ask this because this is just a one week trip, and I am planning a trip to Phuket (2-3 days) in between, and since Phuket is not known for boy bars as much as Bangkok, I wanted to know what days I should stay in Bangkok to get the optimal boy crowd in the bars. Thanks in advance! I promise to write a trip report about all this.

This is not just a Brazil phenomenon. There is an optimal time to book cheap airfare, and waiting last minute will be more expensive. Looking at a São Paulo to Rio flight, looks like last minutes fares are $167 - $400. A month out it’s $81, and two months out it’s only $39. When I need a last minute fare between SP and Rio, I just try to cash in some United miles. An Azul direct flight is always usually just 9000 miles. Otherwise I try to book in advance. Or there is always the bus. An overnight ride avoids the traffic and you get to sleep the whole way.

It works well, even in the metro in Rio and SP, even riding between stations. I turn it on the minute I land and it just works in Brazil.

Was in 202 today for Junior’s birthday. No apparent signage requiring vaccination status that I could see. Also I wasn’t asked for my vaccine card and neither were my two companions, just like 117. 202 was super packed today! If you’re at all paranoid about COVID and social distancing, tonight was not a night for you to come. The show was good and there was free food, and Junior was giving away these cups as giveaways:

This photo is from tonight, at 117. Looks promising in theory, and at first glance I felt at ease with my visit here. But as I checked in at reception to get my key, I was not asked for my vaccination record. I was also with two boys, who looked like GPs, but was with me like a client and therefore not working, and they weren’t asked for their vaccine records either. I’m not saying that they are not asking for the records, it just wasn’t asked of me. I did ask from boys and they said they only had to show it to reception once and then never asked again. Maybe clients are not asked? Unsure. Another anecdote: earlier today we went to Vidigal to take photos and have lunch at Mirante, and we took mototáxis up the favela. My cute motoqueiro assured me that he had two doses of the vaccine, and also slyly told me that i could hold on to his waist on the way up. I obliged of course. He got a tip. I’m that gullible.

Just to add to the ample warnings from previous posters. I've seen two thefts happen in front of me during all of the 4 years I've been going to Brazil. Oddly enough these two thefts happened within a week of each other, and within the last month. First one happend last week. I was walking on the sidewalk by the beach in copacabana. I was with a GP. He wasn't a slouch - he's 6'3, muscular, young. He had his shirt off (as you do), and was wearing his cheapie "gold" necklace. I was noticing a younger guy on a bike eyeing him as we walked past. A few steps further a taxi driver shouted to us to "be careful". As we approach posto 4, the same kid who was eyeing us quickly rode past us and snatched that necklace from my friend. The kid quickly disappeared in his bike. My friend should have known better. He was a Carioca after all. He was shaken after the incident, and wanted to look for the thief. I had to calm him down by disappearing into one of the quiosques and shared a beer with him and tried to just talk him out of it. He was left a bruise in his neck where the necklace was snatched. This was like 2 pm in the afternoon in broad daylight. The second one happened two weeks ago in Sao Paulo. I was in Higienopolis with another GP friend and we were just heading back to his condo from a Cafe after breakfast. We were walking in a quiet street with other people when a woman in the further side of the same street started screaming. A thief snatched her cellphone while she was walking. As the thief tried to run away from her, I see the thief trip and fall to the ground. A group of older guys happened to manage to trip him and pin him down. My GP friend, not a stranger to confrontation, quickly rushed to the scene and filmed the whole thing. The older guys were punching him and kicking him. The woman whose cellphone got snatched joined in, and retrieved her cellphone. Some other passers by also joined in the melee. Pretty soon the police arrived. The guy was bloodied when all was said and done. The mob was rightfully angry, probably frustrated by all the theft happening lately. This was before noon. While all this is horrible, this two incidents have done nothing to change my view about Brazil. Its a dangerous place for sure, but if you know how to be careful, and to be mindful of your surroundings, I'm pretty sure you'll be fine. The pros way outweigh the cons. Did I mention that sex after an exciting incident is just way better? You already have all that adrenaline flowing!

I just want to give my most heartfelt thanks to @vinapu for taking the plunge on not only visiting Thailand during these uncertain times, but also to document, in almost real time, his exploits. The trip reports continue to be the bread and butter of this forum, and @vinapu your perspective is always welcome and greatly appreciated, in my world. I have completely written off Thailand for at least this holiday season. While I'm glad that things look like they are slowly getting back to normal, some of the uncertainties still make me feel that I won't be able to enjoy myself as much as i would, like the usual New Year circuit parties for example, have not been reinstated, as far as i know. I am heading to Mexico and Brazil for Christmas and New year, but who knows after that. Maybe Songkran next year will be a thing? And @vinapu please continue this trip report! Maybe you will have a monodiet of twinks this trip. I havent been dining on twinks lately. Too many muscle gods taking up my time in Brazil.

I agree with Bolsonaro being a big destructive force in Brazil. However, this destruction means less jobs and less money for the boys, and therefore more available boys. While I'd like Brazil, as Thailand, to succeed after COVID, while it sounds bad, I am definitely reaping the benefits in the interim. But is anything fun open? Ugh @reader. From your lips to god's ears. I am ready to go in December. Will they let me? Will there be anything open? Sad state of affairs indeed. I am not a wait and see guy. I am go and do. That's why I go to Brazil and do everything in sight. I went to this party last Sunday btw. Another story for another day... Yes to Europe, and I guess my schedule opened up and Brazil is back on. Sad that you had to cancel your trip. Someday I will see you at a boy bar and I'll buy you a drink @vinapu. So, any new news about reopening? Any new sandbox news?

So I had an old friend in Bangkok who messaged me out of the blue, which made me think about Thailand, which made me think about this forum. It has been 20(!) months since my last Thailand trip, in December 2019. It has been way too long. I have, of course, been putting most of my travel eggs in the Brazil basket this pandemic, which is a pretty good consolation prize, since going to Thailand seems to still not be in the cards any time soon, and I have a feeling, not even this year. I always wondered how Brazil can be as open like they are - with virtually all the boy saunas open. Even if the big Brazilian gay dance clubs are still closed, I'll take that over the totally closed Thailand. I hope the situation changes soon, though from the posts here it does not seem likely. I guess I have to keep taking those Brazil trips to get me through the year. Anyway, back to my old friend, who messaged me today. He is probably known to some of you on here, but I won't divulge his identity. He is not a boy, but you have probably crossed paths with him if you have ever taken tours in Bangkok (and beyond). He opened up the conversation, telling me about how he remembered me today when he drove by my old party condo building Centric in Sathorn: I haven't been paying close attention, but are there really no boy bars open? That seems really sad: I've always wondered how the boys are surviving. Not being able to eat is grim. I know there are apps, but without the tourist numbers, there is only so much money they can earn: "Boys will get old before open" was a very funny thing to say, but this also applies to us, the farang clients. Grim. So this made me sad. Maybe 2022 will be better? Or have any of you heard about the rest of this year? And will we be able to see the old boy bars back? I am dreading how this long closure has affected the bars. When do you think I can go back to Bangkok again to a nice boy bar? Any guesses?

A Sao Paulo Interlude Ugh. I got derailed with the posts because life just got busy. With the USA fast opening and personal stuff with my own life getting in the way (read: I am finding new distractions), I both haven't had the time to update this thread or go to Brazil in the same frequency as since Brazil opened up in July. I will still update when I can, or maybe not, we shall definitely see. But I do find my self in Brazil this Memorial Day week (in the USA) for some reason. I've chosen Sao Paulo as my main location for this trip (for now), based on the two positive days I spent in the beginning of May before I headed back home. I have frequented Rio since December, and even with the never-boring charms of Rio's beaches and boys, I have to admit that I have become bored with the tedium of the 117 and 202 merry-go-round. While some American friends have introduced me to the very specific charms of Meio Mundo (probably due for a post at some point), it is time for me to concentrate on Sao Paulo. A lot has changed since I was in Brazil about 4 weeks ago. I have found a country that is more restless, more fed-up, and possibly ready to burst at any moment. And probably because I am in Sao Paulo, a city that is less touristy than Rio, it is harder to paint over the seams that are forming from the suffering of its citizens with the whiplash of COVID restrictions, with the lack of good paying jobs, and the slow rollout of vaccination. I met up with my gorgeous ex in my first few days here, and even with the distraction of the always great sauna Lagoa, which has been busy these days, I cannot ignore the other things that are happening. A casual stroll in Paulista Avenue on tis gloomy Sunday revealed some interesting street graffiti: "Out with Bolsonaro" "Down with the dictatorship" "The Emergency Assistance is not enough to buy food." "Out with Bozo" While passing by the "Fora Bozo" graffiti, I explained to my ex that "Bozo" was a name of a famous clown in the USA. The ex says its the same in Brazil, and for him, Bozo is a fitting name for Bolsonaro because he thinks he is also a clown. A sad state of affairs in Brazil for sure. Pretty worse than normal, even. That's probably why there is always more boys than clients in the sauna. So hopefully, next, I will continue with the Rio posts...

New Year in Fortaleza: And a Muted New Year to Everyone! I had no expectation whatsoever about any business-as-usual New Year’s celebration in Brazil. That is not why I went here in the first place. The pandemic is still very much raging, and I wouldn’t think there would be any place in the world (that accepts Americans) that would have a full-blown New Year’s celebration. So my expectations were to not to go to any parties, to not see fireworks, and not to see a lot of people comingling. But the point of me coming was to spend time with the BF, which takes the sting out of the lack of any celebrations here. As we got close to the date of my arrival to Brazil, we have been going back and forth as to where to spend the turn of the New Year. We ruled out Rio and Sao Paulo, as both cities were proactive in letting everyone early know that (a) they were taking this pandemic seriously and (b) no celebrations were to be had. So we were stuck with choices in the Northeast, and in the end, there was no place like home, and Fortaleza won out. I decided to splurge and I had us stay at the Holiday Inn Fortaleza. It was definitely more upscale than staying at an AirBNB, its across the street from Praia Iracema, and with its nice restaurant and bar and other first world creature comforts, we can celebrate the New Year in some style. Lucky for me as well, I was able to redeem those accumulated IHG points that have been left unspent during the pandemic. They usually come in handy when staying in Sao Paulo at the Intercontinental Hotel there. But in Fortaleza, the points definitely work as well: Upon arriving at the hotel, Paulo immediately whips out the cellphone and takes selfies, around the hotel sign: The hotel was decked out for the holidays, and the room we got was spacious and faced the beach. The buffet breakfast was a nice treat to have every morning, with a shit ton of breakfast items, combining American and Brazilian food. I looked forward to it everyday. And the premises were pretty nice as well, with a chill pool to hang out with. Again, Paulo took advantage of the nice surroundings and took many photos by the pool: I filmed him doing backflips and such by the pool. It was going great until he somehow hurt himself with all his exertions. It wasn’t serious or anything but the next day he felt some backpain. We go to the pharmacy to get him some pain relievers. I suggest buying some BenGay, the fairly ubiquitous pain cream (in the USA) with Menthol and Methyl Salicylate. We were in luck that the drug store we went to had it. Although the name itself made Paulo laugh out loud. On the Uber drive home, he could not resist sharing this with the Uber driver. I guess BenGay sounded exactly like “Bem Gay”. It was trully, really gay. We ran into further bad luck, as the night before the eve, we see the barriers being installed by Praia Iracema, where traditionally the fireworks will be. I guess Fortaleza is choosing the safe way out, which is to also prohibit people going to the beach and the sand on the 31st, prohibiting fireworks, and all other parties for New Year’s Eve. I guess escaping Rio got us to the same type of restrictions here. Which was fine. A relatively quiet New Year’s celebration with just the two of us, is probably the best we can do. With the saunas closed on New Year’s Eve, and the beaches closed the whole day, our options were limited. Which is why choosing to staying at a hotel was a good idea. The gym hotel was still open, the pool was still open and hopping, and walking around Praia Iracema was also a good idea on this slightly cool day. It rained in the afternoon, and when the rain stopped, it was time for us to get some dinner. Paulo wanted to go to a restaurant close to the Holiday Inn that had the best picanha steaks in Fortaleza (his words). We walk there and there was a wait. The place was packed! But finally we get to a table. We immediately order some of the freshest cairpirinha de limaos I've ever had, to start the festivities: It was the first New Year’s eve that we were spending together, and we mostly spent the time over dinner, sharing stories about Eve’s past. Paulo is a wild child, and it was no surprise to me that his idea of celebration was both very wild and very drunk. We finally get our dinner and yes, the meat was pretty tasty: We were sitting close to the road side and he noticed a family of panhandlers begging for change next to us. Mom, Dad and baby. It was a firm reminder of where we were, Brazil, and with the pandemic, I am sure this panhandling has only worsened. Paulo, with a heart as big as his cock, hailed the waiter to come to us. He asked the waiter to cook a quick picanha dinner to go and to pack it up with utensils and napkins. 15 minutes later we got the plastic bag filled with the food. He looks at me and says “don’t worry, I am paying for this.” and gives the food to the beggars. They were very grateful obviously. Afterwards Paulo tells me that he is nothing but a GP and can’t do anything to change his country. But this, he can do. Afterwards, we walk back to the Holiday Inn. It was almost midnight so we decide to head over to the pool area, where there was a terrace where people can watch the beach and the (lack) of foreworks. There were some people there but I am sure this would be more crowded pre-pandemic: The clock strikes twelve, he gives me a chaste peck in the cheek (we were in public, in Fortaleza after all). There were some people milling the sidewalk by the beach, but there were a police presence to help avoid any agglomeration. There were no fireworks at first, but then we hear some fireworks by the beach, and the police quickly race to apprehend the people who were doing this. They were serious. After the turn, we decide to join the people walking by the sidewalk. There were advisories everywhere, reminding us that we can’t gather in huge numbers, and the people were constantly in the move and sitting down was generally frowned upon: Still, Brazilians do what Brazilians do. There were some who managed to take a Bluetooth speaker to blare celebratory music, and soon people were dancing. Some vendors were selling beers too, and very discreetly so police won’t be able to apprehend them. The police can’t be everywhere after all. We took advantage of this and a couple of cans of beers later, we were definitely were having a good time. We got home at 3 AM, after taking part of some dancing some walking, some laughing. This was a fairly muted way to spend New Year’s Eve, but it was fun regardless, and Paulo was game enough to lift my spirits up, as he is always wont to do. The next day, while getting some breakfast at the hotel, we see this scribbled on a mirror by the restaurant: It says: “Here comes 365 new opportunities. Make the most of the good things to come, embrace the challenges, and overcome the difficulties.” However horrible 2020 was, the promise of the New Year, and a new chance to start again, is usually enough to make one forget of what happened in that horrible year. Even if it only lasts for a day. Next… back in Rio.

New Year in Fortaleza: Sauna Por Dinheiro and Sauna Por Amor Kleyton was a great companion, but I was ready for my main event, which was: seeing my boyfriend in Fortaleza. I would rather be single, especially because I find myself in a land full of hot boys, but at least currently, the boyfriend has been giving me enough to work with to “suspend” my slutty self and be content, even elated, with being with him. As with any relationship, it is not perfect, and he is not perfect. But I am not as well, far from it. The heady mix of his Brazilian-ness and stubbornness with my own neuroses and headstrong tendencies has made this relationship the roller coaster it was always meant to be. But I am here for it, for now. For people who are not familiar, here is how I met the boyfriend. The odd thing is, even if he is a Garoto de Programa, and I, a very prolific client, we never really started our relationship as one of client and boy. But the fact that I am a client (for some boys) and he is a boy (for some clients) looms large in the relationship. He still works because he needs to live, and I still hire because I want the sex. Even with this, though, it somehow works. Don’t ask me how. It just does. So I have talked about Fortaleza during the pandemic here. The gist is that it is a nice enough beach city among many beach cities in the Northeast of Brazil. But experiencing it through the eyes of a local certainly elevated it to a more interesting place to be in for me. There is enough variety among the beaches here, and enough creature comforts in the city to be comfortable, and enough places to unwind and party, that it makes it one of the more versatile cities in Brazil. And everyone knows how I like things versatile. Paulo, as I call the BF here, has asked to visit him in Fortaleza over the New Year. He said that to be able to spend more time with me, he will only try get one programa per day at the sauna, which will enable us to hang out in the sauna after his work. Since it is still the pandemic, the sauna is probably the few gay spaces that are continues to be open in the city, so we would be hanging out here anyway, work or no. And there was really only one sauna worth its salt nowadays, and it is Mykonos Thermas Club. Most of my initial thoughts about Mykonos still remain. The place is spacious and open. Probably because this is Fortaleza, and it doesn’t have to contend with high rents or property prices like in Rio and Sao Paulo, but unlike the saunas there, which are sometimes old and tired (117), falling apart (202), or weirdly designed (Lagoa), Mykonos is brand spanking new, and the sauna, hydromassager/pool, even stage area and chairs, are a breath of fresh air. And thank goodness, because I do not mind spending 4 hours in a towel here, since Paulo like using all the facilities in the sauna, in one night. We would start with drinking of course, to start the night, and maybe after we would go to the sauna to sweat out some of the alcohol, and then after a quick rinse at the very public showers, we head over to the hydromassager to soak our cares and aches away. Then it was back to the bar for more drinks, and then maybe a game of pool if we wanted, or even some dancing in the stage area. All in one facility. All for 25 reais entry fee. Their flyer: And probably the main point of Fortaleza for most people is that it is cheaper than Rio. And that cheapness of course comes with it, cheaper prices for programas. Paulo says that unfortunately, most of the boys here may earn less than 100 reais per programa. Sometimes as low as 50, or even 30. And I guess you get what you pay for, because this is not 117. Gone are the wall-to-wall muscle that I crave sometimes. A lot of boy-next-door types, and some even fairly off-brand looking boys. Which is unfortunate, but everyone has to make a buck. Paulo says the a lot of the boys do a volume business. 50 reais is not a lot of money, but if you do 4 in a night, you might just get to survive another day. But there are a few choice boys in the premises. You know, those boys you would expect to find in 117 or 202 and feel that they belong. Along with Paulo, they will cost you 100 reais or more. And most of these “higher quality” boys are Paulo’s friends in the sauna. They sometimes hang out outside the sauna, and get to compare notes about clients as well. I got to meet some of these hotties this trip, and it was interesting to see both Paulo’s dynamics with these boys, and also the boy’s reaction to me. Paulo is never shy in introducing me as the BF, and I could tell that they have not seen this side of Paulo ever. They know not to approach me for a programa, even if Paulo is busy somewhere else, and even if they notice the drool on my mouth whenever I stare at them for too long. Since this was the New Year, there were a bunch of special party nights in the sauna. And indeed, the place was decked out for the occasion: I would never dare do a programa with anyone here, as long as Paulo is with me. Paulo has the trademarked Brazilian jealousy, and I know it would be trouble if I would ever want to see the extent of his jealousy. In turn, sometimes my very presence affects Paulo’s desire to work. He would oftentimes not want to work, even if he needs the money, because I was there, and he would rather spend time with me than with someone he has to pretend to like for money. And in times that he does go to his programa, he sometimes rushes things, because he didn’t want me to wait too long (both because he didn’t want me to get bored, and also I wouldn’t be tempted to get a boy for myself). And a client or two would complain because of this rushed atmosphere. Oh well. This is a typical night for us at the sauna. 25 reais for client entry. 15 reais for boy entry. 5 reais for a big bag of peanuts. And 10 reais for a generous glass of caipirinha (we got 5 this night). I never leave this place with a bill more than 100 reais. Sooooo cheap: I’ve talked about how clients get to wear white towels, and boys wear blue towels, but even while exiting the sauna, the exit card you give to security at the door is also delineated by color as well. Quite cute, I think: Mondays in Fortaleza though, are GP sauna-free. There are two other GP saunas in Fortaleza: California and Dragon, and even those were closed on Mondays. But Paulo still wanted to go to a sauna with me, but to a regular gay sauna, one that prohibited GPs in their premises. So we would go there only as a couple, and not as boy and client, to just have a good time. Paulo admits that this is new to him, actually wanting to go to a gay establishment. But he said he did want to go to a place both to drink and to be close to me, and he is not ready to do that in general public. So in search of a gay space, he wanted to try the regular gay sauna Rommeo. We were in luck today, as it was 2-for-1 entry at the sauna: We get to the door and after security approves of our appearance, we get to the entrance and get our keys to the locker. We enter the premises and immediately see 4 rows of big lockers. We were given teeny-tiny towels to wear. Paulo tries one on and you can see the half of his soft penis dangling past below the towel. “This won’t do,” Paulo laughs. Paulo will not stand for these bitch towels, so he got us regular seized towels to wear. I am thrilled at the sight of Paulo’s penis just dangling out of the towel, but I guess he is less amused. Besides, he said, people usually pay him to see his penis. Why give it away for free? We, and Paulo’s penis, all get squared away, as we head to the bar area. At 9 PM, the place was hopping. Lots of male flesh, lots of gays. Most are boys-next-door but some are a tier above that. Paulo, as he does usually, stands out with his awfully muscular torso, 8-pack and manicured beard. He has garnered attention here for sure, moreso than he does in public. He was uneasy at first, but the alcohol, and my gentle back rubs, slowly ease him into relaxing to enjoy the night. Overall it was a nice space. I remember it being two floors, with the first floor having the bar area, some tables, some bathrooms and places to sit. Upon going up the big staircase, there were the dark rooms and semi-private rooms if you wanted to do the nasty. Some more showers and some places to sit. It was definitely a nice playground for anyone looking to ogle at some man flesh, or even try the (apparently) free merchandise, if that suited your fancy. We went into the darkroom to make out. Paulo pinned me to the wall and we started kissing and touching. After a few minutes he said “let’s switch places” he said. So he leans on the wall and we continue. “Why did you want to be on the wall?” I asked. Because people were touching him as they walked by he said. It made him uncomfortable. Maybe having sex in a sauna in full view of people was not his thing. I was able to get him hard though, but it was not the place for us to do this fully and completely. But it was nice to try. We decided to just go back downstairs and drink and talk and gossip about the people in the sauna. Paulo was still dipping his toe in these things, so maybe going full on gay sauna was not for him at the moment. And I am far from the exhibitionist myself, so maybe a sauna is not for the both of us. But it was fun to try, and on a Monday night, it was the only thing to try. We head home to the apartment. And that’s where the true fireworks began. Next… New Year’s fireworks, or lack thereof.

Thanks @spoon, I was hoping this would be the case. If it is, I could see a million worse things than "quarantining" in Phuket, as long as you have free range to go everywhere in the city.

From OneMileataTime: As of April 1, 2021, the quarantine for visitors will be cut from 14 days to 10 days for all arrivals, with the exception of visitors from some African countries As “early as next month,” Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phang Na, and Phuket, will reopen to fully vaccinated tourists, though a seven day quarantine will still be required for those visitors As of July 1, 2021, vaccinated tourists will be able to travel to Phuket with no quarantine requirement If this proves successful, as of October 1, 2021, the quarantine requirement will be scrapped for vaccinated tourists in Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phang Na, and Phuket As of some point in 2022, Thailand plans to lift all quarantine requirements for foreign visitors I have been itching to go back to Thailand since December 2019. OK so if in the end this is how it is going to shake up, then I am going to plan a Phuket trip sometime in late July - early August. Doees anyone know if the gogo bars there are still there? The last time I went to Phuket, the one gogo bar there was pathetic. If that goes well and they do decide to open up more cities to vaccinated folk without quarantine, then a trip to Pattaya and Chiang Mai would be my next plan in November. I'd like to at least go to Phuket as soon as possible, and if they do decide to not open it up in October to other cities, then I would have at least tried Phuket earlier. Like I said I've been wanting to go back all this time, and will go the earliest possible time without having to quarantine.