I often think about the streets of Bangkok, a city that’s as much about its people as it is about its places. There’s something about the rhythm of the city — the ebb and flow of the traffic, the melodious chaos of marketplaces, the silent serenity of its temples — that stays with you long after you’ve left.
I was in my mid-twenties, bright-eyed and backpack-laden, when I first stepped foot in Bangkok. Solo traveling always had this allure for me; it was a way to break free, to explore not just the world but the inner recesses of my own mind. I’d heard a lot about Bangkok’s vibrant nightlife and, as a young, gay Asian American man, the prospect of exploring this facet of the city, particularly the gay nightlife, felt both exciting and daunting.