Colombia Round Two: La Costa!

[vallenatoman]

Wow woody sounds like a dream!

Might i ask where you found her?

I am having problems finding a good place to search.

I know latin wife but thats a package im not sure thats what i want.

I read here about cupido.

I am just curious how and where you found this wonderful lady.

[Woody]

I am just curious how and where you found this wonderful lady.

LatinAmericanCupid.



Also, bought my ticket today. $1k, taxes and all. Flying down on six July, 57 days in Colombia.

[whitey]

Also, bought my ticket today. $1k, taxes and all. Flying down on six July, 57 days in Colombia.

Yikes, that's expensive Woody ... must be where you live?

I'm flying out of Detroit to Cartagena at the end of July for $584 all in on Spirit.

[Alabamaboy!]

I think Spirit has some great deals right now because they just had a recent strike of some sort which resulted in a lot of cancelled flights.

[Woody]

Yikes, that's expensive Woody ... must be where you live?

I'm flying out of Detroit to Cartagena at the end of July for $584 all in on Spirit.

Spirit isn't an option here. Disadvantage of not living near a major hub.

[Gato4Astrid]

Yikes, that's expensive Woody ... must be where you live?

I'm flying out of Detroit to Cartagena at the end of July for $584 all in on Spirit.

I want to book the flight to Medellin from London Heathrow for a week in August (for my birthday and Flores Fair) but £980 is the cheapest  ( = $1,470)  OR   2 weeks for only £616 in September for the "Valentine's Day" (= $925)
 

The decision isn't easy!!! 

[robert angel]

Wow--airfares seem high all over now. People going to the Philippines from the east coast USA are paying from $1700 to over $2000 and that just gets them to Manila. I read where Woody's paying a bit more than usual to Colombia AND driving 17 hours to the airport...

[Gato4Astrid]

Wow--airfares seem high all over now. People going to the Philippines from the east coast USA are paying from $1700 to over $2000 and that just gets them to Manila. I read where Woody's paying a bit more than usual to Colombia AND driving 17 hours to the airport...

That's more expensive than from UK to Colombia!!

[Dan Las Vegas]

Gato,

If you are planning on going for the flower fair, you had better have already made reservations for a hotel as there is usually nothing available that week or two unless you book quite a ways in advance, or are willing to pay some incredibly high prices

Dan LV

[Dan Las Vegas]

Robert, I think you misread woody's post, he was driving 17 hours home to tennessee, not to the airport.

Dan LV

[Woody]

Robert, I think you misread woody's post, he was driving 17 hours home to tennessee, not to the airport.

Dan LV

Yup, as of today I no longer live in Colorado. I will be a legal resident of the state of Tennessee, but I won't be living here.

Spending the week with family, off to Colombia on the sixth.

[Woody]

Just a quick update, I broke the cardinal rule of online dating.

I knew I was breaking it, but it was a good opportunity to test the waters and, really, if she took this chance to screw me then I would have been getting off easy.

So, I sent her money, $600k COP to reserve the Hotel for two days and the Apartment that we will be renting after that($150k/night for an apartment overlooking the {private} beach, I am happy with that).

So, between the hotel and apartment and cab fares she has $250k COP left, she made sure to tell me very soon after we started talking again tonight. She gave me an itemized run-down to include room numbers and addresses. I did not prompt the money question, SHE brought up what she had reserved and everything. I was just going to let it come up in the course of normal conversation.

So we talked, again, for another five hours. I think we are at over 40 hours of conversation now. I'll tell you what, I am hoping and praying that there is the same chemistry in person as on webcam and chat, because I have completely fallen for this girl, and she for me.

Yes, I broke a cardinal rule, but this was one of those situations where it would have actually been cheaper if she HAD ripped me off and taken the money and run. I am spending a lot more money than I would have because of the time that I am spending in Cartagena. So, her taking my $300 and running would have saved me over $1000, but she didn't. It is also a good exercise in trust.

I know, I am committing a lot of mistakes here guys, but I am doing it anyways. It is not like I wasn't going to Colombia anyways, it is just that now I am going to see and be with what is possibly the most spectacular woman I have ever talked to.

[utopiacowboy]

I made the same "mistake" and sent my now-wife money to arrange a trip to San Andres before I had even met her. Best "mistake" I ever made.

[Gato4Astrid]

Gato,

If you are planning on going for the flower fair, you had better have already made reservations for a hotel as there is usually nothing available that week or two unless you book quite a ways in advance, or are willing to pay some incredibly high prices

Dan LV

Actually I do not think I am going for the flower fair (during my birthday week!), because the air fare, itself from UK to Colombia cost me almost double!    It has nothing to do with Flower fair, because the cost is already expensive for the UK-USA leg during summer months.  Similar prices to: Bogota, Cali, Cartegena ...also

I might go this September instead for the "Valentine" only if late August's price do not reduce.

[Gato4Astrid]

Woody

I am sure that you are already aware that to make dosmetic flights, it is far cheaper to makem the reservations in Colombia than from websites in your country!

Let's say: 

Medellin to Santa Marta, 14 September departure, and return 28 September
£318.80 (checked expedia.co.uk today) = US $475  or  $950,000 COP

Now, avianca.com.co - Colombian website, for the same:
$228,520 COP  (including Tax)

SAVE AT LEAST $700,000 COP !!!!

I would prefer to break the Cardinal rule!!!

[Woody]

Woody

I am sure that you are already aware that to make dosmetic flights, it is far cheaper to makem the reservations in Colombia than from websites in your country!

Let's say: 

Medellin to Santa Marta, 14 September departure, and return 28 September
£318.80 (checked expedia.co.uk today) = US $475  or  $950,000 COP

Now, avianca.com.co - Colombian website, for the same:
$228,520 COP  (including Tax)

SAVE AT LEAST $700,000 COP !!!!

I would prefer to break the Cardinal rule!!!

Yeah, but in my case going to bogota was just over $800 (would have been $620 had I booked a week before I did, but I wanted certain things to be done before I booked). Memphis to Houston to Panama City to Cartagena is just slightly over $1k. So, I'm pretty much paying $100 for the convenience of not having to book a second, domestic flight, once I arrive on the ground.  I can deal with that.

[robert angel]

Dan,

Re:

>>Robert, I think you misread woody's post, he was driving 17 hours home to tennessee, not to the airport.<<


Misred? Who me? Sumone told me that this place is for peeple who can't rite, but do anyway, and their werk is red by peeple who can't reed---

' P-L: --> Brought to you by peeple who can't rite, fer peeple who can't reed!'

[whitey]

Just a quick update, I broke the cardinal rule of online dating.

I knew I was breaking it, but it was a good opportunity to test the waters and, really, if she took this chance to screw me then I would have been getting off easy.

So, I sent her money, $600k COP to reserve the Hotel for two days and the Apartment that we will be renting after that($150k/night for an apartment overlooking the {private} beach, I am happy with that).

So, between the hotel and apartment and cab fares she has $250k COP left, she made sure to tell me very soon after we started talking again tonight. She gave me an itemized run-down to include room numbers and addresses. I did not prompt the money question, SHE brought up what she had reserved and everything. I was just going to let it come up in the course of normal conversation.

So we talked, again, for another five hours. I think we are at over 40 hours of conversation now. I'll tell you what, I am hoping and praying that there is the same chemistry in person as on webcam and chat, because I have completely fallen for this girl, and she for me.

Yes, I broke a cardinal rule, but this was one of those situations where it would have actually been cheaper if she HAD ripped me off and taken the money and run. I am spending a lot more money than I would have because of the time that I am spending in Cartagena. So, her taking my $300 and running would have saved me over $1000, but she didn't. It is also a good exercise in trust.

I know, I am committing a lot of mistakes here guys, but I am doing it anyways. It is not like I wasn't going to Colombia anyways, it is just that now I am going to see and be with what is possibly the most spectacular woman I have ever talked to.

Hey Woody:

Yes, you are breaking the first rule ... BUT ....

1) This is NOT a gift.  You are giving her the money to arrange accommodations that you both will share, and you'll likely get a better deal if she is making the arrangements (assuming of course she doesn't take off with the money!)

2) You are going into this with your eyes wide open.

3) This is a great test of both her honesty and ability to take care of business (although I hate using the word test).  No matter what happens, you will learn a lot about her.

4) You seem like a pretty sharp guy.  Although it's always possible to get fooled, you've spent enough time talking to her to assess the risk.

There are many, many, many honest good women in Colombia ... best of luck ... you may have found someone special.

[jm21-2]

Yes, I broke a cardinal rule, but this was one of those situations where it would have actually been cheaper if she HAD ripped me off and taken the money and run. I am spending a lot more money than I would have because of the time that I am spending in Cartagena. So, her taking my $300 and running would have saved me over $1000, but she didn't. It is also a good exercise in trust.

I know, I am committing a lot of mistakes here guys, but I am doing it anyways. It is not like I wasn't going to Colombia anyways, it is just that now I am going to see and be with what is possibly the most spectacular woman I have ever talked to.

I have not sent money to a girl I hadn't met in person, but I did give both my girlfriends some money I didn't think I'd ever see again just to test and see what would happen. First girlfriend wanted some money to replace her cell phone a couple months after I visited her the first time, and right after sending the money turned out the phone fixed itself...I was thinking of taking another trip out to see her but that was the final blow (things were not great from the start). Present girlfriend I was more cautious about giving her money after being ripped off by the previous girlfriend (to put it lightly), but she was having lots of trouble with her bank (Taiwan bank that didn't communicate with foreign ATMs and we were in Thailand) and I loaned her a couple hundred bucks. She paid me back in full almost immediately after getting home which was nice.

With the price of travel giving/loaning/forwarding some money is well worth the risk to weed out a girl with bad intentions imho. And if she handles things well it's a big trust builder.

[Dan Las Vegas]

Hey Woody,

So what if you broke this rule, I think you are making the right decision in this case. What is the worst that could happen? You lose some money but at least you will be in Colombia having a good time.  I think the positives far outweigh the negatives in this case. Good luck, have a fantastic trip and I'll be waiting for the trip report!!!!

Dan LV

[Gato4Astrid]

Hey Woody:

1) This is NOT a gift.  You are giving her the money to arrange accommodations that you both will share, and you'll likely get a better deal if she is making the arrangements (assuming of course she doesn't take off with the money!)

Even if it is not a gift, WRONG woman would have kept his money by not having to make the arrangements! 

[Dan Las Vegas]

Even if it is not a gift, WRONG woman would have kept his money by not having to make the arrangements! 

At the moment, it appears that woody has chosen wisely

[bcc_1_2]

At the moment, it appears that woody has chosen wisely

eeh I almost hate saying this. Woody can break all kinds of rules and probably get away with it. I could have... but that being said it sets a bad precedent. The average joe who posts on here and breaks the rules will get burned (especially if he is chasing much younger tail). That's why the rules exist. And now you probably have some readers saying hey... maybe I'm the exception to the rule too.

So the rules exist for a reason... break them and at your own risk... and even woody, myself, or anyone else could get burned by breaking them.

[Zon]

sending silly money for gifts or emergencies that strain believability is The Rule - you just stepped on a little uneasy pavement.  And you did so in a measured, well reasoned way.  I think it was a cheap test.  so far so good.

your wrote - " I have completely fallen for this girl "    Wooow now cowboy. These expectations do not serve your interests, or hers.   If there is as much chemistry as you presume, that will be a problem enough on your good judgment  ( remember almost all marriages - even failed marriages - had chemistry and good intentions in the beginning). 

Enjoy the passion and the fun ... just try to be sober through the whole affair.  Give it some time and some distance.  It is almost impossible to begin to know someone for real in under 180 days.  Just my opinion.

Bien Suerte

[Woody]

Enjoy the passion and the fun ... just try to be sober through the whole affair.  Give it some time and some distance.  It is almost impossible to begin to know someone for real in under 180 days.  Just my opinion

Don't worry, I am not getting married this trip. Even if I wanted to marry her by the end of the trip, I would not. My parents have already said that they want to be at my wedding, even if it is in Colombia. I would be looking at March-ish 2011 at the earliest, probably September next year would be more likely.