jimmie50

Some places are classified as H places where full service is offered and expected. S - Soft (Hand Job mostly) and SS - Super Soft (B2B) places have stricter rules. There is a limit to what the therapists can offer in S and SS shops, and going beyond that will incur the wrath of management. This does not mean that more is never offered at such places, but that is something to discuss in private with the therapist once the doors are closed.

Currently in Sukhothai where they are having a Candle Festival. It is happening as scheduled, but fireworks are canceled. Instead they are doing light shows with laser, drones, etc. as it is more respectful in light of the Queen Mother's passing. I suspect adjustments are being made around all of Thailand to any sort of festival or celebration out of respect.

I think it really depends on the masseur, regardless of which shop you visit. I have gone to Prestige a number of times now and even though most people indicate it is only HJ or B2B, I have gotten full service. I am currently in Thailand, and as a newbie on here, what I discovered is even though a shop may be strictly HJ or B2B, some masseurs are willing to do more. The only way to know for sure is to ask the masseur directly to determine what their limits are. When doors are closed, they are sometimes willing to break the 'house rules' of management. However, this is something you don't discuss with management, but with the therapist directly. Just my humble 2 cents opinion.

I have done a number of tours over the years with Trafalgar and really enjoyed them. All of my previous tours were in Europe. I haven't done a tour since COVID, so wasn't sure what to expect this time. You never know what adjustments or changes they made and decided to keep after COVID that could possibly create a different experience. So far, I am very pleased with the service. Accommodations have all been excellent, food has been traditional and delicious with a wide variety, and the daily excursions/activities have been fun as well as informative. I would certainly do it again.

Day 14 Sukhothai Another early morning start. Our tour director has warned us that today will be a long travel day, as it will take approximately 6 hours to reach Sukhothai. This does not include stops along the way. First stop on our journey was at a roadside stand selling sticky rice, but unlike any other I have had in Thailand before. This was sweetened with coconut milk and sugar, mixed with taro or beans, and pressed into a piece of bamboo about 12-15 inches long. They used black or purple rice, and cook the rice in the bamboo over charcoal fire for around 90 minutes. Once the sticky rice is removed from the fire, the use a pick or hatchet to split open the bamboo. Using a spoon you eat the sticky rice directly from the bamboo. Very different texture from mango sticky rice, and this is always warm as you eating it coming directly from the charcoal. It was really quite delicious. Next stop was a visit to Bhutsaya Khiri Suvarnabhumi, also known as the Rock Buddha. This is an old mining area that was no longer used and a monk convinced the government to give the land to allow a temple and seated buddha to be built. The project was started in 2014 and completed in 2019. It was quite impressive to see, as was the accompanying elevated viewing walkway. The engineering required to build the walkway was fascinating. Next stop was at Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park, which I believe is a UNESCO site. During the Sukhothai Kingdom, this city was known as Chakangrao and was an important part of the defense system for the kingdom. Next stop was lunch at a nice garden restaurant ‘off the beaten path’ so to speak, with some traditional but different dishes than we have had previously. After lunch, another two hours on the bus before arriving at our hotel in Sukhothai. A good day, but kind of travel weary. Looking forward to a good nights sleep after our group dinner. Had a nice chat with Bee online before turning in for the evening.

Day 13 Kanchanaburi It seems there is some special event for high school students taking place in Kanchanaburi sponsored by a local university. Not sure of the event purpose, but the students are from Bangkok and I am assuming they attend a private school with English being the main language. Instructors were all native English speakers. This resort is quite large, so with the exception of breakfast this morning, we haven’t seen much of them. There is a Convention Pavilion on the property which is where most of their activities are taking place. Restaurant staff seemed slightly frazzled trying to deal with 100+ teenagers plus all of their regular guests. Our out today is to Hellfire Pass. Both the museum/cemetery visit yesterday, and this trip to Hellfire Pass were very emotional. We heard the harrowing stories of how the 500-meter-long and 26-meter-deep section of rock was dug out by Prisoners of War using no more than picks, hammers and their bare hands. Exploring the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum gave me cause for some serious reflection. My father was in the army during World War II, and was stationed in the Philippines. As I was looking at the exhibits and reading the stories, even though he was not a POW I stopped to think what if he had been captured and sent here. Conditions were just horrific. It really brought tears to my eyes. It is quite a physical trek, about 70 meters down, but there is a well-built and maintained path. Be aware it includes many sections of steep steps, however. You also should come prepared with spray for the mosquitos. They are quite abundant and very hungry. Once on the trail, there are no restrooms available, no return services, and no water…so go prepared. You need to plan for more than just one hour here…we spent probably three hours at the site before departing for lunch. The museum and pass were actually built/developed by the Australian government. They maintain the site, and even pay the salaries of workers. We drove about 20 minutes from the Museum to a local restaurant for lunch of traditional Thai dishes: minced pork w/holy basil, chicken wings, shrimp in tamarind sauce, green vegetable and soup. The shrimp dish and green vegetable are unique or special to this area of Thailand. Soup was all vegetables in some sort of a tomato based broth, but not spicy at all. After lunch we headed back to the river for a long tail boat ride enjoying the mountains and jungle scenery, ending with a taste of culture at Mon Tribal Village. Busy day, but very satisfying as well. Group had dinner together at the hotel restaurant…a very nice buffet dinner with a mix of Thai and Western (fried chicken nuggets and baked macaroni and cheese). Depart for Sukhothai in the morning. And, of course, been chatting with Bee. Actually good the tour is keeping me so busy that it is serving as a distraction from not being able to see him again this trip. ‘sigh’ Heard from Sam at Paradise again as well. Kind of given up on the idea of anything with the cute bus attendant. He is always busy helping everyone and that's his job...I get it. Once we are dropped off at the hotel, the bus, driver and attendant all disappear. The only one we ever see around the hotel is the tour director until our pick up time the next day. No idea where those two are actually eating and sleeping. Besides...keeping my focus on Bee at the moment.

Day 12 Kanchanaburi Another early morning start. Departure from Bangkok was 6:30am once again. Everyone had to request a to go breakfast box and have luggage downstairs in the lobby by 6:15am so it could be loaded onto the bus. Will be staying at Felix River Kwai Resort for the next two nights. Tour Director said travel time would be around three hours to Kanchanaburi, and I believe most everyone slept for a big portion of that time. Upon arrival we went to the Thailand-Burma Railway Center, and the War Cemetery where over 6000 prisoners of war were laid to rest. I really don’t recall much from my history lessons about the impact of WW2 in this area. Yes, I know there was a famous movie produced about the Bridge over the River Kwai, but I never watched it. Walking through the museum exhibits and reading about how terrible the conditions were for the POW’s, I was curious why more isn’t said. We are constantly reminded about the European front and how terrible the holocaust was, but you hear very little about the Asian front. This stop was a bit of an eye-opener for me, and I want to learn more once I return to Denver. After a couple of hours here, we traveled to see the infamously named Death Railway. We had a delicious traditional Thai lunch at a restaurant near the train station. After lunch we boarded a local train for a ride with gorgeous views over the river and a journey across wooden viaducts. We rode the train for approximately 45-50 minutes before getting off. Our coach was waiting to take us to see the famous bridge. Had a chance to actually walk out on the bridge. The resort is located just a short distance across the river. Had a nice group dinner together to bring our day to a close. Fortunately, no early departure tomorrow for the days activities. Heard from all three of my young men today. Think they were checking up on me. lol. Was actually surprised to hear from the first Grinder guy. Don’t want to encourage him too much since I am really not interested. Sam from Paradise was just checking in, and chatted a few times with Bee throughout the day.

I would strongly recommend to go with a knowledgeable guide who is able to provide more details. I had visited Ayutthaya once before with my Thai friends, but they really didn't know a lot about the history themselves. I enjoyed this visit much more because the guide was able to provide the missing historical pieces.

Thanks for clarifying that. I should have been more specific. Sorry for that.

Summer Palace closed during covid, and has not re-opened. Our guide, who has been doing this for 32 years, said she wasn't aware of any plans to open it again for tours. Not sure what the lingering issues may be.

Day 11 Ayutthaya Our day started with an early morning (6:30am!) coach ride to visit Ayutthaya, Thailand's historic core, now an intriguing archaeological park with palace, temple, and statue ruins. Highlights of the day were visits to Wat Maha That and Wat Lokayasutharam. We probably had about four hours exploring the ancient grounds. Our tour guide was excellent and provided a lot of interesting historical information that helped put things in better perspective for me. I had visited Ayutthaya previously with my Thai friends, but even they do not know all of the history. For them it was just a visit to some old ruins, but they could not provide any context. While I enjoyed visiting with my friends, I appreciated this experience more because of the historical information. Next, we had a cruise back to Bangkok, savoring a buffet lunch with Chao Phraya River views, local scenes, and landmarks like the Royal Grand Palace and Wat Arun. It was a full day, with plenty of walking, but well worth the repeat visit. The tour company used Grand Pearl cruise, and the food was excellent and plentiful. It is a smaller boat, so only our group was on board for the lunch and cruise back to Bangkok. I’ve done a dinner river cruise in Bangkok before that was large, packed like sardines, and the food so-so. We returned to the hotel around 5:30pm, so I sent a text to Bee right away. He is still working, but will come to the hotel when he finishes for the day so we can spend a little time together tonight before the bus leaves Bangkok in the morning. Last night in the city. Had Bee not been available, I was considering a visit this evening to FaFa, but would prefer to spend my time with Bee. Walked to a Subway just down the street from my hotel and picked up sandwiches and soda we can share together in the room. Would prefer to do that than leave, run around trying to find a place to eat, order, wait for food, etc., all of which cuts into my quality alone time with him. lol.

From what I can tell, the shops are less expensive and most options are available, but the facilities are lacking compared to Silom/Surawong and walk-ins are not as readily available at most of the shops. They prefer reservations if you want a specific young man. Also, I found it more challenging communicating with the Saphan Kwai shops in English.

That was my dilemma. I had all of these shops I wanted to visit, but once here got quickly side-tracked with other opportunities and never made it to some of the shops on my short list. Wish I hadn't booked the tour to Northern Thailand, but was no way to cancel and was already paid for. As they say, hindsight is 20/20. Next time..

Day 10 Bangkok Well, woke up to the news that the Queen Mother had passed away. Not sure what impact that will have on our itinerary for the day. This morning we are scheduled to go to the Grand Palace, but I suspect it may be closed. I believe we should be ok to visit Wat Arun and Thongburi Klongs. Was just about to hop in the shower when the power went off in the hotel. Pitch dark in the room. Was out for about 30 minutes. No clue what the problem was. Could have been an outage in the area, or just something with this building. The hotel room is larger than Ibis, but not by much, and little to no storage. You can definitely tell this is an older building. It is showing signs of wear over the years. Breakfast buffet was really very similar to Ibis. There was a mix of Asian and Western cuisines, eggs cooked to order, pastries, bread for toast, fresh fruits, cold cereals, juices and coffee. No idea about the cost of breakfast here since it is included in the tour package. Breakfast and Lunch is included every day, plus five dinners. Group is an interesting mix of people, but I find that always to be the case when I have taken other tours. Smaller group than usual, with only 22 persons total. Six from Australia…believe they are all related somehow, late 60’s or early 70’s and retired. Four retired females from Canada who do an annual trip together, again late 60’s or early 70’s. Mother/son duo from LA. Son is probably mid-30’s and mother mid-60’s. Lesbian couple from Arizona…late 40’s or early 50’s. Single female from San Diego. Four male friends from Orlando in mid-30’s who enjoy taking tours together. No hint whatsoever of ‘family’. Way too much testosterone in that group, and interest in the World Series. lol. Two other retired females, but don’t recall where they are from, and then me. Two of the Aussie’s have health issues and were struggling to keep up with the group today because there is a lot of walking involved. In addition to the Tour Director and Bus Driver, there is also a Bus Assistant to help with luggage, entry/exit on bus, pass out cold water, etc. The assistant is a handsome young man in mid-20’s I would guess and sexy as all get out. Had a difficult time taking my eyes off of him. Chose a seat on the bus strategically located next to the ice chest where he retrieves the water for everyone, always look him directly in the eye and thank him by name for everything. He always responds with the biggest smile. Not sure where the staff lodge when we are outside Bangkok, but need to investigate that a little more. lol. No surprise. Grand Palace was officially closed to observe a 100 day period of mourning and to prepare for the funeral of Queen Mother. I suspected that was going to happen, as did most of the rest of the group. We did get to see the Reclining Buddha and Emerald Buddha. The grounds and building that houses the Emerald Buddha were actually more impressive than the Buddha. I had no idea it was so small. Anyway, no real excitement to report. Had a nice lunch at a restaurant along the river not far from the Grand Palace and continued on our scheduled itinerary. Returned to the hotel around 5pm, so plenty of time to get into mischief if I decide to venture back out this evening. Some in the group opted for an additional item to visit the Jim Thompson House. Been there before, so decided against going again. Had a nice chat via LINE with Bee. Decided if I got back to the hotel tomorrow and it wasn’t too late, we will try to meet briefly one more time before the bus heads north on Monday.

I am not a long distance person, so that wouldn't work. If this ends up happening, I'll be changing my retirement plans from Colorado to Thailand. Like you, I have 'been there, done that' with a young man in Peru and another in Guatemala. Was in a long term for ten+ years with someone from Taiwan, but we lived together both in US and Taiwan. So, from that standpoint, the only way this would really work for me is if I am living in Thailand. Going to take my friends up on their condo offer and plan to return in February for at least two months, possibly three. That will allow us to spend more time together and really get to know each other better. For now, just going slow and easy.