The last stop on our Southeast Asia cruise was the island of Koh Samui.
Although there were some fancy resorts on the island, many parts of the island were simpler and gave us a glimpse of life in Thailand outside of the big city.
Our first stop was Bo Phut Beach. Since it was late morning and the weather was overcast, there was nobody on the beach and very few people on the pedestrian-only street aside from other cruise ship tourists. Most of the bars and restaurants weren’t open yet.
During our Southeast Asia cruise in November 2025, our ship docked at Laem Chabang, Thailand – a port that’s two hours from Bangkok and 45 minutes from Pattaya. We visited Bangkok on the first day and Pattaya on the second.
Pattaya is a beach resort city. We drove along the busy beachfront road but didn’t stop. It’s a typical tourist beach, with endless blocks of 7-Elevens, restaurants, bars, hotels, souvenir shops, massage parlors, and the like. The beach itself was nice enough, and it was lined with lounge chairs for rent.
What made our visit to Pattaya remarkable was our stop at the Sanctuary of Truth. We were amazed and inspired by the beautiful building and the thousands of wood-carved figures. It was a truly magnificent (even over-the-top) display of artistry and craftsmanship.
The centerpiece of our twelve-night Atlantis Southeast Asia cruise was a two-day stay in Bangkok, Thailand.
The ship docked at the port of Laem Chabang, which is a two-hour drive from Bangkok. This was a common theme for this cruise; all of the cities we visited in Vietnam were two hours inland. This made for a long day. Thankfully, we had a wonderful tour guide named Opal who kept us entertained and informed.
During our Southeast Asia cruise, we visited Ho Chi Minh City – formerly known (and still often referred to by the locals) as Saigon, the capital of the former South Vietnam.
On our second day in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, we boarded a 40-person boat for a tour of the bay. The jagged rock islands rising from the sea have been photographed many times, but there’s nothing like seeing them in person.
Before cruising around the bay, we stopped at Dau Go Island, where we toured the Thien Cung Cave. We had no idea what to expect. It was truly an amazing, jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring spectacle.
In November 2025, we took a 12-night Southeast Asia cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore. It was a gay cruise chartered by Atlantis Events on the Celebrity Solstice. We have been to Hong Kong before, so we arrived only the day before the cruise, stayed at the Airport Regal Hotel, then took a cab directly to the cruise terminal.
Our first stop was Halong Bay, the port closest to Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi. Hanoi is 160 km inland from Halong. Our bus tour lasted over 12 hours, including a two-hour drive each way. The weather was gray and overcast all day, and it rained in the afternoon. Still, Hanoi was a beautiful, interesting city. We’re glad we got to experience it.
The first stop was the Hoa Lo Prison/Museum, where American POWs (including John McCain) were imprisoned during the Vietnam War. It was nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton.”
[Commentary by Dave]
When we began our two years of travel in May 2025, I thought it might be nice to wait for our flights in an airport lounge, rather than in the always-crowded passenger boarding area. I had fond memories of business-class travel for Intel 25+ years ago, which included the privilege of visiting the airport lounge for first- and business-class ticket holders. Back then, the lounges were nicely decorated, quiet, not crowded, and offered a nice assortment of food and beverages.
After researching the various options and reading several online articles comparing various credit cards and their perks, I decided to apply for the Capital One Venture X card, which includes membership in Priority Pass, a network of over 1800 airport lounges worldwide. The Priority Pass membership included access for one guest. The Venture X card had an annual fee of $395, but since this more than covered the cost of a Priority Pass membership (according to the rates on their website), I figured it was worth it. I estimated we would probably consume at least $395 worth of food and beverages during our travels, and the calmer atmosphere would be enjoyable.
Still, this was sticker shock to me. I have never paid an annual fee for a credit card before. As it turns out, it was well worth it.
For many years, gay vacation company Atlantis Events booked out an entire resort in Puerto Vallarta for its customers. Initially, it was the Palace Vallarta resort; then Hard Rock bought it, renamed it, upgraded it, and added rock paraphernalia throughout the property. Either way, it was a wonderful, all-inclusive, all-gay experience.
We first went in 2006. We returned every year, except 2008. To us, it was the perfect vacation: a beautiful resort, sunshine, good food, plentiful beverages, friendly staff, fun entertainment, relaxation, indulgence, and – most important – people like us. Each year, we made several new friends whom we looked forward to seeing again in subsequent years. Many returned year after year, as we did. It wasn’t just a bunch of people at a resort; it was a community. It was Gay Summer Camp (in late October).
We looked forward to this week all year long. We assumed there would always be a “next year” – until there wasn’t. (more…)
On August 13, 2005, we held our ceremonial wedding in Mesa, Arizona, with 75 family members, friends, and work colleagues in attendance. Everything was perfect, except one thing: No marriage license.
At that time, the only state in the US where same-sex couples could get legally married was Massachusetts, but same-sex marriage was legal throughout Canada. So five days later, on August 18, 2005, we were legally married in a small ceremony at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.
We returned to Vancouver on our 10th anniversary and again on our 20th. Here are some photos from our visit to Vancouver from August 16 to 20, 2025.
Here are a few photos from Queen Elizabeth Park. We couldn’t find the exact spot where our ceremony took place twenty years ago. The park has changed over the years.
We wrapped up our month-long northwest Europe adventure by spending four days and five nights in Den Haag, a.k.a. The Hague. We took day trips to Leiden and Rotterdam, leaving us two days to explore The Hague.
It’s a beautiful city. While Amsterdam seemed fast-paced, frenetic, and touristy, The Hague (and Rotterdam) seemed much more relaxed. (more…)
