Sunny Day
Aug 8, 03, 5:19 am
Although quite a few months have passed since I came back from this trip, I thought I’d share it here with you anyway. Warning – it is quite long.
Last fall, I was thinking how I was going to spend my well deserved 4 week holiday. Middle East? Too unstable with possible war in Iraq; Caribbean? Too easy, I’d be bored after a week. Well, what about South America? Except for Columbia, everywhere else appeared safe for travel.
I have been saving my Air Canada Aeroplan miles to go somewhere far and I learned it from here on FT that a good way to use miles is by using it on a business class reward ticket - there is something about it being worth more. I looked on the back of my Aeroplan statement and it only cost 50000 and 75000 Aeroplan miles to fly economy and executive class, respectively, from Canada to South America. Wow. What a deal. Since this is a holiday, I should treat myself nicely, so business class, if I could get it, was the way to go.
Like all smart shoppers, I checked with The Adventure Travel Company in Edmonton for prices to S.A. I wanted to leave around Dec 6 and return around Jan 8, give or take a few days. On Lan Chile, a One World member, I was quoted an excellent price of $865 RT from Edmonton, via LAX, to Lima, Peru, Dec 1-31; $1375 RT Edmonton to Santiago de Chile; On Continental, $1810 RT back late January; On American, $975 RT back on Jan 17 but if I wanted to return before Jan 10, it would be $1784. I decided for $1800, I should use my Aeroplan miles if I could get a seat.
My plan was to visit Bolivia and Peru. Why? They are the most indigenous countries on that continent and Machu Pichu was simply irresistible. I went on the Star Alliance website and found some decent routings. But upon phoning Aeroplan, I found out that Varig has a blackout period of Dec 20 – Jan 10 for travel within S.A.. As it turned out, that blackout restriction will eventually cost me an extra 30 hours, which I will explain later. But it also forced me to consider Chile as a destination.
My initial itinerary was outbound: Dec 6 Edmonton YEG – Los Angeles LAX – Sao Paulo GRU – La Paz LPB on Air Canada and Varig. Inbound Jan 11: Lima LIM – Rio de Janeiro GIG – Miami MIA – Denver DEN – Edmonton YEG on Varig and United. But I had a meeting in Montreal on Jan 13. The Dilemma is I had to be back by Jan 10 but the Varig blackout made it impossible to fly out of Lima using Varig and no other Star Alliance partner flies into that part of the World besides Varig. So my new objective was to find a Star partner that flies out of South America but has no blackout restrictions in January. United? But it only flies from Buenos Aires to Miami or Washington. And I am on the other side of the Andes. Wait. Star Alliance website shows that Lufthansa flies from Santiago de Chile to Buenos Aires. Unbelievable. This could work.
I learned on FT that an international reward ticket allows for 1 stop over and 1 open jaw at the point of return and must meet Maximum Permitted Mileage MPM. To get around the Varig black out and still get home in time for my meeting, I had to consider Chile as a destination.
It will be an open jaw but that means I have to find a way down to Santiago SCL from Bolivia which turned out to be a lot farther than I or my butt had imagined. More on that later.
I must say my many phone calls to Aeroplan Prestige line were answered by helpful staff without too long of a wait. Some seem to take joy out of helping me with this complicated routing; perhaps they are just tired of looking up Toronto to Vancouver every day and saying no seats all the time. With a routing like this, many have never heard of La Paz, did not know about Peru, but seem excited for me nonetheless. They had to check MPM, allowable routing, but if I tell them the airport codes, they were really appreciative.
With so many segments on so many airlines, I was worried that I may not get all Executive class service even though I was going by myself. Ironically, at the time of booking, it was Air Canada that did not have Business class seats for me while the segments on United, Varig, and Lufthansa all had Business class available.
The websites Galileo and Seatmap were of little help during planning because there were 3 other airlines involved. I could only check reward space (classes D/W) for Air Canada on those 2 sites. (I do not know the codes for the other airlines)
There were a few things I learned during the booking process. Unlike the last time I used a reward, I no longer could hold the ticket for 24 hours to think about it. Also this ticket involved other Star partners, once ticketed, it could not be changed whatsoever except redeposit back into my account for a $75 fee. Although I missed the 24 hour hold benefit, I also think it benefits us as it prevented people from just holding multiple seats to think about it.
I had also asked about the loss ticket procedure. Since it was a paper ticket, the value is in the ticket itself. There is no electronic file stored somewhere in case it is lost or stolen. But there is a lost ticket bond. It is a CAD $100 non refundable fee. If I lose my reward ticket, I pay this fee, and can either buy a full fare ticket home, or use Aeroplan miles to exchange for a one way reward ticket home. If after 4 months, no one uses my lost ticket, then I will receive either a full refund of the fare paid or miles used.
I also learned another not so pleasant thing during this booking. My Royal Bank AVION VISA card supposedly offers a few benefits such as insurance on Common Carrier Accident, delay luggage and flight delay. The part that everyone knows is you charge the entire amount of your plane ticket onto the visa and you will be covered. But what about Aeroplan reward ticket where you pay only the fees and taxes? I phoned up the RBC insurance hotline and asked about reward tickets and insurance. To my surprise, she said since I was only charging the taxes and fees onto the visa, it is technically not the entire amount of the ticket. It is only a portion of the ticket. So the insurance on this card will not be applicable on a reward ticket. My rebuttal to her was that the taxes were all that I was asked to pay for the Aeroplan ticket. She insisted that I would not be covered. I did not bother to argue further. I then asked her about the redemption of AVION points for airline tickets. Would the insurance benefits apply to tickets redeemed using AVION points? She, to my surprise, said yes. Does that sound legitimate? I would appreciate your thoughts on this for future reference. In any event, I did not have to use any of the insurance benefits.
I checked with Aeroplan for MPM and the outbound came in at 9003 miles or 14479 Km. The inbound came in at 7947 miles or 12790 Km.
Finally, after all the research, planning, conversations with Aeroplan, I came up with and ticketed this executive class reward using 75000 Aeroplan miles:
Air Canada AC 681 Dec 6, 2002
Edmonton Hospitality Class 0745
Los Angeles 1009
Varig RG 8837
Los Angeles Business Class 1330
Sao Paulo Guarulhos Intl 0710 Dec 7
RG 8880
Sao Paulo Business Class 0935
La Paz Bolivia 1225 Dec 7
Lufthansa LH 527 Jan 8, 2003
Santiago de Chile Business 1315
Buenos Aires Ezeiza 1505
United Airline UA 846
Buenos Aires Business 2215
Washington Dulles Intl 0705 Jan 9
Air Canada AC 349
Washington Dulles Intl 0920
Toronto Pearson 1053
AC 159 Toronto Pearson 1700
Edmonton 1912 Jan 9,2003
Reward ticket’s taxes and fees total
CAD $82.98
How much do you figure this ticket would have cost if I were to buy it? I’d love to find out and savor that thought.
There were 4 airlines involved, 7 cities as transits points, two continents, approximately 16950 miles or 27269 Km in total distance. I think I have made FT proud by maximizing my miles so to speak even though I did not consciously think about it when planning it. I would have preferred to fly back from Lima instead of going all the way down south to Santiago. But going down to Chile also gave me a glimpse of that country and allowed me to see, albeit briefly, Buenos Aires on the way home. So like all good travelers, you can’t always plan for it, but sometimes, just go with the flow and you’d be pleasantly surprised like I did.
My trip to Bolivia and Peru was a personal journey to see that part of the world and to learn some Spanish. I stayed in hostels and saw much of Bolivia but saw only a small part of Southern Peru such as the beautiful Lake Titicaca region and hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu. Despite three centuries of Spanish dominance, Bolivia remains the most indigenous country in South America, with the majority of its 8.5 million people speaking Spanish, and either Quechua, the language of the Inca Empire, or Aymara, spoken more in its southern part. Bolivia is the size of France and Spain. It is also landlocked. It hasn’t always been that way but it lost its pacific access to Peru and Chile during previous conflicts. You have to appreciate that a 200 km road in Canada which takes 2 hours to travel cannot be expected to be done in South America for anything less than 5 hours. So patience is a must but it also meant a 4 week holiday can go by rather quickly. Part of the attraction for me is its remoteness, off the beaten track, inaccessibility. It is surrounded by mountains, forests, and deserts. As a result, it is not on many travelers’ must-do list yet, which for me is better because the prices are extremely affordable.
Seeing the poverty and conditions in which many people live made me really appreciate what I have in Canada. We really are blessed in this great country. Come to think of it, it really makes me sick how much complaining we do, MYSELF included, in this country. Despite their poverty, they are rich in culture, language, history, generosity, and smiles. In Potosi and Sucre, you will find some of the most beautiful colonial architectures anywhere in South America. Where else do you find a boy hopping onto a bus for a few stops and singing folk songs to entertain passengers? Of course he asked for a bit of change at the end so he could help put food on the table. Where else do you find women in traditional dresses holding baskets, hollering, "Quesjo, Quesjo" as the bus rolls into yet another stop on the road side? Speaking no Spanish before I left, I was hesitant about traveling in S. America. To us N. Americans, these places are not safe to go. Well, we could not be more wrong about it. Despite traveling alone, I did not feel I was in danger during the entire trip. Sure there were characters that made me uneasy, but a healthy dose of common sense kept me from being a target.
I spent 4 days staying with a Bolivian family while taking Spanish classes during the day. La Paz, Inca Trails, Machu Pichu, Isla del Sol, Salar de Uyuni, Amazon Jungle, a 30 hour bus ride, one poisonous snake, 8 Howler monkeys, 200 wild pigs, one big Amazon river, and a roll of toilet paper later, I must say, this trip and the memories from it, will be with me for a long time. During this trip, I learned to be more patient and became more humble. I kept telling myself, I am so lucky to have been afforded the opportunity to travel and see these wonderful places.
And after going on a tough trip like this, flying home on Business Class was definitely worth it. To me the extra leg room and seat comfort for a nice sleep is the main reason for flying business class, food is actually secondary, as I can’t drink that much alcohol anyway.
I know you have been waiting for this part, fellow FT members, here is my first ever review of my own flying experience.
Air Canada AC 681 Edmonton – Los Angeles Dec 6, 2002
I arrived at the airport and there was a long line up at the Air Canada U.S. bound check-in counter. After 10 mins of waiting and little movement, as there was a large family who appeared to be having some problems with their tickets, I proceeded to use the express kiosk. I put my card in, it did not recognize it. I punched in my reservation number, nope. I entered my Aeroplan number and my flights popped up. It asked me for my passport number and a few other details. It printed all three segments’ boarding passes. Wow. Even though there was a dedicated luggage drop off line for passengers, he was tied up for a long time with this customer. The flight was to leave soon. That morning I recalled there were only 2 agents working the U.S. check-in. They were working their tails off but they had no help. Other people alluded to a lower staffing level and it was confirmed that morning.
I finally got to the front and I asked the agent about getting a Business class seat as I have an Executive class reward ticket but could not be confirmed at time of booking. He told me he would put a note in my file and should check at the gate. I learned from FT and was also told by the Aeroplan agent that my J class reward gives me priority if a J seat is available. I dropped off my luggage with the agent and he told me I had to take them with me to immigration and after that is where I drop the luggage off. I head to U.S. immigration, an older couple, who looked like snow-birds, was getting grilled by the lady INS officer. There was a long line up and only 2 INS agents were working. I told myself I’d be lucky if I get on this flight. Finally breezed through immigration, dropped off luggage, and went to the gate. It was a zoo, many people waiting in a small area, another flight was leaving around that time. I walked up to the gate and told the agent my name and showed her my status (small fry) and that I have spoken with the check-in agent about getting a J seat. She immediately said, yes, Mr. X, I have been waiting for you, I have a business class seat for you, no problem, leave your boarding pass with me, and I will take care of it, she said. Wow. She was really nice and polite. I should have gotten her name and write a nice letter to compliment her. Just before boarding, my name was called and she gave me my new boarding pass and boarded me right away.
As I walked on the plane, I cannot help but to resent Air Canada’s decision to cancel this non-stop flight between YEG – LAX effective January 3, 2003. There were many people on this flight. Front cabin was 80 % full, back was 80+ % full. Now we have to connect either in Vancouver or Calgary to get to LAX. And you better believe getting a reward seat to LAX or onward as a connection to other Star partners would be so much more difficult having to compete with bigger populations in those two cities.
The aircraft was an Airbus 320. I had an empty seat next to me. We were attended to by a younger male crew member who unfortunately was not very proactive. I had to ask every time for a glass of water as he did not once come back to ask us if we needed anything else such as refills. The breakfast served was scrambled eggs with a sausage and some hash browns. Not too tasty but something to fill the stomach. There were some people who actually ordered hard liquor at 9 am. I just drank lots of water knowing I’d be up for many more hours to come.
We arrived on time at the domestic terminal in LAX. I looked on the screens and could not find my Varig flight. I asked around and found out that international departure is at the Thomas Bradley international terminal. There were many police with machine guns in their hands, I thought, yeah, I am in the U.S.A. now. I took a bus and was dropped off quickly in front of the Bradley terminal. This building is spacious, tall, has lots of natural light. I hurried to the departure area and met a long line-up of passengers. I overheard someone saying that the other departure gate also works and is less busy. I turned around and true enough that line-up was a lot shorter. I went through the line in about 20 minutes and came to the screener. He asked me to take off my shoes and that was it. With the boarding pass in hand, I went upstairs to the Varig business class lounge. It was rather small. It had some Brazilian soft drinks, alcohol, and snacks. A TV and some couches. It had no workstation or internet terminals. Compared to the Air Canada MLL lounges, it was rather disappointing.
Varig RG 8837 Los Angeles – Sao Paulo, Brazil Dec 6, 2002 – Dec 7, 2002
I went to the gate 60 minutes before departure and waited. Departure time came and went and still no sign of boarding. Finally, 20 mins past departure time, the boarding announcement was made. I took the last window seat in Business class on this MD-11 aircraft. The leg room was quite spacious though not as good as that on United, the seat was comfortable. The amenity kit included a pair of slippers, eye cover for sleeping, socks, soap, lotions, tooth paste, tooth brush, sewing kit, all inside a quality nice blue pouch. I’d rate this much better than the United kit. My section was attended to by a Brazilian man and woman who spoke Portuguese and English. Sitting next to me was a fellow who works for a bank in Brazil and was in L.A. for business. I was quickly served a nice glass of orange juice, I turned down the champagne because alcohol is not good for the body when going to high altitude places. The menu consisted of a Japanese meal and a western meal. I chose the Japanese one. Miso soup, tofu, cold Soba noodles, a nice red tuna appetizer, lightly pan-seared Red Tuna for entrée. The western meal was a tenderloin and potatoes. The service was very efficient, generous, and friendly. They came around numerous times to ask if we needed anything else. I had some nice tea and went to sleep quickly. When the seat in front of mine was fully reclined, I had a difficult time getting around the person next to me. I had to wake him up or I had to climb over him to get to the aisle. The flight was about 10 hours long. We were served a breakfast consisted of fruits, coffee, juice, and a warm croissant, just before we landed in Brazil.
Seeing Sao Paulo from the air was amazing, shanty towns come up next to expensive modern buildings. I landed and was directed to a corridor for connections. I had some time so I asked for the Varig lounge. It is located upstairs but I had to take an elevator before the security area to get there. This lounge was a lot busier. I used the internet station to send a few emails and took the time to freshen up. The lounge had a variety of breakfast items, juices, water, to which I gladly helped myself with a few bottles. The people inside were quite well dressed compared to me, but they never gave me any funny looks. I could not rest for too long before my flight to La Paz.
Varig RG 8880 Sao Paulo – La Paz Dec 7, 2002
I went past screening which took a long time and had to rush to the gate. There was a bit of confusion as the gate did not list the destination. I had to double check by asking if I was getting on the right plane. A big bus took us to the flight sitting on the tarmac. I walked out onto the tarmac and it reminded me of similar boarding experience in Jamaica and Hong Kong Kai Tak airport. It brought a smile to my face. I sat down in row 2 of this newer Airbus 320. Sitting beside me was a Bolivian man who works in Norway for a French gas company. He was coming home to get married in his home town. In a poor country like Bolivia, people who could afford to fly are considered very wealthy. In Canada, literally, majority of Canadians would say they have been on a plane at point in their lives.
Our flight took us northwest over the lowlands bordering the Amazon jungle, but we did not fly over the Amazon. We were served a large lunch consisted of rice and chicken with a tomato based sauce or tuna sandwich. After a bite on the sandwich, I did not finish it. I asked for the rice and chicken. At this point I was getting really tired. Soon we landed in Santa Cruz, a bustling city of commerce, home of many Spanish descendants, heavily involved in cattle, oil and gas, and agriculture businesses. This was just a brief stop to drop off and pick up passengers, we were quickly off to the final destination of La Paz, the de facto capital of Bolivia, situated some 3658 m above sea level. Shortly after Santa Cruz, the plane climbed and I could see the snowcapped Andean mountains. I could feel my heart beat quicken near landing perhaps due to my excitement, more likely the high altitude and thin air was already having an effect on me. I got off the plane and past immigration who gave me a 90 day stamp on my passport and off I went to collect my luggage. At that moment I had a bit of an anxiety attack. I felt dizzy, my heart pumping, breathing very quickly and shallow. I have never felt this way before. I took many deep breaths and finally my nerves calmed down and recollected myself. My backpack came out in great shape and off I went to begin my 4 week adventure.
Santiago Sheraton Four Points Hotel
I had read reviews on FT about this hotel. The location was a main draw for people. Take subway line 1 and get off at station Los Leones. I tried to reserve on line but it was full. I reserved the Sheraton Santiago hotel instead. When I arrived in Santiago after an exhausting 30 hour bus ride from Arica (nice beach town bordering Peru), I phoned the Four Points and they found a room for me. I phoned the Sheraton and cancelled that booking. I did not like the service I received at the Four Points. I asked for a non-smoking room and got a smoking room. They tried to charge me for the room when I had told them over the phone that I was using SPG points. When I checked out they once again tried to bill my credit card for the room. I reminded him that it was a SPG reward. Other than it being close to the subway, about 2 short blocks away, I did not have a good experience despite being a SPG Platinum. May be my casual dress had something to do with it.
Chile - Santiago and Arica
I have a funny story about Arica. I arrived by bus in Arica in the afternoon and right away I bought a ticket to Santiago with Tur Bus for $27000 Chilean Pesos (CAD $54). Looked at my watch, I had about 2 hours to kill. Coming in I saw beaches, so I asked if it was possible to walk to the beach. She told me in half Spanish half English something like go but come back in 15 mins. I thought, I have more than 2 hours, why did she tell me to come back in 15 mins? Anyway, off I went and it took me about 20 mins to walk there. I hadn’t seen any beaches during this entire holiday and I’d be da…. if I didn’t get at least my feet and ankles wet with some Pacific Ocean waves. Half an hour went by and I slowly walk back to the bus terminal thinking I still have more than half an hour till departure time. I came around the corner and saw the bus counter lady. I gave her my thumbs up and big smile. She screamed at me, “Where have you been?” She points to her watch. “Bus gone” What? She grabbed my watch and looked at it. She points to her wall clock and it showed 6:30 PM. My watch showed 5:30 PM. I was shocked. OMG. She said I told you to come back in 15 mins. I didn’t know there was a time zone change! No wonder she told me to come back in 15 mins. I am such a stupid idiot!! Everyone at the counter was laughing at me and talking in Spanish and shaking their heads. I could not believe I missed my bus. Thankfully, she put me onto the bus departing at midnight. I was glad she did because she did not have to do that since it was my fault for missing the bus. The moral of the story is – check your watch for time change and heed the advice of the person who sells you the ticket.
I had planned on sampling the seafood and wine in Chile. But I hadn’t plan on having it in Arica. With 5 more hours now in my hand, I ventured into the heart of the city to find a nice meal. Ironically, I ended up having the best seafood dinner in a small restaurant called El Rey Del Marisco. I had a large bowl of Seafood Paella soup (a meal on its own) and a grilled fish, and a desert for $5470 Chilean pesos (CAD $12). I would recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling to Arica. Again, sometimes good things happen when you least expect it.
I enjoyed my two days in Santiago spent mostly in and around the Plaza de Armas area. It was also the last two days of this trip. This is a very modern city with an extensive subway system that will take you pretty much anywhere. If I remember correctly, the subway stop – Los Heroes - also serves as departure location of the Airport shuttle bus – Bus Ahumada. You exit onto the street and walk a block, buses are parked in the centre of the street. It cost much less than taxi or hotel bus. I remember one way cost $1500 Chilean Pesos (CAD $3.00). BTW, whether it is tradition or culture, I found the post offices in this part of the world very beautiful. Most are city landmarks, beautifully constructed long ago, and much admired unlike here in North America.
Lufthansa LH 527 Santiago – Buenos Aires Jan 8, 2003
The check-in counter was quiet for business class. The check-in agent was not very friendly at all. She never cracked a smile once during the check-in. She handed me my boarding pass and an American Airline Admiral Lounge pass. I went through immigration and headed for the lounge. It was huge. It had two sides, very quiet. Lots of sofas, bars were nicely stocked, immaculate, very beautiful lounge. It was the best lounge I have ever seen (I don’t have a lot to compare with). The flight had mostly Germans and Europeans going home as it continues onward to Frankfurt. The Front cabin was 20 % full, I could take two rows to myself if I wanted to. This Boeing 747 was quite new. Plenty of leg room, 2-3-2 configuration, much more space than the MD-11. The service was efficient, if somewhat cold. Nothing to complain about though. The lunch was delicious but I forgot what it was. The purser came by and invited us to fill out a survey. The two Germans sitting next to me had finished hiking the Torres del Paine area in Patagonia and were on their way home. The short flight took us over the spine of the Andes. I saw mini-glaciers, mountain peaks and valleys. If you have ever seen the movie Alive, this reminded me of that movie. The Germans pointed out Aconcagua to me as we flew near it. They told me they had climbed it a few years ago 6900 M. They also suggested that I go into Buenos Aires if I have time to see the Centro area.
After I landed in Buenos Aires, I picked up my luggage, went past immigration, and checked out buses to Downtown. I went with Tienda Leon, one of two bus companies serving Airport-Downtown. I paid $26 Argentine Pesos (CAD $12.50) for a return ticket. The bus leaves every 30-45 mins. It takes 45 mins to get into downtown. I had about 3 hours for actual sightseeing. Normally I would not go for such short time but I wasn’t going to come back anytime soon, so I stored my luggage in the airport storage and went into town despite several local airline personel’s advice against it. B.A. is very European, more so than any other cities in South America. The last few years have been difficult for the people here. The devaluations of the peso had led to tourists coming in droves for bargains. Police come in droves at night to disperse the protesters on Florida Street. I walked around San Martin Plaza, up and down Florida, bought a pair of Yerba Mate gourd, and met and fell in love with a beautiful girl (it was more like a crush really http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif). Although very rushed, the few hours in B.A. have convinced me to return some day.
United Airline UA 846 Buenos Aires – Washington Dulles Jan 8 – Jan 9, 2003
I arrived back at the Ezeiza airport 2 hours before departure and it was a zoo. Apparently, previous evening’s flight was cancelled and everyone was put onto my flight. Anyone departing was supposed to pay a USD $30.50 departure tax but I asked the UA agent for an exemption as I am only transiting. She told me to go over to the centre area and ask for an exemption. If they give me an exemption stamp, United will not collect the tax from me. Off I went and he asked for my earlier boarding pass from Santiago and photocopied it along with my passport. And he waived my departure fee. It was good that he waived it because I had spent all my U.S. cash on souvenirs and they don’t take credit cards. There was no time to see the lounge as I barely arrived at the gate in time for boarding. There was massive confusion with construction also happening at the gate area. The UA Miami bound flight was leaving within 15 mins as well which made it worse. I had a window seat in Business class and the aircraft was a Boeing 767, with 2-2-2 configuration. The front cabin was completely full. The back was also full. There was some talk on UA forum last year that this flight may be cancelled this year but from what I saw, that would make no sense.
The purser came by to introduce herself and handed me an amenity kit. They later came by to take the meal order and I chose the beef tenderloin. The other choice was chicken. Unfortunately, the beef was too well done. The seat was very comfortable and leg room very generous. It was much more than the MD 11 but similar to the Boeing 747. The plane left a bit late but still arrived on time. The service was excellent. I really enjoyed this flight comfort wise. Of all the segments I have flown, this would be the most comfortable one. The TV pulled out from the side and had a good selection of movies. Sitting next to me was a gentleman from New Jersey who was doing computer consulting in B.A.. Flight time was about 10 hours. We arrived to snow in the Washington area and morning rush hour traffic below us. Back to reality, I said to myself.
Immigration was very long. Picked up luggage and dropped it off after a long corridor. Then onto a small bus to the domestic terminal area. Had sometime to kill, so went to the United RCC lounge to freshen up. It was also very spacious and well maintained. I was welcomed by a nice woman after seeing my arrival boarding pass. I had some fruits and juice and freshened up for my flight to Toronto.
Air Canada AC 349 Washington – Toronto
Jan 9, 2003
Boarding was quick on the CRJ. A few snacks and juices later we landed in Toronto. Glad to be on home turf finally. The crew was very friendly and spoke with each of us briefly. The plane was one third full.
I arrived at immigration and the young woman officer asked where I had been. She made some mark on my declaration form and I continued down the line. I handed my form in and was asked to step aside. I asked why, she said they want to ask me more questions. I thought this could take a while. Is this the secondary screening FT members have dreaded? Well, why did she pick on me? Anyway, it is too late now. I stood for good 10 mins and finally someone came over and began asking me questions. She looked inside my funny looking bag I bought in Bolivia. I opened it and inside were souvenirs. I offered her my backpack but she declined to look inside. This little delay meant I had missed my chance of catching an earlier flight home.
I went to drop off my luggage and asked for standby tags to be put on it as I wanted to ask check-in to see if I could standby for the earlier flight back to Edmonton. I was told to check with the gate. The flight looked quite full but the gate agent asked me if I would take an economy seat. I said yes even though I was on a J reward ticket. I just wanted to go home. Eventually, at the last moment, she found a business class seat for me and I thanked her profusely.
Air Canada Toronto – Edmonton Jan 9, 2003
I could not remember what I had to eat other than I had trouble sleeping even though I was really tired. I remember the front cabin was quite full again except for the seat next to me. I guess I lucked out again. I arrived back in Edmonton to balmy temperatures and the sight of my family whom I missed so dearly.
I guess the hard earned Aeroplan miles made it possible for me to go to a few wonderful countries and got me there and back with some excellent airline partners. Canada and Canadians are better off having an airline that is part of a world wide alliance network. This trip would not be feasible if it wasn’t for such an alliance network.
I was surprised that I was able to get the long haul business seat on Varig and United despite only booking about 6 weeks before departure. The 50000 / 70000 miles level for South America is a very good deal in my opinion given the remote locations. I want to thank the wonderful Aeroplan agents who helped me during the planning and I am grateful for the information and sharing on Flyertalk. I had learned so much from you in such a short time and I hope my trip report has allowed you to come along with me for even a brief moment. I welcome any questions or comments.
Last fall, I was thinking how I was going to spend my well deserved 4 week holiday. Middle East? Too unstable with possible war in Iraq; Caribbean? Too easy, I’d be bored after a week. Well, what about South America? Except for Columbia, everywhere else appeared safe for travel.
I have been saving my Air Canada Aeroplan miles to go somewhere far and I learned it from here on FT that a good way to use miles is by using it on a business class reward ticket - there is something about it being worth more. I looked on the back of my Aeroplan statement and it only cost 50000 and 75000 Aeroplan miles to fly economy and executive class, respectively, from Canada to South America. Wow. What a deal. Since this is a holiday, I should treat myself nicely, so business class, if I could get it, was the way to go.
Like all smart shoppers, I checked with The Adventure Travel Company in Edmonton for prices to S.A. I wanted to leave around Dec 6 and return around Jan 8, give or take a few days. On Lan Chile, a One World member, I was quoted an excellent price of $865 RT from Edmonton, via LAX, to Lima, Peru, Dec 1-31; $1375 RT Edmonton to Santiago de Chile; On Continental, $1810 RT back late January; On American, $975 RT back on Jan 17 but if I wanted to return before Jan 10, it would be $1784. I decided for $1800, I should use my Aeroplan miles if I could get a seat.
My plan was to visit Bolivia and Peru. Why? They are the most indigenous countries on that continent and Machu Pichu was simply irresistible. I went on the Star Alliance website and found some decent routings. But upon phoning Aeroplan, I found out that Varig has a blackout period of Dec 20 – Jan 10 for travel within S.A.. As it turned out, that blackout restriction will eventually cost me an extra 30 hours, which I will explain later. But it also forced me to consider Chile as a destination.
My initial itinerary was outbound: Dec 6 Edmonton YEG – Los Angeles LAX – Sao Paulo GRU – La Paz LPB on Air Canada and Varig. Inbound Jan 11: Lima LIM – Rio de Janeiro GIG – Miami MIA – Denver DEN – Edmonton YEG on Varig and United. But I had a meeting in Montreal on Jan 13. The Dilemma is I had to be back by Jan 10 but the Varig blackout made it impossible to fly out of Lima using Varig and no other Star Alliance partner flies into that part of the World besides Varig. So my new objective was to find a Star partner that flies out of South America but has no blackout restrictions in January. United? But it only flies from Buenos Aires to Miami or Washington. And I am on the other side of the Andes. Wait. Star Alliance website shows that Lufthansa flies from Santiago de Chile to Buenos Aires. Unbelievable. This could work.
I learned on FT that an international reward ticket allows for 1 stop over and 1 open jaw at the point of return and must meet Maximum Permitted Mileage MPM. To get around the Varig black out and still get home in time for my meeting, I had to consider Chile as a destination.
It will be an open jaw but that means I have to find a way down to Santiago SCL from Bolivia which turned out to be a lot farther than I or my butt had imagined. More on that later.
I must say my many phone calls to Aeroplan Prestige line were answered by helpful staff without too long of a wait. Some seem to take joy out of helping me with this complicated routing; perhaps they are just tired of looking up Toronto to Vancouver every day and saying no seats all the time. With a routing like this, many have never heard of La Paz, did not know about Peru, but seem excited for me nonetheless. They had to check MPM, allowable routing, but if I tell them the airport codes, they were really appreciative.
With so many segments on so many airlines, I was worried that I may not get all Executive class service even though I was going by myself. Ironically, at the time of booking, it was Air Canada that did not have Business class seats for me while the segments on United, Varig, and Lufthansa all had Business class available.
The websites Galileo and Seatmap were of little help during planning because there were 3 other airlines involved. I could only check reward space (classes D/W) for Air Canada on those 2 sites. (I do not know the codes for the other airlines)
There were a few things I learned during the booking process. Unlike the last time I used a reward, I no longer could hold the ticket for 24 hours to think about it. Also this ticket involved other Star partners, once ticketed, it could not be changed whatsoever except redeposit back into my account for a $75 fee. Although I missed the 24 hour hold benefit, I also think it benefits us as it prevented people from just holding multiple seats to think about it.
I had also asked about the loss ticket procedure. Since it was a paper ticket, the value is in the ticket itself. There is no electronic file stored somewhere in case it is lost or stolen. But there is a lost ticket bond. It is a CAD $100 non refundable fee. If I lose my reward ticket, I pay this fee, and can either buy a full fare ticket home, or use Aeroplan miles to exchange for a one way reward ticket home. If after 4 months, no one uses my lost ticket, then I will receive either a full refund of the fare paid or miles used.
I also learned another not so pleasant thing during this booking. My Royal Bank AVION VISA card supposedly offers a few benefits such as insurance on Common Carrier Accident, delay luggage and flight delay. The part that everyone knows is you charge the entire amount of your plane ticket onto the visa and you will be covered. But what about Aeroplan reward ticket where you pay only the fees and taxes? I phoned up the RBC insurance hotline and asked about reward tickets and insurance. To my surprise, she said since I was only charging the taxes and fees onto the visa, it is technically not the entire amount of the ticket. It is only a portion of the ticket. So the insurance on this card will not be applicable on a reward ticket. My rebuttal to her was that the taxes were all that I was asked to pay for the Aeroplan ticket. She insisted that I would not be covered. I did not bother to argue further. I then asked her about the redemption of AVION points for airline tickets. Would the insurance benefits apply to tickets redeemed using AVION points? She, to my surprise, said yes. Does that sound legitimate? I would appreciate your thoughts on this for future reference. In any event, I did not have to use any of the insurance benefits.
I checked with Aeroplan for MPM and the outbound came in at 9003 miles or 14479 Km. The inbound came in at 7947 miles or 12790 Km.
Finally, after all the research, planning, conversations with Aeroplan, I came up with and ticketed this executive class reward using 75000 Aeroplan miles:
Air Canada AC 681 Dec 6, 2002
Edmonton Hospitality Class 0745
Los Angeles 1009
Varig RG 8837
Los Angeles Business Class 1330
Sao Paulo Guarulhos Intl 0710 Dec 7
RG 8880
Sao Paulo Business Class 0935
La Paz Bolivia 1225 Dec 7
Lufthansa LH 527 Jan 8, 2003
Santiago de Chile Business 1315
Buenos Aires Ezeiza 1505
United Airline UA 846
Buenos Aires Business 2215
Washington Dulles Intl 0705 Jan 9
Air Canada AC 349
Washington Dulles Intl 0920
Toronto Pearson 1053
AC 159 Toronto Pearson 1700
Edmonton 1912 Jan 9,2003
Reward ticket’s taxes and fees total
CAD $82.98
How much do you figure this ticket would have cost if I were to buy it? I’d love to find out and savor that thought.
There were 4 airlines involved, 7 cities as transits points, two continents, approximately 16950 miles or 27269 Km in total distance. I think I have made FT proud by maximizing my miles so to speak even though I did not consciously think about it when planning it. I would have preferred to fly back from Lima instead of going all the way down south to Santiago. But going down to Chile also gave me a glimpse of that country and allowed me to see, albeit briefly, Buenos Aires on the way home. So like all good travelers, you can’t always plan for it, but sometimes, just go with the flow and you’d be pleasantly surprised like I did.
My trip to Bolivia and Peru was a personal journey to see that part of the world and to learn some Spanish. I stayed in hostels and saw much of Bolivia but saw only a small part of Southern Peru such as the beautiful Lake Titicaca region and hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu. Despite three centuries of Spanish dominance, Bolivia remains the most indigenous country in South America, with the majority of its 8.5 million people speaking Spanish, and either Quechua, the language of the Inca Empire, or Aymara, spoken more in its southern part. Bolivia is the size of France and Spain. It is also landlocked. It hasn’t always been that way but it lost its pacific access to Peru and Chile during previous conflicts. You have to appreciate that a 200 km road in Canada which takes 2 hours to travel cannot be expected to be done in South America for anything less than 5 hours. So patience is a must but it also meant a 4 week holiday can go by rather quickly. Part of the attraction for me is its remoteness, off the beaten track, inaccessibility. It is surrounded by mountains, forests, and deserts. As a result, it is not on many travelers’ must-do list yet, which for me is better because the prices are extremely affordable.
Seeing the poverty and conditions in which many people live made me really appreciate what I have in Canada. We really are blessed in this great country. Come to think of it, it really makes me sick how much complaining we do, MYSELF included, in this country. Despite their poverty, they are rich in culture, language, history, generosity, and smiles. In Potosi and Sucre, you will find some of the most beautiful colonial architectures anywhere in South America. Where else do you find a boy hopping onto a bus for a few stops and singing folk songs to entertain passengers? Of course he asked for a bit of change at the end so he could help put food on the table. Where else do you find women in traditional dresses holding baskets, hollering, "Quesjo, Quesjo" as the bus rolls into yet another stop on the road side? Speaking no Spanish before I left, I was hesitant about traveling in S. America. To us N. Americans, these places are not safe to go. Well, we could not be more wrong about it. Despite traveling alone, I did not feel I was in danger during the entire trip. Sure there were characters that made me uneasy, but a healthy dose of common sense kept me from being a target.
I spent 4 days staying with a Bolivian family while taking Spanish classes during the day. La Paz, Inca Trails, Machu Pichu, Isla del Sol, Salar de Uyuni, Amazon Jungle, a 30 hour bus ride, one poisonous snake, 8 Howler monkeys, 200 wild pigs, one big Amazon river, and a roll of toilet paper later, I must say, this trip and the memories from it, will be with me for a long time. During this trip, I learned to be more patient and became more humble. I kept telling myself, I am so lucky to have been afforded the opportunity to travel and see these wonderful places.
And after going on a tough trip like this, flying home on Business Class was definitely worth it. To me the extra leg room and seat comfort for a nice sleep is the main reason for flying business class, food is actually secondary, as I can’t drink that much alcohol anyway.
I know you have been waiting for this part, fellow FT members, here is my first ever review of my own flying experience.
Air Canada AC 681 Edmonton – Los Angeles Dec 6, 2002
I arrived at the airport and there was a long line up at the Air Canada U.S. bound check-in counter. After 10 mins of waiting and little movement, as there was a large family who appeared to be having some problems with their tickets, I proceeded to use the express kiosk. I put my card in, it did not recognize it. I punched in my reservation number, nope. I entered my Aeroplan number and my flights popped up. It asked me for my passport number and a few other details. It printed all three segments’ boarding passes. Wow. Even though there was a dedicated luggage drop off line for passengers, he was tied up for a long time with this customer. The flight was to leave soon. That morning I recalled there were only 2 agents working the U.S. check-in. They were working their tails off but they had no help. Other people alluded to a lower staffing level and it was confirmed that morning.
I finally got to the front and I asked the agent about getting a Business class seat as I have an Executive class reward ticket but could not be confirmed at time of booking. He told me he would put a note in my file and should check at the gate. I learned from FT and was also told by the Aeroplan agent that my J class reward gives me priority if a J seat is available. I dropped off my luggage with the agent and he told me I had to take them with me to immigration and after that is where I drop the luggage off. I head to U.S. immigration, an older couple, who looked like snow-birds, was getting grilled by the lady INS officer. There was a long line up and only 2 INS agents were working. I told myself I’d be lucky if I get on this flight. Finally breezed through immigration, dropped off luggage, and went to the gate. It was a zoo, many people waiting in a small area, another flight was leaving around that time. I walked up to the gate and told the agent my name and showed her my status (small fry) and that I have spoken with the check-in agent about getting a J seat. She immediately said, yes, Mr. X, I have been waiting for you, I have a business class seat for you, no problem, leave your boarding pass with me, and I will take care of it, she said. Wow. She was really nice and polite. I should have gotten her name and write a nice letter to compliment her. Just before boarding, my name was called and she gave me my new boarding pass and boarded me right away.
As I walked on the plane, I cannot help but to resent Air Canada’s decision to cancel this non-stop flight between YEG – LAX effective January 3, 2003. There were many people on this flight. Front cabin was 80 % full, back was 80+ % full. Now we have to connect either in Vancouver or Calgary to get to LAX. And you better believe getting a reward seat to LAX or onward as a connection to other Star partners would be so much more difficult having to compete with bigger populations in those two cities.
The aircraft was an Airbus 320. I had an empty seat next to me. We were attended to by a younger male crew member who unfortunately was not very proactive. I had to ask every time for a glass of water as he did not once come back to ask us if we needed anything else such as refills. The breakfast served was scrambled eggs with a sausage and some hash browns. Not too tasty but something to fill the stomach. There were some people who actually ordered hard liquor at 9 am. I just drank lots of water knowing I’d be up for many more hours to come.
We arrived on time at the domestic terminal in LAX. I looked on the screens and could not find my Varig flight. I asked around and found out that international departure is at the Thomas Bradley international terminal. There were many police with machine guns in their hands, I thought, yeah, I am in the U.S.A. now. I took a bus and was dropped off quickly in front of the Bradley terminal. This building is spacious, tall, has lots of natural light. I hurried to the departure area and met a long line-up of passengers. I overheard someone saying that the other departure gate also works and is less busy. I turned around and true enough that line-up was a lot shorter. I went through the line in about 20 minutes and came to the screener. He asked me to take off my shoes and that was it. With the boarding pass in hand, I went upstairs to the Varig business class lounge. It was rather small. It had some Brazilian soft drinks, alcohol, and snacks. A TV and some couches. It had no workstation or internet terminals. Compared to the Air Canada MLL lounges, it was rather disappointing.
Varig RG 8837 Los Angeles – Sao Paulo, Brazil Dec 6, 2002 – Dec 7, 2002
I went to the gate 60 minutes before departure and waited. Departure time came and went and still no sign of boarding. Finally, 20 mins past departure time, the boarding announcement was made. I took the last window seat in Business class on this MD-11 aircraft. The leg room was quite spacious though not as good as that on United, the seat was comfortable. The amenity kit included a pair of slippers, eye cover for sleeping, socks, soap, lotions, tooth paste, tooth brush, sewing kit, all inside a quality nice blue pouch. I’d rate this much better than the United kit. My section was attended to by a Brazilian man and woman who spoke Portuguese and English. Sitting next to me was a fellow who works for a bank in Brazil and was in L.A. for business. I was quickly served a nice glass of orange juice, I turned down the champagne because alcohol is not good for the body when going to high altitude places. The menu consisted of a Japanese meal and a western meal. I chose the Japanese one. Miso soup, tofu, cold Soba noodles, a nice red tuna appetizer, lightly pan-seared Red Tuna for entrée. The western meal was a tenderloin and potatoes. The service was very efficient, generous, and friendly. They came around numerous times to ask if we needed anything else. I had some nice tea and went to sleep quickly. When the seat in front of mine was fully reclined, I had a difficult time getting around the person next to me. I had to wake him up or I had to climb over him to get to the aisle. The flight was about 10 hours long. We were served a breakfast consisted of fruits, coffee, juice, and a warm croissant, just before we landed in Brazil.
Seeing Sao Paulo from the air was amazing, shanty towns come up next to expensive modern buildings. I landed and was directed to a corridor for connections. I had some time so I asked for the Varig lounge. It is located upstairs but I had to take an elevator before the security area to get there. This lounge was a lot busier. I used the internet station to send a few emails and took the time to freshen up. The lounge had a variety of breakfast items, juices, water, to which I gladly helped myself with a few bottles. The people inside were quite well dressed compared to me, but they never gave me any funny looks. I could not rest for too long before my flight to La Paz.
Varig RG 8880 Sao Paulo – La Paz Dec 7, 2002
I went past screening which took a long time and had to rush to the gate. There was a bit of confusion as the gate did not list the destination. I had to double check by asking if I was getting on the right plane. A big bus took us to the flight sitting on the tarmac. I walked out onto the tarmac and it reminded me of similar boarding experience in Jamaica and Hong Kong Kai Tak airport. It brought a smile to my face. I sat down in row 2 of this newer Airbus 320. Sitting beside me was a Bolivian man who works in Norway for a French gas company. He was coming home to get married in his home town. In a poor country like Bolivia, people who could afford to fly are considered very wealthy. In Canada, literally, majority of Canadians would say they have been on a plane at point in their lives.
Our flight took us northwest over the lowlands bordering the Amazon jungle, but we did not fly over the Amazon. We were served a large lunch consisted of rice and chicken with a tomato based sauce or tuna sandwich. After a bite on the sandwich, I did not finish it. I asked for the rice and chicken. At this point I was getting really tired. Soon we landed in Santa Cruz, a bustling city of commerce, home of many Spanish descendants, heavily involved in cattle, oil and gas, and agriculture businesses. This was just a brief stop to drop off and pick up passengers, we were quickly off to the final destination of La Paz, the de facto capital of Bolivia, situated some 3658 m above sea level. Shortly after Santa Cruz, the plane climbed and I could see the snowcapped Andean mountains. I could feel my heart beat quicken near landing perhaps due to my excitement, more likely the high altitude and thin air was already having an effect on me. I got off the plane and past immigration who gave me a 90 day stamp on my passport and off I went to collect my luggage. At that moment I had a bit of an anxiety attack. I felt dizzy, my heart pumping, breathing very quickly and shallow. I have never felt this way before. I took many deep breaths and finally my nerves calmed down and recollected myself. My backpack came out in great shape and off I went to begin my 4 week adventure.
Santiago Sheraton Four Points Hotel
I had read reviews on FT about this hotel. The location was a main draw for people. Take subway line 1 and get off at station Los Leones. I tried to reserve on line but it was full. I reserved the Sheraton Santiago hotel instead. When I arrived in Santiago after an exhausting 30 hour bus ride from Arica (nice beach town bordering Peru), I phoned the Four Points and they found a room for me. I phoned the Sheraton and cancelled that booking. I did not like the service I received at the Four Points. I asked for a non-smoking room and got a smoking room. They tried to charge me for the room when I had told them over the phone that I was using SPG points. When I checked out they once again tried to bill my credit card for the room. I reminded him that it was a SPG reward. Other than it being close to the subway, about 2 short blocks away, I did not have a good experience despite being a SPG Platinum. May be my casual dress had something to do with it.
Chile - Santiago and Arica
I have a funny story about Arica. I arrived by bus in Arica in the afternoon and right away I bought a ticket to Santiago with Tur Bus for $27000 Chilean Pesos (CAD $54). Looked at my watch, I had about 2 hours to kill. Coming in I saw beaches, so I asked if it was possible to walk to the beach. She told me in half Spanish half English something like go but come back in 15 mins. I thought, I have more than 2 hours, why did she tell me to come back in 15 mins? Anyway, off I went and it took me about 20 mins to walk there. I hadn’t seen any beaches during this entire holiday and I’d be da…. if I didn’t get at least my feet and ankles wet with some Pacific Ocean waves. Half an hour went by and I slowly walk back to the bus terminal thinking I still have more than half an hour till departure time. I came around the corner and saw the bus counter lady. I gave her my thumbs up and big smile. She screamed at me, “Where have you been?” She points to her watch. “Bus gone” What? She grabbed my watch and looked at it. She points to her wall clock and it showed 6:30 PM. My watch showed 5:30 PM. I was shocked. OMG. She said I told you to come back in 15 mins. I didn’t know there was a time zone change! No wonder she told me to come back in 15 mins. I am such a stupid idiot!! Everyone at the counter was laughing at me and talking in Spanish and shaking their heads. I could not believe I missed my bus. Thankfully, she put me onto the bus departing at midnight. I was glad she did because she did not have to do that since it was my fault for missing the bus. The moral of the story is – check your watch for time change and heed the advice of the person who sells you the ticket.
I had planned on sampling the seafood and wine in Chile. But I hadn’t plan on having it in Arica. With 5 more hours now in my hand, I ventured into the heart of the city to find a nice meal. Ironically, I ended up having the best seafood dinner in a small restaurant called El Rey Del Marisco. I had a large bowl of Seafood Paella soup (a meal on its own) and a grilled fish, and a desert for $5470 Chilean pesos (CAD $12). I would recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling to Arica. Again, sometimes good things happen when you least expect it.
I enjoyed my two days in Santiago spent mostly in and around the Plaza de Armas area. It was also the last two days of this trip. This is a very modern city with an extensive subway system that will take you pretty much anywhere. If I remember correctly, the subway stop – Los Heroes - also serves as departure location of the Airport shuttle bus – Bus Ahumada. You exit onto the street and walk a block, buses are parked in the centre of the street. It cost much less than taxi or hotel bus. I remember one way cost $1500 Chilean Pesos (CAD $3.00). BTW, whether it is tradition or culture, I found the post offices in this part of the world very beautiful. Most are city landmarks, beautifully constructed long ago, and much admired unlike here in North America.
Lufthansa LH 527 Santiago – Buenos Aires Jan 8, 2003
The check-in counter was quiet for business class. The check-in agent was not very friendly at all. She never cracked a smile once during the check-in. She handed me my boarding pass and an American Airline Admiral Lounge pass. I went through immigration and headed for the lounge. It was huge. It had two sides, very quiet. Lots of sofas, bars were nicely stocked, immaculate, very beautiful lounge. It was the best lounge I have ever seen (I don’t have a lot to compare with). The flight had mostly Germans and Europeans going home as it continues onward to Frankfurt. The Front cabin was 20 % full, I could take two rows to myself if I wanted to. This Boeing 747 was quite new. Plenty of leg room, 2-3-2 configuration, much more space than the MD-11. The service was efficient, if somewhat cold. Nothing to complain about though. The lunch was delicious but I forgot what it was. The purser came by and invited us to fill out a survey. The two Germans sitting next to me had finished hiking the Torres del Paine area in Patagonia and were on their way home. The short flight took us over the spine of the Andes. I saw mini-glaciers, mountain peaks and valleys. If you have ever seen the movie Alive, this reminded me of that movie. The Germans pointed out Aconcagua to me as we flew near it. They told me they had climbed it a few years ago 6900 M. They also suggested that I go into Buenos Aires if I have time to see the Centro area.
After I landed in Buenos Aires, I picked up my luggage, went past immigration, and checked out buses to Downtown. I went with Tienda Leon, one of two bus companies serving Airport-Downtown. I paid $26 Argentine Pesos (CAD $12.50) for a return ticket. The bus leaves every 30-45 mins. It takes 45 mins to get into downtown. I had about 3 hours for actual sightseeing. Normally I would not go for such short time but I wasn’t going to come back anytime soon, so I stored my luggage in the airport storage and went into town despite several local airline personel’s advice against it. B.A. is very European, more so than any other cities in South America. The last few years have been difficult for the people here. The devaluations of the peso had led to tourists coming in droves for bargains. Police come in droves at night to disperse the protesters on Florida Street. I walked around San Martin Plaza, up and down Florida, bought a pair of Yerba Mate gourd, and met and fell in love with a beautiful girl (it was more like a crush really http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif). Although very rushed, the few hours in B.A. have convinced me to return some day.
United Airline UA 846 Buenos Aires – Washington Dulles Jan 8 – Jan 9, 2003
I arrived back at the Ezeiza airport 2 hours before departure and it was a zoo. Apparently, previous evening’s flight was cancelled and everyone was put onto my flight. Anyone departing was supposed to pay a USD $30.50 departure tax but I asked the UA agent for an exemption as I am only transiting. She told me to go over to the centre area and ask for an exemption. If they give me an exemption stamp, United will not collect the tax from me. Off I went and he asked for my earlier boarding pass from Santiago and photocopied it along with my passport. And he waived my departure fee. It was good that he waived it because I had spent all my U.S. cash on souvenirs and they don’t take credit cards. There was no time to see the lounge as I barely arrived at the gate in time for boarding. There was massive confusion with construction also happening at the gate area. The UA Miami bound flight was leaving within 15 mins as well which made it worse. I had a window seat in Business class and the aircraft was a Boeing 767, with 2-2-2 configuration. The front cabin was completely full. The back was also full. There was some talk on UA forum last year that this flight may be cancelled this year but from what I saw, that would make no sense.
The purser came by to introduce herself and handed me an amenity kit. They later came by to take the meal order and I chose the beef tenderloin. The other choice was chicken. Unfortunately, the beef was too well done. The seat was very comfortable and leg room very generous. It was much more than the MD 11 but similar to the Boeing 747. The plane left a bit late but still arrived on time. The service was excellent. I really enjoyed this flight comfort wise. Of all the segments I have flown, this would be the most comfortable one. The TV pulled out from the side and had a good selection of movies. Sitting next to me was a gentleman from New Jersey who was doing computer consulting in B.A.. Flight time was about 10 hours. We arrived to snow in the Washington area and morning rush hour traffic below us. Back to reality, I said to myself.
Immigration was very long. Picked up luggage and dropped it off after a long corridor. Then onto a small bus to the domestic terminal area. Had sometime to kill, so went to the United RCC lounge to freshen up. It was also very spacious and well maintained. I was welcomed by a nice woman after seeing my arrival boarding pass. I had some fruits and juice and freshened up for my flight to Toronto.
Air Canada AC 349 Washington – Toronto
Jan 9, 2003
Boarding was quick on the CRJ. A few snacks and juices later we landed in Toronto. Glad to be on home turf finally. The crew was very friendly and spoke with each of us briefly. The plane was one third full.
I arrived at immigration and the young woman officer asked where I had been. She made some mark on my declaration form and I continued down the line. I handed my form in and was asked to step aside. I asked why, she said they want to ask me more questions. I thought this could take a while. Is this the secondary screening FT members have dreaded? Well, why did she pick on me? Anyway, it is too late now. I stood for good 10 mins and finally someone came over and began asking me questions. She looked inside my funny looking bag I bought in Bolivia. I opened it and inside were souvenirs. I offered her my backpack but she declined to look inside. This little delay meant I had missed my chance of catching an earlier flight home.
I went to drop off my luggage and asked for standby tags to be put on it as I wanted to ask check-in to see if I could standby for the earlier flight back to Edmonton. I was told to check with the gate. The flight looked quite full but the gate agent asked me if I would take an economy seat. I said yes even though I was on a J reward ticket. I just wanted to go home. Eventually, at the last moment, she found a business class seat for me and I thanked her profusely.
Air Canada Toronto – Edmonton Jan 9, 2003
I could not remember what I had to eat other than I had trouble sleeping even though I was really tired. I remember the front cabin was quite full again except for the seat next to me. I guess I lucked out again. I arrived back in Edmonton to balmy temperatures and the sight of my family whom I missed so dearly.
I guess the hard earned Aeroplan miles made it possible for me to go to a few wonderful countries and got me there and back with some excellent airline partners. Canada and Canadians are better off having an airline that is part of a world wide alliance network. This trip would not be feasible if it wasn’t for such an alliance network.
I was surprised that I was able to get the long haul business seat on Varig and United despite only booking about 6 weeks before departure. The 50000 / 70000 miles level for South America is a very good deal in my opinion given the remote locations. I want to thank the wonderful Aeroplan agents who helped me during the planning and I am grateful for the information and sharing on Flyertalk. I had learned so much from you in such a short time and I hope my trip report has allowed you to come along with me for even a brief moment. I welcome any questions or comments.