Milk78

Thanks @Boy69! On strength of your recommendation, I have booked a week second half of November in East Suites. Found a a great deal and booked the King Jacuzzi Suite that you mentioned. Free cancellation right up until 28 October so risk free. Just need to actually book some flights now! I will wait and see if a deal pops up!

Thanks for this! I was just in the process of trying to work this out for myself. I have not been to Pattaya and am in the early stages of planning a trip later in the year. I found East Suites last night and wondered why I had not seen them mentioned by anyone as it looks like a really good option. There also seemed to be a similar venue call Inn Residence? Do you know what they are like? I have looked at a few apartments in the area but nothing really blows me away. Yes, there are some very inexpensive options but they are all looking a bit dated and tired - I don't suppose Covid has helped. There are a few high end options but that seems extravagant when compared to the places that you have mentioned. That is why I like the idea of East Suites. I have had apartments (mainly AirBnB) in Thailand before and even though I have seldom used the extra facilities that you get with an apartment over a hotel room (like a kitchen), I really like having the option.

Does anyone have recommendations for sites to book condos? I use Airbnb a lot but wondered if there are other options or sites specifically for Thailand properties?

Yes, when I have been up to Chiang Mai I have stayed in an AirBnb. Are there other sites that you would recommend?

No, I have not been yet and I think it will make the list this time., at least to see what it is like. I have been reading a couple of threads on here about the place. a hotel was telling me that it was high season when I was asking about a potential long stay. They were reluctant to offer any sort of discount. With the restrictions now mostly lifted, I would think that things will start accelerating back toward normal - it is just how long it will take.

I am planning my next trip out - possibly November but it strikes me that is peak season and because I am not really tied to dates, I might ahead out during the shoulder season, particularly as things are opening up. Although what this winter will bring in terms of new infections is anyone's guess. With that in mind, where do people think is going to be the best value? I have been to BKK and Chiang Mai a couple of times and would like to spend some time at least somewhere else. Where am I going to the best all round package and value for money - boys, hotels, bars, restaurants, things to do?

Looks like things might get worse before they get better - https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/04/12/chaos-at-bangkok-airport-arrivals-area-leads-to-additional-counters-testing-requirement-possibly-be-eased-soon/

My week in Chiang Mai was great. Lots of great food. There definitely seemed to be more non-Asian tourists in Chiang Mai than in Bangkok. I stayed in an AirBnB which was great. Lots of space, decent Wifi, balcony, washing machine, kitchen etc, and for very little money for the week. I spent most of my time with a boy I met a couple of years ago and with whom I have been in touch with ever since. He is a university student and his English is very good. I met him on Grindr (not a money boy). We spent most days with him coming over to my apartment, going for lunch and then off to an art gallery or other local attraction. It was a very chilled out few days. On Thursday, he had to go home to BKK to see his mum and sister. I had a couple of days to myself so checked out Grindr to see what was about. I hooked up with a few guys over the next three days. There are plenty of guys on the app so didn't have to try to hard to find someone. Lots of massage boys on Grindr in Chiang Mai and the prices are about 50% cheaper than in BKK. One money boy got in touch with an initial price of 2000 thb but i wasn't really interested. He kept trying though and was down to 700 by the time he got the message and looked elsewhere. I didn't really check out the gay scene in Chiang Mai. I did go to Orion Bar which had a cabaret show on at about 9pm? It was empty when i sat down for a drink at 8pm ish but by the time of the show it had filled up quite a bit and there was a bit of a crowd. I like Chiang Mai it is an easy place to hang out and relax. And there are some signs of life returning. Venues appear to be filling up again. There was excellent Thai restaurant near my apartment. They do a Burmese style curry which is one of the best things i have ever eaten. Having been there twice already, I thought I would treat myself on my last night and go again. I turned up to find a queue to get! It was way too hot for me to stand around so found another venue. This is the place if you are interested - https://www.facebook.com/TongTemToh/ It is right next door to an Italian restaurant called Why Not? It is also excellent - http://whynotchiangmai.com/ Back to BKK for one night and stayed at The Raya. What a fantastic little hotel. Very good value, large room and you can't beat the location. I caught up with a forum member for drinks in Soi 4. It does seem to be a little more lively than it was when i was there a week before. Maybe the impact of a few more tourists and Songkran in a couple of days? My drinking partner let me depart early as I had important "errands" to attend to. I managed to hook up with the birthday boy I mentioned in an earlier post. We had planned to meet straight after his work at 6pm but he then had to take overtime at work and was not able to meet until later. Sadly, that meant that our hook up was much curtailed in terms of time together. Still, he was as excellent as the first time we met. My flight back is not until late tonight but it has been a low key day. It is blisteringly hot today and I feel complete; I don't feel the need to be doing much more. Checkout at The Raya is 12pm but you can have a later checkout time at the cost of 100 thb per hour, which feels like excellent value to me. It means I can hang out here and take sanctuary in the air conditioning! I have just ventured out to the @vinapucommended, 5* dining experience, and now back in the room. I have Grindr on and a few messages coming in but I think I am done now, I have had my fill. Some reflections on a couple of weeks back in Thailand: Print all of the documentation out. I can't imagine trying to manage it all off the phone. On the way out my papers were checked 5 times and not all the same combination of documentation. The testing is a nightmare and a waste of time and without a doubt killing tourism. I bought a phone sim at the airport - dtac have a shop by baggage reclaim. It turns out the deal i got was better than i thought it was and no more expensive than buying from a 7-11. I know this because I thought i had only got a 2gb data limit. It turns out it was Unlimited data. My phone had an odd setting which made it appear to be limited to 2gb. When i went to a dtac shop to increase my data she couldn't really understand what/ why I was asking. It was only then i realised my (good) mistake. It was a good job i did get the sim card at the airport, as my first trip outside of my room after Day 1 PCR test confinement, I got locked in a stairwell! Luckily, I was able to phone reception and they sent someone to let me out! Like everywhere else, Covid has hit businesses. That compounded with only a trickle of tourism, many shops, bars, restaurants have closed and show little to no sign of returning anytime soon. Many of the tourist dependent shops have gone - the night bizarre in Chiang Mai is half the size I remember it being and many places even though they say are open in Google have just disappeared. Grindr worked really well for me. Lots of local guys not trade to hook up with. Yes, there are money boys and massage guys on there as well and very easy to find, but plenty of local guys just looking for fun as well. I learnt on a number of occasions to go with the flow. Two local guys I nearly ignored turned out to be two of the best hook ups ever. This is my second time in Thailand and I know that I will be coming back. My first visit, two years ago just before Covid, was spoilt a bit by a heavy cold that I came down with the day before I flew out. It really hit my first week in BKK. This time, once the testing had been successfully navigated, I was able to have a much fuller experience. Yes, there are some restrictions and things not open, but there is still plenty of things that are still standing to enjoy. Hopefully, travel restrictions will ease over the next few months and people will start coming back. I am already planning my next trip out and have got my boss to agree to let me work UK hours in Thailand, if possible for a month. I can think of no better escape from the UK winter!

I was staying at the Banyan Tree in BKK a couple of weeks ago. I had quite a few boys come over, some money boys, some massage guys, and some local guys i met off Grindr - no problems with bringing any of them in. No questions or looks from anyone. I stayed at The Raya for my last night in BKK, having spent a week in Chiang Mai (but in an AirBnB so no issues). In the evening, you have to use the service elevator in the car park. They had two guys on security and again, no questions, no looks, all fine.

I am up in Chiang Mai now and there seems to be loads more tourists here than in Bangkok. Or certainly, more non-asian tourists. My taxi driver from the airport said that things had been noticeably picking up over the last 5-7 days. I am back in BKK for a night next week before heading back to the UK. It will be interesting to see if things have improved a bit in the week that I have been away. I have a feeling they night have.

@vaughn Baan Khanitha & Gallery is very nice. Pricey for Thai standards but the portions are big. Food very good.

I know. If I had given any more I really think he would have been offended. He didn't want to take that for a 60bht taxi.

Thanks for all the recommendations that you sent to me. They have made my trip much more interesting and enjoyable. What a great bunch of people you are!

It was a lazy start. I have usually been down to breakfast at about 7-7.30am but this morning it was a good couple of hours later before I made it down. Stuffed my face (with food!) and went back to bed. I was still a bit weary and ended up sleeping for another couple of hours. River journey recommendations gratefully received from @thaiophilus I headed to Sathorn Pier at about 3pm. Caught the Orange Flag boat up to Nonthaburi. What excellent value for an hours trip up the river. I didn't stick around long in Nonthaburi. There was a bit more Thai life going about its daily business; plenty of street food. Restaurants mainly closed. I was the only non Thai face around. I had a wander round the market for a little while. I debated whether to get the boat back but in the end elected to jump in a taxi and head back into BKK. Another recommendation took me to Siam Paragon and I finally found where all the crowds are! It seems that the majority of the tourist life is zoning in on the sprawling complex. A fair few locals as well as there was some sort of celebrity event going on which had drawn a big crowd and lots of cameras. I am not sure who it was but was told it was a sponsorship event for Under Armour - possibly a Thai football player? I did spend a little while looking at some of the shops and bought myself some trainers, but the crowds in the food area of both Paragon and the Siam Centre were enough to drive me on to find alternative options. I ended up back at the Mango Tree and had an excellent meal there. I was flagging a bit though - despite the lazy start. My muscle boy seems to have taken it out of me today! I stopped at the 7-11 and picked up some snacks to take back to the hotel, a contented evening of taking it easy and just watching some Netflix ahead of me. I tried and failed (again!) to get a taxi on Surawong Road - a sign of things and the lack of general footfall in the area I suppose. But no bother as it meant I could again wander down Patpong Alley 2 and past Hot Male, Dream Boys and Fresh Boys - same story and this was a Friday night at 10pm. Soi 4 looked to have a little more life to it, although I didn't go in. I caught a taxi straight away on Silom Road and was back at the hotel shortly thereafter. Checked Grindr for messages, mixed a couple of drinks, and settled into watching some Netflix. This was my evening done. And then at midnight a message on Grindr pinged through. I wasn't really looking as had had a couple of drinks by this point, it was pushing on for midnight and I wasn't far off going to bed. But of course, I had a look and as soon as you open up the app for a couple of mins messages start coming in. Now my sexual preferences are pretty varied as long as there is a boy involved. I am vers and like to mix it up. A message came through from a blank profile with no pics and very little/ no info in the profile. I would usually just skip this and move on, but he opened with a message that he didn't mind top or bottom, as long as he could "just play with my ass". He sent though some pics and no more than 10 mins later, a very well presented young guy turned up at my room. And wow did he worship my ass - for the best part of an hour and a half, a single minded focus on my ass. It was amazing, there is no other word for it. Maybe not everyone's taste but I loved every single minute of his massaging and exploration. Here was a boy who knew what he liked doing and was very skilled at his chosen task. I could have let him go on all night as he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself but at 2am I resolved to bring things to a close. After a fantastic finish we sat and talked for a bit. His very smart appearance was due to it being his 27th birthday and he had been out celebrating with friends! Their night had finished I think with the bars closing at midnight. He was from Thailand, which I was a little surprised by. His more formal, dressed up look made him appear almost Japanese. Really good, self taught English skills, University educated and working in a call centre for an insurance company. He was nervous for his job as the company is about to lay people off and he had only recently joined so was most at risk. My heart did break a little for him and then I felt guilty about his spending money on a taxi to come over and see me with his job at risk in what has clearly been a difficult time. I offered him money for his taxi home which he initially refused and said I didn't need to pay him - the last thing i wanted to do was offend him but convinced him to take a 100 bht for the journey or at least let me get him a Grab. He smiled and I gave him a red note to get home. Really lovely guy. I hope very much that he is about later on. I might see if he wants to go for dinner.... It was well past 2am before I got to bed. I am not really into the tourist attraction thing. I love Thailand and come here for the food, the atmosphere, and the boys. I don't feel a massive pull to go and see a load of temples, but whilst I was on the river I thought that if I was going to do any of the temple highlights now would be the best time. I would probably never get another opportunity like this to have these sites without the crowds. My plans were severely tested by 2am activities but found myself waking unaided at 6am. I really needed more sleep but forced myself up and went down to breakfast. I headed off to Wat Pho and arrived at just before 9am. The place was deserted. There were maybe two other couples there. There was an official guide waiting for some business and booked him for a half hour tour. I think because he had the time as there was no other customers, the tour was more like an hour. He was great. He gave the history of the site and features, reclining Buddha included and introduced me to some monks. I tipped him well. As I was leaving there seemed to be a bit of increase in the number of people coming in but still only a handful at most. Made it back to the hotel and have been lounging around every since. Caught up on some sleep and now just contemplating what I am going to get up to this evening. This will probably be my last post of this trip. I head up to Chiang Mai tomorrow and my intention is full on relax mode. I met a guy there two years ago and we have stayed in touch since. He is a university student and we are intending to spend a bit more time with each other. Surprising things keep happening on this trip though and if anything noteworthy happens I will be sure to let you all know. Now, let's just see if last night's boy has any dinner plans.....

A teaser for the next post... It is now just past 2am. Wow, just wow. That is all. When I have had some sleep, I will write it up. Night.

I haven't had the others. All i can comment on is Banyan Tree. I stuffed my face this morning. Omelette, cold cuts, Thai Chicken red curry and rice, passion fruit, orange juice, coffee. It plenty worked for me...

Thanks! Going to catch it this afternoon.

A really mixed day today. They had clearly changed chefs today and breakfast, whilst still very good, wasn't quite of the standard of previous days. If i can have a moment to unleash the foodie in me - the hollandaise on the eggs benedict lacked the hint of vinegar it should have had (and did on previous mornings) and the pork noodles were a little bland. The stock was clearly a rush job and lacked the depth of flavour it should have had - which kind of summed the day up...... On the positive side, I made it out to Warehouse 30. There are all sorts of independent (8 or 9) shops there. A decent café that would have been at home in Shoreditch (actually, thinking about it the whole place was very Shoreditch for those UK based and know the hipster vibe); an absolutely stunning furniture store with prices to match; an excellent contemporary art gallery (although I would have like to have seen more Thai representation. The artists were on the whole European); a digital art gallery which was ok (i think when they do events it will be fab), and a jewellery shop showcasing 5 or so makers (again very high end - i think some of them are stocked by Harrods). Oh, and there was also a vintage Americana store, stocking things from 1950 until about 1980? Interesting place if that is your thing, although pretty pricey Back to the hotel and a Thai guy messaged me who has been trying to hook up since i arrived. I can't really explain why, but I had been kind of putting him off. Anyway, I was back at the hotel with some time to kill so took him up on the offer. OH MY GOD - he was absolutely stunning. @vinapu would have been in heaven. Thai, probably about 30 although i find it very difficult to age Thai guys sometimes, they can have an ageless/ timeless quality to them on occasion. He arrived wearing a muscle vest and my word was it appropriate. I am not sure I have been with someone so ripped and yet almost understated. Perfect sized dick - a notch or two larger than average without getting to the oversize category. Stunning meet. I don't often do repeats but will definitely seek him out again. He lives behind the hotel so can be at my room door in no more than 15 minutes. Bonus. He also loves overweight white guys, double bonus, and I am very happy to oblige. Not a money boy so brings all the goods for free - what's not to like? For the life of me I have no idea how I almost let this guy slip by.... Did some boring stuff on the computer to see off some time as i was keen to go to the night market. I had checked online about the various night market offerings and found an article posted in 2022 and up to date information. Having looked at their recommendations I went to the second train market, out of town at Srinakarin, as they wrote that there was more art and antiques there and less of a food offering that at the other train market at Ratchada (which apparantly has a new name and location as a result of Covid. It is branded now as Jodd Fairs). Srinakarin is a little way out of town and as I left the hotel, after canapes and beer, at about 6.30pm the journey took 45 minutes because of the traffic. My own fault as I should have either just had more canapes and left a bit later or gone early. Never mind. However, the promise of the art and antique experience was sadly not to be. About half (maybe significantly more as it is hard to say if there would have been additional stores in empty areas) were closed up. A very sad sign of the times. I was not surprised but I had done as much due diligence as I could. Again, lack of tourists seems to have completely killed the place. Now, food offerings match the number of vendors and what is on sale is 90% generic market fair - in essence there were only about 5-6 different types of store: Shoes, clothes, perfume, phone accessories, bags, and then food. There were a couple of vintage stores open but really nothing to make the visit worth while. I feel desperately sorry for them. I gave it a good look to make sure I wasn't missing anything and then decided to give it up as a bad job. Only decision left to make was whether I stayed to eat something there or head back Silom way. The live music made the decision for me and I could not have got out of there quicker. A number of the bars there have acts on - all of them average to poor and I had had enough! Made a tactical decision, as it was getting on for 9.30pm, to get dropped off at Le Meridien so that I could walk down past the boy bars to the 5*, award winning restaurant. A funny aside - I passed a guy who last night had seen me walking down the street and asked if i needed help. At the time I said I was looking for a taxi and just kind of brushed him off. He was genuinely trying to be helpful it turns out. When I got back to the hotel and caught the look of myself in the mirror I understood why... Having had the experience of the bars last night I stopped in at a 7-11 to buy a couple of beers to take back to the hotel. When I was in the boy bars, I was fine. Clearly, by the time I had been to the 7-11 and marched down the road looking and failing to find a taxi I just gotten hotter and hotter. When I caught sight of myself in the hotel he must have thought i was about to pass out - I was completely drenched, my shirt was soaked in sweat. I passed him again tonight - he did a double take and said, "you ok?! Long time no see!!" Bless him. The second time today I have been shown up brushing somebody off that I should have had more time for. Anyway, I got out at Le Meridien and headed down past Fresh Boys and Hot Male. As anticipated, the boys outside came running over to entice me in - this time I told them that I would but their drinks were too expensive. It did feel a little more lively this evening, possibly because tonight Dream Boys was open. Last night it was closed up, but tonight music was pouring into the street which at the very least made it feel more alive down there. Again, I was approached to go in, I asked him how much drinks were (400 bht!) and said that it was too expensive - he kind of agreed and left me to it. A money boy has been messaging me for the last couple of days and I had kept him on hold in case I fancied a meet. Having filled up at said 5* restaurant, I took him up on the offer. 2,000 and he arrived as promised at my room door. Sex wise no complaints, but I am not sure I have ever met someone (anyone) who has spent more time looking at themselves in the mirror. Seriously. That and the first thing he wanted to do was arrange glasses and Banyan Tree branded towels so he could do a story for Instagram! Like I said, the actual sex was good, but it was more than a little bit of a mood killer. So, an up and down day (in every sense). Not entirely sure what my plans are for tomorrow. I will just see where the mood takes me, although I might just take a trip on the river. Recommendations very welcome!

Yeah, I was an hour before the show in Fresh boys. Show was starting at 10.30 in Hot Male. The street outside was dead. I was literally the only person on it not employed by one of the venues. If the drink prices were lower, I would have stayed. Like they say, use it or lose it, and it would be tragic to see them all disappear. But, given the offer at the moment, it feels way too expensive. I was thinking of going back tonight and maybe offing a boy. But, I just had a hook up on Grindr and have decided to go to a night market. Maybe I will save it for tomorrow/ weekend.

It just seems a bit mad. There is no-one in these places and the streets are pretty dead. I would have stayed and gawked at the eye candy for a while and with some company... who knows. But when I can get pretty much whatever, whenever, and for free on Grindr without trying, why would you spend that amount? But even then - the eye candy is much diminished when they are all in jeans.... I might go back tomorrow if i am in the mood (or, as unlikely as it currently seems to be the case, drawing a blank on grindr). Sometimes it is nice to have a pro come over.

This is my third night in the Banyan Tree and all is going pretty well. A few minor niggles, the internet is not so great in my room. It is ok, but by the bed it can be very weak. I have had a few guys over to the room now and not one raised eyebrow or withering look. All my hookups have been on Grindr so far. The breakfast here as @Travellerdave mentions is fantastic. My experience of high end hotels is limited but I have been to a few and this breakfast is by far the best. When compared to the UK it is miles ahead, this is something you might actually want to pay for. I don't recall exactly how much it cost as the deal I got was so good I didn't pay attention to the details of the price breakdown. The package I have also has Club Lounge access. The actual lounge is still closed, they have not re-opened it yet after Covid outbreak. I can still have the drinks and snacks as per the Club package but they are now served in the lobby bar area. The Club access also provides you with afternoon tea (essentially canapes) and early evening snacks (more canapes). Both sets of canapes were very good, including a scallop dish, couscous, a braised beef amuse bouche, patatas bravas, and some miniature sweet pastries. At these times, the lobby gets as busy as I have seen the hotel (still not heaving), but there is a decent throng of people. I think I would have got more out of the Club package if the lounge had been open. I think the dedicated area would have made a difference and have had a calmer ambience. It is all a bit transitory with guests checking in and leaving. The Banyan Tree is billed as a 5* hotel and whilst it is very, very good, I think it has probably been outclassed now by some of the newer kids on the block – W, and So Sofitel. It is certainly not as glitzy as those venues. I might be a bit unfair to compare them in this way. Certainly, the service has been excellent and the room I am in looks to have been recently renovated. It may also be that when some venues in the hotel open up there will be more to it. There are 4 or 5 restaurants on site and the sky bar, which I visited this evening. I have not eaten here other than breakfast, mainly due to the prices. They are not exorbitant, but I have done very well with some of the recommendations provided on this forum for a fraction of the cost. I have to say the sky bar is pretty special and it has pretty special prices to match, but you are paying for the view and the night skyline is pretty fantastic. Would I stay here again? If I got a repeat of the deal I am on, then yes. Otherwise, as is my butterfly nature, I might try somewhere else. You won’t go wrong if you do decide to stay here though. There is a really cute waiter I have my on in case it transpires he is available…. I think it is a forlorn hope however. The guy I met yesterday came back over for a repeat session. I am usually more of a butterfly but it was good yesterday so thought I would go back to the well.... it was still really good and two climaxes later, we went our separate ways. He really is very cute. Thai guy who has been in the hotel trade for years it seems, working all over. He has a very small frame with tiny hands – about half the size of mine! I have always loved small guys with big dicks and he didn’t disappoint. I headed over to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Some nice things in there. An interesting exhibition on heritage architecture in the city and how much of it is being lost with the new developments. Then over to Central Embassy with a specific mission to check out the Paul Smith store. I was curious to know if it would be any cheaper than back in the UK, it wasn’t so left empty handed. Then back to the hotel for a meeting with Nut and a massage. He was great and I will be surprised if I don’t ask him over again before I leave. He did pour the oil on me though which I know @vinapuwould disapprove of – he didn’t drench me in the stuff though. He had quoted 1500 bht (including tip) to come to my hotel and I was very happy to pay him 2000 bht. Given that another guy on Grindr wanted 4000 bht (!) I thought Nut was extremely good value. He works in a spa massage place in the Silom Complex, I can’t remember the exact name, but he said that it was mainly local Thai guys that went there so it was not suffering as much as those places that relied on the tourist trade. I did enquire, using @vinapu's technique of asking him to select a partner to provide a 4 hands massage. He said he would but only if it was just a massage. He couldn’t do sex stuff if there was another boy involved. Fair enough I suppose. Following recommendation from @tm_nycI went to Somtum Der for some dinner. Excellent. And then to answer @z909 call I walked over to check out Hot Male. It was about 9pm at this point. 7/8 guys on stage. Well not on stage as I was the only customer in the place. As soon as I came in the door they all leapt onto stage to present themselves. They said that there was a show at 10.30pm and that they were shutting at midnight. I didn’t stay. On to Fresh Boys and a similar tale. There may have been two customers in there but it was difficult to tell. They were on their phones but sat at the back like they could have been customers and I didn’t really pay them attention – I think they were young ish so may have been extra boys? The boys (again 7/8) were already on stage when I entered the venue though so perhaps they were customers. I was told the show starts at 10pm and again they were closing at midnight. Drinks were 350 bht which felt pricy and back to regular cost for what was on offer so didn’t hang around. In both venues, the boys were in jeans but bare chested. Closed the night with a couple of cocktails in the Sky Bar back at Banyan Tree. I might yet check out Grindr but I think I am done for the night. Tomorrow I want to head over to Warehouse 30 and go to the night market at Talad Rod Fai. Depending on how things work out I might check out Hot Male and Fresh Boys again tomorrow. Now that I am back in my room I kind of wish they were still open as I am feeling in the mood for it now. It has been a busy day though and I can’t complain – 3 loads shot today is probably quite enough.

Anyone know about The Sun Club Tawan? I passed it last night on way back to hotel after I had been to Mango Tree. Seems to be advertising itself as a BDSM place.

I did head over to Paradis for a massage. It was ok. Not great, and certainly not poor - middle of the road. After a busy today today (more in a minute) I have Nut coming over to give me a massage tomorrow. I am sure others have mentioned Nut - maybe not the same person, but I am hopeful that he will deliver... I wandered about a bit last night to get my bearings again. It was still quite early in the evening but even so, it was very quiet. I can confirm that @vinapu selection of Chicken and Cashew at the multi-award winning Foodland is excellent.... I wandered around for a bit and ended up The Balcony for a couple of drinks. It was probably 8pm ish by this point and there were maybe 6/7 others in there. The rest of Soi 4 was also pretty dead. It may have livened up later but I was really tired. I stopped at 7-11 picked up a couple of beers and retired to the hotel. I slept well and was down to breakfast at 8am. The breakfast here is fantastic. I will do a more considered review of Banyan Tree in a day or two when i have had chance to check it all out. After breakfast I got moved out of my Day 1 PCR room to my original room booking. A higher floor with great views over the city and much newer i think. It looks fresher (particularly the carpet!) and has a more luxurious feel to it. Possible too nice - I could have easily stayed in my room and not bothered going out! Having thought about various options, I headed over to the Jam Factory to see what that was like. Sad to say, that there is virtually nothing there anymore. I had heard and read that it was a great place to spend some time combined with some potential for interesting shopping. Not so much anymore. The cafe and bookshop are great (well, the bookshop looks great - lots of interesting titles but all in Thai so nothing for me) but that is all there really is now. Covid seems to have hit hard. I wandered over to IconSiam which 5 min walk. Much quieter than my last visit two years ago. The food market was as tempting as it was last time, but i had filled up on breakfast so wasn't really in the mood for more food. On a recommendation I headed over to Kathmandu Photo Gallery. What a fantastic little place. I did not know Manit Sriwanichpoom's work before going to his gallery. I really liked it and wanted to buy one of his books that was on display. Unfortunately, it was the only copy of the volume that they had in stock and they wouldn't sell it to me. I will certainly be looking him up and seeing what else I can find out about him. Again, on recommendations, I headed to another shop that was close, The House of Chao. Very disappointing. It is an antique shop but the object in there were not that special and inflated prices in my opinion. The day was not turning out as I had hoped. Two of three recommendations were pretty duff. In the case of the Jam Factory, I am sure that pre-Covid there would have been more of interest. I really wasn't feeling any appetite for boy hook-ups. I headed back to the hotel, had a shower (it was really humid today and when the Thais seem to be feeling it as well, it must be pretty full on) and flopped on the bed to get some sleep. I didn't really sleep, but after an hour I switched on Grindr "just to see what was about"... Of course I ended up hooking up with a local (not a money boy) and had a very nice couple of hours testing out the bed in the new room. Grindr is proving really good for me. So much so, that I haven't bothered with the clubs tonight. After working up an appetite I headed over to Mango Tree for dinner. I knew I should have known better when the waiter asked if "I liked a bit of spice?", which I do - I can handle a bit of chilli heat. This nearly blew my head off. I really enjoyed it, but it was very spicy! The waiter was very cute and got a red note for his attentions. Now to bed, more soon.

What time are the boy bars, I mean restaurants, opening? Are they opening earlier to compensate?

I have finally made it back to BKK! It is two years since I was here last, my first time in the city, and I have had to cancel the trip at least twice during that period because of Covid. I long debated whether i would come this time with all the restrictions still in place and the danger of testing positive and ending up in a hospital for 10 days! I arrived at 5am this morning, was in my room and tested by 6.30am. The test results came back all clear at 1.30pm. Not a bad turnaround I suppose. In June last year I picked up an amazing flight deal which worked out at 50% of the normal price of return Premium Economy with Swiss. It turns out that the tickets were in fact Business Class, so probably only about 20% of the usual cost. Swiss Business is not the best in the world, but still comes with a lie flat bad so it was plenty good enough for me, that and kick starting the holiday with very many glasses of champagne, there are worse ways to begin a trip. I have done a similar flight a few years ago to Vietnam and the experience was a smooth as it was then. A short hop from London Heathrow to Zurich and then the 10h30 flight to BKK. I was glad that I had printed off all the documentation - Thai Pass, Pre-departure PCR test certificate, Vaccine certificate, Hotel booking, Health Insurance cover note, as they were scrutinised at 5 different points along the route. And I mean scrutinised! At each point the documents were really looked at to make sure they all checked out. I was a little nervous because whilst I had timed everything within the rules, my pre departure test was right on the line. I could see the check in guy at Heathrow doing the maths in his head.... When I booked the flights, I also found a stunning deal for the Banyan Tree. Whilst the first night is in their "basic" room for the Day 1 test, I was able to upgrade the room for a fraction of the cost. For the week it is working out at about 50% of its usual price. The Day Test here was more expensive than elsewhere, but the service I have had has been extremely efficient. I have now had the all clear and am free to go about my business.... And get to business I have. I just had a guy from Grindr come over which was fun. I am thinking about heading over to Silom to get a massage at Paradis. A boy from there has been messaging me since I opened up Grindr. They don't appear to have had any customers today. I will wander over soon to do my bit for the local economy. After that, I think I will visit @vinapurecommended 5* eating experience and then, depending on the time, check out what the scene is like and what is open. That is, as long as the jet lag doesn't hit hard. I have had quite an exhausting day already.....