Help!

[Dennis Gonzalez]

I need all my JC colleagues' help!

I have been asked to go to Lisbon next week (Oct 12 - 17) for a series of concerts, but the producers admit to me that the airline tickets they can come up with are too expensive at this time (1000 Euros / $1300) and they started the process too late.

I can come up with $600 fares, which is good, but the times are all wrong for me.

Does anybody have an "in" with airlines or travel agents? If so, could you please e-mail me?

Having his cake and wanting to eat it too!
-Dennis

PS...for your successful help, I could send you all my available catalog on CD's! (Assuming you'd even want to listen to them, of course...)

[Tanager]

Dennis, I have no such in, sadly, but I don't think this plea would be out of place in a more heavily-travelled forum. You could ask Lois, but I doubt she'd mind moving this to Speak Out. You could certainly stick this in the Alley safely and be guaranteed better visibility to potential helpers.

[Cem]

Hello Dennis, I assume, you've looked into flying via London or another hub-city? It's almost always cheaper and with more options, as you probably know. Good luck!

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Thanks, Tanager and Cem for your responses. Yes, I tried today through London, and the times are all skewed, even if slightly. In some scenarios, I would arrive at Heathrow 1 1/2 hours before having to leave from Gatwick for Lisbon...you know, that kind of near-miss!

A simple Dallas-London-Lisbon-London-Dallas ticket is very possible, but for $1300. And I missed the same route for $500 by just an hour or so, when fares doubled at midnight 2 nights ago!

[Gary Sisco]

The JC guy you need is our world-traveled Pete C., if anyone, D.

[Pete C]

It's too last minute to get a deal, especially when you don't have flexibility.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

I think I musta needed Pete to say that, because as soon as I checked 1-800-flyEurope.com, they had exactly what I needed!

Thanks all!

[J.A.W.]

Have a great time in Lisbon, Dennis!

[Bluebrew]

Don't forget to spend one night at Argentina Santo's fado club.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Originally Posted by J.A.W.

Have a great time in Lisbon, Dennis!

Thanks, sir. I'm sure it'll be great!

Originally Posted by Bluebrew

Don't forget to spend one night at Argentina Santo's fado club.

I spent 5 very busy days in Coimbra (considered the birthplace of fado)when I was there in March with Oliver Lake. So I didn't get to hear any fado live. But with 5 days in Lisboa, it should be great to go to Argentina's place and drink absinthe while weeping to the music.

[bluenoter]

Dennis--

I just sent you an e-mail suggesting that you try 1800flyeurope.com (which is the site from which the link I'd sent you came)! However, I also warned you that I'd contracted a virus (which is gone now), apparently when I e-mailed you the link through the site's popup e-mail sender.

So you're all set with flights at appropriate times? Great!

Anyway, please see my e-mail, "YOU CAN OPEN THIS; I'M CLEAN NOW." I talked about some other stuff, too.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Originally Posted by bluenoter

Dennis--

I just sent you an e-mail suggesting that you try 1800flyeurope.com (which is the site from which the link I'd sent you came)! However, I also warned you that I'd contracted a virus (which is gone now), apparently when I e-mailed you the link through the site's popup e-mail sender.

So you're all set with flights at appropriate times? Great!

Anyway, please see my e-mail, "YOU CAN OPEN THIS; I'M CLEAN NOW." I talked about some other stuff, too.

Got it! Interesting e-mail. All understood. I'll get back with ya soon on all that.

[Gary Sisco]

I told ya Pete was the one. :-)

[Nathaniel Catchpole]

Too late, just saw this, but you could've flown into London, then booked a budget European airline flight to and from Portugal separately (Ryanair, EasyJet, etc.) - giving yourself time each side. That way you get a straightforward ticket to London (or Paris) and a straightforward ticket to Lisbon. Worth considering next time.

PS. Did you get the CD from Seymour?

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

I told ya Pete was the one. :-)

I had nary a doubt, Sisco. You are always right!

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel Catchpole

Too late, just saw this, but you could've flown into London, then booked a budget European airline flight to and from Portugal separately (Ryanair, EasyJet, etc.) - giving yourself time each side. That way you get a straightforward ticket to London (or Paris) and a straightforward ticket to Lisbon. Worth considering next time.

I tried that, but the times and airports weren't cooperating. I think I'd have to go to the two smaller London airports from Gatwick or Heathrow, and the ticket cost of what I got was better anyway. I would have ended up having to stay at a hotel near Gatwick or Heathrow as well.

Unless I had had more time to work on it. Then your plan would work perfectly. Thanks for writing in.

Ah, the life of a musician!

PS. Did you get the CD from Seymour?

I'm supposed to get it in the next few. I hope I get it before I leave for Lisboa. Thanks for your immense help in tracking it down. Much appreciated.

Are you just getting back from Japan?

Guess who posted over on another thread? Lund!

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Thanks to all who helped me get my trip together. This is what came of it:

Thursday, October 14, 8 pm,
Trem Azul Jazz Store, Lisbon
(Grand opening of Lisbon's newest jazz record store a la DMG)
Dennis Gonzalez Quartet Lisboa
D.Gonzalez - trumpet
Rodrigo Amado - alto sax, baritone sax
Pedro Gonçalves - bass
Bruno Pedroso - drums

Saturday, October 16
Studio Recording
Dennis Gonzalez - trumpet
Joao Paulo Esteves da Silva - piano
Pedro Gonçalves - bass
Bruno Pedroso - drums

Sunday, October 17, 10 pm,
Luso Café, Bairro Alto
Dennis Gonzalez - Pedro Gonçalves Duo

[Sergio Zamora]

Mucha suerte, D. Have fun!

[mke]

Dennis Gonzalez - Pedro Gonçalves Duo

Sounds good.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Originally Posted by Sergio Zamora

Mucha suerte, D. Have fun!

Gracias, carnal...I will!

[Dennis Gonzalez]

Originally Posted by mke

Sounds good.

Wish I'd had more prep time so's I coulda come over to Belgium! Maybe next time?

[Nathaniel Catchpole]

No thanks required, you should have had that months ago. Got back from Japan a month ago, just getting back into sorting out gigs again, which I've spent most of the past 10 days doing, that and working.