Is it necessary for all gay elderly farang travelers in Bangkok to be friendly with each other?
I don't know if it's necessary, but I think maybe some feel a sense of camaraderie - they are all there for the same thing.

I'm also not one for small talk; I put up with it in the gogo bars because I have an end in mind, so to speak.

I've met lots of Americans in my travels over the years and apart from one or two (some can guess who one of them is) I've found them to be lovely people. A little ignorant of things non -American perhaps, but lovely nonetheless.

On a recent bus trip along the coast in Croatia my friend and I found ourselves sitting next to a couple from Wisconsin. I was reluctant to get involved in a conversation but we ended up having a great discussion about this and that and a long, boring trip was made bearable.