Third floor - trip to SE Asia in Jan/Feb 2026

[mauRICE]

4 hours ago, vinapu said:

discover freedom of not reading

That's one "freedom" I can do without. You may find the freedom from thought in not reading a relief, but I've lived a thousand lives because I love to read and the man who doesn't read lives only one.

[jason1975]

5 hours ago, Min said:

So this must be your fourth watch? 😇

Chinatown was walking distance to several well-known gay bars and clubs (Taboo with their drag shows and coyote dancing is the first to come to mind) in my times of studying and working there, and still is.  Why didn't you guys give it a try?

It was a Tuesday evening. Bars not open or quiet. Only open and busy Fridays to Sundays.

[floridarob]

3 hours ago, mauRICE said:

but I've lived a thousand lives because I love to read and the man who doesn't read lives only one.

Similar to an Arabic saying about traveling .....

[Olddaddy]

9 minutes ago, floridarob said:

Similar to an Arabic saying about traveling .....

Mmmmmm.    Sounds negative to me , and I must say a bit weird 🧐 

 

[BjornAgain]

5 hours ago, floridarob said:

Similar to an Arabic saying about traveling .....

Favorite Arabic insult, which has also started wars, "May your mother rot in the belly of a pig".

Else, "May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits".

[vinapu]

11 hours ago, Min said:

Chinatown was walking distance to several well-known gay bars and clubs (Taboo with their drag shows and coyote dancing is the first to come to mind) in my times of studying and working there, and still is.  Why didn't you guys give it a try?

Being fresh from Bangkok debaucheries I was not really  interested in bars there, next time I will try to be better member of community

[vinapu]

9 hours ago, mauRICE said:

That's one "freedom" I can do without. You may find the freedom from thought in not reading a relief, but I've lived a thousand lives because I love to read and the man who doesn't read lives only one.

i should be more specific and say ' discover freedom of not reading posts, threads  and reports you find not interesting "

[vinapu]

 Da Nang, Vietnam, 5 nights and some boy business

 I had afternoon flight there from Singapore and having window seat I could see city from above on approach. It pretty unique, while most cites are happy to have mountains in the background, or beach or great river, Da Nang has all three. And as a bonus, it’s airport is right I the city. I doubt it’s more than 1 hr walk from terminal to the beach, if that much.

That did not prevent  taxi driver from offering me “promotional” fare to my hotel of 20 $. Short’ no, I will walk there” resulted in reduction to 10$. I just kept walking and easily found guy or rather guy found me offering ride for 7 $,. Still too much but I accepted it and at hotel got 25000 dong change from my 200 000 dong bill.

1$ = 26000 at time of my stay so we are dealing with lots of zeros and it needs a bit of mental  adjusting as at first sight everything seems to be soooo expensive until one realizes that 30000 for sizable portion of ice cream is only 1.15 $. In short, Vietnam is very budget friendly with bonus on one feeling like Bezos or Musk dealing with those millions.

 My hotel was close to a beach, perhaps 200 m walk the most but during  my stay sea was very choppy and I did not see many people wading into water. Visited night market by the Dragon Bridge to eat something and exchange money , 100USD produced 2 601 000 dong, now we are talking thought I. Never inclined to waste  time  I took circular way back to hotel and in process located Hero spa offering man to man massage, place recommended by BKKMFJ who spent few moths in the city.

Steps from there was restaurant where I had a meal and while checking their trip offers it turned out that owner has a car and can be hired for trips to Ba Na hills ,  Hoi An and Champa ruins in My Son, to name few places I was intended to visit. We exchanged WhatApp as I was not sure about my itinerary, primarily because I want to go to Hue but by train only..

 Next morning horror – I couldn’t  find my glasses. After several minutes finally found them – inside pillow. How they landed there it’s mystery , all I know that I was checking forum or Grindr on my phone while in the bed already and took glasses off.

 Trip to railway station crossed Hue idea out – no seats  on the  train in next 3 days. On my way back visited Champa Sculpture Museum , very interesting but not overwhelming. In late afternoon walk  to Hero  for that man to man massage. Owner recommended Royal Treatment , 1.5 hr course for 1 500 000, not exactly cheap (60$).

  I had  high expectancies for that price, partially realized i.e massage itself was super good. When comes to afters, not much , promised body to body did not materialize. Although guy was naked throughout the session and easily accessible what  was missing was spark and chemistry between us.

Fault could be mine – I did not get a choice  of boy and one assigned was not my type . Oh well, chalked off to experience and well energized- remember massage was great  I walked to find another spa recommended by bkkmfj, Nam spa. Localized it with help of Google Maps  but did not go in. Through open door I could see hunky guy in the lobby so there’ some hope thought I .

 

To be continued…..