Dodger
August 31st, 2012, 05:53
IтАЩve been sketching out plans for my next 3 month adventure focused on taking several side trips away from my humble dwelling in Pattaya to explore (or re-explore) the real Thailand. IтАЩve always felt that the best part of Pattaya is the fact that itтАЩs so close to Thailand тАУ and I plan to enjoy this reality again for all itтАЩs worth.
ItтАЩs been a while since IтАЩve been able to plan my holidays like this and IтАЩm thrilled about the opportunity to toss my trusty backpack on again and let the winds blow me where they will.
My primary objective is to travel to places at a time when local festivals and events are taking place to ensure that there will be BOYZ in abundance, which of course is at the core of my interests. All trip durations will be between 3-5 days (no long trips in the plans), where my backpack is all IтАЩll need. The following places/venues are being considered:
Uttaradit Pee Talok Parade тАУ October 12
Uttaradit is located in lower northern Thailand, is a University town, plenty of country boys, and has a nice farang style hotel called Seeharaj which houses the one-and-only disco in Uttaradit called the Crystal Palm. I visited Uttaradit once with a boy I met on Thailandout and had a great time, although always wanted to make the return trip alone. The local gay boys congregate at the Crystal Palm on Friday and Saturday nights.
The annual тАЬPee Talok ParadeтАЭ is an event which draws a large crowd where the Thais make funny looking ghost masks for the parade which they have been doing for the last 200 years. To make the ghost masks, they use recycled material such as woven bamboo baskets and old robes belonging to monks. This year the main activities will take place on Wednesday 12th October.
Loy Krathong Sukothai тАУ November 28
Loy Krathong will take place on November 28th this year and Sukothai is where Loy Kratong was first started many BuddhaтАЩs ago. LK in Sukothai draws thousands of visitors from surrounding provinces and holds the # 1 slot for the place to be on Loy Krathong. Hopefully I can find someone to help me decorate my banana boat, or at least help me decorate my banana.
River Kwai Bridge Festival тАУ Late November
This annual event is held in Kanchanaburi during the end of November-early December and also packs a large crowd. IтАЩve never visited Kanchanburi during the time that this event was taking place but have been told that itтАЩs quite the experience: Torch lights placed along the banks of the Kwai River, food, drink, parties, and 2 or 3 nights of river-front festivals commemorating the Bridge тАУ the River тАУ the Death Railroad тАУ and historical significance. I plan to rent a floating villa and wonтАЩt forget to pack my own portable coffee maker for those hangovers.
Buri Ram Long Boat Races - First Week of November
I enjoyed this event many years ago and have always wanted a re-play. If you want to see hundreds of Isaan country boys enjoying themselves, getting mau, walking around with their shorts dangling from their hips, this is the place. Easy to get to on the VIP bus from the PTY station and nice looms can be found for under 500 baht night. As IтАЩm sure you know, many of the working boys in PTY are from Buri Ram and just the tip of the iceberg. If I were a bar owner and wanted to recruit some new talent this would be one of the first places IтАЩd start looking. IтАЩm sure IтАЩll enjoy the boat races, but the spectators are what my camera will be focused on. The competition is held on the Mun River when the water level is highest. Teams race to vie for a trophy awarded by His Majesty the King and H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Surin Elephant Roundup тАУ Late November
IтАЩve had the opportunity to attend this event twice in the past 8 years and enjoyed it to the max. IтАЩm an elephant lover at heart and just love seeing the mahouts work their magic. For those who donтАЩt know, Surin is located in the heart of Isaan and also easy to get to via the PTY VIP bus which is about an 8 hour ride. Plenty of small hotels in Surin and great Isaan food served at literally hundreds of stalls set up in and around the Roundup grounds. I always wondered what it would be like to go to this event alone тАУ as there are as many тАЬsmilesтАЭ as there are elephants. Elephants of course are honored in Thailand for their wisdom and intelligence. That, coupled with the fact that they have thick skin, nicely pronounced trunks and never forget, makes them quite similar to Thai boys.
My travel plans are very simple: Travel alone тАУ pack light тАУ leave return dates flexible тАУ and enjoy Thailand.
ItтАЩs been a while since IтАЩve been able to plan my holidays like this and IтАЩm thrilled about the opportunity to toss my trusty backpack on again and let the winds blow me where they will.
My primary objective is to travel to places at a time when local festivals and events are taking place to ensure that there will be BOYZ in abundance, which of course is at the core of my interests. All trip durations will be between 3-5 days (no long trips in the plans), where my backpack is all IтАЩll need. The following places/venues are being considered:
Uttaradit Pee Talok Parade тАУ October 12
Uttaradit is located in lower northern Thailand, is a University town, plenty of country boys, and has a nice farang style hotel called Seeharaj which houses the one-and-only disco in Uttaradit called the Crystal Palm. I visited Uttaradit once with a boy I met on Thailandout and had a great time, although always wanted to make the return trip alone. The local gay boys congregate at the Crystal Palm on Friday and Saturday nights.
The annual тАЬPee Talok ParadeтАЭ is an event which draws a large crowd where the Thais make funny looking ghost masks for the parade which they have been doing for the last 200 years. To make the ghost masks, they use recycled material such as woven bamboo baskets and old robes belonging to monks. This year the main activities will take place on Wednesday 12th October.
Loy Krathong Sukothai тАУ November 28
Loy Krathong will take place on November 28th this year and Sukothai is where Loy Kratong was first started many BuddhaтАЩs ago. LK in Sukothai draws thousands of visitors from surrounding provinces and holds the # 1 slot for the place to be on Loy Krathong. Hopefully I can find someone to help me decorate my banana boat, or at least help me decorate my banana.
River Kwai Bridge Festival тАУ Late November
This annual event is held in Kanchanaburi during the end of November-early December and also packs a large crowd. IтАЩve never visited Kanchanburi during the time that this event was taking place but have been told that itтАЩs quite the experience: Torch lights placed along the banks of the Kwai River, food, drink, parties, and 2 or 3 nights of river-front festivals commemorating the Bridge тАУ the River тАУ the Death Railroad тАУ and historical significance. I plan to rent a floating villa and wonтАЩt forget to pack my own portable coffee maker for those hangovers.
Buri Ram Long Boat Races - First Week of November
I enjoyed this event many years ago and have always wanted a re-play. If you want to see hundreds of Isaan country boys enjoying themselves, getting mau, walking around with their shorts dangling from their hips, this is the place. Easy to get to on the VIP bus from the PTY station and nice looms can be found for under 500 baht night. As IтАЩm sure you know, many of the working boys in PTY are from Buri Ram and just the tip of the iceberg. If I were a bar owner and wanted to recruit some new talent this would be one of the first places IтАЩd start looking. IтАЩm sure IтАЩll enjoy the boat races, but the spectators are what my camera will be focused on. The competition is held on the Mun River when the water level is highest. Teams race to vie for a trophy awarded by His Majesty the King and H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Surin Elephant Roundup тАУ Late November
IтАЩve had the opportunity to attend this event twice in the past 8 years and enjoyed it to the max. IтАЩm an elephant lover at heart and just love seeing the mahouts work their magic. For those who donтАЩt know, Surin is located in the heart of Isaan and also easy to get to via the PTY VIP bus which is about an 8 hour ride. Plenty of small hotels in Surin and great Isaan food served at literally hundreds of stalls set up in and around the Roundup grounds. I always wondered what it would be like to go to this event alone тАУ as there are as many тАЬsmilesтАЭ as there are elephants. Elephants of course are honored in Thailand for their wisdom and intelligence. That, coupled with the fact that they have thick skin, nicely pronounced trunks and never forget, makes them quite similar to Thai boys.
My travel plans are very simple: Travel alone тАУ pack light тАУ leave return dates flexible тАУ and enjoy Thailand.