Gol Airline

[TotallyOz]

I have my perfect schedule for Brazil. Naturally, I want to get points as I am a point whore. So, I'll use GOL. I have tried for 2 days to book them online with no luck. I just called Delta and they can't either. They said you may have to call them.

If I remember correctly before, I had the same issue and they didn't let me book outside of Brazil. Does this make sense?

[RA1]

I don't know the answer but it seems I have heard of this problem before and the "answer" was to call them directly.

Best regards,

RA1

[Guest tomcal]

I have taken over 50 flights on GOL(primarily either Rio >Porto Alegre or Sao Paulo > Porto Alegre and I like everything about the airline except their fucking website for booking tickets!! LOL always a problem and you never can get it done the first time! and if you go for their English version 1/2 way through the process it switches back to Portuguese! lol but, if u are persistant it eventually works, One thing the ONLY credit card they accept from the U.S. is American Express, even thou it shows MC and VISA there is a number you can call for help in English but it's a Brazilian number so you will get charged for a 5 min international call.

[TotallyOz]

I was successful in one purchase but it failed on the 2nd one and I am trying to call from Skype but it is not working. The number is:

598 2403-8007

Any suggestion?

[Guest parisrio2000]

If you speak Portuguese call them in Sao Paulo. I did so and they were very helpful, unlike customer service at American airlines.

I don't recommend booking with GOL if you travel internally in Brazil; you can get much cheaper fares when you come here, at the airports, with lesser-known airlines.

[Guest tomcal]

I don't know how much cheaper you can get..for my flight coming up in March, from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre my ticket is $53.US and for the return from Porto Alegre to Rio it is $58. U.S.! and I have exit rows both ways(for someone 6'4" this is important! ) The other advantage for me is in S.P. the american ticket counter and luggage is next to American Airlines! :-)

[TotallyOz]

Well, I was finally able to get the tickets I wanted online. What a total pain in the ass.

My itinerary is now complete.

10 days in Sao Paulo

4 days in Fortaleza

3 days in Salvador

4 days in Porto Alegre

9 days in Rio

[Guest parisrio2000]

Why would you spend any time at all in Salvador O_o

[axiom2001]

Why would you spend any time at all in Salvador O_o

It has beauty; it is completely different from any other of the Brasilian cities in many respects; it's the most African of any city, and it varies in terms of Rio de janeiro and Sao Paulo.

I've only done the scenic and cultural route while in Bahia: I've never done the sauna scene but perhaps will do both and more if I manage to get there in July/August 2013; I plan to stay around 5 or 6 days.

[ihpguy]

The best part of Salvador is leaving the L.E. Magalhaes International Airport and being only 60 kilometers or so away from my idea of heaven, Praia do Forte and Imbassai, in the Mata de Sao Joao. And to go back in time 50 to 100 years, there are two fishing villages, the second only accessible on foot or dune buggy, just five more kms, Santo Antonio and Diogo.

[TotallyOz]

Paris, I think all the cities in Brazil will have different character and I like seeing all of them. I don't just go to saunas. I like to see beaches, museums, and where the people of Brazil love to visit.

IHPGUY, I only have 3 days there and was thinking of staying the entire time in the city as it is so short. But, I would be willing to consider one day away from the city. Not sure if it would be worth it for one day but as I only have 3 nights there, I just could not do much more on this trip. However, I am open.

[Guest parisrio2000]

I think Salvador is one of the worst cities in Brazil, and one of the worst in the world. If you're talking about just the city itself, the only areas you can safely go into are not that safe, and consist of just an awful tourist trap that is both physically dirty and filthy, as well as kitschy, with the "history" designed for tourist enjoyment. It also attracts the worst kind of tourists, Western hippies who are the worst, and into the so-called "Bahia culture." You can't go anywhere outside this desginated tourist ripoff-trap area after dark. I found it to be an awful experience.

Why not visit more off-the-tourist path and exciting places like Manaus, Belem, or rent a car and drive through the countryside, which is the best way to experience a country?

I agree with you TotallyOz about seeing a country, not just for the saunas or the boys. Just coming for that can be very depressing. So far I haven't even yet gone to see my favorite, although I've had the best sexual experiences with him and he is a living god.

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

Parisrio.. again no disrespect meant, but from all of your posts, it seems like you are very unhappy and/or unsatisfied in Brazil. You don't like the saunas, you don't find any boys "up to your standards", you find other cities "dirty and filthy". Maybe you should try another destination in your search for happiness.

It just seems like you aren't finding what you are looking for in Brazil. One of my favorite sayings is "If you always do what you've always done, You will always get what you've always got." Maybe another destination will be more appealing to you.

[Guest parisrio2000]

Parisrio.. again no disrespect meant, but from all of your posts, it seems like you are very unhappy and/or unsatisfied in Brazil. You don't like the saunas, you don't find any boys "up to your standards", you find other cities "dirty and filthy". Maybe you should try another destination in your search for happiness.

It just seems like you aren't finding what you are looking for in Brazil. One of my favorite sayings is "If you always do what you've always done, You will always get what you've always got." Maybe another destination will be more appealing to you.

That's absurd. You're right that I don't like *everything* about Brazil. Anyone who says they do either has no taste or is lying. Now none of what you say is true, which makes me think you have an axe to grind. Even in the post above I gave suggestions for two cities, Manaus and Belem, that would be far better choices to visit than Salvador. Just because I think Salvador is a shithole (it is) doesn't mean I find "other cities" bad, whatever that's supposed to mean. I also do find many of the saunas bad, and literally filthy: 202 in Rio being one of them. But 117 is great.

I lived in Brazil for 2 years, as with everything, there are things to like and to dislike. This is a site to help others find good things, not a peanut gallery to celebrate everything about an interesting country with many problems. And I assure you that I'm quite happy; just because I don't like to eat dog turds off the street and like pointing out to others to watch out for said dogturds doesn't mean I'm unhappy.

[Guest parisrio2000]

lol also at "you don't find any boys up to your standards" when I've sung the praises of Brazilian guys in numerous posts, plus made a thread in this subforum about how I think one of them is a sex god; get out of here, you have some strange axe to grind

[docbr]

Just because I think Salvador is a shithole (it is) doesn't mean I find "other cities" bad, whatever that's supposed to mean. I also do find many of the saunas bad, and literally filthy: 202 in Rio being one of them. But 117 is great.

Everyone has the right to have their opnions, that is true in US and still holds true in Brazil. But its wise too to choose words to express such opinion with some care. I respect your opnion about Salvador infrastructure - I think the city is dificult to wander around too.

But you should be aware that Belem have almost the same problems of Salvador and is even more dangerous city to visit - as say murder rate statistics available. Most brazilian capitals dont figure far from that too.

But puting that aside, the "baianos" I've met in Salvador are among the most fun and happy people I have found anywhere in Brazil. Not to mention some of the capoeira guys who have the greatest bodies (and stamina) of all the men I met. I had great experiences not only travelling but also living in Bahia for a while.

[TotallyOz]

We all have different things we look for when visiting a country or city. I look for many things including decent hotels, sometimes beaches, airfare, a sauna or two or at least a way to hook up. The rest usually works itself out. If I find that I don't feel safe in Salvador, I'll stay in my hotel, order room service and get a nice boy from the sauna to spend the weekend with me.

I have been robbed at gun point 2 times in my life. Both were in Sao Paulo. But, I love the city and I keep going back. I love the hotels and I love Lagoa and Fragata. But, I also have friends there that look after me. I don't have that in Salvador but I'll try to find someone really quick.

[docbr]

I've been to two saunas in salvador:

1) Sauna Fox, nice neighborhood have a mix of cruising clients and around 15 boys. It had a nice structure and was very clean (as of july 2012) and I liked the boys there - mix of lean capoeira guys and some stronger muscled ones.

2) Planetario 11, not so nice neighborhood, boy only sauna, poor suite, nice bar and clean sauna/showers. had about 10 working boys (week day) mostly muscle guys. Found two habituée from SP there (clients).

One day I found some boys on the "Porto da Barra" beach... there are some beer vendors on the sidewalk with car sounds were few boys stay... I sited on the small wall of the beach drinking a bit but none talked to me thought, they seemed busy with the gringos.

For locomotion, used only taxis and they are somewhat expensive in Salvador. Also, Its safer to ask at the sauna desk for a taxi when you are leaving - one night I got a handsome tall blond guy as taxi driver who was a ex-sauna worker. But I already had other plans for the night

[TotallyOz]

Thank you docbr. Great information!

[Lucky]

Yesterday I found round-trip tickets on AA for 40,000 miles each. So the bf and I are going later this year. Earlier searches a few weeks ago showed very few 40K trips available. Perhaps American wants us to use our miles before the merger.

As for GOL, I had the same problems in the past. Finally I tried booking with an American Express card and it went like clockwork. But I didn't get rates like Tomcal does, so maybe he can book that trip to POA for me!

Interesting side note: I also booked a trip to Newark on Delta for 40,000 miles RT.