Greetings from Music City!

Does anyone know of an efficient way to include a stop in Honduras on a MM run?

My reservations are for June 9-13 on this route: MIA-CCS-BOG-UIO-LIM-CUZ-LIM-SJO-SAL-
GUA-MGA-MIA. It's about $2400 through Travelocity. Any suggestions on lower fares? Many Thanks.

Cfrench: I guess the simplest way to include Honduras in your trip is to do SJO-TGU-GUA rather than SJO-SAL-GUA. Alternatively, do a short hop and back from SAL. Can't remember exactly the cost of the tickets (I did the central American bit of my trip back in March and looked at TGU as a potential stop in the planning stage, but my memory is fading by now), but I remember them being quite cheap.

Schutzee: I'll be doing the UIO,GYE,CUZ segments from Thurs to Sat next week.

Rhinochaser: whereas your suggestion is attractive, I feel somewhat reluctant to go somewhere with too much of a homely feel when I'll be basically going to bed to getting up the next morning at 3.30/4.00am. Something more hotel-like might be more suitable for me. Thanks for the suggestion anyway, as well as those of other posters.

OK. After further looking into it, the Sheraton in Lima has attractive rates (USD72) for the night (weekday) I want to stay there. Taxis from the airport, though, seem to be fairly expensive (if you are just going into town and back the next morning). Somebody earlier on in the thread mentioned a shuttle to the Holiday Inn and Double tree for USD8. Is that just for those two hotels or do they serve other major hotels in Lima?
Alternatively, anybody has any advice for a safe and reasonably cheap way to get from the airport to town?

Well, the cheapest way to get to and from Lima airport (provided you have hand luggage only) is to ignore all the taxi touts, walk out of the airport terminal building veering to the right past the ICAO (!) office, go through the gates and pick up a colectivo (mini bus) for about 1.5 sol. I've done it at all times of the day and night, and often feel safer than using taxis. But then, I do speak Spanish and know Lima quite well.

I don't think the HI shuttle bus goes to other hotels - certainly not the Sheraton which is one of the few major hotels in down town Lima. You can check with them if they do an airport pickup - otherwise you are in the hands of the touts - just negotiate

Henk

Thanks Henk

Cfrench.
How about Guatemala to San Pedro Sula. Interesting fact about this routing is you can use three LP airlines GUA - SAP COPA, SAP - GUA, TACA and Aviateca(stopover in San Salvador) We were able to do this routing for about three hundred dollars. If we could get all our flights down a hundred per segment? Well that will not happen!

[This message has been edited by cy-gone (edited 06-01-2000).]

NickB:

Just before you exit the baggage claim area, there is an information booth for taxis. I signed up as a single traveler for a group taxi ride to the Holiday Inn for $10 and they gave me a slip of paper for the taxi cab driver. No one else showed up so I got a $30 taxi ride for $10. Try that for a safe, inexpensive ride to the hotel.

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Nick,
Where did you get that rate for Sheraton Lima ? The best I can find is $90.

Shutzee,
Check Sheratons Web site. "Hot Rate" section, saw a rate of $70 dollars US.

We will be on Aces # 521 UIO-LIM together on June 10. I look forward to meeting you.
Any other MMers on 521 then?

Cy-gone: Many thanks. I'll work on the change.

cF, I too wanted to go LIM-SJO-GUA so that I wouldnt have to spend the night in LIM, but the fare was $900+, i found that going LIM-PTY(lacsa)6am and after a 5+hr layover PTY-GUA with Copa it cost $680. My final tally for the LP carriers were $2350.Using a VUSA to get to MIA on TW which cost me $199 r/t with 3 legs on a Sun to Thur(no Sat).Could have saved another $45 but couldnt get the Aeropostal flight to be tkted here overseas. If you find a cheaper way LIM-GUA using Lacsa & Copa please post.

I just got back from the full Million mile trip. One thing of note to point out.

I was able to pull off the following in one day.

PTY-SJO Lacsa 16:05-16:15
SJO-SAL Taca 16:50-18:09
SAL-GUA Aviateca 18:25-19:10

I was originally to spend the night in SAL but was able to catch the SAL-GUA flight. Anyone on a real tight schedule might try to get it all in. (I'd only do this with Y class tickets, not count on making the connection and gety a boarding card at PTY or SJO.

Just a thought.

BSL

cfrench,
I look forward to meeting you. I am 5'6", short blond-gray ( boy it hurts to say "gray")hair, and will be wearing a green Jansport pack. See you on the 10th !

I tried to sign up to do the million miles, and called to sign up for LatinPass at the end of March. Unfortunately, as you may know, they discontinued the offer on 3/20/99. (That is, the deadline for joining LatinPass & still being eligible for the miles was 3/20.)

Anyone heard anything about their plans for similiar offers in the future? LatinPass told me in March, and again today, that they will probably offer some other promotion in months to come, but could give me no further details.

Anyone know more? I'm envious of, and impressed by, those of you who've done it! Great postings! Hope to meet up with some of you in future Latin American travels!