The Old Guys Are Funny

[thehelmsman]

I'm 54 with a 7 mo. old baby girl - no accident. Might even try for another one in a few years. The baby is healthy and beautiful too boot. I work overseas and will probably be working longer than perhaps needed if I had remained single but it does sorta keep me trying to be a better person. I'll be back in a month's time and life is good.

Don't judge and be happy.

[RealisticRon]

HeavyDrinker is 100% right about having kids when older. Only someone with a brain the size of a peanut and an ego bigger then Kanye West would disagree.

Nothing worse than kids being picked up from school by a parent who looks like their grandparent, i remember a few kids at my old school that used to cringe with embarrassment. They were always over the top parents, ridiculous fashion sense for the kid, over the top strict, basically made the kid an outcast from the rest, which in turn made them withdrawn and a little "odd".

[pattayadingo]

I for one can't understand it for the life of me.

Why would anyone who has failed at relationships all their lives then think that somehow - in the twilight of their lives when they should be enjoying their latter years in peace - all will be fine now so they put themselves through the mill all over again?

I can understand the "Company" angle, but company is one thing, bringing a new life into the world when the father could well be dead by the time the life reaches puberty is just plain wrong.

There is high enough failure rate in Westerner - Bar Girl relations as it is (and most instances of this phenomena are with Bar Girls). Starting a family with a bar Girl is just plain irresponsible.

To me it's about the male ego gone crazy. An extreme menopause if you will. "Look at me, I'm 65 and can still churn em out"

I'd also wager the majority of such births are "accidental" as well and with Thailand's anti abortion laws the female merely has the baby to keep her meal ticket.

When I see some old fool hobbling down the street with their young offspring, I feel only contempt for the mis-guided fool and terrible pity for the young life who either through separation or death, will never really know their father.

Take up golf or fishing instead.

Is that more like it?

Who says WE failed at these relationships? Why do you label all us men as failures? Have you been looking in the mirror too much?

And who says we all have relationships with bar girls???

Ahhh, contempt at 'some old fool' as you put it.

OMG, What a sad life I think you lead. What on earth is wrong with people of all walks and ages of life going and doing their own thing?

We do not all live in boxes. We are not all cut from the same mould. Yes, we are ALL different, believe it or not. Why the h_ll should each person conform to your ideals?

I applaud anyone who does it their way even though it may not conform with my way of life. Let people live and let live.

[KeyserSoze01]

I for one can't understand it for the life of me.

Why would anyone who has failed at relationships all their lives then think that somehow - in the twilight of their lives when they should be enjoying their latter years in peace - all will be fine now so they put themselves through the mill all over again?

I can understand the "Company" angle, but company is one thing, bringing a new life into the world when the father could well be dead by the time the life reaches puberty is just plain wrong.

I believe the effective term is hope. Hope that you can recapture the feelings you once had in a loving relationship in your homeland. It goes beyond "company" as you put it and is more about "companionship". Once you pass your sell-by date in the west, you become more or less invisible to the female population. The only option is to look abroad, with all the pitfalls that come with a multi-cultural relationship and again, hope for the best.

“If I were dropped out of a plane into the ocean and told the nearest land was a thousand miles away, I’d still swim.” — Abraham Maslow

[HeavyDrinker]

I am not and have no intensions of and have never been "blowing my beans all over Thailand".

I decided to move to Thailand, met a woman to share family with and we are all happy with that,

We have no joint children and have no intention to get any, moreover I give her two young Thai sons a

fathers figure as their Thai father left the family. I also give her family a much improved living standard.

Mackes, you are in serious denial. If you think you will ever be "father" Figure to a Thai man's kids, then it's time to go home.

When them boys get to 16 and start demanding scooters and X-Boxes I'd love to see them call you "Daddy"....unless you buy them for them....

[HeavyDrinker]

Who says WE failed at these relationships? Why do you label all us men as failures? Have you been looking in the mirror too much?

And who says we all have relationships with bar girls???

Ahhh, contempt at 'some old fool' as you put it.

I'm not examining your lives here. merely saying you should do better with your futures.

I'm young but have had 20 years of life here and seen many a fool who thinks he has a "Girl who is different" fall by the wayside.

Going from your locale alone I'd say you're in that volume for the future....

Your rant shows I've touched a nerve, and I don't have problem with the old boys having some fun, but playing at "happy families" to maybe expunge your own guilt at your failures in early life, at the expense of an innocent life, is just WRONG!

[mackes]

I am not and have no intensions of and have never been "blowing my beans all over Thailand".

I decided to move to Thailand, met a woman to share family with and we are all happy with that,

We have no joint children and have no intention to get any, moreover I give her two young Thai sons a

fathers figure as their Thai father left the family. I also give her family a much improved living standard.

Mackes, you are in serious denial. If you think you will ever be "father" Figure to a Thai man's kids, then it's time to go home.

When them boys get to 16 and start demanding scooters and X-Boxes I'd love to see them call you "Daddy"....unless you buy them for them....

You can not just stand that a man leaving his woman in the west can have a new life with a younger woman and wish him good luck?

Maybe I can't be a Thai role model but boys need a man, something you probaply never will understand! Your probaply to occupied in taking revenge.

[edwinclapham]

To the OP

I have read some of the thread, but don't have time to wade through it all.

My take on the whole 'old guys are funny' routine.

I was happily married in the UK for 16 years, something tragic happened. My sons are now 30 and 24 respectively, living happily in the UK and come out to stay with me at every opportunity. I got remarried 6 years ago, and was totally absorbed in to the Thai family culture. Me and my wife actually lived in central London, she fell pregnant, we were happy and to cut a long story short came here 4 years ago to live amongst close family. We now have two children aged 4.5 and 2. It is tough work as a 50 year old. My wife is 37 and desperately wanted a family. I had never planned on it again, but our relationship needed sacrifice on both sides. I love her, she loves me.

I dont have as much energy with the 2 year old now as when I had my first two year old aged 22. BUT, what I know now is that back then I was a crap father. I spent 9 months of the year away from home, fighting for Queen and country, and for what.....? My older boys say I was a great Dad, but it is all relative. I now see that I have 24 hours a day for my children. Playing, reading, learning, painting, music, story telling, shopping, eating. All the things I never had with my first two. I now immerse myself in my childrens company. I have no need to work, and you know, life has never ever been better. Ten years ago I was living a top life, earning 50K sterling a month and pissing it up against the wall traveling first class everywhere. My income is nothing like that now, but boy has life changed.....for the better.

We are all mortal. Don't knock or take the piss out the 'old guy's' too much because the shocker is that you too will be an old guy much sooner than you think. Who knows what life's rich and varied tapestry holds for you, but for me, I was married and that meant total commitment, my wife and family are as happy as can be, and the pay off is that I dont get to sit on my ass reading papers all day because I have short people who idolize me, who want to spend every waking hour with me. If all that's 'funny', then I could make co-co the clown piss himself laughing .....and never wish to be single in my opinion only of course, you miss out on so much of the important things in life.

Enjoy your time with your kids. Hard work now, but when the bugger off to Uni, you and your wife will be in bits!

Whether posters agree/disagree with the topic, I have to say this has to be one of the most compassionate posts on this thread.

Good on you mate for being able to embrace your old life together with the new. Very best wishes to you all!

[TommoPhysicist]

HeavyDrinker is 100% right about having kids when older. Only someone with a brain the size of a peanut and an ego bigger then Kanye West would disagree.

Nothing worse than kids being picked up from school by a parent who looks like their grandparent, i remember a few kids at my old school that used to cringe with embarrassment. They were always over the top parents, ridiculous fashion sense for the kid, over the top strict, basically made the kid an outcast from the rest, which in turn made them withdrawn and a little "odd".

Many children in Thailand are looked after by their grandparents, who do you suggest collects them from school?

[kerryk]

HeavyDrinker is 100% right about having kids when older. Only someone with a brain the size of a peanut and an ego bigger then Kanye West would disagree.

Nothing worse than kids being picked up from school by a parent who looks like their grandparent, i remember a few kids at my old school that used to cringe with embarrassment. They were always over the top parents, ridiculous fashion sense for the kid, over the top strict, basically made the kid an outcast from the rest, which in turn made them withdrawn and a little "odd".

I been in Thailand a long time. I have a degree and I taught school in the West for a while. I also taught in Thailand for a few years at a government grade school. A lot of the children were from problem or broken homes. I was over 60 years of age. I would get asked at least once a week by the children if I was married because they had an available mom at home. They liked me and wanted the financial and father figure at home.

Is it a source of amusement that an older Farang picks up a child after school? Get real. Not in Thailand it's not.

[Headgame]

I can only contribute some ancillary info to this topic but it's about children being embarrassed by an older parent. So ridiculous and so wrong.

I (67) cannot have more children nor can my lady (35). She has two beautiful girls aged 5 and 7 from a failed marriage to a Thai man who never visits, calls or pays any support. These girls call me Daddy - I love them and I know they love me. I support them. They are the happiest two little girls I know and are always clinging to me, holding my hand and when I have picked them up at school, come running to me with big hugs. I don't think they are one bit embarrassed. Why? Well it's the oldest of reasons - they know I love them dearly and at the end of the day, that's the only thing that matters to children.

[pattayadingo]

Who says WE failed at these relationships? Why do you label all us men as failures? Have you been looking in the mirror too much?

And who says we all have relationships with bar girls???

Ahhh, contempt at 'some old fool' as you put it.

I'm not examining your lives here. merely saying you should do better with your futures.

I'm young but have had 20 years of life here and seen many a fool who thinks he has a "Girl who is different" fall by the wayside.

Going from your locale alone I'd say you're in that volume for the future....

Your rant shows I've touched a nerve, and I don't have problem with the old boys having some fun, but playing at "happy families" to maybe expunge your own guilt at your failures in early life, at the expense of an innocent life, is just WRONG!

'Expunge my own guilt at my failures in early life?'

See, there you go again. You know little or nothing about my present life, never mind my early life, so how can you judge as you presume to do?

With regards to my present location that has nothing at all to do with 'having a girl that is different'.

I will judge a woman on what I know and learn about her. I will do the same with a man. And i will do so with all nationalities. Not all Thai people are scam and rip-off merchants. I happen to know a few who are very sincere and helpful and they have been friends - good friends - for several years now. I know from past experience I can phone these friends and get a resolution to a problem or help in that regard without them scamming me.

BTW, yes they are different. They are helpful because they want to be.

And I do not see why you should have so much concern over the futures of people here. Life is a constant learning curve we go through. We meet new people all the time. Some are good and some are bad. Some think they know it all.

And I have already said in this topic that I have no intention of having children here. I have done that. I had a 20+ year marriage that I would not call a failure. I helped to raise two children and gave it my best. What they do with their futures is up to them.

The point is that people young, older or old should be allowed to decide for themselves what they want to do. If they want to get married to a Thai and have children, that is their right and not for me or for others to judge. Some will fail and others will succeed. some will be happy and others not. Yet that is their choice. Their decision. Who are we to tell them what to do?

[BookMan]

... I feel sorry for both my parents who are working in the UK, however they're so trapped in their little lives that they're too scared to venture out of Europe. They keep saying they're too old when they're only mid-fifties!

Very true. Lots of people are scared to leave the safe routine they have developed through work and home; as people get older they can become more fixed in their ways.

[kerryk]

... I feel sorry for both my parents who are working in the UK, however they're so trapped in their little lives that they're too scared to venture out of Europe. They keep saying they're too old when they're only mid-fifties!

Very true. Lots of people are scared to leave the safe routine they have developed through work and home; as people get older they can become more fixed in their ways.

A friend of mine just rode his motorcycle 30 miles to the hospital to see if his new heart medication was OK to take with viagra. He is 73. I think old guys who live in Thailand are different. You would expect that because their GF's are all different.

[billd766]

Who says WE failed at these relationships? Why do you label all us men as failures? Have you been looking in the mirror too much?

And who says we all have relationships with bar girls???

Ahhh, contempt at 'some old fool' as you put it.

I'm not examining your lives here. merely saying you should do better with your futures.

I'm young but have had 20 years of life here and seen many a fool who thinks he has a "Girl who is different" fall by the wayside.

Going from your locale alone I'd say you're in that volume for the future....

Your rant shows I've touched a nerve, and I don't have problem with the old boys having some fun, but playing at "happy families" to maybe expunge your own guilt at your failures in early life, at the expense of an innocent life, is just WRONG!

Without wishing to get personal but who the hell o you think you are telling people who are older and wiser than you how to run their lives.

I have been coming to , working and living in Thailand and offshore for 19 years and I KNOW who I am,who my wife and son are, where we are from and where we are going and what we are doing.

When I was 30 years younger I knew that I knew everything but over the years I learned that I barely scratched the surface of people.

Yes, you scratched a nerve in me as you have no idea who people are but you spout out this bumptuous crap as though only you know the meaning of life and everything else.

Sorry to say that you actually know very little.

Until you have been in the place of someone who has been there and done that you can only offer an opinion not backed up by facts or experience or in engineers language, bullshit.

[chrisinth]

Who says WE failed at these relationships? Why do you label all us men as failures? Have you been looking in the mirror too much?

And who says we all have relationships with bar girls???

Ahhh, contempt at 'some old fool' as you put it.

I'm not examining your lives here. merely saying you should do better with your futures.

I'm young but have had 20 years of life here and seen many a fool who thinks he has a "Girl who is different" fall by the wayside.

Going from your locale alone I'd say you're in that volume for the future....

Your rant shows I've touched a nerve, and I don't have problem with the old boys having some fun, but playing at "happy families" to maybe expunge your own guilt at your failures in early life, at the expense of an innocent life, is just WRONG!

Without wishing to get personal but who the hell o you think you are telling people who are older and wiser than you how to run their lives.

I have been coming to , working and living in Thailand and offshore for 19 years and I KNOW who I am,who my wife and son are, where we are from and where we are going and what we are doing.

When I was 30 years younger I knew that I knew everything but over the years I learned that I barely scratched the surface of people.

Yes, you scratched a nerve in me as you have no idea who people are but you spout out this bumptuous crap as though only you know the meaning of life and everything else.

Sorry to say that you actually know very little.

Until you have been in the place of someone who has been there and done that you can only offer an opinion not backed up by facts or experience or in engineers language, bullshit.

Your opening line, That works for getting personal!

Good post billd766, nicely put and explained. Without boring people by repeating, a little bit of practice fcuks up a whole lot of theory.

Experience is being able to define the mistakes that stop something working, can't be taught.

[HeavyDrinker]

The point is that people young, older or old should be allowed to decide for themselves what they want to do. If they want to get married to a Thai and have children, that is their right and not for me or for others to judge. Some will fail and others will succeed. some will be happy and others not. Yet that is their choice. Their decision. Who are we to tell them what to do?

Who are we to tell them...?

Responsible members of the human race perhaps?

Responsible people who are able to think above the waist and not like some re-born teenager, who feels that it is just wrong to reproduce with someone 30 years their junior simply to prove an imaginary point either to themselves or the world at large.

Yes, you scratched a nerve in me as you have no idea who people are but you spout out this bumptuous crap as though only you know the meaning of life and everything else.

Why does someone need to "know" someone to see they are making a terrible life choice, and frankly behaving irresponsibly?

What I do know is that in a demographic of highly fragile relationships, to suggest that it's perfectly fine to have a child which will live the majority of it's life fatherless is just wrong.

Without wishing to get personal but who the hell o you think you are telling people who are older and wiser than you how to run their lives.

Older certainly, but wiser...don't make me laugh.

[kerryk]

The point is that people young, older or old should be allowed to decide for themselves what they want to do. If they want to get married to a Thai and have children, that is their right and not for me or for others to judge. Some will fail and others will succeed. some will be happy and others not. Yet that is their choice. Their decision. Who are we to tell them what to do?

Who are we to tell them...?

Responsible members of the human race perhaps?

Responsible people who are able to think above the waist and not like some re-born teenager, who feels that it is just wrong to reproduce with someone 30 years their junior simply to prove an imaginary point either to themselves or the world at large.

Yes, you scratched a nerve in me as you have no idea who people are but you spout out this bumptuous crap as though only you know the meaning of life and everything else.

Why does someone need to "know" someone to see they are making a terrible life choice, and frankly behaving irresponsibly?

What I do know is that in a demographic of highly fragile relationships, to suggest that it's perfectly fine to have a child which will live the majority of it's life fatherless is just wrong.

Without wishing to get personal but who the hell o you think you are telling people who are older and wiser than you how to run their lives.

Older certainly, but wiser...don't make me laugh.

Wow, judge and jury. You are a responsible member of the human race? Maybe you better go back and check the threads you have started.

Rarely have I seen a post so packed with venom against older men with younger women. The last one I remember was that from a cuckold in Bangkok. I am 65 and my GF is 30 years my junior, 35 years of age. So you think you can tell a 35 year old Thai woman I am too old for her???

I don't know what your job is, but I would imagine you are a bit frustrated unless it is God or St Peter. Good luck anyway.

[HeavyDrinker]

So you think you can tell a 35 year old Thai woman I am too old for her???

She probably doesn't need me to tell her...

I wouldn't say my post was "Venomous"; just truthful.

Sadly the truth really hurts when it comes to speaking the truth about the "Great Thai/ Older Westerner Relationship" illusion, and nowhere more so than in the minds of the older gent who really thinks his girl is "different" or that this is "the real thing".

If anything I'd say the venom has been aimed at me for speaking my mind....wouldn't you?

[TommoPhysicist]

I wouldn't say my post was "Venomous"; just truthful.

Sadly the truth really hurts when it comes to speaking the truth about the "Great Thai/ Older Westerner Relationship" illusion, and nowhere more so than in the minds of the older gent who really thinks his girl is "different" or that this is "the real thing".

If anything I'd say the venom has been aimed at me for speaking my mind....wouldn't you?

The really funny thing is you actually believe your Thai gf (your age) likes you more than an old guys gf (30 years younger) likes him. In reality, the age of the buffalo just doesn't matter, only the amount of milk it produces.

PS

My next door neighbour is 58, his wife is 31, and their daughter is 14.

They are both Thais, not rich, just farmers. How does that fit in with your world view?

[473geo]

So you think you can tell a 35 year old Thai woman I am too old for her???

She probably doesn't need me to tell her...

I wouldn't say my post was "Venomous"; just truthful.

Sadly the truth really hurts when it comes to speaking the truth about the "Great Thai/ Older Westerner Relationship" illusion, and nowhere more so than in the minds of the older gent who really thinks his girl is "different" or that this is "the real thing".

If anything I'd say the venom has been aimed at me for speaking my mind....wouldn't you?

Speaking your mind and ignoring all other input is perhaps a juvenille error.....and you are right does not deserve the 'venom' you have received.....rather a little pity for an inexperienced one sided narrow minded view

I will continue with the view that my children do not take my hand in order to assist me across the road, but because they love and are proud of their father

[473geo]

I wouldn't say my post was "Venomous"; just truthful.

Sadly the truth really hurts when it comes to speaking the truth about the "Great Thai/ Older Westerner Relationship" illusion, and nowhere more so than in the minds of the older gent who really thinks his girl is "different" or that this is "the real thing".

If anything I'd say the venom has been aimed at me for speaking my mind....wouldn't you?

The really funny thing is you actually believe your Thai gf (your age) likes you more than an old guys gf (30 years younger) likes him. In reality, the age of the buffalo just doesn't matter, only the amount of milk it produces.

Or maybe the likelyhood of going off to graze in patures new is also a consideration

[kerryk]

So you think you can tell a 35 year old Thai woman I am too old for her???

She probably doesn't need me to tell her...

I wouldn't say my post was "Venomous"; just truthful.

Sadly the truth really hurts when it comes to speaking the truth about the "Great Thai/ Older Westerner Relationship" illusion, and nowhere more so than in the minds of the older gent who really thinks his girl is "different" or that this is "the real thing".

If anything I'd say the venom has been aimed at me for speaking my mind....wouldn't you?

You wrote, “Responsible people who are able to think above the waist and not like some re-born teenager, who feels that it is just wrong to reproduce with someone 30 years their junior simply to prove an imaginary point either to themselves or the world at large.”

That is venom. It has nothing to do with responsibility or anything else. It is your opinion and it is venomous, in my opinion.

But don't worry once a year on April 1^st, a lot of people here will agree with you.

[mackes]

When I see some old fool hobbling down the street with their young offspring, I feel only contempt for the mis-guided fool and terrible pity for the young life who either through separation or death, will never really know their father. Take up golf or fishing instead.

you are in serious denial. If you think you will ever be "father" Figure to a Thai man's kids, then it's time to go home.

When them boys get to 16 and start demanding scooters and X-Boxes I'd love to see them call you "Daddy"....unless you buy them for them....

I don't have problem with the old boys having some fun, but playing at "happy families" to maybe expunge your own guilt at your failures in early life,

at the expense of an innocent life, is just WRONG!

Who are we to tell them...?

Responsible members of the human race perhaps?

Responsible people who are able to think above the waist and not like some re-born teenager, who feels that it is just wrong to reproduce with someone 30 years their junior simply to prove an imaginary point either to themselves or the world at large.

What I do know is that in a demographic of highly fragile relationships, to suggest that it's perfectly fine to have a child which will live the majority of it's life fatherless is just wrong.

Older certainly, but wiser...don't make me laugh.

There is something terrible wrong with your argumentation and I suspect there is a hidden motif behind your anger.

I seen this a lot of times and I might be wrong but I just can't see any other reasons than pure jealousy.

I believe that your argument about feeling that it's wrong to reproduce with someone 30 years their junior, is the real one.

Your argument about the poor fatherless child is just something you are using to proof your point.

So even if you accuse us not to use logical argument neither do you, your real motif is just a feelings and

the only one who knows what created that feelings is yourself.

I can not see any substansial cause why you can not have an emotional (and sexual) relation between two persons

regardless of age (provided it is kept within legal limits and both agree).

If having a child at 60 the chance is absolutely not small that the child will keep his father for 20 years, so no disaster.

If we talking about crashed relations, that is absolutely nothing unique for Thailand, that can happen anywhere.

If we talking about bargirls or equal, deceiving a man using their youth, beauty and sexual appeal isn't that the responsibility of the girl?

Is it really fair to put all the blame on the fooled man?

Yes we can warn the man and that's what people here at Thaivisa is doing all the time, new treads weekly on this subject.

Telling them to slow down, think think think and test test test for years before taking transformative decisions. You can join

and make an impact on reality, not just complaining like you do now.

But when considered and found sustainable, why not? Either you like it or not there are many happy families in Thailand

with older mr and younger mrs. And I really mean happy! Not just looking happy.

So think about what caused your feeling about relations with different ages and stop saving the world, the world do not want to be saved!

[pattayadingo]

The point is that people young, older or old should be allowed to decide for themselves what they want to do. If they want to get married to a Thai and have children, that is their right and not for me or for others to judge. Some will fail and others will succeed. some will be happy and others not. Yet that is their choice. Their decision. Who are we to tell them what to do?

Who are we to tell them...?

Responsible members of the human race perhaps?

Responsible people who are able to think above the waist and not like some re-born teenager, who feels that it is just wrong to reproduce with someone 30 years their junior simply to prove an imaginary point either to themselves or the world at large.

Yes, you scratched a nerve in me as you have no idea who people are but you spout out this bumptuous crap as though only you know the meaning of life and everything else.

Why does someone need to "know" someone to see they are making a terrible life choice, and frankly behaving irresponsibly?

What I do know is that in a demographic of highly fragile relationships, to suggest that it's perfectly fine to have a child which will live the majority of it's life fatherless is just wrong.

Without wishing to get personal but who the hell o you think you are telling people who are older and wiser than you how to run their lives.

Older certainly, but wiser...don't make me laugh.

i am now beginning to think that you need some form of counselling for your own failures and your own way of life.

Responsible members of the human race do not judge others until they have walked in their shoes or have reached a certain level of maturity and I do not feel you have done either because you put down whole sectors of people because of your own pathetic beliefs, or maybe because of your own failures.

Who is to say that an older man with years of experience behind him worse than a younger man with potentially a lot less experience in life to get married and raise a family? You do, of course.

Why would a man over 50 be less likely to live long enough raise his offspring especially in this day and age of longevity of life? Who is to say that a younger man might not die or have an accident or simply walk away from a marriage and children?

There are many women here in Thailand who would love to have a responsible husband and a good father to her / their children. To many of these women a foreigner over 50 suits them perfectly in that regard, more so than a younger man.

Get off your soap box and stop condemning people you know nothing about.

[theblether]

We will now stop for a musical interlude..............this song was banned in 1966 but listen to it all the way through, it is on topic.

Carry on now Gents............

[pattayadingo]

So you think you can tell a 35 year old Thai woman I am too old for her???

She probably doesn't need me to tell her...

I wouldn't say my post was "Venomous"; just truthful.

Sadly the truth really hurts when it comes to speaking the truth about the "Great Thai/ Older Westerner Relationship" illusion, and nowhere more so than in the minds of the older gent who really thinks his girl is "different" or that this is "the real thing".

If anything I'd say the venom has been aimed at me for speaking my mind....wouldn't you?

I'd say that replies directed at you are simply because of your one sided view. Other people have points of view too but you would like to be the great dictator. Maybe you would like all us older men to be forced to have vasectomies and the women we consort with to be given over to some mental health programme so their wills can be bent to yours?

[katana]

... I feel sorry for both my parents who are working in the UK, however they're so trapped in their little lives that they're too scared to venture out of Europe. They keep saying they're too old when they're only mid-fifties!

Very true. Lots of people are scared to leave the safe routine they have developed through work and home; as people get older they can become more fixed in their ways.

A friend of mine just rode his motorcycle 30 miles to the hospital to see if his new heart medication was OK to take with viagra. He is 73. I think old guys who live in Thailand are different. You would expect that because their GF's are all different.

Did he not think of telephoning up and asking?

[kerryk]

... I feel sorry for both my parents who are working in the UK, however they're so trapped in their little lives that they're too scared to venture out of Europe. They keep saying they're too old when they're only mid-fifties!

Very true. Lots of people are scared to leave the safe routine they have developed through work and home; as people get older they can become more fixed in their ways.

A friend of mine just rode his motorcycle 30 miles to the hospital to see if his new heart medication was OK to take with viagra. He is 73. I think old guys who live in Thailand are different. You would expect that because their GF's are all different.

Did he not think of telephoning up and asking?

OK I'll play. What is your point?

[katana]

Sorry, just thought it might have saved some time. I've done it before in Thailand when I had a query about the medication a doctor prescribed.