An Australian friend of mine who lives in Bangkok has just returned from a month in Sydney after a ten-year absence. I can't shut him up. By way of background he retired at 60 and he lives on Sukhumvit, eats at The Loft, Central Chidlom regularly and is in reasonable health. He stayed with a friend "on the edge of Sydney's Chinatown" and was there for the city's Gay Mardi Gras events. He's thinking of moving there permanently, and raves about a place called Paddies where, apparently, the food has more variety than The Loft as well as being comparably priced, while downstairs there's a market withe endless fresh and cheap fruit and vegetables. According to him there are Thai massage places on every corner (1500 baht an hour) and the local gay press lists almost a dozen Asian boys willing to do a "rub'n'tug" (and sometimes more, apparently - he sampled some) for around 3000 baht. He tried several, and not all are sole operators, so the choice of boys is greater than the number of advertisements and the range is Korean, Japanese, Chinese as well as Thai. Apparently he can get all day, all area public transport for 75 baht a day, free visits to the doctor, almost free medication if he needs it, cheaper and better coffee than Starbucks on his doorstep - according to him the place is a paradise where, best of all, he doesn't have to deal with "bloody-minded, inefficient Thais". Towards the end of his stay a refurbished apartment nearby came up for sale for 12 - 13 million baht. He's off. Perhaps our Sydney correspondents can comment?

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