General Info

[BA_Robert]

Hello everybody,

will be in BA the second week of April. This will be my third time mongering in BA. I can't wait. I will be staying in the Etoile form April 6-20.

Will anybody be there that might want to hit some of the clubs one night? Do mongers still meet up at the lobby of the Etoile each night?

If anybody want to get together message me through the WSG:s privat messageing system.

Ba_robert2004

[Dick for Brains]

I too used OffPeakTraveler last year and was very pleased with the service. It turned out that I had to re-schedule my vacation due to some scheduling problems and OffPeak was able to accommodate the change (for a reasonable fee) despite the fact that the flight was "non-cancellable" and I didn't buy travel insurance. The support at OffPeak were most helpful.

DfB

[Jaimito Cartero]

Guy, make sure you know the total costs before you buy such a ticket. If you're going alone, there is usually a single supplement ranging from $100-$300. Plus taxes of $75-$150. Also keep in mind that these hotels may not be chica friendly, or may add a bit to your bill.

I think you can find a flight on United from LAX for about $693 plus tax (less than $800 total). You can get nice hotels for less than $50 per night, so a week would the same or less than the package deal you quoted. Also, you can rack up a lot of frequent flyer miles to EZE, so make sure you fly on an airline you get miles with.

Lan Chile has a ticket $50 cheaper than United, but the latest travel is the end of March.

[Amantelondres]

Am intrigued to know what mongers reckon is the average age and oldest age of us mongers.

[ChicagoBoy23]

Just did week in Patagonia with my novia. Highly recommend it. Air fare was $300 pp. Hotels ran ~$80/night

Calafate - land of glaciers, icebergs, very small town only 3000 but set up for tourists. Great restaurants. Saw once in 15 years break up of glacier.

Ushaia - land of fire. Mountains, beavers, beagle canal, straits of Magellan etc. Much bigger town. Museums etc. Specialty is king crab for seafood lovers. Wish I had spent more time here to go fly fishing. Some lame casinos - mostly slots.

Did not see any local action but not really in postion to look due to company.

[Guy92]

OffPeakTraveler.com is a fantastic site.

A week in BA airfare and hotel for $1,100 from west coast.

It is the cheapest I found.

Any other sites?

Going next month first time.

[MeGustaBoliches]

Happy,

Caballito is a very nice area. I would consider living there if I lived in BA full time.

Your motorcyle story reminds me of an incident I watched unfold near my apartment on the corner of Posadas and Libertad on a recent Sunday morning. An elderly couple strolling down Posadas is interrupted by a young thug who knocks the old guy down, takes his wallet and watch, jumps up and takes off to the corner where his buddy is waiting with a cycle....the cyclist takes off and the robber jumps on behind with the cycle in motion....the cops were on the scene in less than two minutes, but by then the cycle was long gone.

This is one of the nicest areas of Buenos Aires at a time usually considered to be safe. I suppose the moral is watch your back at all times.

[HappyGoLucky]

Hey MGB,

No, I don't believe it was a Radio Taxi; she just hailed one off the street in Caballito (sp?), which I am told is otherwise a nice area. A couple days later, I was in a taxi on Libertador near the Recoleta when two guys on a motorcycle stopped next to a car at a stop light, reached inside an open window, and took something by force from the driver (watch, bag, cell phone, I am not sure....). Then they drove off on the motorcycle in the opposite direction. It happened around 11:30 in the morning. I guess one can't be too careful in this town! Anyway, thanks for your suggestions!

[MeGustaBoliches]

Happy,

Was your teacher abducted by a radio taxi? Does she recall the name of the company? Where was she when she hailed the cab?

Taxis from the street can be dangerous. Especially those that are not radio taxis, but even then you are better off calling for a cab and following the advice given here to make a show of writing down the number of the cab and locking the door.

Sorry to hear about your teacher's misfortune.

[Member #4211]

Abduction.

Yesterday, in front of Exedra and by midnight, Capt Dave and I saw a police operation in which two guys leaned handcuffed over the trunk lid of a taxi. Maybe related for such kind of crime.

It's good to let the taxidriver know that you are aware. For instance, by memorizing the last 3 digits of the license plate and by locking the doors after getting in.

Hope this helps,

Andres

[HappyGoLucky]

Be wary of hailing a taxi on the street gents. My Spanish teacher was abducted yesterday on her way to the school at 10 a.m. After she got into the cab, the driver made a sudden turn and another man with a gun jumped into the cab. They took her to a desolate location and told her if she screamed they would kill her. After cleaning out her purse, they made off with a whole 15 pesos and left her on a street corner without so much as phone change (at least she's alive).

From now on, I call Radio Taxi!

[TicToc]

Lexton,

Be aware that there is (from Oct 2003) a requirement for a visa for Americans to enter Paraguay. You must have this visa prior to travel and it is for a set timeframe. You WILL be required to show tickets exiting the country for the issuance of the visa.

[Lexton]

To Argentina, Jaimito? In that case I might take my chances, and try to argue with the agent.

I haven't had a problem with Argentina, because I haven't tried. That is why I am asking about experiences. In Costa Rica I was probably flying Continental, but it shouldn't matter because CR and Panama have return/ongoing ticket requirements. This requirement is rather stupid these days, when a round trip ticket often costs less than a one-way, and the return is worthless if not used, and a max of 30 days stay. But they still have it. And certainly sell various useless tickets. It can really hurt you when you want to travel from abroad.

For Argentina, the USA //travel.state.gov site does not indicate a return ticket, but www.traveldocs.com does. But the USA site doesn't show a visa for Paraguay. I have seen other sites both ways. That is why I am asking. I may need to visit the USA soon. I am also thinking of traveling in Argentina and Paraguay. It appears the airlines are randomly requiring a return/ongoing ticket?

It is bad to get to the check-in in the USA and need a ticket, like Thomas0276. It is much worse to get to the check-in or frontier returning from Paraguay and need an airline ticket to return to the US from BA to enter Argentina. Although more likely they might make me buy a useless return ticket to Paraguay. Has anyone made this AR-Paraguay-AR trip? By air and/or bus?

[Jaimito Cartero]

What airlines have you run into this on? (Need outgoing ticket) I've flown on a number of one way tickets, reward tickets and so forth with no return and have never had a problem.

[OttoGraham]

Lex, as you point out, this doesn't appear to be something originating with the Argentine government. By way of perspective I fly about 150,000 miles a year, most of it on United Airlines. As such, I'm the highest level frequent flyer with them, and they never give me any static about anything.

Perhaps rather than worry about this subject, the better answer is that you ought to fly another airline other than the one you have been? I know that if a ticket agent at the airport demanded a return ticket, I'd tell them that my departure was not yet fixed and that I'd be getting an onward ticket in-country. Plenty of Gringos and Europeans wander about, going from one country to the next as casual tourists, buying tickets as they go.

-Uncle Otto