Hello dear Fellow Travelers!
And here we go again — the end of this year is approaching, the world keeps turning, and we’re still here, ready for new adventures. But before stepping into the new year and passing through the Christmas holidays — which for many are a great chance to break free from routine and fully enjoy themselves — let’s catch up on the latest news: updates, gossip, announcements, or whatever else you prefer to call them.
I’d start right away with a couple of good news items from Austria — namely, the return of the historic FKK Mystic in Salzburg. Closed in mid-2024 and briefly turned into a swingers club, it seems that experiment took a wrong turn. In October this year, the venue got back on track under the name “MYSTIC Gentlemen’s Club.” Same format as in the past, same location, a few small upgrades to the facilities, and a noticeable shortage of girls — most likely due to the post-reopening adjustment period.
Will it go well? Will it go badly? We can’t know for sure, but there’s no doubt that seeing a historic venue like the Mystic come back to life is always good news.
The second piece of news concerns another pillar of the Austrian FKK scene: Vienna’s Fun Palast, which has changed its name and is now officially called Saraya Club. The news flew somewhat under the radar — so much so that in the first few days even the girls working there didn’t know about it — but in practice nothing has really changed except for the venue’s look, which is now more understated and externally more elegant.
Of course, you can already find the new listing in the Reviews section here on Travelsformen, along with the updated one for the Mystic. We’ll be talking about both again soon to see how things are shaping up.
More gossip from Austria concerns the poor performance of both Babylon clubs (Klagenfurt and Vienna). These have never been venues for every budget, and if they’re now losing that “premium” appeal they’ve always enjoyed, it clearly means something is changing — and it’s not just about prices. In fact, it seems the main issue is precisely a lack of the qualities that have always set them apart: namely, the quality and the right attitude of the working girls. Given the amounts involved, if the service and the atmosphere start to feel like those of any run-of-the-mill “half-hour brothel,” it’s only natural that customers complain.
We’ll see how the situation develops in the near future; for now, we’ll stay tuned and wait for further updates.
Then there’s the inevitable, never-ending debate about Andiamo and Wellcum, the historic border clubs most loved by Italians. On one side, you have the die-hard Wellcum fans who look down on Andiamo; on the other, the unyielding loyalists of Villach’s first legendary venue, who — with a touch of nostalgia for the good old days — continue to defend it tooth and nail.
Personal tastes aside, the general verdict on both is always the same: Wellcum is livelier and more crowded, boasting a top-tier facility with a solid hotel included, as well as a large number of sex workers. Andiamo, on the other hand, is the quieter of the two, reopened a few years ago with some small changes that have honestly improved it — a more relaxed atmosphere, slightly lower prices, and less “anarchy” when it comes to services and the girls’ rates.
The funny thing is that they’re now both part of the same family, yet despite that, Andiamo still struggles to regain its former glory. A solid “injection” of quality ladies and a full total-naked policy in the main areas might turn things around, but for now everything seems very much at a standstill.
Changing the subject, some of you may have noticed that over the past two months I’ve put out eight new articles in addition to the two mentioned above. One of them is the review page for the new Go Go Bar On Top, written after my last trip to Bangkok but somehow forgotten in the publishing queue. Then there’s a comprehensive overview of Nana Plaza — from its history to what it’s like today and how it works. For many this may be obvious, but for others it’s a leap into the unknown, so I hope it proves useful, especially for newer travelers.
The remaining articles are mostly travel-related, such as the Practical Guide to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, meant to answer once and for all the many recurring questions about security checks, immigration, luggage, SIM cards, currency exchange, and so on, as well as a guide to Frankfurt’s public transportation system. You’ll also find advice on flying with luggage, suggestions for useful tech accessories to bring along, and tips on the best seats to make an economy-class flight more enjoyable.
And finally, since it’s a recurring topic in discussions among fellow travelers, I strongly recommend reading “STDs and How to Avoid Them,” for which I reused the title Tips for Aspiring Punters, previously used for a lighter topic — and one I’ll surely use again when appropriate (who knows, maybe one day it’ll turn into a full “Complete Guide for Aspiring Punters” ^^).
That said, there aren’t many other changes or particularly interesting developments compared to the October news. Over the coming weeks of holiday celebrations, I won’t fail to send my wishes to all of you, as usual. For now, all I can say is that this time I won’t be spending Christmas somewhere warm, and that I’ll be welcoming 2026 in one of the border venues mentioned above — I’ve already booked a room for a couple of nights at Frühstückspension Wernberga hotel a 10-minute drive from Andiamo (for those interested in not spending a fortune, it’s one of the cheapest options in the area — €65 per night even on New Year’s Eve) and I’ll be in and around Villach on December 30th and 31st to do a direct comparison between Wellcum and Andiamo — just like I did more than ten years ago, back when I was still almost exclusively a regular at (but all too often) border venues. I haven’t decided yet which of the two I’ll spend the last day of the year at and which one the day before, and I might even stop by somewhere else before heading back to Italy — who knows…
In any case, I hope it turns into a great experience and something interesting to share with you all.
Finally, even though I didn’t manage to organize a Christmas trip to Thailand, I did find a good-priced flight for late January and I’ll be in Bangkok for a week. It’s not much, but for someone like me who hates the cold, it’s enough to recharge my batteries while waiting for summer.
If anyone happens to be around and would like to meet up for a beer and a chat, feel free to drop me a message directly through the Contacts section. And if you’re planning a trip to the Land of Smiles and intend to visit Koh Samui, I suggest taking a look at the new selection of guest-friendly hotels on the island — you’ll find them in the recently updated Hotels section.
We’ll be in touch over the next few days — for now, that’s all.
Bye bye, dear Fellow Travelers!
