numazu

Where My Beaches At? I can understand that this thread is by and large problematic, not the least of which because we are in a global pandemic and any activity that does not mitigate the spread of the disease is seen as irresponsible. I agree with that to a point, and as I have stressed before, the risks taken are solely my own, and this thread is made in the spirit of imparting information to some of you who either are thinking of taking the Brazil plunge in these very uncertain times (for which I do not recommended doing), or just want a good read and to live vicariously through my modest exploits. I thought I’d briefly post something about the RJ beaches since the question was asked, and since today is a cloudy day and not conducive to much beach going. This is about yesterday's beach trek. Oh, this is a non-sex post. Its OK right? Not everything has to be about sex right? <Listens to the crowd> What? Everything is about sex? OK then, feel free to skip this post if you do not want to read about non-sex observations. Oddly enough, my favorite time to go to the Rio beaches is during their winters. Probably the best fun I’ve ever had in the gay parts of Ipanema beach was on a late August Friday. The sun was out but it never got sweltering hot, humidity was low, and the men were out in full force in their tiny speedos. I had similar hopes for this trip, though if you know winter weather in RJ, it may be susceptible to some cloudy days and some rain. It’s good when it’s good, like yesterday, and it’s bad when it wants it to be, like today. The BF and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day by walking the 30 minutes from Botafogo, where our AirBNB rental is, to Posto 2 of Copacabana. Along the way, we generally saw that people were wearing masks, and making <some> effort to social distance when possible. There would be the usual agglomeration of youth in our path where both mask wearing and social distancing were nowhere to be seen, but in general people have been pretty respectful of city ordinances. We get to Avenida Atlantica where we find a healthy mix of people walking, running, and bike-riding. It seems like any normal morning in Copacabana, except (some) people were wearing masks. The mask wearing in this strip of Rio was about 30%, and the majority were not wearing their masks, or were wearing it down to their chins, so that might be problematic for some. Still, it was sunny, windy, and outdoors, so we braved through this possible COVID cluster and just enjoyed the day: This Saturday in Rio was suppose to be the day where everything in the beaches would get back to normal, or the COVID version of normal. It is mainly the return of the "barracas", or those makeshift stores in the middle of the beaches where you can get anything from chair and umbrella rentals, to churrasco, grilled shrimp, and even sometimes drugs (it is Brazil after all). The Rio City ordinance still prohibited the rental of chairs and umbrellas to beachgoers, and just adviced people to bathe in the water, bring their own chairs or beach towels to sit on, and buy food and drinks from the storefronts. But as the BF has stressed “This is Rio. People will do the fuck they want.” So lo and behold, in some parts of the beaches, we find some barracas with chairs and umbrellas: At this point, on the sand, by the water, there was zero mask wearing, except for *some* of the street hawkers, as well as all the barraca employees. You were almost transported to a time before COVID, which was nice. Among them: Beach street hawkers, some wearing masks: Some not: You can get a (tourist-trap) Caipirinhas again: Food (like grilled cheese on a stick): and a million other things that was sold before. It seemed to be that there were no restrictions to ambulantes (street vendors) at this point, and everyone was back to normal, with masks, and some hand sanitizer. Even normal beach activities, with no mask wearing, are back: The water was freezing, this being winter, but that hardly mattered. It was just nice to be out, even if I may pay for it later. Then again, I can think of 1000 other things that I partook in the past days to get to this beach, that would have exposed me to that virus. Is it risky? 100%. Is it irresponsible? Most probably. Is it reckless? Maybe. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. Next, a quick trip to somewhere familiar, that may have been a mistake. Everyone can probably guess where this is:

Echoing what @floridarob said about Squaremouth. If you go to their webpage, you'll eventually find these filters, which shows COVID is covered:

Yes, the scene in Thailand is not cheap at all. It's still fun tho. Too bad tho that they don't seem to be opening anytime soon, like Brazil did. You must be traveling now as I type this. Too bad I am now in Rio for the foreseeable few weeks. Maybe next time in Mexico. Ugh, how dare they impose "Ley Seca" on you. And no I can't imagine you staying put in a dry anything. Not much sexperience talk for this trip, as I have grown weary of sauna shenanigans, but I will share when I can for sure. Is everyone being smart and staying home and I and @floridarob are the only fools risking the COVID wrath? Old Lagoa really did have so many stunners concentrated in one place. I would say Clube 117 in Rio would place in that same rank a few years ago. I am hopeful that Espaco Lagoa can reclaim this old magic, or maybe some sauna can pick up the slack. And ahem, "4-5 to have a blast" per trip? How about per day? If you compare the 90s to what you saw in 2017, how did both eras compare? Do you miss the old days? Was the quality better in your opinion? I'm always curious to compare eras from peope who have been in those times. Well, just like Lagoa, the bars are allowed to be open for 6 hours a day till 10 PM, with the usual mask requirement and social distancing guidelines. However, the Frei Caneca gay-ish bars are really just store fronts, and the patrons drink in the streets. I saw about 20% of what it was before, much less, but still free of any COVID mitigation. Just like with other gay bars, trade really isn't the main thing with the patrons. My BF has been propositioned a number of times for a free in bars, so it happens. I've never tried to ask anyone if they would do it for a fee. For free tho, I've done it numerous times. We just arrived in Rio. Its gonna be a hot and sunny weekend so looking forward to some (COVID-era) beach time!

Brazil Health Theater – Sao Paulo Edition Some thoughts about the COVID-caused changes that I’ve seen here in Sao Paulo. We are indeed living in a changed world. Brazil Bans Pillows https://onemileatatime.com/brazil-bans-pillows-airplanes/ This seemed ridiculous at first when I innocently asked a flight attendant, while I was getting setup for my Houston to Sao Paulo, why there are no pillows, and there are extra duvets available in Business Class. Apparently Brazil has waged a war against pillows, but not blankets and duvets. Thank goodness I always take a travel pillow with me in case I need more extra cushioning, but the duvets were enough to act as a pillow as well. I wonder why did Brazil banned pillows on flights. I am unsure what the exact science in behind the decision was, but here we are. Sao Paulo Hotel Measures I’ve considered the Staybridge Suites in Itaim bibi, Sao Paulo, to be a good first hotel to stay to start up a Sao Paulo trip, before I spend time in my main AirBNB digs. This is primarily because with my IHG status, checking in at 9 AM is no problem for them and I get a room in no time to sleep the flight off. Some interesting measures they have executed for COVID: There was a Health questionnaire at check-in, which was pretty standard I think. Just asking if you have a fever or ever been close to a COVD positive person n the past 14 days. And also a plastic barrier at check-in. Very common nowadays: At the room, you see a lot of things wrapped in plastic, I guess to show that those items have been sanitized and you don’t have to worry about getting COVID though them: Remotes: The free coffee: Utensils, carefully wrapped individually: Also you get a complementary COVID kit, with a mask, mini hand-sanitizer, and moist towelettes. They even had hand sanitizer dispensers powered by foot everywhere: I did feel that the hotel was doing its best to assure their guests that they take COVID seriously. I felt pretty safe and COVID was the furthest from my mind. This is all well and good, but then again I invited guys over to my room numerous times during my 3 night stay, so this COVID-free façade of mine may not have lasted long. Oh well, you can’t win it all, you can minimize risks, not eliminate them, unless you just stay home forever. Uber Safety I haven’t used the Metro in SP yet, but Uber here had varying degrees of engineering controls and COVID equipment to protect drivers and riders from each other. Uber has a mask requirement now for both rider and driver, and I’ve seen all drivers with masks. And all the rides had hand sanitizers available in the car as well. But I’ve been in one ride that took things further and installed a plastic shield, separating you from the driver, and also advising you to keep the windows open for ample ventiltion, which is smart: The drivers will just go ahead and help you with your luggage, so if you’re pretty sensitive with having others handle your stuff, make sure you handle the baggage yourself. Ghost Towns and Half Measures I did not expect things to be normal, or even half normal, upon my return, but I mainly saw fairly deserted spaces with chairs taken out so people can’t conglomerate. The two main restaurants that were my favorites when staying at the Staybridge were super sad: The gay bars in Frei Caneca were populated, albeit probably 20% of normal, and no one had a mask on, because people were drinking: Sunday is always exercise day for SP, and during COVID, this was still the case, with Uber making sure everyone exercising were wearing masks, and most of them were: Finally, grocery stores also had plastic barriers, and alcool gel at the ready: What Not To Do: 25 de Marco and Bras Shopping These two shopping areas, filled with street vendors and vendors with shops, and filled with cheap Paraguayan and Chinese (and Brazilian) swag, has been open since June, and while everyone was wearing masks, if you know how the mix of street vendors, hawkers, narrow alleyways and shop fronts, and people eager to find a deal, looks like, then it is impossible to do any meaningful social distancing in this type of setup. Not sure what the city of Sao Paulo was thinking with reopening this, and I am not sure what we were thinking when we went as well, but I guess we were also very eager to find deals. I would not recommend going to anyone, but yet, I did, and will probably go back before the trip is done. What Not To Do: Clandestine Parties AGAIN don’t do this, but I must admit that I wanted to see what it looked like, which is a dance party in the middle of COVID. There are many reasons why Sao Paulo has the most cases and deaths among states in Brazil. One of them are the clandestine dance parties that has happened, and continued to happen, during this COVID times. Once the BF and I reunited, and in the succeeding days met with our friends, we immediately got invited to the next “balada clandestina” or secret parties that usually happen in smaller towns just outside the city limits of Sao Paulo. We did not want to go, but at least wanted to see what it looked like. Photos and videos were frowned upon, but going into the party, I saw a world before COVID, as in no one was wearing a mask, nor social distancing, no anything. We didn’t stay long, probably best we didn’t go at all. https://www.sbt.com.br/jornalismo/sbt-brasil/noticia/144528-estabelecimentos-funcionam-de-forma-clandestina-durante-pandemia-em-sp What To Do: Parque ibirapuera One of the places I love in Sao Paulo, even more than Lagoa, is Ibirapuera Park. I’ve been numerous times before, but the current BF had a way to make this place a must-go every trip. And outdoor places are having a renaissance nowadays with the restrictions in indoor gatherings during the age of COVID. Everyone seemed to get the memo too, as there was a lot of people waking the trails of the park. There is strict mask wearing all throughout, and with the winter in Sao Paulo making the sun bearable with a mask, it was actually a pretty amazing time just being in Brazil, with Brazilians, in a way that does not make you want to wash your hands 20 times afterward. And with the sun out this week, not a bad venue to eye many a hot Brazilian running shirtless. Probably the best thing I’ve done here this trip, so far. I’m off to Rio tomorrow. I’ll update when I can. Beaches during COVID should be fun.

Money Makes the World Go Round I realized that maybe I've focused on the negative on my previous posts, so I thought I’d talk briefly about ONE positive thing that has happened out of all the bad so far this year: The Brazilian Real’s exchange rate versus the US Dollar’s has been on free fall since February (it rebounded some in May but has stayed steady in the low side), and I’ve watched this freefall while in the confines of my own home, unable to do take advantage of it, till this trip. I’ve exclusively used my fee-free ATM for my international travel, and in Brazil, I’ve always taken out 1000 reais (the limit, usually) out at a time every time I needed the urge to go to the sauna, or to start out when I arrive at the airport. I only exclusively use the “Banco 24 Horas” ATMs that are a familiar sight in almost every corner of Brazil: Here are my 1000 reais withdrawals in 4 different times, reflected in dollars in my account through time (taking out the date): July 2019 in Recife: February 2020 in Rio de Janeiro: March 2020 in Sao Paulo: And this week, August 2020: So in a year, the Real free fall has gained me $76, which in today’s rates is 400 reais, or almost 3 programas, per 1000 reais I take out. And from the cost of boys I was quoted this week, the rates have not changed, so the savings is real for the Real, and a welcome positive change, from everything else that changed in the world. I usually don’t watch pennies, as @floridarob can attest, but I am impressed by how much this savings is. Next, I am going to show 3 separate itemized receipts I was charged in Espaco Lagoa, so you guys can see the prices charged for each thing I've availed in the suana. Here were the charges I’ve had in reais, and corresponding dollar amount directly below, as reflected in my credit card statement: January 2020: February 2020: August 2020: So you can see, even with the dollar gaining, the prices in Lagoa have stayed the same, as well as what the boys were charging. And so far, with spending money in other places like Grocery stores and restaurants here in Sao Paulo, the prices have stayed more or less the same as well. Sometimes one has to look for the silver lining, no matter how small. Next, more changes in Sao Paulo.

I certainly do not recommend doing this to anyone. There are still a lot of risks out there, and I've calculated my own risk and here I am. It is not worth coming here if you are super risk averse. The public showers are closed, unfortunately. The public shower in the entertainment area is roped off, and the level with most of the suites is off-limits to people who are not getting a suite. The upper bar is open and the seating is still there. Less space and facilities available, but then again, less people going to the sauna anyway so it should even out. The clothes wearing does not bother me as much as the mask wearing. I am a face guy more than anything else. Looks are a subjective thing for sure, but yes, he is super gorgeous, to me. Very unassuming at first, which helps for me. It's easy enough for me to share his Instagram here, but of course, I don't do that. Yes, again, beggars can't be choosers. For me, in the end, they can wear a mask or a full-on haz mat suit, I don't care. At least this venue is open and an option for anyone who’d want a one stop shop to get boys in SP.

A Shell of a Shell I had 3 days of freedom from the BF at the start of this trip, due to some of his commitments, and because I wanted some time by myself to accomplish some things I have not been able to do while "stuck" at home for 4 months. Day 1 was set for sleeping the long flight off (and finally doing so without a mask on), and then checking the Grindr scene, which was interesting. Before COVID, I would guess about 40% of the messages I got were from Garotos de Programa. This trip, I got a total of 1(!) message from the GPs. But I did get a lot of messages from all sorts, and had 3 nice encounters with local guys, including a nice low-key evening with a pretty cutehot engineer and we shared stories on how we, and our countries, fared during COVID. Lots of Bolsonaro and Trump analogs, hydroxychloroquine, and mask wearing stories. I’d say overall that Grindr was as active as ever, if not more, which was a welcome surprise to me. Maybe people were just stir-crazy and just needed the release. Day 2 was devoted to spending the day with my friend, a sometime sauna GP, sometime pornstar, and everytime horny guy, who was fired from his day job a month after the pandemic started and is in desperate need of cash. He took 2 of his friends (who were sometime GPs as well) with him to meet with me at the hotel. All versatile and passionate, which is what I like. After a trip to Mambo Supermercado in Moema to get some snacks and beers, I spent a pretty chill time with these sexy motherfuckers. I got some insight on what they thought of the new Espaco Lagoa (worse than Thermas Lagoa before COVID, and during COVID not a lot of people and even sadder). My friend and one other stayed the night to morning, and more shenanigans were had. 200 reais for the one guy who left after dinner, and 400 reais each for the other two. Pretty standard rates I think. Day 3 was the day my BF was going to arrive late that night, so I decided to check Espaco Lagoa before he got here, to see how the sauna has fared with all the COVID restrictions. The two hotties bid me goodbye after a late breakfast, and they expressed their regrets to not accompanying me to Lagoa, so I had to tough it out alone, which is preferred anyway. I’m glad that the sauna has amended their open hours from a ridiculous 11 AM to 5 PM, to a better 4 PM to 10 PM: I arrived at 5:30 PM and saw a pretty solemn scene. Very few boys and clients. The vibe was more early Sunday afternoon, instead of early evening Saturday. Probably about 10 customers and about 10 boys to start. Maybe I arrived super early. Almost everyone was wearing a mask, except for the guys who were in the main entertainment area where they were having drinks and therefore the masks were off. The waitstaff were wearing masks and face shields as well. Even with the mask on I got recognized by one of the waitstaff that I liked and he took my drink order and talked to me for a bit about how things were. It did pick up somewhat as the night wore on, but still less than before. Some observations: As seen in the FB page, some of the sauna facilities were closed, to avoid agglomeration and mitigate transmission: There were alcool gel hand sanitizers and advisories on mask everywhere: And each table w/ chairs setup had this as well: I have been to the new Espaco Lagoa four times before COVID, and I thought it was a shell of the former Thermas Lagoa. The old sauna, though messy and showing its age, was airy and the extra space would have lended itself better to more ample ventilation and social distancing. Instead, in the new sauna, with all the ramps and levels and with people coming in and out, it was hard to not bump into people, even with the lower current occupancy. And before COVID, I thought the boy selection was poorer that before, up until my February visit, were I met 3 new boys that blew my socks off (one big mountain of a man, one boy who looked like a Belami model, and a gorgeous soccer player who was smarter than the average GP). I was willing to give Espaco Lagoa more of my business after that visit, but COVID happened and I was wanting to come back ever since. This time though, I think the one thing that bothered me the most was the whole climate of the sauna. Everyone was wearing masks (which I prefer anyway, in a mitigating transmission kind of way), and everyone, even the boys, were wearing clothes, so I didn’t feel the whole setup was as sexy as a boy sauna should be. Some boys with the better bodies had their shirts off, which helped a lot with sussing out their hotness, but with a mask on, it was hard to determine handsomeness when you can only see their eyes. Some of the boys took the masks off when they approached you. Some of them were trying to show their big erections trapped under layers of clothing, which I guess if you have a big dick, it will show through no matter how thick your trousers were. I am not big on the sauna scene as it is, but with the sparse occupancy, the solemn atmosphere, everyone wearing clothes, and the mask-wearing as a cruel reminder that there still was a pandemic raging outside these walls, were enough to almost kill my sauna hardon. I say almost, because I was able to find what I wanted anyway, twice. First programa I had was with a super muscular built guy with a big dick (very old Lagoa quality), who proactively approached me and knew how to draw me in, and who was super passionate and didn’t clock watch. 200 reais with cum, and to me was worth every cent. The second guy was the super gorgeous soccer player from before, and most of our programa consisted of a very insightful back and forth on the value of mental health during these times. Also he fucked my brains out. It was like a trip to a therapist without the hefty price tag, and with the gorgeous boy who came in your mouth. 200 again. Super cheap, cheaper with today’s exchange rate. One note about the rooms: towels and slippers were available in every room, instead of available at the check-in desk. A good number of the boys were obviously just gays who wandered off the gay area of Frei Caneca and stopped by the sauna to earn a few more bucks, or to get free drinks from patrons. I could find much better choices on Grindr for free. I saw some of the mainstay boys as well, and it was weird to see them trying to look sexy wearing a mask and trying to get your business. But again, we are in unique circumstances, so even if Lagoa is a shell of a shell of what it was once, during COVID times, I’d rather have this option available to me, than not having it at all. More, next.

I thought I’d put in some thoughts on here about my experiences since Brazil opened its borders on July 29. The last time I was in Brazil was the first week of April, some days after Brazil closed its borders to foreigners due to the coronavirus cutting through the planet. I remember those days, as the BF and I were stuck quarantining near Paulista Ave in Sao Paulo , with everything closed except for some restaurants and grocery stores, and the streets were more or less empty. A far cry from my stay over Carnaval in February. That was when Brazil identified its first ever case of coronavirus. People weren’t freaking out back then, with all the festivities and general drunkeness, and COVID just seemed to be something benign, versus what we are experiencing now. I’ve had a Google alert for the words “Brazil estrangeiros” ever since I came back from that April trip. Yes, the virus has been wreaking havoc on the world’s people and economies, but I was eager to come back, even with the known, and mostly unknown, risks, complicated by Brazil’s own inability to contain its own pandemic. I figure that the measures taken by Brazil are not any more worse than the ones taken by home country anyway (the good ole USA), and I’d rather be stuck in someplace fun and exotic, whatever that means nowadays, in the age of COVID. The Google alert came up with a lot these past 5 months, including the 4 different times Brazil had prolonged its closure to foreigners. But finally, in late July, came the Google Alert that mentioned the reopening, but not before getting some more alerts on conflicting reports mentioning a prolongation of the closure. After a quick chat with the BF,, we decided it was worth me going, and soon, so I quickly booked 3 possible flights to Brazil as soon as I could be free to fly from California: a Delta award redemption connecting through Atlanta, and United and American Airlines paid flights that were both in the $450 economy roundtrip connecting through Houston and Miami, respectively. Within the 24-hour refund period, I cancelled Delta and AA, and after some minor date adjustments, found a $2100 RT Business Class ticket on United. That cost would have been unheard of pre-COVID, but in the new economy, beggars can be airlines. For good measure, I booked 2 other RT on United to Sao Paulo in September and October, taking advance of the $450 price tag. With their change fee waiver still in effect till July 31, I can amend the dates later without any change fees. With all the news that was circulating about the reopening, there were two things I thought I needed to be able to enter Brazil: Medical Insurance without COVID exceptions, and a recent negative COVID test. I bought the Travel Insurance from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, which cost be $95 for my entire stay (plus a few days), and also got a COVID test which I received the results in 2 days with a PDF letter saying I tested negative. I made printed copies for both, in case they didn’t accept copies in my phone. I’ve flown a number of times during this COVID era, and have become accustomed to the extra precautions the airlines and passengers were taking. I particularly commend Delta for sticking to their guns in ensuring no one was sitting next to you in First Class, as well a blocking the middle seats in Economy. So, to my surprise, after checking the seat map for my flight, found a fairly full United fight with most middle seats taken. Luckily most of business was still open so maybe I won’t have to sit with anyone. United really is cheaping out on this. Since I am not a Brazilian citizen or resident (yet), I could not retrieve my boarding pass as usual via the United app, and had to go to the check-in counter for a travel document check, even if I didn’t have any checked luggage. At the airport, the check-in counter person asked if I had “a medical card”. I gave her the printed PDF of the insurance details. She took her time flipping through the pages, until I interrupted her, pointing to the front page with the specific dates of coverage/travel. That seemed to please her and she issued me my boarding pass. COVD times meant not as many long lines at the airport. Downside of this is sometimes the TSA Pre-check dedicated lines are consolidated with the regular lines. At the flight gate, boarding was also by row number, with the rear of the aircraft getting boarded first. Everyone at the airport was wearing a mask, and the gate agents made sure everyone was wearing one, and properly, when entering the aircraft. Before boarding, the gate agent informed everyone that if one did not have a Brazilian passport, they needed to get their medical insurance confirmed with the gate agents. Again? Oh well. About 30 of us made a “social distancing” line to get our documents checked at the counter. About the time half of the line had their check, everyone who had a Brazilian passport were already boarded. They were really taking their time checking documents. When it was my turn, the agent again took her time flipping through the pages until I pointed to the dates of coverage. She took my paper boarding pass and stamped “International Documents Verified – IAH”. Maybe this stamp was available at check-in and I did not have to get in line? Economy was almost full, Business was half full, with some seats blocked off for the flight attendants to rest. There was alcohol on board, but was in those little "hotel minibar" bottles instead of the usual bigboy liquor bottles. Business meals were a little bit spartan and brought all at once, but more than I expected during these time. I had the salmon: The one thing I had difficulty with was sleeping with both a nose/mouth mask, AND an eye mask on, since I need it to be completely dark to sleep. I think it took me 2 hours of tossing and turning before I got used to having my whole face pretty much covered in an uncomfortable way. The new normal. At immigration, my immigration officer asked more than the usual questions that I usually got. What is the purpose of your trip? How many days are you staying? Have you lived in Brazil before? Where is your medical insurance? I showed him the printed insurance copy, and proactively pointed to the dates of coverage lines, and again this seemed to please him. Another addition: he put the exact number of days of my stay on the entry stamp, so I guess I can’t stay longer in Brazil than what was written on the stamp. Good thing I put in more days in the insurance document than I planned, in case I wanted to stay longer. He didn’t ask to see my return ticket though, so he had no proof I was exactly leaving in those number of days. We will see. And no one asked for my COVID test. I guess I was misinformed there. Next: Brazil Health Theater, and Espaco Lagoa during COVID, next.

After a few days, 23 respondents have now spoken, and it looks like the pro-BKK crowd is pulling away: I am still on the fence, and still keeping an eye out for any news positive or negative, but it seems that the conditions are a little bit worsening, at least in the USA. Still no adequate testing, still a lot of confusion, and the stock market tanking. It makes me just want to stay home and hide. But I am keeping positive and I haven't cancelled anything yet. This is the crux of the issue. I've probably experienced every permutation of Bangkok a Westerner could ever experience, and I continue to enjoy Bangkok to my heart's content, but this trip's main objective is me seeing Bangkok through the eyes of my BF, who has never been outside of South America. I want to show him the messy Songkran water fights, the full-strength stable of boys in Lucky Boys, the hubbub of Chatuchak Market, the amazing variety of the street food, and everything else that made me fall in love with the city. I want to see the wonder in his eyes, similar to what I had during my first time 6 years ago. A muted version of the Land of Smiles, partially obscured by a face mask, and unfortunately sterilized by hand sanitizer, is less ideal for anyone who visits the city expecting more, and even less ideal for a first-timer who has heard so many wild Bangkok tales from me. My latest long haul was last week, a 12 hour flight from Sao Paulo to Los Angeles fresh off Carnaval. The flight was 2/3 full and a lot of middle seats were empty, but I didn't get an inkling that COVID-19 had made the flight any worse. It was the next flight - Los Angeles to San Francisco - that showed signs of the paranoia and tension you're talking about. Some passengers were giving their seat a thorough wipe down using Clorox wipes, and even more showed up in face masks. And the flight was half-full, which made "social distancing" easier. I have a flight to the east coast in a few days, and then it is another long haul back to Brazil next week. Let's see how things have deteriorated. It might make my conundrum here easier if the flights are horrible. I can share my routing with you now. Since I was booking for me (coming from California) and the BF (coming from Brazil), I had to be creative. I wanted to meet him at a connection, since I thought it would be nice to fly with him on a long-haul, on the second leg. After playing around with some itineraries on United's pretty good award bookings site, I chose a routing that had us meeting in Zurich, with him leaving Sao Paulo to a direct to Zurich, and me leaving San Francisco direct to Zurich as well. We would meet in Zurich at the layover, and we would fly together, seated together, as we make our way to Bangkok. This is my booking. I booked last December, and they still had business class saver for 75k points: I feel so bummed if I have to cancel this (I was mistaken, award points redeposit fee is free with 1K status), because I like the Swiss business class lounge in Zurich airport, and that's where I will meet the BF during the layover, and also I was able to book seats next to each other in the leg going to BKK. It's a great romantic getaway, but if we shall arrive at an abbreviated version of Bangkok, then it might not be worth it. Who knows. I know that Puerto Vallarta is great this time of year. But back to routing, @ggobkk if you want to stay with Star Alliance and skipping the asian cities, you can go through Swiss Airlines through Zurich, Lufthansa going through Frankfurt or Munich, or a United-Austrian Airlines combo through Heathrow and Vienna. This will tack 2 hours or more to the usual 20 or so hours going through Asia, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The updates and advice have been awesome so far. Keep them coming!

So after 24 hours, and from 14 respondents, the vote is neck and neck: which is kind of surprising, since I thought people would be more upbeat about Bangkok here, regardless of the circumstances. Thank you for the great advice so far. I've had a long conversation with the BF yesterday, and he is still leaning towards not going. I am on the fence, leaning a little towards going, but I would hate that the first time the BF sees Asia is through the fog of COVID-19 complications. One thing has been clear, the virus itself is more or less not the issue here, us being relatively young and healthy, but its the other complications of the pandemic (quarantines and airline cancellations and travel bans and media hysteria, not to mention my parent's worry) that makes it a complicated matter. A number of music festivals and conventions have already been cancelled here in the US, which makes it even more of a bummer. I guess we were lucky that carnaval in Rio was not scaled down last week due to this mess. Offing for me is a solitary activity. I wouldn't dare do this with the BF, or if with "regular" friends with me in Bangkok, which happens once in a while. But, the BF is keen on at least seeing a boy bar and the seediness attached to it (and a girlie bar or two as well). He is Brazilian after all. Ugh this is just one of many things that complicates things. It would be OK if it were just me, seasoned traveler, having seen everything, but not with the BF with his first time in Asia. I'd dare say even if we cancel there will be other chances for sure. Knowing me though, it might be with a different BF lol. Thanks for laying all this out. It's the infinite permutation of complications that makes it almost not worth it. But lol yes getting home quarantined is actually a positive. At work this week, people were paranoid, and one sneeze has everyone look at you weird, and HR has been quick to recommend people to just work from home. I am American yup. The BF is Brazilian. I didn't realize there are countries putting Americans in a quarantine list. I don't blame them. We do not have our shit together yet. The mercy with our airfare is that they are awards booking through United, so if we cancel last-minute, it is only $50 to redeposit the miles we used. The Crowne Plaza Bangkok booking can be cancelled without penalty. The issue is not the Bangkok bookings, the issue is more making other travel plans because he and I have the time off already planned with our respective work. If we cancel BKK, I may just spend that easter week in Brazil (like you!), or maybe somewhere closer like Mexico. Amen to all of this. Dying is not my worry though. We are not gonna die from this. It's the other complications that this confusion has brought that I am worried about.

I was expecting for this to happen, but waking up right now, this news was first in my FB feed. Actually, it was my Brazilian BF who told me the news first, and he is equally bummed: I was set to spend a week in Bangkok for Songkran with the BF, but with this news, I am not sure. There are options to get the tickets I already bought to be refunded, or the money already paid to be applied for next year's parties. I have to think about what to do next. Maybe just agree to not to get refunded and just have tickets for SK2021, since I still want to go for Songkran. The BF has been especially nervous with traveling all the way to Bangkok (from Brazil) during this COVID-19 scare. Last week while I was in Rio de Janeiro with him during carnaval, Brazil reported their first ever case of someone getting COVID-19, and the Brazilian media went crazy with the coverage and scare-mongering. While there is of course cause for major concern, I tried to assure him it was not that bad, and we both can manage this together when traveling. But with this GCIRCUIT cancellation, it might be the last straw for the BF, and the BF is asking me to cancel our plans Bangkok altogether. I mean, we could still salvage the week in Bangkok over Songkran right? So what do you guys think? How does it feel nowadays in Bangkok? At tourist sites, boy bars and shopping malls? Should I cancel my plans for Songkran? Will Songkran be scaled back or cancelled, and maybe the BF's first taste of Bangkok should be postponed to a time when everything is back to normal?

Knowing you the way I do, @floridarob, this is just a typical Saturday night for you lol

Your mileage may vary is all I can say. Everyone’s level of cost to benefit ratio with travel is different. I’m probably more of a thrill-seeker relative to the average poster here, so probably most of my ideas of a vacation maybe too risky for a lot. I see Bangkok like going to Disneyland: fun, safe, but somewhat repetitive. I see Brazilian cities like a trip to Yosemite National Park in California: you can just go to the park and take the easy hikes like any tourist, but the full Yosemite experience is the day hike at Half Dome: it takes planning, at time dangerous, but boy oh boy, the views at the top are like nothing you've ever experienced. And I'm pretty sure more people go to Disneyland than to the top of Half Dome. I've done both. I have fun in both. Which one do I remember more? You probably know the answer. I can certainly understand the concerns about Brazil. And for the longest time I was scared off as well, with Brazil not even in the top 10 of the countries I wanted to visit, because of what I read online and the news about crime and how dangerous it is. But I obviously made the leap, with my first time at a Brazilian sauna chronicled in BoyToy. But before I came, I did my research, and I sifted through the overblown hysteria about how dangerous it is, and found some sane and level-headed travel tips from people who have actually been there and loved it, and kept on coming back. And the funny thing is, the tips were similar to travel tips for any other well-travelled city out there worth visiting. I don’t even think this is a hard and fast rule. My last 3-week trip over the holidays, it was rare that I went home before 2 AM. And I walked the streets of Sao Paulo at 4 AM after a night dancing my ass off at The Week. Also in Salvador, Bahia, the murder capital of Brazil, going home at 3 AM after a night of samba with the bf. And I stayed at the beach over New Year’s till 10 AM, occasionally taking a nap in the sand, with my friends just dancing the night away. But I always was with friends or my BF, I was always aware of what I was doing (more or less), and I just let Brazil, and Brazilians, envelope me with their trademarked joie de vive. This is purely my experience though. I would not recommend early morning strolls in Rio to anyone, unless with a pack of handsome Brazilians. But I guess if you are not walking with a pack of handsome Brazilians, you are probably doing it wrong lol. After 17 trips in 2 years, and spending almost 27% (97 days out of 365) of 2019 enjoying its beaches and culture and men (lol), it is now my favorite place on earth. Thailand of course will always hold a dear place in my heart. But last few trips to the Land of Smiles became a little bit like “wash, rinse, repeat”. More same same. The all-too-familiar routine going to boy bars has worn on me somewhat. I’m sure I’ll get bored of Brazil at some point, but right now it is giving me enough variety, and thrills, and of course, danger, to make it interesting. In Thailand, I get mistaken for a local all the time, unless I say something. In Brazil, I never get mistaken for a local, which has its own perks. Like I've told you @anddy, the Brazilian BF and I are planning to go for Songkran, so sorry to miss you. Taking a piece of Brazil with me to Bangkok will be interesting for sure. The BF is kind of concerned about the coronavirus in Asia though, so let's see. I've done this in Brazil too. I've wandered Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, and the streets of Ipanema in Rio after the gay club visit, and all was fine. Can't have said it better myself lol. LOL I'll be the @anddy of Brazil!

Postscript: The Naked Truth Too bad my trip to BKK last week (by way of a work trip to Japan and China) was cancelled. It was my choice really: two days before my departure, my boss asked if I really wanted to go to Asia with all these “rumors” about the coronavirus. Out of an abundance of caution I cancelled my trip, breaking the heart (wallet?) of a certain Moonlight model who I promised a 2-day long time stay with me. No matter, I quickly regrouped and booked a 5-day quickie to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Glad the virus has not reached the far shores of Latin America just yet. Too bad too, I was going to write about the stay, to append to this report. No problem, I had an update in mind anyway. I wanted to compare the costs of the 3-day trip I had in Bangkok, to the 3-day trip in Sao Paulo. Specifically, how much would a quick 3-day sex vacation compare with these two cities? So for my sake as well as others who have asked to summarize my cash outlay for my trips, this post is a summary of how much money I spent (threw away?) in these cities. Just a caveat: as you all already know, I pack in a lot in so little a time, so how I do my sex vacations may differ from you. And I am a fan of 3-somes, 4-somes etc, so that may skew my costs a little bit. Also, non-gogo bar costs are not included, so Soi 4 beer bars and the Hot Male bar and The Week Sao Paulo was not included. So let the accounting begin: Bangkok – 3 nights and 3 days Day 1: Arrival at Bangkok; two bars – Moonlight and Freshboys; 4 boys – 1 threesome Boys: Masseur (2000 baht), Moonlight (2000 baht), Freshboys 3some (4000 baht) = 8000 baht Bars: Moonlight drinks for boy and mamasan (1500 baht), Freshboys drinks for boys and mamasans (1750 baht) = 3250 baht Day 1 Total: 11,250 baht Day 2: First full day at Bangkok; three bars – Lucky Boy, Hot Male, Hot Male bar; 2 boys – 1 free Boys: Kiwi (free), Hot Male (2000 baht) Bars: Hot Male (400 baht) Day 2 Total: 2400 baht Day 3: Last full day at Bangkok; three bars – Jupiter, Dream Boy, Lucky Boy; 4 boys – 1 threesome, 1 freelancer Boys: Sunlight (3500 baht), Moonlight (6000 baht), Lucky Boy (4000 baht) = 13500 baht Bars: Moonlight off fee (1000 baht), Jupiter (500 baht), Dream Boy (450 baht), Lucky Boy (1600 baht) = 3550 baht Day 3 total: 17,050 baht Total for Bangkok = 30,700 baht In US dollars, Bangkok total = $1002 With 10 boys, this comes out to $100 per boy. Sao Paulo – 3 days and 3 nights These were not consecutive 3 days, because it was actually 3 separate days sprinkled in a 23 day stay over Christmas and the New Year. I have a bf in Brazil, so it was hard to get these 3 days alone, so I made them count. I had an advantage because I am good friends with a porn star in Sao Paulo, and he has access to some pay boys to play around with. I took full advantage of this to have 3somes in my hotel room, in addition to the pay saunas I went to. The saunas are the equivalent of the gogo bar in Bangkok, but in a less passive atmosphere than in gogo bars. Some people don’t like the interactivity of a sauna. I have gotten used to it and actually prefer it now. Day 1: actual arrival of my trip; one sauna – Espaco Lagoa; 5 boys – 1 3some, 1 4some Boys: 3some in my hotel room with a 22 and 24 year old, both hung and fit (200 reais per boy), 4some in the sauna (200 reais for two versatile hung boys - 24 and 26 years old) and 250 reais for a star, hung, muscular and 24 years old), porn star wanted 100 reals extra so he had an extra session in hotel room after the sauna = 1150 reais Bars: one sauna: Espaco Lagoa; refreshments for me, condoms and lube, entrance, room = 172.50 reais (receipt shown) Day 1 total = 1322.50 reais or $316 Day 2: actually Day 14 of my trip; one sauna – Espaco Lagoa; 3 boys – 1 freelancer Boys: two hour session with a versatile, hung, big assed 25 year old (300 reais), one hour session with a 26 year old sex champion (150 reais), overnight with a 30 year old hot freelancer from Grindr (200 reais) = 650 reais Bars: one sauna: Espaco Lagoa, refreshments for me, condoms and lube, entrance, 3 hours rent of a room suite in a sauna = 273 reais (receipt shown) Day 2 total = 923 reais or $221 Day 3: next day or Day 15 of my trip; one sauna – Espaco Lagoa; 3 boys – 1 3some Boys: 3some with porn star and his older brother (this not as rare in Brazil) (200 reais per boy), 1 hour and a half session with a sauna star (250 reais per boy) = 650 reais Bar: one sauna: Espaco Lagoa, 205.50 reais (receipt shown) Day 3 total = 855.5 reais or $205 In US dollars, Sao Paulo total = $742 With 11 boys, this comes out to $67 per boy. I am not going to comment on how much hotter the sex is in one location or the other, or the quality of boys, etc. That would be a separate post. But it is interesting how my sex vacations shake out in the end. I never plan these things. I never plan on securing 3somes or freelancers, fucking a family or a Moonlighter, but its just happens. In the final analysis, though Brazil seems to be cheaper in the end, the most important thing about this is that it is good to have options, and in a world full of options, I am glad Bangkok and Sao Paulo (and Rio de Janeiro and Pattaya) can exist in the same world. I need to book my next trips soon…

LOL. I feel so special that I figure into your priorities. But never give up a good time to hang out with boys in the chance to catch up with me. Thanks! Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the name of this Viet boy Trung, not Tronc? Or maybe its a different boy we are talking about, but this Trung also is prone for a cuddle at Red Dragon. The resident cuddler. Anyways his Line name says Trung as well. Doesn't matter I guess. In Brazil, if this happens, it means the boy will bottom as a consolation. Still yes, it is still fun even if the dick is soft. Great report so far!

I just wanted to wish everyone a great and Merry Christmas! I am Day 5 in a 3 week trip here in Brazil. Sharing a photo of the historic lighthouse in Farol da Barra in the city of Salvador in the northeast of Brazil. Escaped the (mild) winter of California and now in 28 degree (82 Fahrenheit) start of summer here in Brazil. Have fun guys!

This is amazing. I use a wallet in Bangkok but never store my money there. I usually store my 100s and lower in one pocket, and the 1000 and 500 in another. The Luckyboys mamasans are very smart and usually have a flashlight to shine on your money when paying up. Hotmale I think had this too. But the new bills are prettier than the old ones I think, Hehe. I know it is not a cul de sac, but I never use Rama 4 to enter (or exit), and just make a U-turn, like in a cul de sac, when I hit Classic Boys/Scorpion bar. Which shows you how good my offs were, except for Moonligh off, if Hot Male boy was the worst BFE. I really thought he didn't like me, and like the Pepe le Pew cat, wanted to get out of my room as soon as possible. The sex was amazing though. Isn't it amazing? I love that the Lucky Boys thread is gaining some steam too. This is a great distillation of Pattaya vs Bangkok. Bangkok, the big city, is more fast paced and temporal. Pattaya, the town by the sea, is slower, and more conducive to introspection. Its good to have a choice.

High praise indeed! Thanks! I definitely ate more LOL, as I think I gained some poundage from all the delicious street food and hot pot. Argh I don't want to think I set a standard for the trip reports here. Just post it in your style because trip reports remain the bread and butter of this site. I am abandoning United because of this as well, and probably Star Alliance in general. As I post this I am waiting for my flight to Sao Paulo on United, and this segment will extend my 1K to next year. Since I also renewed my Executive Platinum on American Airline from my series of Cathay Pacific legs to BAngkok and Manila from California, I think I'll stick with AA from now on. I prefer Cathay Pacific anyway when going to Asia, and AA ot LATAM to South America. Maybe I'll dip my toe with Delta. Aeromexico sucks but has the flights I need to Mexico. And yes, the United Club lounges suck in general. I am in the United Polaris Lounge here in IAH though, and they are a marked improvement. Leaps and bounds. Looking forward to more!

You are one of the lucky ones who gets to live 2 hours from either Bangkok or Rio. If I ever lived close like that to either one I’d find myself there every weekend. I live in California, so either country would be a slog for me. Bangkok is more or less an 18 to 21 hour flight for me, depending on the connecting city and the length of connection. Since there are no direct flight to Bangkok from anywhere in the USA, I am at a disadvantage here. With Brazil, it is a much more tolerable 15 hour average for me, or 12 hours if I am flying direct from Los Angeles. When connecting, it usually breaks up the journey into two equal-ish segments, as the connecting cities are either in Miami, Houston, or even Panama or Bogota. For me, Brazil might have the advantage of length of journey, but it also does with time zones. The time difference is just 4-5 hours ahead of California, so jet lag is not an issue here. Thailand, on the other hand, is a brutal 14 or so hour time difference, and it does take days for me to get the ground firmly under me. No matter the time I get to Brazil, I am always ready for whatever comes. With Bangkok, my ideal time of arrival is in the morning, so I have the rest of the day to sleep off the trip and be ready for the night. Since you are closer to Bangkok, I imagine you have to survive both the long journey and the time difference to Brazil, which may feel daunting. But let me just say that it is ever so worth it, once you see what is in store for you. The country is beautiful, the culture is vibrant and alive, and the boys, oh my lord, the boys. Anything else would pale in comparison once you get your feet wet (and your heart fairly in love) with the country. This what I found in Bangkok as well, plus I do time my trips there with work trips, so Bangkok is always worth my time, even if most of it is just sitting in a plane. Which brings me to answer your other question: is it worth it for you? Of course. To me the distance helps a lot with getting the anonymity I need to let my hair down and do things I don’t normally do at home (and get away with things I can’t normally at home). I suggest try it once, maybe carve at least a 10 day trip that’ll give you a taste of Rio and its environs (and its three boy saunas), or maybe a side trip to Sao Paulo as well to know its saunas and culture. The length of time will get you accustomed to the time, and since most of your activities will be nocturnal anyway, adjustment shouldn’t be a problem. Please tell us how you get on!

*created by voices belonging to people who never actually offed them* is another way of saying that some people advice other people to not go to Brazil because they think it is too dangerous for them, without actually going to see for themselves or at least try. I am not sure if the expense warranted it with all the fuss about my Moonlight star, but I think all my curiosity about how an off from the Moonlight model stead would fare, has made it worth the 7000 baht total that I paid for it. Not to mention that I still get Line messages from him once in a while. I will off him again, maybe at a long time capacity. Maybe that time I will be truly fleeced out of my hard-earned cash, or he might turn out to be a great long-time companion, who knows. One never really knows until one tries for oneself. Anything else is just useless piece of advice. Also, I want to try another Moonlight model. Something to look forward to in my next trip. Ah yes, Tong of Tawan, one of the few boys I've offed that I have revealed the name of. The saga is described here. An excerpt: Is he still working in Tawan? Maybe I should try to dig up his Line number from my contacts... Thanks @Wynter11. Yes I have written about my South American trips. They are in GayGuide's sister site, BoyToy.com. Here are three samples: Bogota First time in Rio Sao Paulo and the South @vinapu and @Boy69, and anyone else who'd like to opine, since you know me already, would you still recommend me to go visit Pattaya? Enough of stuff there for me to get what I like? More replies later...

Hope you're feeling better!! Now that I have basically wrapped up my trip report, it is now your turn to carry us through the holidays. Since you were there roughly the same time I was, you must have seen the same things I did, so curious about your take on things.

@emiel1981, it has been a year, but me and my friends usually go to Cutey and Beauty, the salon in Thaniya Plaza third floor. https://www.cuteyandbeauty.com A trip down memory lane for me:

Last Word: The more change na, the more same same This trip to Bangkok has given me so much to think about, and so much more to look forward to. I was expecting a lot, since the demise of Soi Twilight, and the change of venue to "straight-land", so I was surprised on how unchanged everything seemed to be, but how seemingly changed it also is at the same time. There are things that are just gone forever, but at the same time replaced with something else. I could not put my finger on it just yet, but it is just a different Bangkok that I discovered this trip. Some musings: The Cost This is just true for the bars and boys I’ve visited this trip: I was surprised on how standardized the pricing for short time and long time is. Almost all the bars and boys and mamasans who talked about it quoted me standard pricing: 2000 baht for short time, and 3000 baht for long time. Except for the Moonlight models of course. I guess this makes things fairly simple for newcomers and experts alike, standard pricing makes it fair for everyone. I can understand the likes of Mekhin will fetch a little bit more, but I guess this takes away the element of negotiating that is inherent in Asian venues, especially the markets like Chatuchak. What would cheap charlies do now? The Money I completely forgot about this when I arrived in Bangkok for this trip, but after getting money from the ATM for the first time since June 2018, I was reminded that the current King is a relatively new one, judging from the new face staring back at me when I counted the money coming out of the ATM. I understand that these new banknotes were first introduced in April 2018, but this was first time seeing the new banknotes with Rama X on it. I’ve always thought that having different colors to signify different values in the money is smart. Compare that to the drab green and black that is present in all of the US dollar banknotes, making them indistinguishable from one another, especially for a newcomer or tourist paying up in dark venues like bars. Thai money reminds me of Brazil’s banknotes, which came in similar hues as Thailand’s. The Bars There is no denying it: I kinda miss Soi Twilight. I kind of liked how special it was, having a specific Soi devoted to the gays. It was almost like a protective enclave, where one is free to express oneself in the confines of a cul-de-sac. I guess now Soi 4 can claim this mantel, a generally gay-exclusive Soi, although obviously it has not reached Soi Twilight heights just yet. I guess it shouldn’t matter, as a lot of people escape to Bangkok to let their hair down, and trying to be oneself in Patpong shouldn’t be more challenging than it was in Twilight, but still, the sense of camaraderie one felt in Twilight is the sensation that I miss. It is gone forever. Time to move on. But the later hours, closing at 2 AM versus midnight to 1 AM, is a welcome change. I was able to do more and thrive with the extended hours. Before, I would have to lean on Screwboys for my late night follies. Now, Freshboys and Luckyboys, among the others, have given me the late night threesomes that is a marked improvement to the boy nightlife. A very big improvement. The Boys I am glad to note that the boys are still same same. They are still sweet, they are still sexy as hell, and they still remain the centerpiece of my Bangkok trips. I always say this every trip: that I need to do more massage in Bangkok, but the only one I got was mind-blowingly amazing. Unfortunately, the sex in general is still as uneven as before, as there is still danger of offing the non-performers. I have been lucky in the past but I was unlucky to have picked one this trip. It never seems to be a problem in Latin America. But this was a minor blemish in my otherwise excellent trip. And thankfully, Bangkok still remains a popular playground for young gay Asian tourists from all over the region, and I am glad I was able to sample from this lot as well. Boys don’t always have to be procured from a stage or a massage table. I’m glad that this has not changed. And now, my Trip awards: Best off: My Moonlight model. Not the best sex I had this trip. This is reserved for Sunlight. But I went into the off with very low expectations, and he exceeded them and much much more. And this is why he rose to the top to be my best off of the trip. We are still Lining each other once in a while. I will see him in the future, no doubt. Worst off: My Moonlight off. Really really bad. He might have been gorgeous, but what a dud in bed. It’s funny that both my best and worst offs are from the same bar. Goes to show you that even in the same bar, you get a wide variety of performances in bed. Best bar: Luckyboys. To me the most complete boy bar in Bangkok. Great ambience, comfortable and optimal seating, amazing and entertaining show, very helpful mamasans, and has the most boys in terms of number and variety. Highly recommended! Worst bar: Jupiter. Only because I’ve had great memories of it in the past, and it disappointed me this trip. I hope next trip will be better. Best boy onstage: Nut of Moonlight. Best body, stage presence, and performance onstage. Worst boy onstage: Mehkin of Jupiter. Went around onstage like a drunk sailor. When he found the whiskey, he was never to be seen onstage again. Best mamasan: Moonlight – failed me with dud off, but redeemed himself with fixing me up with the right Moonlight model. And after, on Line, following up with me about the off. Worst mamasan: Dreamboy mamasan. It was unnecessary to hold my hand the whole time I was there. I will hold a boy’s hand, not a mamasan. Best boyfriend experience: Cambodia of Luckyboys. He made a good impression of Burboy, cradling me from orgasm to the airport. I miss him already. Worst boyfriend experience: Hot Male off. He forgot to ask for my Line and I had to run after him to get his Line. Maybe he didn’t want to see me anymore. Oh well. Biggest regret: Two things: coffee with Old Friend on the second day, and a long time with Hot Male off on the third day. Both didn't happen because I didn’t have enough time for both boys. I just didn’t have enough time for the things I wanted, really. 3 nights in Bangkok is not enough. Brazil or Thailand? Sadly, it is still Brazil for me, if I had to choose only one. But Thailand has given me something to think about this trip. The good thing is I’ve already bought my ticket for my next trip to Bangkok. I won’t say when I’ll go just yet, only know that I’ll be leaving in less than a month. I can’t wait.

As with anything, you won't know until you try yourself. Please book one and share your insights here. A lot will be interested, no doubt about that. Are these models just notorious for being non-performers? It's a wonder anyone would off them with this reputation. In all honesty, this reputation made me not want to off them initially. Glad I did anyway. LOL. There, that's your clue. Also, . Cheeky bastard. LOL. Shame for my no-naming-boys policy. +3 Can anyone have a good explanation why Cambodians have the best english proficiency out of everyone else in the Indochinese peninsula? Manila was an interesting trip. I have business there and always find myself there once in a while through the years. Not as exciting as my Bangkok trip but fairly fun-filled nevertheless. Maybe not enough for a full-blown trip report but maybe I should talk about the trip. *only few keep in shape* is indeed a shame. I will check Tawan out next trip for sure. In the past I've had uneven offs from there, but one of the super-hulks from there was one of my favorite offs, as he even was my driver and used his SUV to drive me around Pattaya three years ago, as well as staying with me the whole time. He was my best off from that bar, and does more in bed than most of the other offs I've had from that bar. Indeed, the main captain there goes out of his way to not let you leave empty-handed. I wish he used this energy to recruit new blood, and new hunks, to refresh the Tawan name. We await the new Mekhin, and not in the mould of Babe, more in the Tawan image. We need more variety in the Bangkok boy stead. LOL "readers". Makes me feel like an author of a serial in a newspaper. My reward for writing these reports is reaped years from now, when I re-read the reports with a fond reminiscing of my fun. It it always great to reminded of what I did, and it informs what I want to do in future trips.

Day 4.5: Closing Time At long last, my jet lag is working in my favor. It looks like I won’t be sleeping today, and while I feel a bit sore (due to obvious reasons), I am not tired. I’ve been up since 10 AM and now I am on the last stretch, preparing for my flight at 7:30 AM. Right now, with the company of the boy, everything seems to have finally fallen into place. Because of Brazil, I have quite forgotten why I’ve visited Bangkok all those years, and it only took an overly sweet, overly cute Cambodian to remind me why I should keep coming back in the future. But there was the issue of packing for my flight. I have not been here long, only 3 nights, but between the chaos of the three days and the nonstop activity, I am made a mess of my luggage. This was only 3 days of a 2 and half week trip in the region, so all my other clothes are just strewn about. Luckily, Cambodia said he would help me. He folded clothes and cleaned up the room and my toiletries. He did a very good job helping. Almost a good job. He packed my bottle of lube and put it in a plastic bag, but forgot to screw on the cap tight. So when I unpacked in Manila, my next city, I had an exploded bag of lube on my hands. Luckily the bag mostly protected other things. Not Cambodia’s fault of course. Once we had that straightened out, we had time to lay on the bed and just enjoy a few more moments of intimacy. Cambodia was always smiling, and from the looks of things, relished how close we have become to each other in only a matter of hours. We talked for a bit, about where he lived, about my next trip, and my next trip to Bangkok. I couldn’t tell him when my next time would be here, but I guessed it won’t take me 16 months like last time. This trip has taught me to appreciate Bangkok’s strengths, even with the seemingly superior boy offerings of Brazil. So talking led to kissing. He does kiss like he likes it. And just like that, he was again naked on my bed. He was rock hard, and I stroke it because it begged to be. He returns the favor. Pretty soon I was aroused as well. I was not sure how much I can contribute to having sex right now, having cum four times already now today, but Cambodia seems to be game to give me my money’s worth. He wasn’t able to cum with Myanmar earlier, but now, we were well on our way to try again. He looks at me with his doe eyes and his sweet smile. He kisses me again, and has me lay down while he sits on my groin. The sight of him with his young face, lean body, and hard cock was a sight to behold indeed. He held his cock and mine with his hand and started stroking. I pull him close and put his cock in my mouth, and then slide his ass in my face. Now that tasted amazing. He continued stroking while I ate him. It didn’t take long. As he was about to cum, I put it in my mouth and he came in my mouth. He continues to kiss me, and lays beside me to work on mine, but I tell him that the earlier exertions have made me unable to cum. He asks me if I was sure. I squeeze his ass and thanked him for trying. I look at the time and it was almost 5 AM, and we better get a move on. One last quick shower for both of us and some final look around in the room, and I was ready to leave. Another advantage of having a farewell committee to see me off at the airport: they can help me with my luggage, not that I needed it. A quick checkout, and paying for a three days stay, and my lunch at the Chinese restaurant, and we were all squared away. The check-out guy asks me if I needed a taxi for the airport, and I always say yes. By the time we got to the ground floor, our taxi was there. My usual porter was of course there, handsome as always, and gave me my taxi info for me, and tells me, as always, if there is a problem, use the card as a reference for the problem. I give handsome porter 100 baht, and he accepts gracefully. I bet he will be here again when I am back, whenever that is, and he has always taken cared of me. He is like the mamasan of this place for me, and is worthy of the 100 baht as the others. And he’s definitely way more handsome than the mamasans. The porter takes the bags from Cambodia and loads it up in the trunk. We both get in the back and off we went: Cambodia takes over: after a few words with the driver, the driver turns on the meter and then Cambodian tells me I am on the hook for toll fees, which was fine by me. Cambodia takes my hand and comments on how early it is in the morning it is, and then we proceed to have a lovely conversation about other things. I was almost sorry that I was leaving today. We only met 5 hours ago, but there was a sense that it was quite a good fit, him and I, and if I met him on the first day he would have been with me for the whole stay. It does help that his English was very very good. After a brisk 25 minutes, we get to Suvarnabhumi and since I was taking Thai Airways, it was the very first stop for the taxi. I pay the bill (400 baht, rounding up), and then Cambodia takes my big bag as we make our way to check-in. I move past the check-in “lounges” of first class, and went to the business counters for Thai’s Royal Silk Class. Fairly quick and they accepted my check-in luggage, and they pointed me to immigration. I told them I was going to say goodbye to my friend first so I’ll be back in 20 minutes. Because of the speed of the taxi, I had some time to accompany Cambodia to the Airport Rail Link, so he can get back to Sathorn where he lived. He offered to carry the back pack I was left carrying, since my luggage was already on its way to the plane, but I told him he didn’t have to help me the whole time. We get to the bottom floor where the turnstiles for the train were. I didn’t feel a sense of loss with saying goodbye to Cambodia, as I did previous boys BurBoy and MonBoy, because I didn’t know him for too long and I don’t have a lot of connection with him yet, but I did feel a little bit of wistfulness in me. I wasn’t going to miss my boy Cambodia per se, but I sort of missed my care free days here in Thailand. I sort of longed for those days gone by, making connections and memories and undeniable fun sex (this was the least of all my longings actually). I may just have to come back here soon, to see if I can get those feelings back. At the turnstiles, Cambodia gives me a hug, and promises to keep in touch in Line. I reach into my pocket and produced a pre-counted 1000 baht (and 50 baht for the train) wad of cash for Cambodia. He has earned this in addition to the 2000 I have already gave him. It was like doing a long time with him, and most probably he did all this to expect more money out of money, but right now that hardly mattered. He has earned it, and more, as he has given more than what I gave him, a reminder of what Bangkok meant to me. He gets through the turnstiles and disappear into the halls of the airport. I take the elevator back to the check-in counters and then go back past the Thai Airways business class counters, and then get to the Fast track counters of Thai Airways: And they weren’t kidding with the Fast track. Thai Airways had their own immigration counters, and there were two counters open, and only one other person with me. Fastest exit out of Bangkok ever. I found the Royal Silk Lounge pretty quickly, and I rewarded myself with a nice cup of coffee as I wait for boarding. No sleep still but I feel more invigorated than ever before. Which is a good sign that a trip was a good one. A trip that didn't tire you, and actually made you more invigorated for life. I have Thailand to thank for that. Never a wasted moment. Never one regret. That seems to wrap up my trip to Bangkok. All good things must come to an end. Next, my trip awards, and further musings.