Travel time too long, HELP

[Stevieboy]

I made my first SA trip to Panama and even though out of the ordinary, I was AMAZED by the diverse beautiful women and commerce going on there. So after a couple of dates with Colombian women there I'm hooked on their beauty. I speak spanish, so conversations were comfortable, and both girls (they didnt know each other) practically pronounced me a fool if I didn't visit Colombia to meet girls. So, now I'm going to Barranquilla in March and can't wait.
OK, so the trip time from Texas to Panama to include layovers was around 5.5 hours, but the trip to Barranquilla averages 12 hours!! WTF?? Ive tried Orbitz and Expedia, United airlines has the least trip time of 10.5 hours for $1200. And, $110 a nite for hotel at Hotel El Prado (hotels.com). Since I don't know about hostels or trusted apartments, I figure stay at a hotel with high ratings. Does anyone have a better idea or travel site?      BTW, I'll be hanging out with Benijio there, so I'm sure I'm in for a great time.
   

[Micky]

SB -


My opinion,  can't do better than hooking up with BenJ!!  So really all you have to do is show up and follow the 'Master'.  I do not know why you are having a time,  with the time on the flights.  Look for a direct to Miami/Ft Lauderdale and then a direct out of there.  I am not a Barq guy,  but I can get to Med from LA faster than the stuff you are posting from Texas.  Anyway,  you WILL have a great time (give BenJ one up the side of his melon for me).


Micky

[whitey]

Depends on the dates, but just had a quick look at Spirit and you can fly from Ft Lauderdale to Cartagena for about $500 return, including taxes and luggage.  Just find the cheapest way of getting there from where you live.


Cartagena is about 1.5 hours from Barranquilla - just take a safe and air-conditioned puerta-a-puerta service from the airport to your hotel for $25.000 (about $US28).


El Hotel el Prado is my favourite hotel in Barranquilla ... can't beat the old world charm, colonial architecture, and the fantastic courtyard/pool.  I proposed to my wife there.  It's only a 5-10 minute walk up Calle 72 to a grocery store, feria (outdoor market with all sorts of touristy stuff), and the Estacion Joe Arroyo where you can take safe and air-conditioned Transmetro buses practically anywhere in the city for $1.800.


I'm sure you'll have a great time with Benjio ... you can take chicas back to the hotel pool for the day for around $20.000 (not the chicas, their entrance to use the facilities!).


Diviertete!

[V_Man]

Wow! I am sooooooooo jealous.
What a DREAM!!! only 12 hours and $1200.
Soooooooooo lucky!!!! 

[Micky]

Whitey -


(not the chicas, their entrance to use the facilities!).  That was LOL !!!!!

Micky

[Bob_S]

12 hours and $1200 is also LAX to Haneda, direct.  After a few times, you get used to it.


At least you get a layover and can stretch your legs if you're willing to take a non-direct flight to S.A.  Lots of guys here mention getting a connecting flight in Florida.  What is the cheapest if you're willing to have 1 or 2 layovers?

[Stevieboy]

Went ahead and purchased the tickets direct from United. Trip was a bit more $, but less time at 10.5 hrs. Yeah, I'm pretty excited. I'm waiting to pay for the hotel online in case Benjio or someone else has a hostel to share or better offer. I'm not so much interested in saving money as I am being comfortable. Here's a pic of a girl in Panama I had model one of the several bags I bought to resell back in the US. Benjio looked at this girl and said no comparison to the girls in Co. So you're saying they're even better?? Dayum! Two months gives me enough time to hit the gym a little before I get there. I'm also considering taking a few unlocked cell phones to sell, but as i looked on craigslist there, they dont seem to have much of a demand price. Is this true?   
The first pic is of Jessica, daughter of the fabricante lady that makes different bags. The second pic is me and Lily whom I met at the casino. The third girl Lorena I met at a club and took her to the same bar I took Lily jaja. She made me shave my face. I hated it. I felt I looked like a monkey with a big upper lip.  The photos arent very square so they may look funny.
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
     

[Stevieboy]

Holy cow!! Those pics came out too big.

[robert angel]

It's typically around 30 hours to Manila from the USA eastern seaboard, then with customs, baggage, switching to domestic, another 6 to 8 hours to fly to Davao, Philippines. Sit on the right and if you're lucky, catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji about halfway through. Sometimes it's around 40 hours total and typically costs over $1500. Makes staying there at least a few weeks all the more worth it, as once you're there, you can really mellow out and enjoy a lot of things that are different than what we usually experience.
 

Besides, you can ask the flight attendants to inform you when you're flying over the equator, so you can go to the 'loo', flush it and watch how the water goes from swirling clockwise to counter clockwise--what fun!--you know those inflight movies are a bore anyway.... The jet lag's much worse heading home--it doesn't bug me much heading over--but 30 to 40 hours enroute does wear on ya. So it could be worse, Stevieboy!

 
You want a long journey? Try flying to Kazakhstan, where the the girls are pretty and they love their man----If it's like it was, you fly to Germany first, then take another flight to Batys, Quazaqstan, catch 'quaint', steam powered trains, then USSR era buses, and then yak drawn wagons, by which time, you really appreciate the fermented yak milk they serve!

[whitey]

I'm waiting to pay for the hotel online in case Benjio or someone else has a hostel to share or better offer.


Benjio looked at this girl and said no comparison to the girls in Co. So you're saying they're even better?? Dayum!
   
She made me shave my face. I hated it. I felt I looked like a monkey with a big upper lip.  The photos arent very square so they may look funny. 
 

No need to pay online.  Just pay when you get there.  Unless it's carnaval or some kind of special event, there will be rooms available.  I'll dig out my notes and recommend a room number for you ... there's one in the corner on the second floor that is bigger than the others, but same price.

There aren't really any hostels in BAQ ... it is not a tourist or backpacker city.

Hmm ... I think Benjio might be a little "enthusiastic" ... those women look very pretty to me, and the first and third ones look very typical of the coast.


Most colombianas I've met don't like facial hair, especially on the coast, so you're better off without it.

[V_Man]

Yes - keep the facial hair off. Colombianas do not like it. In fact you will discover they expect higher standards of grooming in general, even though you thought you were well groomed in your culture.


Jessica is hot and she would be hot in Colombia. However there are a lot more like her in Colombia than in Panama. The other two would be typical women in Colombia.

[robert angel]

In a lot of cultures the women frown on facial hair. Some will be reluctant to inform you. Took my gal forever to ask me to shave my mustache and goatee. I finally did so one Christmas and it was her favorite 'gift'  that Christmas.

[whitey]

Yes - keep the facial hair off. Colombianas do not like it. In fact you will discover they expect higher standards of grooming in general, even though you thought you were well groomed in your culture.


Jessica is hot and she would be hot in Colombia. However there are a lot more like her in Colombia than in Panama. The other two would be typical women in Colombia.

That's funny V_Man ... I thought Jessica was the hottest too ... but figured everyone else would go for the other two ...

[Micky]

All three looked good to me.

Micky

[Stevieboy]

Yeah I figured I'd shave before my trip. I can definitely say that after my first trip to Panama, that psycologically speaking, a man can do and think hastily and stupidly. Ever since I came back to the states, my main job has taken a back seat to the new dream of "imports". The common denominator is still about the woman. I'll be there 10 days, but know it isnt enough time to get to know one person, so I need to phsyche myself into just going to have a "good time". Ever since I've been back, I feel like a man from another planet. I don't talk or feel the same, especially when talking to women. It's like their not good enough for me. Who the hell do I think I am anyway? For sure am no spring freakin chicken. Why would I spend so much money and suffer jet lag and diahrea? Yeah, the food in Panama suuuuuucked! Don't know what to expect from Colombia, but I cant imagine it to be better. OK, I can't deny their ceviche was fantastic, but still overall bad food IMO.
I went to Panama to fulfill what I have always wanted to do; to travel to SA. The opportunity came up when an uncle (pilot) went to Panama to fly with Copa Airlines.
Hey, Whitey, so you're saying wait to pay the hotel till I'm there? Price still the same as online? Yes, a room number would be great! I'm pretty finicky about the location of the room. I dont like them close to the elevators or stairs. I think Benji's picking me up at the airport.   
 
     

[michaelb]

But Panama is not in South America, and I doubt you'll get jet lag flying there, it's the same time zone as New York, so the worst time change from the US lower 48 would be 3 hours if you started in California. Of course if you're starting from Alaska or Hawaii, that's a horse of a different color, but Panama is still in Central America.

[whitey]

Well Stevieboy, you drank the Kool-Aid ... no turning back now!  You've discovered that your value as a man is much greater in most other countries.


Room 202 is the room number ... right in the corner away from everything and bigger than the other standard rooms.  Don't get 203 right next to it - it is smaller than most of the other rooms.


But be warned ... the rooms at el Hotel el Prado are very average and dated.  It's the common areas (lobby, pool, courtyard, etc.) that are great.  If you're looking for a luxurious and modern US-style hotel, this is not the place.


Re the room prices, once Carnaval is over later this week, I'll have someone from Nazly's family call and ask about the rates for you.  But no, no need to pay online first.

[Stevieboy]

Well Stevieboy, you drank the Kool-Aid ... no turning back now!  You've discovered that your value as a man is much greater in most other countries.


Room 202 is the room number ... right in the corner away from everything and bigger than the other standard rooms.  Don't get 203 right next to it - it is smaller than most of the other rooms.


But be warned ... the rooms at el Hotel el Prado are very average and dated.  It's the common areas (lobby, pool, courtyard, etc.) that are great.  If you're looking for a luxurious and modern US-style hotel, this is not the place.


Re the room prices, once Carnaval is over later this week, I'll have someone from Nazly's family call and ask about the rates for you.  But no, no need to pay online first.

From what I read from online reviews, this hotel is "excellent". Would you recommend this place or somewhere else? I'm not expecting a palace, but not motel hell either.
I dont know what to expect from this trip. I'm completely flying blind and going because Benjio is going. He said he knew girls and was staying at Jaime's place, so I decided to take a big chance. I've been a spectator on this forum for a long time, and the common thing with most of you guys is that you just dove in . I mean who in their right mind does that? I would say people with penises do. Jaja. If not for Benjio being there, I wouldn't know what or where to go. I mean do the girls just fall off trees or what?

[whitey]

Well, it's my favourite hotel, but some people like American style.


Take the virtual tour and judge for yourself:  http://www.hotelelpradosa.com/flash/tour.php

[htown]

The women in your pics look great to me.  You may meet some more attractive women in colombia but you might not want to date too far out of your league if you know what I mean.  Spirit airlines flies out of dfw.

[benjio]

Hmm ... I think Benjio might be a little "enthusiastic" ... those women look very pretty to me, and the first and third ones look very typical of the coast.

Whoooaaaa...in my defense, Stevie only showed me a picture of the first girl, which is what I'd call a typical Costeña. Plenty of those in and around Barranquilla. I told him she was cute, but it gets a lot better along the coast of Colombia. I didn't see the other two until now, which would have obviously raised the bar a little. 

[Stevieboy]

Yeah, Benjio's right, I did only show him two pics, and one of them is missing here. As I may have mentioned, I was shopping for artisan stuff to bring back and stumbled across these girls who excitedly volunteered to model the bags. I'm a photographer by hobby and welcomed the opportunity. Hopefully there will be hot girls in CO willing to model too. I don't think I wanna lug a full size DSLR camera with heavy lens there. A decent point and shoot camera and photoshopping works fine.
   

[fathertime]

Whoooaaaa...in my defense, Stevie only showed me a picture of the first girl, which is what I'd call a typical Costeña. Plenty of those in and around Barranquilla. I told him she was cute, but it gets a lot better along the coast of Colombia. I didn't see the other two until now, which would have obviously raised the bar a little. 

i'm not too sure what everybody is seeing in the other two gals that they don't see in the first one...the 1st gal is exceptionally attractive in my opinion...nothing wrong with the other two either.


the comments about facial hair i believe to be correct too, for some reason it is not a positive with most of these ladies...i think in part it is because we are generally older and anything that accentuates the age difference (such as grey in the beard) is not a negative...in addition facial hair just isn't very popular i guess.


hey benjio, it is nice to read your opinions though.   


fathertime! 

[bcc_1_2]

It sounds like you are starting at a regional airport or something. I feel you there. 12 hours is what is it I've been there. 1200 is a bit steep though... sounds like march pricing to me. Coulda been 850 some other time.

[V_Man]

From what I read from online reviews, this hotel is "excellent". Would you recommend this place or somewhere else? I'm not expecting a palace, but not motel hell either.
I dont know what to expect from this trip. I'm completely flying blind and going because Benjio is going. He said he knew girls and was staying at Jaime's place, so I decided to take a big chance. I've been a spectator on this forum for a long time, and the common thing with most of you guys is that you just dove in . I mean who in their right mind does that? I would say people with penises do. Jaja. If not for Benjio being there, I wouldn't know what or where to go. I mean do the girls just fall off trees or what?

Stevie, do you realise that a motel in Colombia has a totally different meaning than in our culture?


Do your homework about everything and communicate with girls on line before you go. Definately learn as much Spanish as you can. But yes you really need to not spend too much time doing that. You really need to dive in and learn first hand.


No the girls definately do not fall off trees. Being a gringo is not a magic wand. Most marriage minded women don't want to leave Colombia and their family for starters. So you need to be a decent guy, with a decent personality, who treats them with respect to get anywhere at all.