The guys in Atacama

"Do you think those two guys over there are gay?" I ask boyfriend number 2 while we're having dinner one night at our hotel in the Atacama desert, while on holiday in Chile recently.

Boyfriend number 2 looks round and shrugs.

"Could be," he replies in a disinterested kind of way, "but I'm not sure."

The two guys in question are probably around 30 years old and look very northern European, possibly German, Dutch or Scandinavian. They also sitting on their own, both dressed in white or very light coloured clothes, and without any female companions! It's the most expensive hotel in the region and straight guys their age would normally stay somewhere cheaper with their wives or girlfriends, either saving money so they can start a family one day or because they've already got kids. But with two incomes and no thoughts of kids, gay couples often have more disposable income.

"Actually GB, I think those two guys are gay," says boyfriend number 2 the following night over dinner, nodding to where they're both sitting. Again, they're both similarly dressed, in white and light colours.

"There's something about their attitude," he continues, "and I also spotted the one on the left there sunning himself by the pool this afternoon in very tight trunks :-), definitely gay!"

"So what did you think of him in trunks?" I ask lecherously.

"OK, I admit, I did check him out but he wasn't that big!" he says looking mildly disappointed, "but maybe he's a grower :-)."

Looking over to where they're sitting, I find it amazing how little attention the two of them are paying to anyone else in the room. They're totally focused on each other, playing backgammon while eating their dinner. Very sweet, but perhaps a bit too intense? Their behaviour suggests to me that they've only been boyfriends for a relatively short period of time.

In any case, I'm always happy to see other gay couples staying at the same hotel as me when I'm on holiday. The more visible we all are, the more normal it is to be gay, and the easier it is for closeted gay guys to come out. But since it is relatively rare that I spot other gay couples at the hotels I stay at, it was a pity that on this occasion the guys were so wrapped up with each other. I enjoy socialising and making new friends, and with the other residents of the hotel being both straight and older than ourselves, chatting to some other gay guys would have been very welcome!