Thank You!!!

[Seeker]

After sitting on the sidelines for almost two years, I've decided to go to Cali in early May. I couldn't have felt confident enough to take on this challenge without all of you whom contribute your experiences and expertise to this forum. I'm getting only negative feedback from family and friends when I mention my plans to visit Colombia. In fact, I've gone into "damage control" and have stopped sharing my plans. Therefore, I'm relying on you guys for support. Special thanks to JR n Atl whose trip report gave me the last little push I needed to purchase my airfare. I have a few questions for you guys. I'll be arriving on a Friday night, should I exchange dollars in Miami? Also, how many days do you really think one needs to be at an agency to successfully meet enough potential candidates for dating? I know this varies, but say for example, you were going for one month to Cali, what would be a reasonable amount of time to spend at the agencies? It seems that staying at All Colombian Girls, for example, for a week is money well spent, but after that the law of diminishing returns kicks-in. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Calipro]

... in response to Thank You!!!, posted by Seeker on Apr 27, 2003

I wouldn't worry about exchanging money in Miami. There are ATMs at the airport and also a place where you can exchange cash. If you have the visa symbol on your debit card you shouldn't have any problems withdrawing money from the ATMs in Cali and they give you the absolute best exchange rate posible. If you are like me, you are going to want to exchange at least $100 so you can go out. Who are you going to hook up with? I would hate to spend a friday night in Cali sleeping off the jet lag. If you don't know anybody, call Ricardo up at All Colombian Girls and tell him that you will stay at his place if he calls up a couple of girls so the both of you can go out. I have gone out with Ricardo and 4 or 5 women and we had a great time. As long as you pick up half the tab at the end of the night, he will think you are a good guy and you will be a long way towards being on the in crowd at his place. He is the only agency owner that I enjoy socializing with. I would keep a strictly business relationship with all the others and I wouldn't confide in any of them. As a matter of fact I wouldn't let them know who I was dating or my personal opinions about any of the women at the agencies.

Since you are only going to be selecting women you want to meet. One day a the agencies should be enough to find a least one woman that you are interested in getting to know better and date.

At any of the better agencies there are only ten or so women the I would consider going out with so between All Colombian Girls and Latin Encounters that would make about 20 introductions which couldn't take more than 7 days no matter how busy the woman's schedule is. After a week you should have at least 5 or 6 women that you are interested in persuing and I would date all of them. You really don't know what you have until you get these women alone on a date. After one or two dates you should be able to tell which ones have the animal attraction thing going and you can cut the field down to 3 or 4. Although you may start to have more feelings for one more than the others you should fight the urge to cut the others loose because you never know what kinds of things can pop up in these relationships like boyfriends etc. etc. and you don't want to have to go back to square one after you have spent two weeks in Cali.

At this point the agencies will have become a handicap. The ladies you are dating probably won't feel comfortable spending the night there and the agencies themselves frown on over night stays. Not to mention the fact that people will see you with more than one woman and eventually things will be said.

For short stays of two weeks or less I like the Intercontinental Hotel at about 180,000 pesos a night. For two or more weeks you will want to rent an apartment. If you go for the apartment you won't have somebody to take your mesages so you should buy a cell phone at chipichapi. No matter where you stay in Cali, you should have a front desk or a watchman so people are not able to get to your front door unannounced.

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Calipro on Apr 28, 2003

I always like to exhange a little ($50) in Miami if possible, to cover the taxi and some cold beer on the way back from the airport.  You never know if that airport ATM will be working.  Problem is that often they are out of pesos in Miami, and it is a terrible rate.  Depending on your spanish skills, some of the ATMs can be a little akward to use - so it may be helpfull to get some assistance on your fist withdrawal.  If possible, bring more than one ATM card covering different networks (cirrus/plus/pulse), and avoid machines that "swallow" your card (locate and use the "swipe" types).  A month would be more than sufficient time - but if you have no success in a week or two you should be thinking about moving on to a different agency / city.  - Just my 2 cents

[Seeker]

... in response to Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Calipro on Apr 28, 2003

We don't call you Calipro for nothing. Thanks for your advice on money matters. I think your suggestion on how to enjoy my first Friday night in Cali is excellent. I will contact Ricardo and set-up something along the lines that you suggested. I don't mind picking up half of the tab, besides its the only right thing to do.

I really appreciate your strategy on how to go about my search. On the one hand, I want to meet enough ladies to improve my odds, but on the other hand, I need to limit the number of possibilities to cultivate more meaningful relationships. I think your right on target when you say that I should date a few ladies and resist the urge of focusing exclusively on one. I definetely don't want to fall back to square one after spending a couple of weeks in Cali, although this probably does happen, even to the best of us.  

All right, I'll just admit that I don't have your kind of cash to be staying at the Intercontinental. You mentioned 180,000 a night, but I almost always find a room at this hotel being quoted for $100+/night. I've heard of a small hotel or is it an apart-hotel next to the casino of the Intercontinental that is good value. Anyone know about this place?

Thanks again Calipro. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I get closer to my departure date.

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Seeker on Apr 29, 2003

Seeker a good hotel in the $70.000 range and a short walk from Ricardo's is Hotel Granada Real, Av 8N #15an-31 T: 6614920 or for two bedroom apt. two blocks from Chipichapi, $2.000 cab ride to Ricardo's or Latin Best for about $45.000 write Piedad and Jose at pisarom@telesat.com.co or call them at T: 6593124.

[Seeker]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Cali vet on Apr 29, 2003

Hello Cali vet, I like the option of the two bedroom apt. near Chipichapi. Sounds like a great deal. I'll probably go this route after I've spent a week at Ricardo's. I appreciate the contact information. Regards, Seeker

[Michael B]

... in response to Thank You!!!, posted by Seeker on Apr 27, 2003

1) Dammage control--see post below to hwalker below. It's YOUR life, you and the lady are the only ones who have to be happy, not family and friends---are they worried about the danger or "she's not our kind"? if the latter tell them to go jump off a forest ranger tower, if the former, tell them thanks for their concern, and promise to be careful -- hint: Go where the lady you are with tells you to and don't go where she tells you not to...she knows where the danger is and isn't going to lead you into it (after all, she's standing next to you), about the worst that can happen is you wind up in a resturant more expensive than you intended.

2) I think (but can't remember for sure) there's an ATM at the airport, but just to be safe, buy about $20.00 worth of pesos before you go (for the taxi)...otherwise, use ATM's to withdrawl cash, they are everywhere and the exchange rate is better than anything you will get in the US.

3) Agencies--I'll defer to those who have used them, I went down to see a lady I had already established a relationship with and didn't need an agency.

[Seeker]

... in response to Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Michael B on Apr 27, 2003

Definitely the former, they are simply worried about the perceived danger in Colombia. I'm not naive either, but I will mitigate the dangers by taking common sense precautions. Like you suggested, I will follow the advice of the locals and hope for the best. However, your post did remind me that in the future, some people's reactions will stem from the "latter", but then I'll point them toward those Yosemite ranger towers.

[pirate]

... in response to Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Michael B on Apr 27, 2003

There are ATM's (ATH's in Colombia) at the airport but they are upstairs from the ticket counters. I used them last week. The last exchange rate that I got was 2912. (300,000 pesos = 103.00 US.)

[Hiker]

... in response to Thank You!!!, posted by Seeker on Apr 27, 2003

[This message has been edited by Hiker]

I would suggest exchanging only enough to pay the taxi driver to get you to the agency.  The next morning you can use an ATM and get a MUCH better exchange.  You mentioned All Colombian Girls as the place you are staying.  The driver that Ricardo sends to meet you at the airport accepts US dollars.  If you use the taxi sent by an agency make sure a have a firm price established with the agency for the taxi.  I have found that they will at a minimum triple the cost.

You will like staying at ACG.  The location is great and the house is comfortable.  You have complete freedom there.  You are walking distance to several good places to eat and you are two blocks from 6th Avenue.  I would also suggest a weeks membership at Latin Best if you need another place to look while there.  If you can speak spanish I would also suggest doing a little "shopping" in Exito.  It is a block away from Latin Best.  I met three very beautiful girls in there.

[Seeker]

... in response to Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Hiker on Apr 27, 2003

Would you join ACG and Latin Best simultaneously, or one at a time? If you suggest both simultaneously, how do you manage your appointments efficiently? I'm not much of a shopper, but I'll make an exception for Exito since I speak Spansih fluently. Either way, it seems that if we go to Cali, we'll probably be spending a good portion of our time at the malls.

Paying triple for an already expensive taxi ride seems excessive, but I might consider it for personal safety reasons. Would picking up a random taxi at the airport be risky?

[Hiker]

... in response to Re: Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Seeker on Apr 29, 2003

I would not hesitate to get a Taxi at the airport.  Although I would only get one with numbers on it.  Yeah I know what you mean by not being much of a shopper.  I was the same way.  On my first trip (10 days), I only saw three girls.  In hindsight that was a mistake.  I would recommend craming as many citas as possible into the week.  Magic might be just around the corner and that is the only way to know.

Personally I found two distinct types of girls at ACG and Latin Best.  Not that one type was bad or worse than the other, just different.

[Seeker]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Thank You!!!, posted by Hiker on Apr 29, 2003

Hiker, I'd like to know how you'd describe the differences between the girls at ACG and Latin Best. I'm curious to know why only 3 citas. Was it your choice or was service slow and ineffective? Thanks again.