Fly me to you, drive me to you, train me to you.

These bookings don't come in as often as I'd like, and when they do, they often require quite a bit of my time to walk you through the process, answer all your questions, and address any concerns. So, I thought writing an article would be helpful to provide a clear understanding of how these “mystery” bookings work, ensuring that no one takes anything personally.

Let's imagine you’ve sent an inquiry about me visiting Santa Barbara on Friday and spending some time together. "Great!" I think to myself. But then I wonder, "What are the other details of the meeting? How should I proceed with this inquiry?" In this case, the person who emailed me only mentioned two specifics: Santa Barbara as the location and Friday as the meeting day, with an unspecified duration.

"Okay, fine, not a problem. Santa Barbara on Friday sounds fun," I continue to ponder. Since Santa Barbara isn't far from Los Angeles (where I’d be on the travel day), I have several options for getting there—driving, taking a train, or hiring a driver. The trip typically takes around three hours, depending on traffic.

After reviewing my travel options, I would get back to the suitor with a suggestion such as, "I recommend a minimum booking duration of three hours. Alternatively, we can do a dinner date, which includes around two hours of social time and two hours of private time. What do you prefer?"

You might wonder, "How did you come up with the number of hours?" Well, it’s based on the time needed for me to travel to the meeting location. For instance, taking a train to Santa Barbara takes just under three hours, plus the time to get to Union Station. If I were traveling to Denver, the suggested booking minimum would be four hours, considering the time it takes to Uber to the airport, go through security, take a nearly three-hour flight, and then Uber to the meeting location. The total travel time to the destination would be around four hours.

Long-distance travels may require less travel time than my presented “FMTY minimum,” but they are significantly more exhausting. For instance, a 2-hour flight is manageable, but a 5 to 6-hour flight to the opposite coast leaves me dehydrated and in need of recovery time. The substantial time spent on the plane, combined with Uber rides to the airport and meeting location, necessitates some time to refresh and unwind upon arrival.

You might wonder, "Based on this logic, why not have a 7-hour booking minimum for FMTY trips to the opposite coast instead of an overnight minimum?" That’s a great question! The reason is that I usually feel much more fatigued and not in the best mood for a long meeting immediately after such a flight. For example, If I were to fly to see you in New York, just for our meeting and then fly back home, I would need to arrive the day prior, get a hotel room, rest, and be fully recovered to meet you the following day. In short, please book more “hours” as the distance between us increases, so I can be the best version of myself during our time together. However, if I am already in the area, perhaps on tour, I can see you straight away for an overnight or similar booking.

Naturally, a fine gentleman like yourself will cover the lady's travel expenses, which will be presented to you once I determine the cost of flight tickets, and etc.

If you'd like to see me in a distant location but can't (or don’t want) book my "FMTY minimum," you can "sponsor my tour" This means covering my flight tickets, one night in a hotel, and booking a minimum of two hours. To make the trip worthwhile, I will advertise my visit to the location and hopefully secure one or two more bookings besides yours.

So, there you have it—the essentials of how I personally approach longer-distance meetings and inquiries. If you have a better approach, I’d absolutely love to hear it and learn something new! If you’re new to this and it all seems a bit overwhelming, don’t worry—just email me your meeting idea, and I’ll get back to you with the best possible suggestions. Please use common sense when reaching out. Ask yourself if it’s feasible. Would you personally do it? If the answer is yes, I can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for reading! I wish you lots of fun adventures!

Kate Rover

July 26th, 2024