bobbyBlue

From Bogota to Boston to Oakland

2009-09-25T01:36:00.004-04:00

Colombia certainly worked it's magic on me. I'm glad I took the plunge and faced some unwarranted fears and traveled there. Honestly, it is as I had read. It's the safest it has ever been. Bogota is one of the safest cities in South America. Come on, jetBlue, Delta, America, Continental and a few other U.S. airlines have daily flights there. I don't think that would happen if people were not going there to do business, visit family or just tour around.

The people are incredibly helpful, friendly, kind, polite! Like any time you travel or are in a new environment, you need to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions. A little common sense goes a long way.

After five full days, the following morning I was up at 5:30 a.m., had breakfast at 6:00 a.m., was in a car service provided by the hotel (17.50 US$), and at the airport in time. Don't forget to go to window 19 to pay your exit tax. As a US citizen you will not have to pay what the Colombians pay, you will get a stamp; however, at the jetBlue counter you will have to pay the final tax equivalent to US $10 (credit card or cash). This in addition to the taxes you already paid.

I will definitely be back and spend more time on that visit. Bogota is immense! I just got a taste so I'm going back for the meal next time. If you want any advice, please reach out to me. Don't be afraid to go.

On the flight home I sat next to another AYCJ passenger, a great guy based in Florida who is visiting some new places and connecting up with some women he's had a chance to meet on Match.com. What a great idea. We truly live in a global network and what a way to make things work for that situation. A personal meeting means so much. He is recently divorced after many years and making a sincere effort to get to know new people on a very truthful level. Good luck.

I hit customs in Orlando and tried to make the earlier flight to Boston so I could have more time to rest before my flight the next morning to Oakland. One of the flight attendants from the flight to Bogota was going to the same terminal and helped me get through security a little quicker via the line for crew. What a nice gesture! He accompanied me to the gate but, alas, I was just a couple of minutes late and the flight was closed! I now had 5 hours to kill before my 7:54 flight to Boston.

As a matter of strategy, I actually booked a round trip ticket to Orlando and a round trip ticket to Bogota from Orlando, not Boston. When I tried to book the flight to Bogota as a round trip from Boston, it forced me to fly to JFK, get on a flight to Orlando, then Orlando to Bogota. On the way home, this would cause me to get in at midnight. This way, I flew back to Orlando from Bogota and, although I had to wait five hours for the non-stop to Boston, I still got in an hour and half earlier. There's plenty to keep one occupied at the Orlando airport (MCO). I made plenty of phone calls and got caught up with friends.

We had yet another on-time departure and early arrival in Boston! So far, so good. I got to my house a little before 11 p.m. and began the process (laundry and repacking) of preparing for my 8:00 a.m. flight the next morning to Oakland. After four and a half hours of sleep I was up, ready, and back at Logan at 7:15 a.m. for the six hour cross continental flight. Yet another take off (on time) and another comfortable ride. I rested as much as I could. I can never sleep on a plane for some reason. We landed forty minutes early! The friend picking me up at the airport hadn't planned for a such an early arrival so I used the time to juice my phone back up and get a cup of coffee.

While I'm doing this, I overhear a guy who is waiting near the gate (for the jetBlue Boston flight that is soon to depart) tell a woman his story of flying AYCJ. I migrate over to them and wait for an appropriate moment to interject myself in their conversation. His story is great! He loves baseball and is traveling around to every field he can get to in the jetBlue network. We are all so unique and different and have such stories to tell! I let him know that I'm based in Boston as well, and what I'm doing. He is equally amazed. There is a book or a movie in this, I'm sure!

Shortly, it's hugs and kisses with my friend, Paula, and we're off to lunch at Tomatina on Park Street in Alameda, CA, just a few miles from the airport. I worked out perfectly that she and I could meet and have lunch before I caught up with Sheri and Tony with whom I am staying (here in Alameda).

I love it here. This bedroom community has such beautiful architecture and a vibrant local business community. It is a community in every sense of the word. It is walkable, liveable, and people interact with each other.

When Sheri and Tony get out of work we meet up and head to Havana for mojito happy hour and some appetizers. Yum! Great conversation with friends and home for a comfortable night's sleep.

After indulging myself by sleeping in, I'm cleaned up and walking down to Park Street for breakfast at Ole's Waffle House. If you find yourself in the Oakland area, come to Alameda and have breakfast here. Just do it. This place is popular and, even at 10:30 a.m. there is a slight wait for a place to sit. I decide to work off the syrup and butter by walking around town and trying to find a place to make up a special bobbyBlueAYCJ tshirt. When nothing is found, I decide to buy a few t-shirts and some iron-on transfer sheets at OfficeMax and make my own.

Late afternoon Sheri, Tony and I decide to go to Rosenblum Cellars for a wine tasting. I am quite impressed! Only recently have some of their wines been available in the Boston area. I'll be sure to pick some up when I see them.

This night (tonight), it's time to open a couple of bottles of this delicious wine and enjoy Sheri's spinach lasagna. Since we're quite tired, it's time to sleep. But not before I take a few minutes to catch up on my blog!

If you are visiting any of the places I'm visiting don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm glad to help if I can.

Now, it's time to check in on-line for tomorrow's flight to Boston. I should be in early enough to enjoy dinner Friday night with my partner and repack for my weekend in North Carolina with my aunt. I still have to book a hotel for New Orleans Monday night. If things go the way they have, I'm sure I'll have a nice place at a good price!

Happy jetting, everyone! I wish I could meet you all.

Ciao!

Feeling oh, so wonderfully BLUE!

2009-09-19T20:18:00.004-04:00

I am writing to you from Villa de Leyva, Colombia. Thanks to jetBlue and AYCJ, I´m here! Today, while lingering over a long lunch, outside, on a balcony in the sun, I almost cried. The sky was so beautiful, it looked like someone painted it. I was overcome and did what I could to maintain my composure.

Before I get into my adventures, I wanted to share a little about my preparation and "process" as I approached this experience. When I committed to the pass I was suddenly overwhelmed. How do I make this work? I was paralyzed the first couple of days. Finally, I took a breath and just decided to start somewhere and trust the rest would come. It did. I printed out a copy of the route map and the pdf of the schedule available on the website. I then printed out a couple of blank calendars for the months of September and October. I made a complete wish list of where I´d like to go; mostly, places I hadn´t been in a while and places I have never been. With schedule in hand, I started narrowing down what I could and couldn´t do and shortened the list a little bit (but not much). I had some practical considerations such as visitors and a birthday party in the Boston area. I also wanted to be able to touch base back home every few days to be with my partner, rest, do laundry and repack for length of trip, and climate of destination. I made some phone calls and started filling in the calendar. I made a few scratch marks, moved some things around and, voilá, a masterpiece was born! Every AYCJ individual has their own circumstances to work with. I wanted to get in as many trips as possible but still savor the experience.

I began jetting on the first day of the pass. You could not wipe the smile off my face, even as I braved what was to be one of many security lines in my future. I was bubbling (yes, bubbling) with excitement and had to tell everyone I came in contact with what I was doing. Every single jetBlue employee I met that day shared my enthusiasm with sincerity (and they continue to do so). With confidence that this month held a lot of promise, I stepped abord and took my first flight ever with jetBlue.

I was won over immediately! The planes are comfortable, clean, and roomy; excuse me, rooooooooomy. The crew had a great attitude, was efficient, and helped make the experience a human one. I have not experienced this since NY Air, back in the 80s! As I mentioned in my first post, I started jetting at a young age (6). A time when flying was a special event. People realized they were going to meet other people out in public and put some effort into what they would wear on the plane. Jetting was jetting and you were treated like a valued customer. Some semblance of that has returned with jetBlue. I think it might be the closest we get to it in this new world.

My choice for my first flight was a quick day trip from Boston to Washington´s Dulles International Airport (IAD). Yes, the airport! The reason for the daytrip was that I had a friend in town and I had to get back to be a good host. The reason I chose Washington was the Uvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian´s Air and Space museum. I am an airplane geek, especially commercial aviation. The Center is a huge hangar on the edge of Dulles that houses many planes that just don´t fit at the museum in D.C. There is an Imax theater with several choices of films. I saw the Magic of Flight! How appropriate for my first day of jetting! The volunteers at the museum rock. They are full of information and are glad to help out. They WANT to help you and share their knowlege (like the jetBlue team!). Allow them to assist you and you´ll have a richer experience!

In the collection, I particularly like the Boeing 707 prototype, the Boeing Stratocruiser, and the Space Shuttle Enterprise. The Shuttle! You can stand right next to it! You will be humbled as you look upon the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. You will reflect. You will be moved.

There is a great gift shop and a McDonald´s and McCafe with some "healthier" choices. If you have never been to the Uvar-Hazy Center, please check it out on the web. By the way, the museum is free. bobbyBlue loves free, or close to it!

There is a convenient shuttle bus from the terminal to the hangar. It runs every 45 minutes and cost 50 cents. Please have exact change, if you can.

On the flight back we had another fabulous crew. I was one of 10 voluteers that were solicited to help balance off the load factor of the flight. I was moved up from row 20 to row one. How fun! I thought this only happened on 8 seater prop planes.

I was now seated next to another AYCJ passenger and we built on each other´s excitement, sharing plans. Upon deplaning, I was invited into the cockpit by Captain Steve Lister. I met his first officer, Juanita. Both were very welcoming and the captain allowed me to sit in his seat for a photo op for this blog (photo to come).

The next day, September, 9, 2009, I caught the morning non-stop to Chicago to spend the day roaming the city. At the gate, the agent surprised me with an #AYCJ luggage tag. How special is that?

I never get to spend much time in Chicago, so I wanted a day to walk around, eat at my favorite Spanish restaurant, Cafe Iberico, and spend the night with some great college friends that still live north of the city. It was a beautiful day. I hit the Cultural Center, Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue.

Since I´m maxing out my pass and traveling all month, I still had some errands to do. I stopped at a Walgreen´s to grab some antibacterial wipes, Airborne (well, Wallgreen´s version) and some zinc lozenges to take as a preventative should I start feeling down. Having so many flights to catch and so many places to visit, I wanted to be careful without being insane about it.

People, peeeeeople! You have to stop by Cafe Iberico on N. LaSalle and have some tapas along with a glass or two, or three, of the tinto Ibericos wine. Just do it! You´ll understand. I went there 11 years ago and it made such an impression. I was affraid it would not be the same after such a long time. I was not disappointed and look forward to getting back again soon.

I caught the commuter rail around 5 p.m. and made it to Arlington Heights where my friend Katy picked me up. After freshening up at her house we drove up to Crystal Lake the meet with mutual friends Nancy and Liz. We had a great night.

I slept and Katy´s and she was generous enought to drive me to O´Hare in the morning on her way to work. Thanks, Katy! You know how much I love you.

Another on time arrival at Boston´s Logan International Airport at 1:20 p.m. and I was able to relax and get ready for my partner´s mom´s 80th birthday party. You would never know she is 80! God love you, Phyllis!

Friday, Septemer 11th, 2009. Off I go for St. Maarten. Can you believe it, St. Maarten for the weekend. When could I EVER say that!

I arrived and the airport a bit solemn. After passing securing and getting things together, I decided to gather myself and my thoughts for those who suffered on that horrible day back in 2001.

The flight took off for JFK where I had to connect. I had yet another great team of jetBlue people. Still feeling the love. The new T5 terminal is fantastic. I´m feeling blue. Really feeling blue and becoming one with it. I had to "just ask!" at one of jetBlue´s Just Ask counters. Another great idea, jetBlue. I chatted with more enthusiast employees who gifted me a #AYCJ pin! Thanks, guys!

Even better, at the gate I hear "is that you?" Captain Steve was there! He called me over to meet his first officer and other crew memembers. He told them they had to hear my story! I shared the events I´m sharing here along with the pictures I took of him and his first officer, Juanita, on our flight back from IAD on my first day of flying. They loved it. He also informed they would be flying me down to St. Maarten.

This attracted the attention of another AYCJ passenger, Steve from Salt Lake (hi, Steve). Steve is another self proclaimed plane geek going to St. Maarten for the same reason. Since he lives in Salt Lake, he´s not as fortunate to get back home like I can. He has to do the month as a loop. You know he has a loving wife and kids at home or he wouldn´t be able to do it. Steve and I hit it off. He didn´t have a place to stay yet and after getting to know each other a bit and trusting that neither one of us was a con artist or serial killed, we decided to share my room. A couple of days earlier I had scored a large room with a balcony at the Sonesta Resort and Casino right at Maho Beach for $102.50 a night (this is also where jetBlue crews stay). Now Steve and I were splitting that. We had a large room with two queen beds and a balcony facing the ocean on the 5th floor. What? What? Yes!

Although the thought of beautiful beaches and sun attracted me, I was going to St. Maarten for the airplanes. Yes, airplanes. Now, don´t go and think I´ve gone off the deep end. If you Google Maho Beach, St. Maarten, it will all make sense. Do it and take a look at what I´m talking about. The end of the runway is right at the beach and you are allowed to be there. The planes look like they´re about to hit you. It´s the closest you´ll ever get to the outside of a moving aircraft. It is so dramatic that non plane geeks flock there and the Sunset Bar right on the beach. The incoming aircraft are listed on a surfboard and everyone comes equiped with a camera. If you want to get blasted, too, do it here. I don´t mean at the bar, although you can certainly do that. I mean, by the planes. you can stand on the beach and get blasted as they take off. Some brave souls go right up against the security fence and hold on for dear life. It is a riot. If you do this, you have to exercise extreme caution. It can be done but you have to cover your eyes. Prepare to be blown away!

The next day while lunching at the Sunset bar, Steve stopped by to get some shots of the landing planes and we met Tom, another AYCJ person and plane geek. He was there for the same reason and was on the same flights as Steve and I. Tom had a great camera with a gps. He´s a nice guy and a real pro. He posts on Flickr. I don´t have his Flickr name at my fingertips but I´ll be sure to add it later.

Steve turned out to be a great roommate for our brief trip. We met up at the airport for the return flight home.

The flight was smooth and on time. At JFK, we had to deplane down stairs an get on a bus. There was no available gate because we got in early. I enjoyed this experience. When I first started flying as a kid, jetways were a new thing and most places didn´t have them. There is something very impressive about walking up to that incredible machine, that beautiful bird, on the tarmac and climbing those stairs. It was an event.

After going through customs and passport control, Steve joined me on my way over to T5 for my connecting flight to Boston. We exchanged numbers and emails so we could keep each other abreast of our adventures. He was going into NYC for the night and following day. Again, with no place to stay in the Big Apple, Steve was not deterred. This is his adventure and he has faith. I look forward to catching up with you, Steve!

Although my flight home to Boston was delayed 45 minutes (the crew was flying up from Ft. Lauderdale and was delayed due to weather in Florida), we managed to get off a little earlier than expected and only got in a half hour late.

I was lucky to catch the last airport shuttle the the T (MBTA, the subway), and walke home from my stop. I was in the door at 1:35 a.m. and started preparing for my flight to Denver. I had to be back at the airport in just a few hours for my non-stop flight. Somehow, I pulled it off. Where there is a will, there is a way!

The story continues but, as I said, I´m in Villa de Leyva, Colombia. It´s a beautiful night and I´m going out to enjoy it. I´ll be in the Plaza Mayor having a drink, people watching and enjoying the breeze.

Befor I sign of, I am on Twitter now! I don´t know what that means because I´m still trying to figure it out. Hopefully, I´ll be able to "tweet" (that sounds like something illegal we did back in the 80s) from my cell phone. I´m bobbyBlueaycj if youwant to check it out or follow me.

'Hasta pronto, mis amigos! Keeps your eyes to the sky. I just might be in that wild "blue" yonder!

All-You-Can-Jet ·AYCJ

2009-09-18T01:03:00.002-04:00

Hi, there! Here I am, finally. bobbyBlue. Can I just say OMG? What do you mean an All-You-Can-Jet pass. jetBlue, I LOVE YOU!

I´m getting started a little late here with this blog. I was fortunate to grab one of these passes on the last day. I hemmed and hawed even though I knew it was created for me. My friends and family all sent me the link with the announcement to make sure I didn´t miss it. Finally, I made the jump.

I´m a jetster. I love jetting and I almost wanted to make jetBlue sorry for creating it. Right now I have the time and I live close to Boston´s Logan International aiport. I have places to go (some new, some already seen) and people to see (old friends and new ones to be made along the way).

I´m getting my blogging start here in Bogotá, Colombia. YES, Bogotá! Today is my first full day and I´m amazed, enchanted, overwhelmed. I have limited internet access and I´m not as ¨Wired¨as some of you, but I´ll do my best. Trip detail and photos are to come.

For immediate gratification, here is what I have done and what I have comming:

9/8/2009 - Washington, D.C. (day trip to the Smithsonian´s Uvar-Hazy Center conveniently located at Dulles International Airport )

9/9 - 9/10/2009
Chicago (day and overnight with college friends). Back to Boston.

9/11 - 9/13
St. Maarten (2.5 days to enjoy the jets landing at Maho beach and enjoy the sun and surf)

9/14 - 9/15/2009
Denver (day and overnight to explore a new city and amazing airport)

9/16 - 9/22/2009
Bogotá, Colombia (Yes, Bogotá and Villa de Leyva)

9/23 - 9/25/2009
San Francisco and Alameda, CA (fun times with good friends and some favorite places)

9/26 - 9/27/2009
Pinhurst, NC (time to visit my aunt and her partner)

9/28 - 9/29
New Orleans! (I´ve never been!)

9/30
Night flight to Orlando (after some rest and regrouping home in Boston)

10/1 - 10/7
San José, Costa Rica and exploring the country (another new destination for me).

10/7 - 10/8/2009 - last day of AYCJ
Orlando (a good night to relax and hit a theme park the next day - will get the last jetBlue flight from Orlando to Boston)

Whew! Details and pics of all the fun to come.