bumblebee Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Although slow, the internet did not let me down, and I distinctly remember many nights in that small shithole apartment back in February and March of 1999, searching the web for more and more information, oftentimes staying up until 3 or 4am like a drug user needing his next fix, despite the fact I had to work that very same day at 8. Now it was my turn to start thinking like the rookies do now, and like EVERY single one of us has since we first discovered Thailand; how the hell do I get back to that place as soon as humanly possible? It's not just a want or a desire, it's an absolute affliction, an obsession with getting back to the country which doesn't leave your mind all day, every day while you are back in the mundane working world which you inhabit when you are away from paradise. The next chapter will get into that in a bit more detail as my one-track mind kept researching, planning, scheming and saving to get my ass back to the place we would all later call "The Land of Smiles". Back mmmmm mmmm Will be booking soon. This drug is a killer I don't know about all of you guys, but these quotes made me laugh because I reckon they apply to a sizable majority of us at least. Personally, as soon as I know I have the next trip lined up, I find it hard to stop thinking about it, numerous times each day, no matter how far off it is. Errr well I hope I am not the only one anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 It sure rings true with me. I said I wasn't coming back for probably more than a year as I had some other things my hard earned dollars needed to be ear marked for. But there I was again last night just as JaiDee described, up late at night researching and trying to figure out a budget to get be back quicker and for longer. Acutally I should be working now - and here I am talking about it. I haven't stopped thinking about it since I got back even though I wanted to put it out of my mind and get on with 'life'. I tried not visiting the forums much as it just made things even harder to forget. But at this point my trips to Thailand are the highlight of my year, which sounds kind of sad when I think about it. Thailand, Ladyboys, travel, gets in your blood. Much like other addictions it doesn't hook everyone, but for those of us whom it does it won't let go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiamSam Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Nope, you are exactly right about this. It is, without a doubt our affliction (kind word) and addiction (something else to wrestle with I am afraid) so each to their own battle. In the grand scheme of things life offers many innards-resting options to people whom have a leaning to same. Be it a lifetime union with someone from the opposite sex or same sex; a short time union of deep and great importance; a life of whoring; drugs; tobacco; alcohol, gambling, ladyboys, midget mud wrestling, whatever. We are who we are and hopefully will handle our afflictions and addictions accordingly, responsibly and without harm to others. I wish you all good luck and good fortune. God Speed you all. Play safe and keep your stick on the ice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiDee Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Yes guys, it definitely gets in the blood....the first 2 or 3 times I went there I could barely contain my excitement on the flights home, and of course I was already planning my next trip on the flight, even though it was 8 or 9 months before I could actually go back. It's a drug, an absolute affliction or disease we all get once we have been here a few times, and it never really leaves and may never leave us at all, who knows. I'm not ashamed at all to relate this short story.....after my 2nd trip there in 2000, I was back in New England, and on the road for my job per usual. It was March, so cold and snowy, miserable basically, and a song came on the radio; "Malibu" by Hole......I had just heard it a few times in Thailand just a week or 2 earlier, but in that scenario I was warm, on a beach, surrounded by ladies and ladyboys, swimming and frolicking in the tropical waters of my new-found dream land of a country; this day I was sitting at a stop light surrounded by pasty white people bundled up against the cold, all surly and miserable like myself, and I literally started crying. Not like a sob and a bawl like at a funeral or something, just a moisture around the eyes and a definite sadness that I was stuck THERE when I soooo badly wanted to be back in Thailand! It puts its hooks into us and never lets go......I even realized that tonight walking around Walking Street in Pattaya 12 years later; some things never change I guess. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatpack Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 So how many people in the early days of visiting LOS had tears in their eyes in the taxi on the way to the airport or on the plane? Ive had both a number of times, whenever I share a taxi with a friend hardly a word is said all the way to the airport, we are both lost in our memories. Im not too bad now because I know im going to return, in the early days I was married so it was a visit that could not be done again, so to get around it I divorced the wife and to get over the trauma I flew to LOS for 5 weeks after I had told her it was over, I was never that bad with heroine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiamSam Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I applaud the lot of you. Forge ahead as best yea can for this day and this moment shall not be yours ever again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vee Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 I agree with your sentiments gents. I try to get to Thailand for a few days to a week two or three times every year while working in Asia. Since I started to participate in this forum I have felt more a part of a community and find my mind more preoccupied than every before with my next stop over in July. What have you done to me guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiamSam Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 It gets worse Vee. You ain't seen nuthin' yet!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimslim Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Seven years on from discovering the place I'm still not sure whether its a healthy obsession or not . My every days holiday is saved so I can spend 6 weeks a year in Thailand . i don't miss the place in summer but wish I was there all winter . I spend far too much time on forums when I have more important things to do . Far too many people great me with "When are you going back to Thailand?" Thing is I don't really care much for Thailand just the ladyboys . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatpack Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Seven years on from discovering the place I'm still not sure whether its a healthy obsession or not . My every days holiday is saved so I can spend 6 weeks a year in Thailand . i don't miss the place in summer but wish I was there all winter . I spend far too much time on forums when I have more important things to do . Far too many people great me with "When are you going back to Thailand?" Thing is I don't really care much for Thailand just the ladyboys . Im with you on that one, wherever I go I get that and it gets fekin boring, as if thats all I have in my life. Oh yeah it is I suppose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 Thing is I don't really care much for Thailand just the ladyboys . Well for me it's the LBs and more importantly the ever expanding group of like minded friends we have there now. There were times on my last rip, when I just stepped back for a moment, looked around at the gang, whether it was in the PBG, the terrace of Famous or the field at Morlam and thought what wonderful guys I have met in this scene, and 95% of them are on this forum, the LB loving brotherhood so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiamSam Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 I agree with you 100% BB. On occassion I too have stood back, looked at our international gang of misfits and marvelled on how eclectic we all were yet same same due to our shared fascination with ladyfellas. When I am away from LOS one of the things I miss the most is being in the company of these fine individuals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixon cox Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I spend far too much time on forums when I have more important things to do. Now ain't that the truth! - Me too. Barely a single waking hour passes without me day-dreaming of Cambodia or Thailand or travels and adventures in some other exotic faraway land in SE Asia. My reasons are primarily three-fold: ladyboys, forum guys, escape. The beauty and availability of ladyboys, the guys I meet and hope to meet and the escape from my tedious and mundane existence here in the UK and the easy going and affordable lifestyle which SE Asia offers. If I'm honest, my life back home in the UK has all but dried-up through lack of interest on my part. Apart from family and a few friends I have zero here and make no effort to improve it. My future is not farangland, I hope. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepthroat Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 If I'm honest, my life back home in the UK has all but dried-up through lack of interest on my part. Apart from family and a few friends I have zero here and make no effort to improve it. My future is not farangland, I hope. Boy, that sure rang a bell for me. Lately, I've gotten some pretty pointed comments from friends about my lack of interest or engagement in the old rituals of life and friendship here. I haven't been able to completely articulate it to them or myself, but I think the issue is that life here just feels like a loooooooong shift at work broken up with a 4 week per year extended "day off" every January/February. I've really had the nose to the grindstone, especially this past year, working on plans and tactics for being able to blow this popstand within 5 years and get on with the 2nd half of my life - a life of leisure and enjoyment. I'm spending a larger chunk of my time with the people that matter - parents, siblings and other family - and less with my friends that have never really been able to understand or fully appreciate my lifestyle. And now with my overriding passion for LOS, they are even more in the dark. I pine for time spent with guys that "get it" and have similar goals and interests. My time last year with Thaibound and Rickshaw was particularly meaningful, as they are already living something very akin to what I'm planning on, and were able to give me a ton of great insight into how to prepare for the next stage. I don't have a "mentor" here in the states that can offer me anything even close... the advice I get is all based upon working until you're too old to do anything else other than to retire and then hang on until the actuaries catch up with you. Now I'm getting ideas of how to better manage these last 5 years of full-time employment, and it's pretty exciting. Something has certainly gotten under my skin. It's not just the sex; it's not just the food; it's not just the beautiful country; and it's not just the great guys that I'm beginning to meet and know on these journeys. It's all of that and more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 My reasons are primarily three-fold: ladyboys, forum guys, escape. The beauty and availability of ladyboys, the guys I meet and hope to meet and the escape from my tedious and mundane existence here in the UK and the easy going and affordable lifestyle which SE Asia offers. If I'm honest, my life back home in the UK has all but dried-up through lack of interest on my part. Apart from family and a few friends I have zero here and make no effort to improve it. I can sure relate to those statements. My life and job here is now just a means to an end, travel and adventure. There is not a lot I enjoy around these parts, everything by comparison seems so boring. Getting up going to sit in a cube to tap on a keyboard all day, eating, sleeping, then getting up and doing it all over again is not living. Sometimes it feels like I am living a double life. The real me only gets to live 2 or 3 weeks every year. Getting to hang out and talk with like minded fellows, surrounded by beautiful ladyboys. The rest of the year is my cover story. I've made some decisions and choices to travel more and live in a cubicle less. I've been talking about it for a while, but the fear of the unknown and change has kept me paralyzed. But moving to contract work and cutting expenses has been two big first steps. Now I'm in the process of planning the first extended trip. Of course this decision has been met with criticism and skepticism from family and friends. They think I am running away from life, I believe I am running towards it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnykey Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I can tell you one thing , if I wasn't going to Thailand I wouldn't be working full time in Australia. Just a couple of race meetings a week. But when I have an upcoming trip I realise it was all worth it. Cheers DK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixon cox Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 But moving to contract work and cutting expenses has been two big first steps. Now I'm in the process of planning the first extended trip. Of course this decision has been met with criticism and skepticism from family and friends. They think I am running away from life, I believe I am running towards it. Changing work from a permanent job to contracting has been the single most positive path-changing and benificial thing that has happened to me and I do not regret one single second of that redundancy notice I received about 8 years ago. Contracting has given me good money and freedom between contracts which has allowed numerous opportunities to travel once contracts are completed, plus the confidence to attain another contract role on return, all IT based. Contract jobs are also more easy-come, easy-go but one needs to account for unpaid periods following trips away and contract positions do not pay holiday leave (for me anyway). Work-wise, redundancy has been the best thing that ever happened to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 I agree with you DC and Hoot, the type of work we have is significant to our particular lifestyle choice. While most people would not feel secure in contract work, perhaps mostly family guys with people to support, for a few of us, the single life and contracts work is fine. I am fortunate to be doing part time work here at home and my company is busy from March to October on and off. I keep my head down regarding going out and squirrel away what I can in savings . Come November there is no work except for those permanent staff. This allows me the opportunity to decamp to SE Asia for 3 or 4 months, depending on exchange rates and return when it gets busy again. I am not letting the company down in any way, and they are glad to have me on the books come March. Happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiDee Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 i don't miss the place in summer but wish I was there all winter . Thing is I don't really care much for Thailand just the ladyboys . Good thread, BB .....lots of good responses here and it seems we all feel just about the same way on many issues LB- and Thai- related. These 2 points from Jim hit home for me; I am lucky enough to be self-employed and can live anywhere, so I gave up those frigid Boston winters for good many years ago and generally do 6 months in Thailand and 6 months in the Northeast of America {lately Montreal in Canada}, always getting good weather wherever I live and rarely finding the need to wear long pants or a jacket. With that said, I agree that the newness and excitement of Thailand has generally worn off for me and I am here these days pretty much by default; I simply haven't found a better place to live! It's [relatively] cheap and warm, has nice beaches, friendly people and my English is pretty much understood all over. I have been to about 25 countries in my travels and have yet to find one better, so I keep returning here; if I DID find somewhere better and cheaper which I haven't visited yet, say Argentina or Belize or Ecuador, etc, I'd have no trouble staying away from the Kingdom for a few years. Until and unless that ever happens, they are stuck with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foggy Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 My affliction for the Thailand experience started way back in 1989 and has since moulded the rest of my life and so far for the better. 7 years ago it got even better as I found a new interest here in Ladyboys as GG's were becoming increasingly disppointing and annoying. After each trip I could only really remember sitting in the departure lounge as the 2 weeks was a blur and feeling depressed. I also don't care much for Thailand it's self but love what the country can offer me in terms of life style and fun and for that I will be eternally grateful. Don't tell em or they'll want a tip Thank Budda for thailand because at my age in the Uk I wouldn't be having hot sex with LB's, not working, sitting round my pool in the sun and riding my bike all year round in shorts....... yep I'm well and truely hooked and not going any where else for quite while . For those of u that are thinking of moving here because life is so shit at 50 + where u are now.... just do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimslim Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Anyone ever wish they'd never discovered the place ? What you don't know you've never missed and all that . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etgohm Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Anyone ever wish they'd never discovered the place ? What you don't know you've never missed and all that . I wish l had never heard of the place l am looking for a physiotherapy group on how to decamp from Thailand. Its ben almost 4 years as l originally went on a whim to meet my brother instead of going to Ireland. He said lets meet in the sun instead of a pub getting blocked every day and eating greasy chips before falling into a drunken comatose sleep every night. I had no idea what l was in forand frankly the first trip was just pure fun. I cant remember laughing so much and enjoying the craic so much. Hell l didnt even look at a ladyboy the first trip and only took a couple of GG's. A year later l went back and it was then that l met my LOLA. The rest is history, brain dead working like a beast and finding ways to save as much as possible to get back. In one 12 month peruiod l went 4 times! I was ther in November, had May booked and knew l was going back the following November, but around the end of January with the weather at -20 and feeling miserable l was sitting at my PC reading forums and daydreaming when l figured why not and checked with Cathay Pacific if there were any reward trips available. (No way could l use points on a weeks notice!) They said there was a seat available Leaving on Friday night and one to return the following Sunday. WTF 7 days in heaven, l threw caution to the wind and did it. Thats the drug!! I was shattered when l came back but high as a kite, no one knew l was gone other than a west cosat business trip. Ok its settled down now bit the reality is once a year would be great (getting 2 amazing). As long as l work l can do it bit retirement is threatening and one day this may not be an option. Sorry to be long winded but like many here l feel at peace hanging out with fellow punters. We are a band of misfits that scream out for the attention that only a thai GG or LB can give us. Its like being a kid again falling in lovor lust and enjoying every minute of it. Life can be cruel on middle age single or wishfully single guys. I have no doubt at all that if l didnt have family committments l would be spending 6 months a year there. Eldiablo took a leap of faith, Foggy is close behind and Farangbah is already enjoying the fruits of his labour. Just my 10 cents... Cheers, ET 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Anyone ever wish they'd never discovered the place ? What you don't know you've never missed and all that . Yup, transsexuals would not perhaps occupy as much of my mind and time as they do nowadays and I'd have traveled around Latin America instead and maybe even be living there now with some Latina which was my main sexual interest at the time I discovered Los. Two roads diverged in....... to borrow Jaidee's Robert Frost quote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEXASMAC Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 My affliction started with something called the Big Bash in 2009. I now try to make 2 trips a year. These are the only vacation or days off I take and they are only for my enjoyment. I have made so many mistakes, but also have met so many friends. I hope to keep making mistakes and meeting friends. Thanks to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke007 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Anyone ever wish they'd never discovered the place ? What you don't know you've never missed and all that . I cant say that about Thailand Jim, but Im sure glad Ive never thought about joining Facefook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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