Continuing my efforts to provide one non-Covid thread, I offer the following.
Here's an easy one. How many of us recall our first sexual experience in Thailand? mine was in August of 1995 and took place in Cockpit Bar, the site of which was later taken over by Throb.
After a journey of more than twenty hours, including four frustrating hours from Dom Muang on pre-motorway roads, I checked in at the Royal Garden and clutching my Thai Scene, forced my way along a packed Second Road to Boyztown.
Thai Scene claimed that Cockpit was "the most popular bar in Pattaya" and that's where I started my Pattaya explorations. I wasn't disappointed. There were fifty or so twinks on stage, dancing (yes, that really dates me) and I quickly picked out four or so possible companions. .
My choice was sweet-faced and smiling.
Much too shy to take him to Royal Garden, I asked for a short-time room and we were taken up a narrow staircase (it must have been next door to Le Bistro). I won't bore you with the details of what happened- I realise nobody on this forum would be interested, would they? - except to say that my companion failed to manage an erection, apologising most profusely, claiming that it was because he had had sex yesterday. Tyro I may have been but I didn't fall for that one.
I didn't care, so enchanted was I with this cute guy and with my first experience on Pattaya. I was new to gay sex; indeed my only previous experiences had been in the brothels of Amsterdam where the guys were experienced and professional, something my guy wasn't. I accepted that I couldn't have been much good at it myself and so manfully shouldered responsibility.
Everyone will be relieved to learn that this state of affairs changed very quickly.
I was exhausted after my long journey and the nervous excitement of my first night. Outside Moonlight, just along Second Road, I vomited, due to a combination of nerves and that smell from the sewer that many will remember.
The next morning was grey and humid. My first view of Pattaya Bay was from the third floor of the hotel. I didn't think much of it, comparing it to the white sands and the Caribbean blue sea of Grande Anse in Grenada where I'd been a couple of weeks earlier.
But then it hit me; so what? I'm in Pattaya. Tonight I shall be back in Boyztown and there were a dozen other bars and heaven knows how many willing young men to discover.
it was possibly the happiest moment of my life. But even better ones were to come.