ChristianPFC

BER isn't open yet. I flew from TXL (Berlin Tegel airport). There is a joke: Instead of continuing construction of BER airport, wouldn't it be cheaper to demolish the city of Berlin and build it new next to an operational airport? (Original in German: Wäre es nicht billiger, Berlin abzureißen und neben einem funktionierenden Flughafen wieder aufzubauen?) There will be more. I have four articles in mind: general observations, gay activities, sightseeing, costs (i.e. how much money I spent on what).

Brazil Sep2020 General Observations Comparison to Germany (my fatherland) and Thailand (where I spend a lot of time) and elsewhere in Asia. The problem with going to so many places is that there is always something better or worse than elsewhere, and I want all the good in one place! Exchange rates: 1 EUR = 6.41 BRL (Brazilian real), 1 USD = 5.51 BRL, 1 BRL = 5.73 THB (25sep2020). Some of what I write is exaggerated for humorous effect. Originally published here: https://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2020/09/brazil-sep2020-general-observations.html This article will be published on Boytoy and Sawatdeenetwork as well. Cleanliness of public areas There was more garbage lying in the streets and more people going through garbage looking for recyclables than in Thailand. I frequently noticed smell of pee or poo in the streets (in Paris in 2012, there was smell of pee only under the Seine bridges, in Thailand I didn’t notice smell of pee or poo, in some areas in Berlin there is a lot of dog poo). On the other hand, I saw fewer rats and cockroaches than in Thailand. But there were pigeons picking in a heap of rubbish. Disgusting! More homeless people than anywhere else I have been, most notably in groups or families (with babies and adolescents); whereas in Thailand mostly isolated individuals, and those who live near my room in Bangkok, not sound of mind. There was graffiti everywhere, more than I have ever seen before. Graffiti, tattooing and piercing seem to be national pastimes. Covid In public transport and shops wearing a mask was compulsory, and most people wore their mask outside as well. Some places I wanted to go to closed for Covid. Temperature checks in some places, alcohol gel dispensers for hand disinfection in many places. Flight to Brazil and back My flights (Berlin via Paris to Sao Paulo with Air France, Rio de Janeiro via Amsterdam to Berlin with KLM) were at price (508 Euro return) and times as I think it would have been before Covid. Empty airports, no queues at check-in, security, passport control. Departure and arrival ahead of schedule. Full meal service on Air France, reduced service on KLM but still full meals. Brazilian immigration asked for my length of stay, so I showed my return flight. The flights Berlin to Paris and Amsterdam to Berlin were ¼ full, the flights Paris to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to Amsterdam about 2/3 full. Side note: this was my first flight with Air France, my first flight with KLM, and my first flight across the Atlantic. My father asked what kind of airplane I flew with. I’m not familiar with the types, and it doesn’t make a difference to me, so all I can say is: it was a monoplane. (A joke, original in German: "Na so eins mit zwei Flügeln!" I have no interest in cars either, if someone asks me "What car did he drive?" - "I don't know. It was black. Oh, and it had four wheels!") Hold luggage would have cost 40 EUR extra each way. So I took only hand luggage and bought additional clothes in Brazil and did laundry. In the history of mankind, nobody has ever traveled that far with that little luggage. Food In Thailand I usually stay in hotels without breakfast, because I know Thai food and can get breakfast outside easily. But in Brazil, I would not want to start my day having to search for a place to eat and then decide what to eat. That applies to the rest of my meals, I stuck to food I know (pizza, pasta), or places with English menus as I’m not adventurous to try unknown food. Everything I had tasted good (whereas my memories of meals in Cambodia are negative) and was cheaper than in Germany, but more expensive than in Thailand. I’m sure knowing the local food will allow saving money. I spotted a lot of cheese and vine in the supermarket and assume they are regionally produced and cheap (whereas in Thailand imported and expensive). A lot of meat hanging in the butcher’s shop. I didn’t see any vegetarian restaurants (I have vegetarian friends who get along well in Thailand food-wise). Globalization When I was in Taiwan in 2018, I had a meal “Gyudon with 4 cheese” in a Japanese fast-food chain Sukiya that was delicious. By chance, I found the same chain Sukiya with the same dish at the same price and same taste in Bangkok, and now in Brazil! That seems to apply to ATM fees as well. In Cambodia the fee is 5 USD (I tried once to see if my credit card works as a back-up), in Myanmar 6 USD (ditto), in Thailand around 6 USD, and in Brazil Banco24horas showed 24 BRL = 4.5 USD. Same for entry prices worldwide: Eiffel tower 25.90 EUR; Sugarloaf 116 BRL = 19 EUR, Royal Palace in Bangkok 500 THB = 14 EUR. The variation of entry price is much lower than the variation of GDP per capita for the countries quoted. Health benefits Nowadays I can’t imagine how I could endure German autumn and winter for over 30 years, and one of the reasons why I went to Brazil was to escape the weather. I get cold hands and feet easily in Germany (all the time except in summer; a first-world problem). No part of my body feeling cold in Brazil, that alone was worth the trip. Update: my mother bought me a pair of furry slippers, at least I don’t have to suffer from cold feet now. In Germany, I get tinnitus (probably low blood circulation, related to cold hands and feet) that quickly goes away when I’m in Thailand. In Brazil as well! In Germany, I get dandruff and skin rash, but that quickly disappears in Thailand and Brazil. I think it’s because in Thailand and Brazil I shower every day and before and after sex, whereas in Germany only every other week. In Germany, I get athlete’s foot (from wearing closed shoes all the time, see cold feet above), that quickly goes away in Thailand in flip-flops (flip-flops save a lot of time anyway, except for hiking and travel in air-conditioned bus or airplane, I wear them all the time). In Brazil I didn't go to places where you have to take off your shoes (like temples in Thailand, I go to many and flip-flops are very convenient), so I didn't buy flip-flops, but next time I will. Blasphemy? In Germany, I gain weight (eat a lot, sedentary lifestyle); in Thailand, I lose weight (walk a lot). In Brazil, my weight was stable. The only negative is sunburn. After two days in Sao Paulo without sun protection, my skin was red and I covered up to avoid a sunburn. Health insurance I took “Hanse-Merkur Jahres-Auslands­Krankenversicherung” at a cost of 17 EUR (valid for one year, each trip maximum 56 days). I asked them for a document that states the exact requirements of Brazilian immigration and got it the following day. My health insurance was requested at check-in and at Brazilian immigration. Hotels All hotels I stayed in (SP Hotel Moncloa in Rua Augusta, RJ Hotel Atlântico Rio and Augusto's Copacabana Hotel, both near metro Cantagalo) had breakfast included and a room safe and were reasonably priced and I would recommend them. Hotel Atlântico Rio, booked for 80 BRL per night on agoda, was the best value for money I ever stayed in. They had a full breakfast buffet. Breakfast was busy with guests, always guests at reception or in lobby, and when I wanted to stay longer they were fully booked. Room safe was 6 digits which had to be entered twice (elsewhere 4 digits, enter once). Early check-in (8 or 10 am) was not a problem in the two hotels I arrived early. Booking at reception competitive with agoda in two cases I extended my stay. Different to Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, where receptionists told me they can't match the price on agoda and advised me to book on agoda to save money. Reduced breakfast (individually packed and served due to Covid and low number of guests) and full breakfast buffet. Language National language of Brazil is Portuguese, with little English spoken outside hotels for tourists. I can read French fluently as a foreign language, which allows me to understand half of written Portuguese (the laundry instructions in next article I understand completely). But understanding spoken Portuguese close to zero, same for writing or speaking. In preparation of the trip, I had a look at Portuguese phrasebooks and videos on youtube and spend some hours. But after a few days in Brazil it became clear that I will not spend extended time in the future and I abandoned learning Portuguese. German is spoken in Germany, Austria and most of Switzerland. English is spoken in UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Why oh why do there have to be Portuguese and Spanish? It’s a nuisance like driving on the left or right side of the road, or different power plugs in different parts of the world, and creates a mental block in my brain. Each language for itself is below the threshold worth of learning for me, but if they were one language I would learn it. Laundry I did not bring enough clothes for the entire trip. Washing my clothes in the bathroom sink was not convincing. Results could be improved by bringing a plug. Tip for drying: wrap clothes after washing in towel from hotel and wring it. Thus, the towel will absorb some water and the clothes will dry faster. Or use a hair dryer (during rainy season in Myanmar in 2018, that was the only way I could get my clothes dry). Laundry at my hotel was outrageously expensive (for trousers/pants wash and iron 28 BRL; that means for 6 times wash and iron I can buy a new one!). A friend told me that laundry is expensive, and numbers I saw at laundry services in the street where high and there is the language barrier, so I decided to use a public laundry. The closest (1 km away) to my hotel that I could find on google was Lavanderias Laundromat in Shopping dos Antiquários (open 24/7). Payment only cashless. I asked people, cannot pay with Riocard (whereas in Taiwan easycard can be used for everything), only with credit/debit card. My credit card (consorsbank Germany) is accepted! Else I would have had to ask other customers to pay cashless for me and give them cash in return; I was wearing my last set of fresh clothes. Washing was 18 BRL which is not cheap. And had I known that drying costs the same, I would have taken my clothes home to dry in my room. Detergent and softener added automatically by the washing machine. Thailand wins hands down (laundry available everywhere and cheap). In Myanmar I had similar problems (had to walk 1 km from my hotel to laundry service, not cheap compared to Thailand). Money exchange and ATMs 10sep2020. In GRU (Sao Paulo international airport), go to ATM Banco24Horas (red). A fee of 24 BRL is shown, followed by an offer for DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion with a very unfavorable rate) which I decline. Afterwards error message and card ejected. Go to blue ATM24hs. A fee of 39.90 BRL is shown, followed by offer for DCC which I decline. Afterwards error message and card ejected. Both attempts were with comdirect visa card (bank account in Euro in Germany, bank offers worldwide cash withdrawal without fees which worked well in SEAsia). Go to money exchange booth (at least there I deal with people). Their exchange rate is 1 EUR = 5.44 BRL. But that does not include fees/taxes. For 100 EUR I get 520 BRL, a loss of 17% against xe.com 6.29, my worst money exchange ever. In SEAsia, I have it down to 0.5-1% loss against xe.com. In Frei Caneca shopping mall, try again at Banco24horas: communication failure. Try at bradesco: card declined. (Upon returning to Germany, I find that my comdirect credit card has been cancelled by my bank because there was fraud attempt two days before I went to Brazil. The first time such thing happened to me, and that explains why my card was rejected.) I have another visa card (consorsbank), Try at Banco24horas: communication failure. Try at bradesco, finally works and I get 1000 BRL from ATM. Processed at 1 EUR = 6.21 BRL, a loss of 2 % against xe.com 6.30. At money exchange (“Confidence Cambio” blue on white) in Frei Caneca shopping mall get 575 BRL for 100 EUR (a loss of 9% against xe.com). Both money exchanges did not have rates displayed, and it took the clerk at Confidence Cambio a while to calculate the effective rate (5.80 before, 5.75 after taxes/fees). In both exchanges, passport was required. 16sep2020. There is an ATM in my hotel lobby (Hotel Atlântico Rio near metro Cantagalo), how convenient! WRONG! This ATM offers up to 2200 BRL (others maximum 1000), I go for 1500 and decline DCC. Without any further communication, a fee of 193.89 BRL is shown and the transaction is processed. That is 11% of the withdrawn amount. Exchange rate was 6.14, a loss of 2% against xe.com 6.24. There is a small chance that DCC was displayed in a way that is misleading/confusing and I pushed the wrong button and accepted. The take-home message is: avoid ATMs in airports and hotels, and when DCC is offered, rather press “cancel” on the keyboard than on screen. For money exchange, SEAsia wins hands down over Brazil. People Brazil is a mixture of races like I have never seen before. There were White, Yellow, Red, Brown and Black; only an Eskimo would stick out of the crowd. That means everyone can blend in (whereas in SEAsia a White immediately sticks out as a foreigner). The downside is that everyone will approach you in Portuguese, and with mask they can’t see my helpless look because I don’t understand what they are saying. Everyone I met was nice to me and tried to help, with or without speaking a common language. Public transport I took buses or metro wherever possible. Riocard is useful as it can be used on various public transport. Metro in Rio is 5 BRL, bus 4.05 BRL per trip (high inflation, on the internet you still find outdated cheaper prices). I spotted these devices in the metro: rent a power bank, rent an umbrella, free condoms (size 52, too small for many of the dicks I saw in the saunas) Quarantine in Germany During my trip to Brazil, a 14-day-quarantine for people coming from risk areas was introduced. That does not affect me much, as I don’t work and spend most of the day home anyway. Now I have to keep a diary and measure my temperature twice per day, and health officers call me every day to ask how I’m feeling. Since my birth, I haven’t gotten that much attention! Safety My biggest concern was safety. Warnings and stories about muggings and robberies are plentiful on the internet, and this video From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4x23ie9hNc Thieves stealing a phone on a walkway in the centre of São Paulo look The speed of these Jan 24, 2017 To be on the safe side, I left my good mobile phone in room and took only my old phone (bought in 2016) outside. I left my main wallet with cards in my room and carried money on two places on my body (a habit I have been following for years, everywhere). The only thing I did not have backed-up was my camera. In SEAsia I carry it on my neck all the time. I got advice not to carry my camera around my neck, and I didn’t see anyone in Brazil carrying a camera around his neck, so I put mine in my pocket and took a second camera (bought in 2009, doesn’t work any more) as a decoy. Thank god I didn’t need any of these back-ups and decoys! While there are signs of increased safety measures (compared to Europe or SEAsia) like money transport cars look like tanks, presence of police in bulletproof vests and carrying rifles, most properties walled or fenced, with barbed wire / razor wire or electric fence on top, entrance via a (lock chamber? what would you call it in English? In German "Schleuse" like the lock (water navigation)); I never felt insecure (and I did plenty of walking around town SP and RJ at day or night). People I observed behaved just like anywhere else I have been (i.e. wear wristwatches, use their phone in public, carry backpacks or tote bags). On my first trip to Cambodia in 2014 I almost had my mobile phone stolen. I was standing at the road and holding it high and away from my body to get GPS when two men on a mocy drove past and tried to grab it but failed. Since then, I stand on a wall or on a post when using my phone in public. SIM-card Couldn’t find the TIM shop closest (by google maps) to my hotel. But I spotted Claro in Frei Caneca shopping mall. Go there and with help of google translate get a SIM-card (10 BRL for prepaid SIM-card and 40 BRL for 4 GB data within two weeks, the card will be valid for 3 months). Tap water I drank liters of tap water in SP and RJ without negative effect. Now I can add these to my long list of cities where I drank tap water (Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket; Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Pakse; Hanoi, Danang, Saigon; Yangon, Mandalay; Phnom Penh, Siem Reap; Taipei, Taizhong, Kaohsiung). Wile hiking in the mountains, I drank water from a stream. Uber I prefer walking and public transport over taxi. Everything under 5 km I rather walk, everything over 10 km I rather take public transport. I used uber only twice during two weeks. What I did not consider was that you either have to verify your identity with a CPF (individual taxpayer registry identification, which I don’t have) or submit your credit card information (my credit card was in my room, and the paper where I wrote down the numbers were in my room, and I don’t know them by heart), so my first trip I wanted to make failed and I had to walk. Weather/Climate Most of my trip, weather was great. Only my last days in Rio gave an outlook of what their next months will be: rainy. I didn’t have big plans, so staying in all day because it was raining all day was not a problem for me. Rainy season in Thailand usually one short and heavy downpour in the evening. But I had travel plans spoiled by rain in Thailand. Climate has a strong influence on my travel. With rainy and hot summers in SP and RJ, I rather go to SEAsia where it’s dry and cold (by local standards). Yellow fever No vaccination against yellow fever required for SP and RJ. I checked in Germany and it would cost me 160 EUR and I would have to go to Berlin to get a vaccination. A friend from the USA said it would cost him 450 USD there (doctors and the pharmaceutical industry are holding the entire USA hostage!), whereas in Brazil it’s free for everyone. In hindsight, I should have gotten a vaccination this trip (for possible future trips in Latin America), and will do next trip. Copyright 2020 ChristianPFC

I think I recognize the boy (staff in 117) in picture in post above. He has a tattoo above his eyebrow? I noticed him and I think he is cute. I'm just back from my first trip to Brazil, two weeks in SP and RJ. Points the OP raised: 1, some ATMs tried DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion with a very unfavorable rate) which would result in a loss of 10 to 15%. Can be easily averted. In the end, I got money from Bradesco without fee or DCC. 2, I got a SIM-card at Claro in Frei Caneca shopping center. The little required information was exchanged with google translate. 3, English is indeed more widely spoken in Thailand (and elsewhere in SEAsia) than in Brazil. On the other hand, I can read French as a foreign language fluently which allows me to understand half of written Portuguese. Even someone who cannot read a Romance language can read names of places in Portuguese, but not in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia or China. Some of my sauna visits were indeed slow (low number of customers and boys). But I have seen more body shapes and types than in Thailand, and the biggest dicks I have ever seen.

My trip is over, I´m waiting for departure. Certainly I will write about my experiences and start new topics. I do all my writing after trips. (I spend too much time on computer, holidays serve as digital detox where Igo online only to do what´s necessary for the trip.)

I made it to Brazil! In Sao Paulo now. There was a slight chance that immigration rule or airline rules change, but they did not and all that was different from travelling before Covid was wearing a mask and showing proof of health insurance at check-in and immigration. Full report when I´m back.

I'm from Germany, but spent the last years in and around Thailand. From reading this forum, e.g. it seem boys are paid by time, with 30 min or 1 hour common? Not my style, but if it works that way in Brazil I have to prepare mentally. All my encounters in SEAsia are open ended. If a boy tells me has only one hour time, I will tell "see you another day, when you have more time". With some boys I spend only 30 minutes in bed, but that's because activities are not what I'm looking and if it's not working out, there is no point to stretch it. Records (all with free boys) were 6 hours in bed (daytime, awake), one in Myanmar, one in Taiwan, one in Thailand, and after 6 hours I or he had other business to attend to.

My two credit cards are both Visa, and I will bring both and store in different locations (same Euro to exchange to BRL). Two mobile phones (the old one take with me, the new one keep in hotel), and money stored in two places. The only thing I don't have twice is my camera, now three years old, but it was expensive! I will have it hanging around my neck, so I can take pictures easily. Where can I find public toilets in Brazil? In Thailand I would go to shopping malls or temples for free toilets, and bus and railway stations sometimes have free, sometimes paid toilets.

Thanks everyone for their replies. Before my last post I had superficial look at agoda and was amazed at how low prices were, first impression was that hotels are cheaper than SEAsia. On closer look, some of these turned out to be hostels/dormitories. So I raise my budget for accommodation to 30 USD per night (I just need a bed, hot shower, aircon if necessary.) I will arrive in the morning, let's say I will be at the hotel 9 am, whereas common check-in time is 12 or 13. Free early check-in was never a problem in Thailand, but how about Brazil? The decision (to go to Brazil) is cast and the flights are booked, but I will keep Mexico in mind (was off my radar before; and before Covid Brazil was off my radar as well). "haggling prices in Bras, and 25 de Marco" Awful! I hate haggling to the extend that I don't buy at places that don't have the price displayed (because I hate having to ask for prices as well).

Some questions for my upcoming trip. When taking a taxi, can you sit in front? (In Thailand, I always sit in front for better view and comfort, but most people sit in the back.) Does anyone here drink tap water in Brazil? (I do so everywhere in SEAsia without negative effect.) Are hotels cheaper when booked on hotel booking websites online or walk-in? (Strangely, in SEAsia generally cheaper online, but I had a few that were cheaper in walk-in.) I will get a Brazilian SIM-card, not so much for calling and SMS, but mainly for data, at least 2 GB for my two week trip. I hope my experiences will entice me to come back to Brazil, for that case I want to to extend the validity. Which operator is particularly easy/cheap for long validity? Any hotel recommendations for SP and Rio? I like public transport, so it should be in walking distance to metro station and no problems to bring back boys. Price up to 20 USD per night. Internet says you can bring one mobile phone, but with two you might get questioned at immigration/customs. Any experiences? I will fly with hand luggage only (hold luggage would cost 80 EUR more for round trip). Is laundry service widely available? I will need to buy a full set of clothes in SP, recommendation where? (And afterwards leave them in Brazil, or try to sneak them into the plane as overweight/oversize hand luggage.) Most popular app for online dating is grindr, most popular messenger is whatsapp, most popular taxi is grab?

No news in English if the opening to tourist (30jun-28aug2020) will be extended. But poking around in google in Portuguese I found this official announcement: https://www.in.gov.br/web/dou/-/portaria-cc-pr-mjsp-minfra-ms-n-419-de-26-de-agosto-de-2020-274222561 Diário Oficial da União Publicado em: 26/08/2020 | Edição: 164-A | Seção: 1 - Extra | Página: 1 Órgão: Presidência da República/Casa Civil Relevant for us is Paragraph 6, after running through google translate: New to me is the minimum coverage of health insurance. No negative test of Covid taken no longer than 72 h before flight required by Brazilian immigration. And on website of airlines I might fly with (KLM, Air France) not mentioned either.

Thanks for your reports. What is GP? "Cum gutter" learned something new. For me it's more protruding hip bones (and shoulder blades as well) that turn me on.

I am happy with what Thailand and other countries in SEAsia have to offer boy-wise. Under normal circumstances there was no need for me to look elsewhere. But now that all of SEAsia is closed to tourists, I read about Brazil and conditions are favorable (distance, time and cost of flight similar to Thailand, and 90 days visa free stay for Germans is great!). How it works out in detail, how I will get along with Brazilians in bed, I can only find out by going there. Still nothing on internet or from embassy if the current opening will be extended beyond 28aug2020.

Germans returning from risk areas just have to take a covid test when arriving at the airport and then are free to go home.

I'm planning to travel for holiday to Brazil (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, total two weeks) in September. Thanks to everyone who shared their observations since the opening to tourists on 30jul2020. Some questions: As far as I know, the current opening to tourists is for 30 days. When and where will an extension or cancellation be announced? Those who have been, how strict is the check for health insurance at Brazilian immigration? There is travel health insurance available in Germany that covers Covid, which I haven't booked yet, so I don't know if the confirmation letter does state so in English. My background: I have never been to the Americas before and did take all my holiday and boy business to SEAsia, mainly Thailand. But currently they are all closed to tourist, and no end in sight. Brazil was not on my radar for a holiday and boy destination, but research now looks promising: travel time and cost similar to Thailand, 90 days visa free stay for Germans is great. I don't speak any Portuguese, but can read French fluently which will allow me to understand most signs (whereas in Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam: absolutely no idea!).

Stickman once quoted a bargirl saying something like: I wish Foreigners came only here as tourists and then go home after two weeks and not stay all year. It's not bad intend, just stupidity and following old laws that are appropriate any more. Good points by both Martinsen and DivineMadman. Thailand is not the ideal place to live for me. But after spending about 5 years in Thailand and traveling all over SEAsia except Philippines, considering what's important to me (ease of getting tourist visa, cost of living, food, boys) it comes out on top.

That title goes to divinemadman. See his blog on gay massage. I do 5 - 10 massages per year in Bangkok and Pattaya. In Thailand, it's not my main gay business, and for me overall rarely worth the time and money. But in Myanmar the situation is different, on my last 8d7n trip I had three massages (three different places and boys), and all worth a repeat!

Maybe you are too concerned about hotels? When I'm alone, I don't need much. So for first night I book some cheap place near bus or railway station or city center. And following days, for inviting boys to my room, something more luxury. In case of recent trip in Myanmar that would be a guesthouse with only cold water in shower for first night for 15 USD, and the following nights a hotel with breakfast included for 30 USD per night. In Thailand, I rarely book hotels, mostly walk-in. Even when I went to Indonesia in 2015, and Vietnam in 2016, I didn't have a hotel for my first night, just walk around tourist area and choose one. But nowadays immigration might ask for address or want to see hotel booking, so I book one for first night.

I do most of my hotel stays as walk-in (but I found that in Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar prices online are about 20% cheaper than walk-in, so I might book online in the future), and in low- or mid-class hotels (300 to 600 THB per night) in the provinces in Thailand never had a problem with early check-in, around 9 am. More than 9 out of 10 hotels I go to have a free room, I can even increase that to only one out of 20 hotels I went to was booked out (from vague memory, as it's so rare). I wouldn't worry a second about staff being busy cleaning the room after the last or for the next customer, as I assume the hotel was not fully occupied yesterday and will not be fully occupied tomorrow. I once came from Pattaya in the afternoon and had a night train to Chiang Mai at night, and no hotel in Bangkok. I did some sightseeing and had a massage with shower before and after and change of clothes instead of booking a hotel room. My problem is the opposite: I sometimes need late check-out, like 1 or 2 pm. Last year I had to pay 100 THB for one hour late check-out, but that was because a boy came around 11 and I checked out 13 and well worth the money. Last week I got late check-out 2 pm for free in Myanmar. But late check-out is always a discussion (whereas early check-in was never a problem), so if I know in advance, I would not book online, but ask at reception and if there is a problem, go elsewhere. Based on over 5 early check-ins or late check-outs, mostly in Thailand. So my advice is: for early check-in (I think everything after sunrise should be okay) do NOT book online, but walk-in and if a room is free (from the day before, not from a guest that checked out even earlier) they should give it to you without problem. (Unless of course ALL hotels are cheaper online than walk-in, and I have been paying too much for hundreds of nights in hotels.)

A freelance masseur has no costs for shop; I wouldn't pay any more than he quotes. 800 THB for 2 hour body-to-body appears a bit low (comparing to Bangkok and Pattaya; I haven't spent much time in CM in the last years). I have a simple structure: I only go to places without minimum tip. On average it costs 400 THB for one hour oil massage. During massage I see if I get horny. If not, I leave it at massage and tip 300. If yes, I do some indecent touching and if the masseur is amenable, we will have a wank and I tip total 800. I find that reasonable and fair. I had one in Bangkok who originally asked for 2000, but in the end agreed. I have several in Pattaya who want to have business with me again under these conditions.

I don't know of a night bus to Koh Kong. Whenever I flew to Cambodia by Airasia from Don Mueang, the bus trip from terminal to airplane almost took as long as doing the full trip by bus. The railway recently was extended from Aranyaprathet to the border crossing. On Cambodian site, railway line and station are complete. I can only be a matter of decades until everything is sorted out and there will be a train connection between Bangkok and Phnom Penh. https://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2019/05/thai-cambodia-railway-connection.html Poipet is an awful place (judging from staying one night in 2014 before crossing into Thailand, and spending some hours going by car earlier this year).

No organized gay scene in Chanthaburi. There is enough sightseeing around town to keep me entertained for days. Public transport will be poor or non-existent. In fact, I once crossed with a friend by his car from Cambodia into Thailand at Ban Packard/ Phsar Prum and don't remember public transport on either side. I crossed from Cambodia to Thailand in Trat by public transport: https://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2016/08/cham-yeam-to-baan-hat-lek-border.html

Mostly on the shaft, at least those I have seen and touched. I had several (maybe 5 out of 500) boys with mooks, and only one (out of 500) with silicone. He said it can be removed, but he doesn't have 20 kTHB to pay for the operation.

I don't remember such an incident. Someone on the long gone bitchboard (good riddance!) posted a picture of me. About two years ago I had several boys who wanted to take pictures or video of me, or us, or him, during activities, which I mostly rejected. And if such question comes up again, a clear NO. The problem is secretly taking pictures or videos. Some boys like to play on their phone before and after sex (some would even during sex), and I haven't found a way to curb that. Best would be to put my phone on a table out of reach from the bed, and to tell the boy to do the same. And dim the light. Most cameras perform poorly in low light. I like to have some light during sex.

My experience is opposite. I took a few boys for sightseeing, and it usually after less than one kilometer of walking, I get "I'm tired/my legs hurt/it's so hot/sunny..." and two years ago I gave the room key to the boy so he could go back to my hotel room.

Absolutely! I love reading about other's experiences and to share my own, but there has to be some privacy. I will continue trying to revive the gay online dating forum on sawatdeenetwork (now visible to members only), and will do the same here as soon as it gets members only. My following thoughts refer to gogo bars in Pattaya (Bangkok has gotten too expensive to go there regularly). I have gotten better over the year in selecting boys, and now half of my offs are okay (the lure of a new boy who might be better is bigger than taking this one again) and half are good (I will surely see him again). Half are repeat and half are new. I don’t care about eye contact and smile, but observer their behaviour with other boys or customers. Poor performing boy might get a second chance if he has a great body. Given the high number of boys I go through each year, I sometimes have to refer to my notes to decide whether to take a boy again or not. I don’t discuss activities or money in advance. I pay the going rate (1000 ST in Pattaya) and am quite flexible when it comes to activities in bed. Despite all the advantages of online dating, when I find a boy online and he works in a bar, I rather go to see him there. The boy keeping the same online dating account, Line account, phone number for long time is a good sign; frequent changing is a bad sign (at best that the boy is poorly organized, then he will probably have space-time-coordination problems as well). In online dating, delay time is important as well. To test delay time, I even do small talk.