Laos & Vietnam

Have you really been to south east Asia if you haven’t been to night markets? I’d say no. they are a characteristic of the region, where the warm nights provide the perfect atmosphere for drinking, eating and buying things you don’t really need. That was the plan for tonight and thanks to the lovely Bec, I’m now a beer drinker. Well not really, but I did enjoy a few cold BeerLao’s on the deck of my hotel room tonight before heading out. At under $0.50 a beer, it was good value and quite refreshing in the warm evening Luang Prabang air. Tonight I’d decided to go for a wander around the town and grab a drink at the night markets with a guy I’d been chatting to on Grindr earlier in the day. The night markets started around 6:30.

I wandered down the main street which is now closed and filled with market stalls selling handicrafts, clothing and souvenirs. The guy I was supposed to meet was about an hour late, so I explored the markets solo and took some photos around the town of the buildings lit up at night. I finally met the guy I had been chatting to at the food stall part of the market, let’s call him Levi for the sake of this story. Having just come out of long term relationships, meeting randoms off the internet is a new game. Spoiler, this isn’t a hookup story, it was for a drink and food only, or so I thought.

I’ll give Levi’s back story. An Israeli guy in his late 30’s who’d been living in Laos for the last 3 months. Let’s just say his pictures didn’t really match the live product. Not catfished, but also not shaven or hair cut since those photos. A bit of a weird vibe to him, but whatever. I’d say he wasn’t quite Tom Hanks level of gone wild from the movie Cast Away, but getting there. He showed me his favourite coconut pancake stall and I got a serve for 10,000 kip (about 70c). They were delicious - a good ‘local’ recommendation sometimes goes a long way. I grabbed another cold BeerLao and we sat in the markets chatting about the area and his day (which had been spent shopping for chickens for a local charity). He wasn’t eating or drinking, which was odd given that’s why we met, but anyway.

He suggested we go for a walk around the town which I agreed to. This is where I realised I think he wanted more than just a drink (that he didn’t even have). We went for a walk past some of the temples now lit up and then along the river where there were restaurants and bars. As we walked, every block or so he’d undo another button on his shirt. Yes it was a little warm, but not that warm. He also explained that he was late because he had to shave (yeah… not his face) and that he ‘forgot’ to put on underwear.

As we walked he showed me some of his favourite restaurants and street stalls, where it was obvious he’d made friends in the 3 months he had spent here. The walk was a mix of him explaining how much he liked the area, and then mentioning how the fresh shave felt and the lack of underwear. I wasn’t interested in hooking up with a cast member from Cast Away, but at the same time was curious as to where he was going with this. He said there is a beautiful park at the end of the street that overlooks the river and so we walked towards that. 

On arrival at said park, lit up by fairy lights and overlooking the river (not that you could see the river as its dark by now) he was disappointed that the lights were still on. I see what was happening here. He was taking me to a beat. LOL. He explained that local lovers would come here once the lights go off to meet in private. I’m guessing I’m not the first person he has tried to take here.

There were quite a few local couples there sitting awkwardly together in the light of the fairy lights. With Levi mentioning his recent shave and lack of underwear again now, I decided it was time for me to burst his bubble and head back to my hotel, alone. As hot as having sex in the bushes at a local beat with a guy who’s shaved down below but dishevelled up top sounds, I politely declined.

We said goodbye, and I walked up the street towards my hotel. He said he was going back to his accomodation on the other side of town, but as soon as I started walking he disappeared into the dark bushes of the park towards the river - probably looking for a replacement root given I didn’t provide. LOL.

I wandered back to my hotel, took a few more photos of the town at night and laughed to myself on the interesting night that just happened. Us gay’s are a funny lot. While I wasn’t remotely interested in him, I did find the whole meeting quite amusing. From the photos not matching, to the talk of shaving and no underwear to the being led to a local beat. Do straights get this level of directness? It was nice (even if he was weird) to chat to someone tonight. Sometimes the solo travel wagon gets a little lonely so some entertaining company can be good - or at least give you a funny story to tell afterwards.Read more