- If you've been to a gay bathhouse or sauna, did you have sexual contact with anyone, or did you just watch?
Yes...contact meaning full on sex, plus sucking etc.
- If you just watched, did you jerk off while watching? Did you feel like that was encouraged?
Not me, but I don't think it was banned.
- If you had sex with someone, did they approach you, or did you work up the nerve to go up to someone?
They approached me, or rather followed me into the shower.
- How long were you there? Did it feel like guys were more coming in for a cum fix, or staying for hours, or a mix?
I went a few times, usually I was there for an hour - 90 minutes. The place I used had a gym attached so I generally used that first.
- Did the establishment have multiple spaces (rooms, showers, hot tubs, steam rooms, etc.), and which did you use?
Saunas, shower cubicles, hot tubs, a steam room and a gym.
- Did it feel friendly to you as a first time visitor, or did it feel "clubby?"
Everywhere is clubby at first, I think you always assume that everyone knows everyone else, but that's not the case. I generally noted that the clientele differed according to the time of day, at least I thought I saw more married guys around late afternoon, younger people tended to use it later in the evening etc.
- If it was your first time, either at a sauna or with a man generally, did it feel like anyone perceived your newness and made an effort to "welcome" you, or did you feel kind of ignored?
I just minded my business/observed until I picked up the vibe, just as you would anywhere that's new.
- Did you feel like people were being mostly safe, mostly unsafe, or a mix when it comes to unprotected anal sex?
Mostly safe...I had protected and unprotected sex, I don't think anyone forced me to do anything I didn't want to do like going bareback.
- How did you feel? Was it thrilling? Scary? Empowering? All of the above?
I loved it, being picked up is a bit scary but that was part of the excitement.
- What was the mix of ages, races, body types, gender expressions, etc.?
As I say above I noticed the office worker/married men types in late afternoon and younger guys later in the evening, that was generally when I went. As for body types/race etc, there were all types.
- Were the guys mostly cool, or did it feel like there were some creeps there?
Mostly cool, my creep radar tends to kick in so I avoided anyone who made me nervous.