Today started out pretty slow.  There was a city tour scheduled from 10:30 to 2:00 but I had already scheduled a date with Martha for 1:30 so I couldn´t go.  Plus if it was like the Salt Cathedral tour yesterday where it was all couples and I went solo again I wouldn´t like it.  To kill the time till my date, I went to one of the malls with another of the guys and we walked around for a couple hours.  The mall was pretty dead.  We saw a couple nice looking women but none of them returned smiles or even looks for that matter.  Dave, the guy I went with, said that it was not normal.  He says he has gotten dates several times from the mall.

I showed back up at the agency in time for my 1:30 date with Martha.  We walked down to some mall and had lunch.  Then we went for ice cream and finally just walked around the mall.  During this time I did what everyone both here at the agency and people who have posted to my Bogota trip threads told me not to do.  I told her I had feelings for her that I just can´t help, that I was smitten with her and that I truly cared about her and very much wanted our relationship to continue.

She seem to be more open over the course of the 3 or 4 hours, but when we got back to the agency to end our date she was still sticking with her earlier plan to end our date so she could spend time with her daughter.  Now it gets a little soap operish.  Lucas approaches me when I get back and tells me he is really sorry, but he had scheduled an appointment for me and forgot to tell me, but that the girl was there and waiting.  I am looking at my last few minutes with Martha and Lucas wanted me to see another girl.  I knew if I asked Martha to wait, she wouldn´t, so I told Lucas he was just going to have to break the date, I was not going to give up my last couple minutes with Martha.  So I go back to Martha and she asks what Lucas wanted, and I told her it was nothing because I knew that Martha would insist I see the other date if she knew about it.  So finally I am with my last minutes with Martha.  I discuss with her about her seeing me off at the airport tomorrow, but she has to take her daughter´s Jurassic Park project to school and couldn´t make it to the airport before the time I have to go through customs.  So it looks like I was facing a future of phone calls and emails or more likely no future at all, when she says ¨would you like to come meet my daughter?¨  Well needless to say I got a taxi for the 2 of us and we were on our way.  The details from hereon in are unimportant except to say I loved her daughter, she really seems to like me and Martha is now my girl.  We made plans for me to come visit every other weekend and hopefully call and email everyday.  When I left her apartment, I took a taxi alone for the 30 minute drive back to the agency with no problems.

This will be the end of my journal of my trip to Bogota.

... in response to My Bogota Trip - Day 5, posted by lswote on Sep 3, 2002

Every other weekend? Man, what do you do for money? I want a job in that field. So you met the daughter and you two hit it off. Well, that's good. Like I posted below, not meeting the daughter was an indication that Martha was NOT serious. But now she is......she probably did figure out that you cancled the other date to stay with her, but more likely what turned the corner was when you told her how you felt about her.

Well, I hope your story continues and reaches a happy conclusion. Keep us posted.

BTW, if you're going to call her EVERY day, your phone bill will be more than my child support payments (hey, maybe THAT'S why I can't afford to go as often as I like, ha ha). Start using phone cards instead of just dialing. I know a great phone card, but it only works in Texas, but if you search the web and/or the little independent stores in the Latin or Asian part of town you can find one that is reliable and priced reasonably. You might have to try two or three different one before you find one that serves your needs best. Look for one that says NO CONNECTION CHARGES, nothing is more frustrating than paying 2 or 3 dollars when she says "hello" and then (due do a problem with the lines) the connection drops 10 seconds later.

... in response to Re: My Bogota Trip - Day 5, posted by mudd on Sep 3, 2002

Rich or retired, no.  But I live near Miami and can get a ticket in the $400 range if I buy 2 weeks in advance.  I can fly down Friday evening and back Sunday evening and have practically 2 full days without missing my job.  I am a consultant and highly paid for someone in my field, but not rich.  For me, seeing her on a regular basis is important to me to build the relationship.  I can get a phone card for 14 or 15 cents a minute so I can talk to her an hour every day for about $9.  These are acceptable and affordable costs for me.  We all have are different reasons for coming to Latin America.  Building a relationship with Martha fits mine.

... in response to Re: Re: My Bogota Trip - Day 5, posted by lswote on Sep 3, 2002

The dial around service 10-10-345 is 16 cents a minute and has a 30 cent connection fee.  It is SO much more reliable than phone cards and I've been able to connect at peak times, during bad weather, etc.  After taxes and fees on your regular monthly telephone bill, it's going to be about 17 cts a minute.

As for phone cards to call Colombia, the Mexico Express card is available in $5 and $10 increments. The advertisement says there is no connection fee and you can talk for about 5 cents a minute.  That's more or less correct if you use the card up on one call.  If it takes more than one attempt to get through, or you use it for several conversations, the balance declines VERY rapidly and you'd be better off using the dial around service (above).

www.phonecards-prepaid.com is where I purchased the Mexico Express Card.  They used to offer one called South American Excellence and I had better luck with it but can't find it anymore.  Overall, I've found phone cards to be OK if you call mornings or mid-day, very early evenings or during the weekend days.  I don't have much luck connecting beyond 8 p.m. any day of the week.

The phonecards-prepaid site and dial around number were mentioned on the Dos Gringos board.  I have no connection to either company and am always willing to try something new if others have found better and cheaper connections.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: My Bogota Trip - Day 5, posted by Michael B on Sep 3, 2002

Martha only has a cell phone.  I was told I would have to pay more to call to a cell phone.  I know it has cost me 1000 pesos a minute to call her cell phone from a phone booth which is outrageous considering it only cost me 15,000 pesos to take a 30 minute taxi ride from her house to the agency (which averages out to only 500 pesos per minute).  Are you aware of a phone card that is 4 or 5 cents a minute without surcharge that lets me call a cell phone?

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: My Bogota Trip - Day..., posted by Michael B on Sep 4, 2002

I use 10-15-335 WorldXChange which is $.16 per minute to cell phones and $.15 per minute to regular phones.  They have a 10 minute minimum.  I have not used 10-10-345, but they also report a $.16 per minute rate to cell phones.  They say they have no minimum time or connect fee, but I had used 10-15-335 before and knew the quality of their service.   You can find out about both of them at:
http://10-10phonerates.com/south_america.html

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: My Bogota Trip - Day 5, posted by lswote on Sep 3, 2002

I don't think there is a charge to you for calling a cell phone.colombianita has a card with no connection charges I think.My wife is using South American excellence since our vendor dropped Colombianita.she was real proud its 5 cents a miniute.But when I used it I found a $2 connection charge.
I am trying to find a new one.

Pete

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: My Bogota Trip - Day..., posted by Pete E on Sep 3, 2002

Try: http://www.2prepaidcard.com/default.asp