Funny thing about Panama hats - they're not from Panama at all! They're actually a traditional hat from Ecuador. Teddy Roosevelt took a trip where he went to Ecuador, got a few of those hats and then wore them all over Central and South America. Because newspapers took a lot of pictures of him in Panama during the construction of the canal wearing these Ecuadorian hats, people starting calling them Panama hats in English speaking countries.
@@Madfrog625 and that is a myth as well. They're actually Spanish fries LOL "Professor Paul Ilegems, curator of the Frietmuseum in Bruges, Belgium, believes that Saint Teresa of Ávila of Spain cooked the first French fries, and refers also to the tradition of frying in Mediterranean cuisine as evidence."
Seen this concept of taking the cheapest flight each day tested a few times in Europe by various TH-camrs, but I love that you are bold enough to do it in the Americas and willing to hit up such adventurous destinations! Really puts a unique spin on it.
I'd love to try this from Australia.... but almost certainly would either goto Bali which might get me somewhere or the Pacific where there aren't a lot of interconnecting flights (majority fly through fiji)
@@carlramirez6339 sure but it really depends on where you start also. That said i just did a quick hypothetical from Sydney and Vietnam would be the next country..... I couldn't do the LCC economy seats, i'd be unable to walk after a few days!
It’s no different than going to Romania or Turkey or Morocco - everyplace is pretty much modern and easy these days. Just in Latin America don’t go walking in certain neighborhoods, and I could give the same advice for the United States!
50 years ago my uncle worked in Panama and I went to visit him. I remember we took a very short scheduled flight someplace in a prop plane. Rain was coming through a hole in the door and there were a few life jackets scattered on the floor. But both pilots were wearing snappy uniforms with shoulder epaulets etc.
I live in South America. Avianca used to be a full blown airline, but they shifted to a low cost carrier model a few years back. But they communicate as if they were still a regular airline.
@@lucas1984 It is, yeah. Their trans-atlantic flights are still decent. But for local Latin American flights they're full on low-cost model after the pandemic.
It has the worst seats. You dont even get water. And you have to pay for the blanket. I searched their business in transatlantic. Its the worst option and not the cheapest either. Forgot to say to LA and argentina is the same service that they give on a local flight! And those flights are like 6 hours
Gabe Leigh, the Flightradar24 guy, on his personal channel spent some time in Venezuela and had a full video on it. Looks like a nice country to visit. But you, my friend, are crazy to just go from one flight to another without knowing in advance where you're going. Love it.
Sometimes you can. A lot of instrumentalists do this. One of my friends used to travel with her cello globally and often booked a seat for "A. Cello" for it to sit in lol
16:06 interesting you made the connection between Rocky Balboa and Panama. Rocky is actually named Balboa because Sylvester Stallone was a big fan of Roberto Duran the best boxer to come out of Panama. In honor of that he named him Balboa. Balboa was the Spanish explorer that discovered Panama and is on the money and many things in Panama are named after him.
Trust me, you saw 'Venezuela Lite' . You never went into the city of Caracas itself. The ride over the mountains to the city center is bad enough. As a (retired) Airline Pilot who spent many a layover in the city, you haven't lived until you open your drapes in the morning and see sharpshooters on the roof of the parking garage across the street, almost at eye level. Or the time, when boarding the crew van before dawn, there was target practice taking place in that same garage. We could see the muzzle flashes. Soon after, the airline changed our hotel location to the coast, where you were.
Sometimes booking last minute flights between drug countries is a problem and causes extra attention and inspections at borders - I’m so glad this worked out Noel!
Loved your video, Noel! It wanted to tell you that you weren't in Caracas. You were at ''La Guaira'' which is our nearest coastal city and where is Located the ''Simon Bolivar Intl Airport'' which serves the city of Caracas but it's not located at Caracas! So you haven't stepped foot at Caracas yet. Sending my regards from Caracas!.
Yes, when he said 5 minutes I knew. He saved himself the "joy" of that trip up (and back down)... lol We used to live in El Cafetal and Los Palos Grandes so the route is well known to me. Saludos desde Puerto Rico y suerte en estos dias!!!
@@yorgunsamuray It could stand for Big Black... and you can find various words starting with C that can be put there. Coffee, Cream, Chips, Cup and another one I can't write it here.
I LOVE Panama - one of my favorite countries to visit! Panama CIty is one thing - it's hot and humid and a fun place to party. But if you want to see amazing rain forest, take a flight on Air Panama to David, then drive up to Boquete. A perfect mid-70's year round, luscious greenery, and there is a mountain you can hike where you can simultaneously look down at the Pacific Ocean to one side of you, and the Gulf of Mexico to the other. Awesome place.
Yeah, my passport is very weak but I can't have dual citizenship in Indonesia and I don't want to relinquish my Indonesian citizenship so I'm stuck to getting visas if I want to visit countries outside of Asia
Yes. This o idea is a nice one, but one sorta wishes there was an overnight so Noel could get his beauty sleep and a look at the place. more than a hotel window and a Uber tinted glass. I must say i smiled at his freaking out about Venezuela; it is no more dodgy than Guatemala and Colombia, and if you just go to the airport and hotel there is not likely to be a body snatch.
@@ayethein7681, I follow the TH-cam channel of a Brazilian couple who are riding a very old Volkswagen Kombi van turned into a tiny makeshift motor home across the Americas, from Brazil ultimately up to Alaska (they are in Belize right now), and they had no problems whatsoever in any of the three countries you mentioned. Colombia went without a glitch and they loved the country. In Venezuela, they did get bothered by endless police checkpoints (with a few bribery solicitations, which they refused) and the difficulties getting fuel (in what used to be one of the world's largest oil producers!), but no crime at all even in Caracas, and they also loved the country due to the incredible landscapes and the fantastic hospitality and friendliness of the Venezuelans. They didn't stay long in Guatemala City, but it seems the smaller places are pretty safe (they spent a whole month stuck in Antigua Guatemala due to a health issue and didn't have the least problem with violence and crime). They did have problems in Peru, which was in political turmoil when they were there, with violent demonstrations and police repression, which made them skip the capital city of Lima and leave the country as quickly as they could, but they had had a great time in the Andean part of the country before the political crisis started. And although they loved Ecuador and didn't have any problem even in the supposedly dangerous city of Guayaquil, they were told off a beach where they had parked the Kombi for the night because apparently it was a smuggling point for narcotics, but that was all. Now it's Ecuador that's become dangerous due to political and cartel violence, but they had already left the country when it all started. And later they were scared by the reports of violence in Honduras and went through the country in just one day, but later they regretted it and, having met other motor home travellers in Guatemala, they all went back together to explore more of Honduras. They found that the country is incredibly beautiful, with more preserved nature than anywhere else in the area. They avoided large cities and found the smaller places to be safe, with cheap cost of living, and very hospitable and friendly locals. They loved Honduras, too.
Yeah I was wondering how he can just travel to other countries on short notice. Technically, it is possible to get last minute visa but those cost more which I guess is not a problem. I just wish he explained the logistics more. Like, did he arrive at Houston airport early in the morning or late? Because when he landed in Fort Lauderdale after a two hours flight it was already dark. And how was he always one of the first ones board while sitting in economy?
in college we would go to newark airport and play "people's express roulette" and see who get the furthest away and back again for 50 bucks i made it to norfolk, but we did have one guy who made it to new orleans, but he was penalized for staying over night...
I had a BA flight on Wednesday, the flight attendant were doing a scripted thing getting as many English football team references into it. It felt very forced.
As a retired FA I wish people would listen. You are going to be flying through the air 500 miles an hour in a metal tube. Planes are different, configurations can differ.
Panama City actually has THREE airports. There's also *Albrook Airport* (IATA code: PAC). The English name comes from the fact that it used to be a U.S. Air Force base at the time when there was the Canal Zone, a strip of land on both sides of the canal that was U.S. territory, but was handed back to Panama when the canal also was, in the 1980s. Albrook has a short runway and only one airline, Air Panama, which operates turboprop flights, mostly domestic, with a few to Colombia. Despite the suggestive name, Air Panama is a small airline and NOT the flag carrier. That is *Copa Airlines,* which is disproportionately large for the country's size and population, and sort of a mini-Emirates from the Americas, with an all-737 fleet and a very busy connection hub at Panama City's main airport, Tocumen (PTY), linking the three Americas with an extensive network, allowing one to fly unlikely routes like, say, Córdoba (Argentina) to Guadalajara (Mexico) with just one stop in Panama. This earns some Copa flights the distinction of being among the longest nonstop 737 flights in the world, up to 7 hours long. And I have news for you: you were NOT in Caracas. Venezuela's capital city is inland, on the other side of a tall coastal mountain range (to go to the actual city of Caracas from the airport, you go very high up the mountains before going down on the other side to the valley where the capital is). You were in *Maiquetía,* a nearby coastal city that's where the international airport is. Also, Venezolana is not the country's flag carrier. That's *Conviasa,* of which you saw several planes. And if you wondered what an A340 was doing in Porlamar, that's used for charter flights to... Moscow (Vnukovo airport, I think). Due to the sanctions, wealthy Russians were left with few options to enjoy sunny tropical beaches. Another sanctioned country is an obvious choice, so wealthy Russian tourists now flock to Margarita island, where Porlamar is. At least Conviasa is not banned from overflying the EU, so the flight is shorter. Charters on Aeroflot and other Russian airlines have to take a long detour over the Arctic north of Norway before crossing the Atlantic all the way down to Venezuela. And now we're curious to see how you will get home... I hope you post the video of the return trip.
since their bankruptcy in 2020, Avianca has transitioned to ultra low cost model in most of their routes.... only their 2-3 routes to Europe keep being effectively full service
Avianca reminds me of Finnair. Priced to be a full service flight and being ultra cramped low cost carrier in reality with almost zero services. Not even free alcohol on global flights...
@@schalitz1 I flew to Thailand on january. If I recall correctly one drink was offered, rest you had to pay. And on flights inside EU there has been no drinks served for years. The service level is very poor considering the premium price. Before covid I was a frequent flyer and inside Finland I used Finnair exclusively due to time schedules (morning flights to Oulu).
Love the vids Noel. That last bit was so helpful as I was really struggling with anxiety from a big upcoming change with work that will require me to do a lot more public speaking. Now I have a better perspective to set my mind on. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
42:46 I do that before I go to the dentist. Always put yourself beyond the trepidation and think how you will feel and carry that feeling throughout the journey. A great coping mechanism.
Wild af. Noel was from a very poor area of the UK. Shows how far he has come out of that place and able to have bags at this cost. I mean it is his job, so why not have the right tools?
@@olivertate8223 still proves how he can be given a free video. When he was back on the council estate, no one was sending him bags like this. Great work.
Brother this travel anywhere concept looks fun but I think I’d institute a “minimum 12 hour stopover” rule. Only 5 hours sleep after enduring back to back Spirit flights seems like self punishment! 🤣
I'd want two nights and one full day in each location to catch up on sleep, see a few sights and allow myself the opportunity to eat at least two examples of the local cuisine.
Ignore the comments on staying in your hotel room etc. Your vlog objective was always clear and it wasn't to do with sight seeing. Really enjoyed your latest and many thanks. ✈️😊
As a Brit living in Colombia, have to agree on Aviancas economy class. I only ever fly business class with them, especially on the 787s. Night and day difference
Hello Noel, I liked the Wingo flight from Columbia to Venezuela the most. Thanks for mentioning that inspirational video and how thinking about future you looking back at the successful completion of that task, event or challenge made you able to cope in the present. I will try and use that in the future, i really appreciated you mentioning that. Safe travels off to wherever you're heading next!
I love the love you get Noel. It’s because you’re such a dude. The only people you should listen to are ones who give you positive feedback, and ignore the ones who give you $hit, they’re just not worth it. As you know, I love this channel, I’ve always loved aeroplanes and flying. Your videos are always great and you crack me up each week, I always look forward to a Sunday catch-up watching these. Happy flying and love to you and the family mate!
As a native Venezuelan I am excited to see your adventures took you there. I encourage you to enjoy some food if you happen to go back, it’s delicious! Also, many interesting airlines. Aeropostal still flies DC-9s and Avior flies 737-200s
Hey Noel, check the 4;55-5 minute mark, you freeze for those 5 seconds. I loved this video, and your little Guns N Roses parody lol. Noel's magical mystery tour! They really get you on the details such as carry on baggage etc. Don't know if you would do it, but would be interesting for you to have a live stream and have your viewers pick where you go next. That is a pretty spiffy case as well. And a pretty spiffy video, really enjoyed this. Fair play to you.
Bravo. One thing people often over look before they travel is there mental health - always good to checkin wirh youeaelf before travelling - especially to dangerous locations!
You got stuck with the $85 carry-on out of GUA because it was a XS Avianca fare which doesn't include a free carry-on. That's fine for Spirit and others but most Avianca passengers aren't making a quick domestic trip with nothing significant to take. So it's kinda irrelevant in considering it. Ramp staff on the U.S-Salvador flights are experts on stacking the bags just right to accommodate all the checked bags.
but it's still ridiculously high. On a transatlantic you pay like $60 for checked bags or on Ryanair priority boarding + 2 cabin bags is like 20-38 Euros...
Just tick the boxes for carry-on and/or checked bags (whatever applicable) on Kayak etc. and you will see the actual fares for your flight. Pretty easy. When you book on Avianca's website, it's crystal clear that the basic fare has no carry-on (or anything else) included. And you can look up that you will pay $55 when adding one carry-on more than 48hrs in advance or $85 after that. For an avgeek/avpro this smells a bit like scripted drama ;-)
@@heikozysk233 again, it's not that it's a surprise. The fact that it's considerably more expensive than in Europe or the US (countries with generally much higher prices) is the crazy thing.
Love binging your videos Noel! My Dad spent his working career with TWA, so in the 70s, 80s, and 90s I spent a lot of time pass flying around the world. Like you, I'm a fan of the 767, but my 1st and all-time favorite is the L1011. Think only one left flying is a launch aircraft for Northrop. 😢 Anyway, looking forward to your next adventure! Safe travels!
I was stationed at Howard AFB Panama from 1984 - 87, and after the base closed in 1999 it was returned to the Panamanians, and now it's the airport you traveled through on your way to Bogota. Lots of memories of crossing back and forth over the Bridge of the Americas (behind you and the hat display) from the base to the city. It's definitely grown since I was there.
This is why we have Noel to do all these videos! I'd hate to fly to a city and not explore it !!!! but I guess this is an aviation channel. I did do a 12hr stopover once in Panama with a tour of the canal booked in advance (A luxury you didn't have). Seeing the locks in operation is really cool!
Really loved the sign off at the end Noel, most people hear /see things like that Tiktok with scepticism & miss out on the message. Thanks for sharing, as always enjoy watching you explore the world. p.s. kudos for doing the bus trip across south america, looked painfully enjoyable & no doubt you learned something about yourself & the world along the way!
With family in Houston and Panama City I had to forward this along to them to show them what’s possible with just a few hundred dollars. 😊 I’ve felt like I’ve watched you go everywhere in the world and then suddenly I realized Central and South America has been so lacking with most aviation TH-camrs. Noticed a different editing style on this one too and I appreciate it. If you’re ever looking for additional help, please reach out! If it isn’t obvious, I love your work.
Noel, thank you. I just booked a roundtrip flight through Skyscanner ( my first time ) Round Trip Atlanta to Tuxtla Mexico. It was so weird, I've made the trip 7 or 8 times low cost on Kiwi as low as $305. The flights always are cheaper flying non stop ATL - Cancun with 5 hour layover before preceding to Tuxtla so about 7 hours. Then coming back it's always 14-21 hours because of huge layover in Cancun. When I put in my October date for travel ( 11 days ) a best fare of $484 came up then I noticed the lowest tab and it was $168.....what ? It was a self transfer fare with the same flight through Cancun but coming back it was Aeromexico Tuxtla to Mexico City and Mexico City to Atlanta with just 2 hr 20 minute layover. What ? I booked it immediately and round trip was just $168. When I looked up the Aeromexico flight from Mexico City nonstop to Atlanta on my exact flight the one way fare is $418. What ? Edit: 15 minutes later that Tuxtla-Mexico City-Atlanta fare dosen't even come up at any price. $137 cheaper than my best ever flight and shaved at least 8 hours off travel time. Plus saved me a hotel night in Cancun and $17 Quintana Roo Visitax. Safe Travels and thanks again.
Avianca used to be a full service airline with good legroom and seat back tv even on short hall, but then covid happened and all that was ripped out for more seats. Panama city is lovely !
Earlier this year I flew from Boston to Charlotte and meet a friend and we flew to Vegas RT on Spirt. Second RT on Spirit, not luxurious, but no problem. Boston to Charlotte was $39. I was think of taking some short 2 day trips buy cheap flight, take on a free carry on backpack and don't pay for seat selection. I can put up with any seat for a couple of hours.
Im impressed. You just made me decide to get Sterling Pacific before the end of the Year. With the Aircraft you rode testified the size and advantages on what im looking for....Great destinations by the way...Mahaloz
The thought process behind going into Venezuela lol. RED ALERT, DANGER DANGER! Noel: Booking done, off to Caracas! Great stuff Noel! Keep the great content coming!
YOUR BEST VIDEO! Not a truck driver but used to take Harley "Easy Rider" choppers from LA to Denver on a trailer with my 2005 Subaru Forester. Busy making films but miss driving the 10 to Albuquerque to Denver! Discovered your travels on TH-cam and Route 66 and eating at truck stops reviewers! You seem hesitate meeting people but love your charismatic interaction!
Thanks for a great video. I’ve watched a few other “cheapest anywhere” flight sagas and the participants have only ever managed a few dreary flights to uninteresting locations. You, in true Phillipian style did a superb job and really pushed the envelope. Would love to see more of the same outside of South America.
Can you please visit the Falkland Islands? Now that Josh Cahill has visited Tristan da Cunha, it's the other South Atlantic destination I never hear anybody visiting as a tourist. I think you can get there via Chile, not just London.
Yes, one flight/week from Argentina to Falklands. The other option is the flight from London with the stop to refuel. That would make an interesting video, but would tie Noel up in Falklands for a week.
Great video as always!. I actually remember Eldorado tv show me and my mum used to watch it when i was a kid and we enjoyed it but it was shown allover the UK as we were in Scotland so wasnt just england ! 🇬🇧
I've been watching the rather, interesting, Kurt Catz and he shows Venezuela, such beautiful beaches etc but because of the problems so many empty or trouble areas. It seemed it has so much potential for tourism.
Hi Noel! I loved to see this new journey you did. As a Venezuelan it was really cool to see you in my country. I also wanted to told you that the place you stayed near the airport isn’t exactly Caracas, it’s called “La Guaira” and the people from Caracas usually goes there to have a beach day because is 30/40 minutes away from Caracas. It was very pleasant to see you in Margarita island (where Porlamar is located) too, in fact we called “La Perla del Caribe” (Caribbean’s pearl) and it’s one of the favorite travel destinations for holidays for people from Venezuela. I hope you had a nice short time on my country! Greetings from a Venezuelan in Spain
Perhaps more Europeans will realize that Latin America does not live up to that comic book image generally pretty modern and civilized, just you can’t really walk around all neighborhoods just the better ones.
I've stayed at that Hilton... it's a great hotel. And it's a shame you didn't spend more time in Bogotá - it's a wonderful place if you know where to go. And yes, Bogotá leaves you breathless. I make myself run every morning when I'm there, and honestly, between the hills and the thin air, it was a hell of a challenge.
Thanks for documenting this! Great video. Minor comment: You didnt visit Caracas, that was Catia la Mar in La Guaira state next to the airport. Caracas is a 30-45 min drive up to the city, which sits at around 950m altitude. Cheers!
Totally loved it all, such a freedom to pick a destination and just fly to it. It’s like a lucky dip, you don’t know what you’re going to get, the biggest issue was the leg room, which must be such a drag for someone your height. Keep up the great work Noel ❤❤❤
"It's a bit kidnappy".
Classic quote there.
Sounds like something Jezza would say
That fancy carry-on stands out...
@@kurtbitner6675
Was it Clarkson or Hammond that described Genghis Khan as being "a bit rapey"?
Grass is green and the planes are shitty
When he went to Myanmar: "They have a bit of a civil war at the moment".
Funny thing about Panama hats - they're not from Panama at all! They're actually a traditional hat from Ecuador. Teddy Roosevelt took a trip where he went to Ecuador, got a few of those hats and then wore them all over Central and South America. Because newspapers took a lot of pictures of him in Panama during the construction of the canal wearing these Ecuadorian hats, people starting calling them Panama hats in English speaking countries.
Thet are called panama hats even in Russian :). First hat a baby usually learn to put on himself is 'panamka'
It’s like French fries. A lot of people say they were made first in Belgium but in the US they’re known as French fries
@@Madfrog625 and that is a myth as well. They're actually Spanish fries LOL "Professor Paul Ilegems, curator of the Frietmuseum in Bruges, Belgium,
believes that Saint Teresa of Ávila of Spain cooked the first French fries, and refers also to the tradition of frying in Mediterranean cuisine as evidence."
Seen this concept of taking the cheapest flight each day tested a few times in Europe by various TH-camrs, but I love that you are bold enough to do it in the Americas and willing to hit up such adventurous destinations! Really puts a unique spin on it.
I'd love to try this from Australia.... but almost certainly would either goto Bali which might get me somewhere or the Pacific where there aren't a lot of interconnecting flights (majority fly through fiji)
If you don't even leave the airport or airport hotel. It's not very adventurous 😂 at all
@@JustinWatson23 Or it could take us to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok and then there's lots of connecting options from there.
@@carlramirez6339 sure but it really depends on where you start also. That said i just did a quick hypothetical from Sydney and Vietnam would be the next country..... I couldn't do the LCC economy seats, i'd be unable to walk after a few days!
It’s no different than going to Romania or Turkey or Morocco - everyplace is pretty much modern and easy these days. Just in Latin America don’t go walking in certain neighborhoods, and I could give the same advice for the United States!
I prefer this type of videos than first class or executive reviews
I agree - I think I'm more likely to go to Venezuela than to ever fly first class.
@@carlramirez6339lmao, at your own risk I guess
I do too actually. More interesting as a matter of fact.
God bless Noel
its the only ticket you could afford! lol
Talking to yourself isn't a sign of madness. It's a way of guaranteeing intelligent conversation.
It’s called “thinking out loud.”
Indeed - talking to yourself is not a sign of madness - only if you get a response!
I am 69 years old and talking to myself since a kid. I get some weird looks sometime but I enjoy my conversations.
On that subject, why talking to yourself is traditionally considered by many societies as a sign of mental health problems?
@@l3v1ckUK love it!! 👏👏👏👍
"Take me down to the Panama city, where the grass is green and the planes are sh*tty" - That would go wonderfully on a T-shirt, Noel.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
"Welcome to the jungle, we got MD-80"
50 years ago my uncle worked in Panama and I went to visit him. I remember we took a very short scheduled flight someplace in a prop plane. Rain was coming through a hole in the door and there were a few life jackets scattered on the floor. But both pilots were wearing snappy uniforms with shoulder epaulets etc.
I live in South America. Avianca used to be a full blown airline, but they shifted to a low cost carrier model a few years back. But they communicate as if they were still a regular airline.
Like the rest of Star Alliance 😆
Is that short haul only? I believe that long haul they're still on par with everyone else.
@@lucas1984 It is, yeah. Their trans-atlantic flights are still decent. But for local Latin American flights they're full on low-cost model after the pandemic.
It has the worst seats. You dont even get water. And you have to pay for the blanket. I searched their business in transatlantic. Its the worst option and not the cheapest either. Forgot to say to LA and argentina is the same service that they give on a local flight! And those flights are like 6 hours
And they still have the capes which are a bit glam
Gabe Leigh, the Flightradar24 guy, on his personal channel spent some time in Venezuela and had a full video on it. Looks like a nice country to visit. But you, my friend, are crazy to just go from one flight to another without knowing in advance where you're going. Love it.
Dumb Question: If the airfare is $65 and they charge you $85 for a carry-on, why not just book your suitcase a seat and save $20?
Because you can’t put your bag on a seat.
Because that'd make too much sense 😂
@@reachme1609well you can put the carry-on under that booked seat as you would normally, couldn’t you?
Sometimes you can. A lot of instrumentalists do this. One of my friends used to travel with her cello globally and often booked a seat for "A. Cello" for it to sit in lol
@@scdave_archive thats MISTER A. cello to you LOL
16:06 interesting you made the connection between Rocky Balboa and Panama. Rocky is actually named Balboa because Sylvester Stallone was a big fan of Roberto Duran the best boxer to come out of Panama. In honor of that he named him Balboa.
Balboa was the Spanish explorer that discovered Panama and is on the money and many things in Panama are named after him.
You should have titled this video “I took the cheapest flights in central and South America with the most expensive luggage”.
Overpriced
$2,150 .. yeah .. no
@@uzimmermann That's like a 20 million dollar suitcase in Venezuela.
And staying in expensive hotels.
He's an aviation youtuber. The video is about the flights, not about an adventurous experience
Trust me, you saw 'Venezuela Lite' . You never went into the city of Caracas itself. The ride over the mountains to the city center is bad enough. As a (retired) Airline Pilot who spent many a layover in the city, you haven't lived until you open your drapes in the morning and see sharpshooters on the roof of the parking garage across the street, almost at eye level. Or the time, when boarding the crew van before dawn, there was target practice taking place in that same garage. We could see the muzzle flashes. Soon after, the airline changed our hotel location to the coast, where you were.
Sometimes booking last minute flights between drug countries is a problem and causes extra attention and inspections at borders - I’m so glad this worked out Noel!
Loved your video, Noel! It wanted to tell you that you weren't in Caracas. You were at ''La Guaira'' which is our nearest coastal city and where is Located the ''Simon Bolivar Intl Airport'' which serves the city of Caracas but it's not located at Caracas! So you haven't stepped foot at Caracas yet. Sending my regards from Caracas!.
Yes, when he said 5 minutes I knew. He saved himself the "joy" of that trip up (and back down)... lol We used to live in El Cafetal and Los Palos Grandes so the route is well known to me. Saludos desde Puerto Rico y suerte en estos dias!!!
LOL so I was right. I thought to myself... "Wait! Caracas isn't by the sea"
30:58 For the dirty minds, BBC stands for Bogotá Beer Company 😅
Wasn't it British Broadcasting Company? What's so dirty about that?
@@yorgunsamuray It could stand for Big Black... and you can find various words starting with C that can be put there. Coffee, Cream, Chips, Cup and another one I can't write it here.
@@transportromania yeah, yeah, I was kinda messing too.
I think he was making that joke by how many times he said BBC 😆
He must know what he was doing with that bit.
This sequence was too funny:
"They're one of the airlines I hate flying on"
...
"I work for Spirit"
"Nice to meet you anyway"
I LOVE Panama - one of my favorite countries to visit! Panama CIty is one thing - it's hot and humid and a fun place to party. But if you want to see amazing rain forest, take a flight on Air Panama to David, then drive up to Boquete. A perfect mid-70's year round, luscious greenery, and there is a mountain you can hike where you can simultaneously look down at the Pacific Ocean to one side of you, and the Gulf of Mexico to the other. Awesome place.
This is probably the downside to his job, he is making avaiation videos rather than full on travel videos.
Its the Caribbean Sea, not the Gulf of Mexico.
No matter, what is the topic, I really like hear Noel talking. Very pleasant and always interesting.
Ah man, the absolute privilege to be able to do this when your passport is strong enough. Always appreciate it, mate! :)
Yeah, my passport is very weak but I can't have dual citizenship in Indonesia and I don't want to relinquish my Indonesian citizenship so I'm stuck to getting visas if I want to visit countries outside of Asia
Yes. This o idea is a nice one, but one sorta wishes there was an overnight so Noel could get his beauty sleep and a look at the place. more than a hotel window and a Uber tinted glass. I must say i smiled at his freaking out about Venezuela; it is no more dodgy than Guatemala and Colombia, and if you just go to the airport and hotel there is not likely to be a body snatch.
@@ayethein7681, I follow the TH-cam channel of a Brazilian couple who are riding a very old Volkswagen Kombi van turned into a tiny makeshift motor home across the Americas, from Brazil ultimately up to Alaska (they are in Belize right now), and they had no problems whatsoever in any of the three countries you mentioned. Colombia went without a glitch and they loved the country. In Venezuela, they did get bothered by endless police checkpoints (with a few bribery solicitations, which they refused) and the difficulties getting fuel (in what used to be one of the world's largest oil producers!), but no crime at all even in Caracas, and they also loved the country due to the incredible landscapes and the fantastic hospitality and friendliness of the Venezuelans. They didn't stay long in Guatemala City, but it seems the smaller places are pretty safe (they spent a whole month stuck in Antigua Guatemala due to a health issue and didn't have the least problem with violence and crime).
They did have problems in Peru, which was in political turmoil when they were there, with violent demonstrations and police repression, which made them skip the capital city of Lima and leave the country as quickly as they could, but they had had a great time in the Andean part of the country before the political crisis started. And although they loved Ecuador and didn't have any problem even in the supposedly dangerous city of Guayaquil, they were told off a beach where they had parked the Kombi for the night because apparently it was a smuggling point for narcotics, but that was all. Now it's Ecuador that's become dangerous due to political and cartel violence, but they had already left the country when it all started.
And later they were scared by the reports of violence in Honduras and went through the country in just one day, but later they regretted it and, having met other motor home travellers in Guatemala, they all went back together to explore more of Honduras. They found that the country is incredibly beautiful, with more preserved nature than anywhere else in the area. They avoided large cities and found the smaller places to be safe, with cheap cost of living, and very hospitable and friendly locals. They loved Honduras, too.
@@ayethein7681 Provided you book the taxi in advance :D Papertrails makes it less kidnappy
Yeah I was wondering how he can just travel to other countries on short notice. Technically, it is possible to get last minute visa but those cost more which I guess is not a problem.
I just wish he explained the logistics more. Like, did he arrive at Houston airport early in the morning or late? Because when he landed in Fort Lauderdale after a two hours flight it was already dark.
And how was he always one of the first ones board while sitting in economy?
in college we would go to newark airport and play "people's express roulette" and see who get the furthest away and back again for 50 bucks
i made it to norfolk, but we did have one guy who made it to new orleans, but he was penalized for staying over night...
3:38 i love it when the flight attendants do bits during the safety briefings and whatnot but this one seemed like a bit of a beating lol
I had a BA flight on Wednesday, the flight attendant were doing a scripted thing getting as many English football team references into it. It felt very forced.
And you need to put your devices on airplane moOOode
As a retired FA I wish people would listen. You are going to be flying through the air 500 miles an hour in a metal tube. Planes are different, configurations can differ.
@@xtoffrTrue, but I think we all know that one person who memorized every plane in history or something
2 minutes in and we have TWO unofficial fan meet-ups .
Noel is an absolute chad sometimes XD
You are funny…..Columbia is just as kidnappy as Venezuela…if not more so.😮
Panama City actually has THREE airports. There's also *Albrook Airport* (IATA code: PAC). The English name comes from the fact that it used to be a U.S. Air Force base at the time when there was the Canal Zone, a strip of land on both sides of the canal that was U.S. territory, but was handed back to Panama when the canal also was, in the 1980s. Albrook has a short runway and only one airline, Air Panama, which operates turboprop flights, mostly domestic, with a few to Colombia.
Despite the suggestive name, Air Panama is a small airline and NOT the flag carrier. That is *Copa Airlines,* which is disproportionately large for the country's size and population, and sort of a mini-Emirates from the Americas, with an all-737 fleet and a very busy connection hub at Panama City's main airport, Tocumen (PTY), linking the three Americas with an extensive network, allowing one to fly unlikely routes like, say, Córdoba (Argentina) to Guadalajara (Mexico) with just one stop in Panama. This earns some Copa flights the distinction of being among the longest nonstop 737 flights in the world, up to 7 hours long.
And I have news for you: you were NOT in Caracas. Venezuela's capital city is inland, on the other side of a tall coastal mountain range (to go to the actual city of Caracas from the airport, you go very high up the mountains before going down on the other side to the valley where the capital is). You were in *Maiquetía,* a nearby coastal city that's where the international airport is. Also, Venezolana is not the country's flag carrier. That's *Conviasa,* of which you saw several planes.
And if you wondered what an A340 was doing in Porlamar, that's used for charter flights to... Moscow (Vnukovo airport, I think). Due to the sanctions, wealthy Russians were left with few options to enjoy sunny tropical beaches. Another sanctioned country is an obvious choice, so wealthy Russian tourists now flock to Margarita island, where Porlamar is. At least Conviasa is not banned from overflying the EU, so the flight is shorter. Charters on Aeroflot and other Russian airlines have to take a long detour over the Arctic north of Norway before crossing the Atlantic all the way down to Venezuela.
And now we're curious to see how you will get home... I hope you post the video of the return trip.
Such a great and informative comment!!
Great comment, just one small correction - Panama canal and the Canal Zone was moved under Panama control at the end of 1999.
30:43 She did not expect to be serving any passengers that day 😂😂😂
since their bankruptcy in 2020, Avianca has transitioned to ultra low cost model in most of their routes.... only their 2-3 routes to Europe keep being effectively full service
Avianca reminds me of Finnair. Priced to be a full service flight and being ultra cramped low cost carrier in reality with almost zero services. Not even free alcohol on global flights...
@@Munakas-wq3gpIdk the last time you flew Finnair, but as of 2023 they give you alcohol on US to Finland flights.
@@schalitz1 I flew to Thailand on january. If I recall correctly one drink was offered, rest you had to pay. And on flights inside EU there has been no drinks served for years. The service level is very poor considering the premium price. Before covid I was a frequent flyer and inside Finland I used Finnair exclusively due to time schedules (morning flights to Oulu).
Love the vids Noel. That last bit was so helpful as I was really struggling with anxiety from a big upcoming change with work that will require me to do a lot more public speaking. Now I have a better perspective to set my mind on. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
They probably saw that expensive bag and figured they could charge you 85 bucks. 😂😂 Great video!
42:46 I do that before I go to the dentist. Always put yourself beyond the trepidation and think how you will feel and carry that feeling throughout the journey. A great coping mechanism.
I was thinking $500-$700 for the suitcase but $1,950 for the cheapest ? Yikes!!
Wild af. Noel was from a very poor area of the UK. Shows how far he has come out of that place and able to have bags at this cost. I mean it is his job, so why not have the right tools?
@@BIN3RY It was a freebie for sponsoring the video.
@@olivertate8223 still proves how he can be given a free video. When he was back on the council estate, no one was sending him bags like this. Great work.
No one buys this shit, unless they are wealthy in an unhealthy way.
@@BIN3RY It's always the same they never send poor people stuff, the rich get freebies up the wazoo
I love how you can still see the puddle of coffee at 9:12 😂
Brother this travel anywhere concept looks fun but I think I’d institute a “minimum 12 hour stopover” rule. Only 5 hours sleep after enduring back to back Spirit flights seems like self punishment! 🤣
I'd want two nights and one full day in each location to catch up on sleep, see a few sights and allow myself the opportunity to eat at least two examples of the local cuisine.
I have a big smile on my face,when Noel gets recognized 😁
You were at the old US Airforce base, Howard AFB. I was there 1991 and 1993
Ignore the comments on staying in your hotel room etc. Your vlog objective was always clear and it wasn't to do with sight seeing. Really enjoyed your latest and many thanks. ✈️😊
As a Brit living in Colombia, have to agree on Aviancas economy class. I only ever fly business class with them, especially on the 787s. Night and day difference
Hello Noel, I liked the Wingo flight from Columbia to Venezuela the most. Thanks for mentioning that inspirational video and how thinking about future you looking back at the successful completion of that task, event or challenge made you able to cope in the present. I will try and use that in the future, i really appreciated you mentioning that. Safe travels off to wherever you're heading next!
“It’s a bit kidnappy…” mwahahahaha… love it Noel! 😂✈️
12:43 fun fact about airlines is that if you have ANY medication or items for a medical condition they must allow you to have a FREE extra bag.
I love the love you get Noel. It’s because you’re such a dude. The only people you should listen to are ones who give you positive feedback, and ignore the ones who give you $hit, they’re just not worth it. As you know, I love this channel, I’ve always loved aeroplanes and flying. Your videos are always great and you crack me up each week, I always look forward to a Sunday catch-up watching these. Happy flying and love to you and the family mate!
I agree Noel does great reviews.
As a native Venezuelan I am excited to see your adventures took you there. I encourage you to enjoy some food if you happen to go back, it’s delicious! Also, many interesting airlines. Aeropostal still flies DC-9s and Avior flies 737-200s
I remember Eldorardo. I used to watch it when I got in from school. I was also disappointed when it was stopped. Safe trip to wherever that may be. 😊
Me too. With dodgy Marcus 😄
Thanks!
Hey Noel, check the 4;55-5 minute mark, you freeze for those 5 seconds. I loved this video, and your little Guns N Roses parody lol. Noel's magical mystery tour! They really get you on the details such as carry on baggage etc. Don't know if you would do it, but would be interesting for you to have a live stream and have your viewers pick where you go next. That is a pretty spiffy case as well. And a pretty spiffy video, really enjoyed this. Fair play to you.
You weren't the only one; I thought I lost my wifi connection
@@computerguy5437 glad it wasn't just me.
I thought it was me too LOL
@@computerguy5437me too 😭
I noticed it too
Travel tip: it’s now quite easy to get from Tocumen into Panama City by metro. You buy the card at a kiosk in the airport.
That thing on your tree table on the first flight was 1000 miles that you can redeem if you get that coupon at your seat
I worked for Spirit for 3 1/2 years as a flight attendant and you’re correct, but those are supposed to be in the middle seats. Was pretty surprised.
This is like a Banged Up Abroad super-episode. Especially with the fancy suitcase. 'a bit kidknappy' :D
Thank you for another great adventure, and more British slang. "Cream crackered (tired)" is awesome.
Rhyming slang, rhymes with knackered
@@darmou Can you explain what a Berk is?
@@houseclearance7509An idiot- comes from the rhyming slang 'Berkley Hunt'. I'm sure you can work out what that rhymes with.
@@houseclearance7509berk is an idiot/twit/silly sod/daft git etc.
@@houseclearance7509 Not without getting de-monitised 😂
The cameraman never dies. So you're good...
Enjoyed watching you trying your best to make a suitcase sound interesting 😅
😁
Long time subscriber/ watcher and this was up there in top 5 most enjoyable Noel videos. Class
Decades ago i had a friend whose mom was based out of JFK working for Avianca. Was able to get onboard & check out the cockpit of a boeing 707.
4:57 the video froze
Your channel is such an escape for me as I’m bed bound. Thank you, great adventure 👏👍
Bravo. One thing people often over look before they travel is there mental health - always good to checkin wirh youeaelf before travelling - especially to dangerous locations!
You got stuck with the $85 carry-on out of GUA because it was a XS Avianca fare which doesn't include a free carry-on. That's fine for Spirit and others but most Avianca passengers aren't making a quick domestic trip with nothing significant to take. So it's kinda irrelevant in considering it. Ramp staff on the U.S-Salvador flights are experts on stacking the bags just right to accommodate all the checked bags.
but it's still ridiculously high. On a transatlantic you pay like $60 for checked bags or on Ryanair priority boarding + 2 cabin bags is like 20-38 Euros...
Just tick the boxes for carry-on and/or checked bags (whatever applicable) on Kayak etc. and you will see the actual fares for your flight. Pretty easy.
When you book on Avianca's website, it's crystal clear that the basic fare has no carry-on (or anything else) included. And you can look up that you will pay $55 when adding one carry-on more than 48hrs in advance or $85 after that.
For an avgeek/avpro this smells a bit like scripted drama ;-)
@@heikozysk233 again, it's not that it's a surprise. The fact that it's considerably more expensive than in Europe or the US (countries with generally much higher prices) is the crazy thing.
Love binging your videos Noel! My Dad spent his working career with TWA, so in the 70s, 80s, and 90s I spent a lot of time pass flying around the world. Like you, I'm a fan of the 767, but my 1st and all-time favorite is the L1011. Think only one left flying is a launch aircraft for Northrop. 😢
Anyway, looking forward to your next adventure! Safe travels!
Noel getting famous. Happy for you man.
I was stationed at Howard AFB Panama from 1984 - 87, and after the base closed in 1999 it was returned to the Panamanians, and now it's the airport you traveled through on your way to Bogota. Lots of memories of crossing back and forth over the Bridge of the Americas (behind you and the hat display) from the base to the city. It's definitely grown since I was there.
Noel is so dedicated this game. Gotta love it 🤣
This is why we have Noel to do all these videos! I'd hate to fly to a city and not explore it !!!! but I guess this is an aviation channel. I did do a 12hr stopover once in Panama with a tour of the canal booked in advance (A luxury you didn't have). Seeing the locks in operation is really cool!
Please more videos like this, Noel. Just lovely. You need to maybe do a European, Asian and African version.
Really loved the sign off at the end Noel, most people hear /see things like that Tiktok with scepticism & miss out on the message. Thanks for sharing, as always enjoy watching you explore the world.
p.s. kudos for doing the bus trip across south america, looked painfully enjoyable & no doubt you learned something about yourself & the world along the way!
31:35 BBC 😂
Cant believe he said he was gonna suckon some BBC! Haha that was pretty fkn funny.
With family in Houston and Panama City I had to forward this along to them to show them what’s possible with just a few hundred dollars. 😊 I’ve felt like I’ve watched you go everywhere in the world and then suddenly I realized Central and South America has been so lacking with most aviation TH-camrs. Noticed a different editing style on this one too and I appreciate it. If you’re ever looking for additional help, please reach out! If it isn’t obvious, I love your work.
Noel, thank you. I just booked a roundtrip flight through Skyscanner ( my first time ) Round Trip Atlanta to Tuxtla Mexico. It was so weird, I've made the trip 7 or 8 times low cost on Kiwi as low as $305. The flights always are cheaper flying non stop ATL - Cancun with 5 hour layover before preceding to Tuxtla so about 7 hours. Then coming back it's always 14-21 hours because of huge layover in Cancun. When I put in my October date for travel ( 11 days ) a best fare of $484 came up then I noticed the lowest tab and it was $168.....what ? It was a self transfer fare with the same flight through Cancun but coming back it was Aeromexico Tuxtla to Mexico City and Mexico City to Atlanta with just 2 hr 20 minute layover. What ? I booked it immediately and round trip was just $168. When I looked up the Aeromexico flight from Mexico City nonstop to Atlanta on my exact flight the one way fare is $418. What ?
Edit: 15 minutes later that Tuxtla-Mexico City-Atlanta fare dosen't even come up at any price. $137 cheaper than my best ever flight and shaved at least 8 hours off travel time. Plus saved me a hotel night in Cancun and $17 Quintana Roo Visitax. Safe Travels and thanks again.
Avianca used to be a full service airline with good legroom and seat back tv even on short hall, but then covid happened and all that was ripped out for more seats. Panama city is lovely !
To be fare, many European full-service carriers are the same as LCCs on continental European flights
"Its a bit kidnap-ie" 😂
Earlier this year I flew from Boston to Charlotte and meet a friend and we flew to Vegas RT on Spirt. Second RT on Spirit, not luxurious, but no problem. Boston to Charlotte was $39. I was think of taking some short 2 day trips buy cheap flight, take on a free carry on backpack and don't pay for seat selection. I can put up with any seat for a couple of hours.
"BBC" 😂😂😂 Wasn't lost on me! 😂😂😂
Im impressed. You just made me decide to get Sterling Pacific before the end of the Year. With the Aircraft you rode testified the size and advantages on what im looking for....Great destinations by the way...Mahaloz
The thought process behind going into Venezuela lol.
RED ALERT, DANGER DANGER!
Noel: Booking done, off to Caracas!
Great stuff Noel! Keep the great content coming!
YOUR BEST VIDEO! Not a truck driver but used to take Harley "Easy Rider" choppers from LA to Denver on a trailer with my 2005 Subaru Forester. Busy making films but miss driving the 10 to Albuquerque to Denver! Discovered your travels on TH-cam and Route 66 and eating at truck stops reviewers! You seem hesitate meeting people but love your charismatic interaction!
Thank you & welcome. I still am not use to people recognizing me. lol
Your message at the end is so true. Thanks for sharing that!
Thanks for a great video. I’ve watched a few other “cheapest anywhere” flight sagas and the participants have only ever managed a few dreary flights to uninteresting locations. You, in true Phillipian style did a superb job and really pushed the envelope. Would love to see more of the same outside of South America.
Can you please visit the Falkland Islands? Now that Josh Cahill has visited Tristan da Cunha, it's the other South Atlantic destination I never hear anybody visiting as a tourist. I think you can get there via Chile, not just London.
Yes, one flight/week from Argentina to Falklands. The other option is the flight from London with the stop to refuel. That would make an interesting video, but would tie Noel up in Falklands for a week.
Great video as always!.
I actually remember Eldorado tv show me and my mum used to watch it when i was a kid and we enjoyed it but it was shown allover the UK as we were in Scotland so wasnt just england ! 🇬🇧
As always amazing video, cool vid idea. I love ur EEA tee-shirt
This video was one of your best ever! Simply brilliant! What a fun adventure!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You finally made it to my country ! Welcome to Venezuela
I've been watching the rather, interesting, Kurt Catz and he shows Venezuela, such beautiful beaches etc but because of the problems so many empty or trouble areas. It seemed it has so much potential for tourism.
Malandreo😂
You poor thing
Hi Noel! I loved to see this new journey you did. As a Venezuelan it was really cool to see you in my country. I also wanted to told you that the place you stayed near the airport isn’t exactly Caracas, it’s called “La Guaira” and the people from Caracas usually goes there to have a beach day because is 30/40 minutes away from Caracas. It was very pleasant to see you in Margarita island (where Porlamar is located) too, in fact we called “La Perla del Caribe” (Caribbean’s pearl) and it’s one of the favorite travel destinations for holidays for people from Venezuela. I hope you had a nice short time on my country! Greetings from a Venezuelan in Spain
I used to love the MD-80. It was a regular plane for me when SAS operated them between LHR and ARN.
"It's a bit kidnappy" 😂 that's the 1st thing I thought too when you said Venezuela.
Love your channel.❤
Really enjoyed this video. Loved the MD80, took me back in time!
“I’ve been here 12 hours and haven’t been killed yet” was a personal favourite 😂
Perhaps more Europeans will realize that Latin America does not live up to that comic book image generally pretty modern and civilized, just you can’t really walk around all neighborhoods just the better ones.
Great video! Maybe make the same viedo but in Europe? I remember you already made one, but a lot of things have changes since.
I also flew Spirit to Guat City. Did the big front seat and while it was hours late, it was quite comfy, direct from Houston. Cheers!
Lucky seat means that is the seat with the life jacket.
I've stayed at that Hilton... it's a great hotel. And it's a shame you didn't spend more time in Bogotá - it's a wonderful place if you know where to go. And yes, Bogotá leaves you breathless. I make myself run every morning when I'm there, and honestly, between the hills and the thin air, it was a hell of a challenge.
One day, when I’m retired, I’m going to try this. (The flights not the BBC🤣)
I love these magical mystery trips you do Noel, thanks for sharing.
Noel. You are a hilarious travel maniac and I love it. 😊😊😊
This is one of my favorite videos from you Noel!
Love your videos Noel!!!
Avianca is like BA. A former legacy carrier reinventing itself as a low-cost carrier.
Rocky balboa diminished to “the punchy guy” 😂
to be fair to Noel, he was totally knackered when saying that.
Video was a bit messed up around 4:55-5:00
Yeah my client got stuck. No idea what that was.
4:55 I think your video just stopped working 😅😅😅
Thanks for documenting this! Great video. Minor comment: You didnt visit Caracas, that was Catia la Mar in La Guaira state next to the airport. Caracas is a 30-45 min drive up to the city, which sits at around 950m altitude. Cheers!
Noel comparing Spirit with Avianca, and Avisnca is losing. Wow purely Avianca’ decadence.
Totally loved it all, such a freedom to pick a destination and just fly to it. It’s like a lucky dip, you don’t know what you’re going to get, the biggest issue was the leg room, which must be such a drag for someone your height. Keep up the great work Noel ❤❤❤
Can you do a video on what frequent flyer programs you use? E.g. British Airways Executive Club for one world