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Night Golf Bangkok: First Time for Everything

thepointsoflife
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Night Golf Bangkok: First Time for Everything
Night Golf Bangkok is part of the Reunion Tour Trip Report.
Years back, I stayed at Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi Bangkok. Imagine my excitement when I checked in and found a golf course on the premises. And that the golf course was open at night. Fast forward to this trip when I made a reservation to play. Location Summit Windmill Golf Club is near the airport. I planned to play and then head to BKK to catch my flight to Doha. TPOL’s Tip: 72 หมู่ที่ 14 Bang Na-Trat Alley, Bang Phli Yai, Bang Phli District, Samut Prakan 10540, Thailand Cost  It cost $108 to play. This includes the caddy, cart, and rentals. Pre Eat Hungry? Why wait? a food in a container Caddy Because it is night golf, a caddy is compulsory. Aided with a flashlight, my caddy was able to find most of my errant shots.a person standing in a park a person on a golf course a man and woman on a golf course TPOL’s Tip: A tip of $10-$15 is suggested. Date the Caddy?  There are many videos on YouTube of sexy caddies. Many have misinterpreted this entertainment as sex tourism. While I have heard of numbers being exchanged after a round, these are serious caddies with great knowledge of the game of golf. Course Is there anything more beautiful than this course?a golf course with a lake and trees a large grassy field with a body of water in the middle a path leading to a lake a pond with a path and trees a pond with a pond in the middle of a golf course a golf course with a path and a golf ball a golf course with palm trees and a flag a green grass field with trees and a street light a large green field at night a golf course with a ball on the ground a large grassy area with a building in the background Estates The houses along the course were anything but small. I may have hit a few. a lake with grass and trees around it a body of water with trees and buildings in the background a house with a pond and trees a large green field with palm trees and a building in the background a building with palm trees and a body of water Bad Golf Shot Footage Novelty aside, I was here for a serious game of golf. I seriously sucked. The caddies were laughing.
a man playing golf on a golf course
Get set.
a man swinging a golf club
Look where it ended.
a man swinging a golf club
a man holding a golf club
Eventually, I was putting.
Video It’s better (or worse) on video.
Score Don’t worry about it. Clubhouse This is not Nana Plaza (see Since I cannot personally go to SE Asia with Mikey and show him the ladyboy bars in Bangkok…). a room with a table and chairs
a white plastic bag on a wooden shelf in a shower
a man taking a selfie in a mirror
Leave refreshed.
Overall If I lived in Bangkok, I would play night golf frequently. a man holding a flag on a golf course

Talking $H!T: The Cure for Traveler’s Diarrhea

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Talking $H!T: The Cure for Traveler’s Diarrhea
Traveler’s Diarrhea is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.
Many friends offer unsolicited recs. Typically I find the tips are useless (see Giordano’s Pizza Chicago: Trust Your Taste Buds, Not Your Friends). I like what I like and do as I please. I have been wrong twice in my life so I still hear what they have to say. On this occasion, I am happy I listened. The location was Cannes. The town was buzzing. Only I had a serious issue. With nowhere to turn, I confided in my friend the unstoppable problem I was facing. He replied, “I have the cure for that. All we need to do is find a pharmacy.” All of a sudden finding a pharmacy seemed impossible. Google Maps did not help. Finally, I saw the green sign of relief and entered. I asked for the magical potion and the pharmacist audibly said, “Oh for diarrhea?” I meekly said yes. On the street, I opened a tube of this peanut butter gummy and found immediate relief. As one who is prone to food poisoning (see Malaria Or Food Poisoning? Day 2 Safari Ruined & Hyatt Sharm el-Sheikh Wants My Stool Sample) and has been lectured by ignorant readers that I should not travel on account of said proclivity, I will not leave the house without this: a box of candy on a white surface Overall Most people talk shit. This time it was worth listening to it.

Extra Sweet Spot: Fiji to Kiribati on Avios

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Extra Sweet Spot: Fiji to Kiribati on Avios
Fiji to Kiribati is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.
En route to my residency in Melbourne, Australia (see 55K Alaskan to Fiji And My New Melbourne Residence), I had a stopover in Fiji. Instead of staying put in a beach resort (see Sheraton Fiji: We Appreciate Your Loyalty!), I decided to explore the South Pacific. My destinations were based on two factors: 1. Routing 2. Points availability. Because timing was limited, I had to choose between seeing American Samoa (see I Blew It: Missing Blowholes in Samoa And Tuna in America) and a place I had never heard of nor could I pronounce, Kiribati. Given the outsized points redemption, 20,000 Avios and $37 versus $1484 out-of-pocket one-way, I chose Kiribati, a place whose slogan is ‘For Travelers, not Tourists.’ While I was not flying Fiji Airways business (see The Best Business 737 Experience), I still felt ahead on top of my points game despite the 3 hours in coach.
a group of people sitting in an airplane
Business so far away.
a tray of food on a tray
But tater tots? Who can complain?
Overall This was one of the best redemptions in terms of value and one of the best redemptions in terms of adventure (see Guns & Butter: Kiribati).
a building with luggage on carts
Welcome to Kiribati!
     

By Bus: Nice to Cannes

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By Bus: Nice to Cannes
By Bus Nice to Cannes is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.
I finally made it to Nice after missing my previous flight (see Finally Arrived). I assumed there would be a direct train from the airport to Cannes. I was slightly surprised to find that no direct train links both. The best option is to take the bus. To do so, catch the tram from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. You can then buy the bus ticket using the app or on the website for 19 euros, the only bargain in the South of France. people standing next to a train a bus parked under a bridge a sign with a number and information on it a screen on a bus TPOL’s Tip: Definitely take the bus over Uber if the bus is available. Traffic is avoided in the bus lane.

Lufthansa Business Class Lounge Frankfurt: Bland Again

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Lufthansa Business Class Lounge Frankfurt: Bland Again
Lufthansa Business Class Lounge Frankfurt is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.
With a quick stopover in Frankfurt from Lisbon to Nice, (see Finally Arrived), I popped into the Lufthansa Lounge. Unless I’m in Lufthansa’s First Class Lounge (see Losing My Points Virginity: Trip Report Overview), I have not been impressed by the Lufthansa Lounge experience (see Lufthansa Business Lounge Munich: Dry as Their Pretzels). The Frankfurt lounge was no different. It is as if Lufthansa purposefully makes the lounge uncomfortable. Does any of this look appetizing to you? a sign on a wall a large screen in a building a plate of scrambled eggs and mushrooms a bowl of soup with meat and vegetables a plate of pasta with sauce
a group of pretzels in a wooden box
Well, maybe the pretzels.

Lufthansa LIS-FRA-NCE: Finally Arrived

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Lufthansa LIS-FRA-NCE: Finally Arrived
LIS-FRA-NCE is part of the Still The Best Trip Report from August 2023.
I have yet to fly Lufthansa first class, but I have flown Lufthansa short-haul business, and each time, I am unimpressed. Following my missed flight from Lisbon to Nice (see Travel Lesson Lisbon: Friend Reunion Led to Missed Flight ), I used 20,000 Lifemiles and $75 to book this ‘business class’ trip.
a sign on a wall
LIS-FRA
a seat in an airplane a plane with a staircase and people walking down it
a large airplane on a runway
When will I try first?
a row of seats in an airplane
Not today: FRA-NCE

Hyatt Globalist: Now What?

thepointsoflife
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Hyatt Globalist: Now What?
I have gone from Hyatt Diamond to Hyatt Explorist to Hyatt Globalist a few times (see That’s Me in the Corner Losing My Globalist Status). This is an odd year (pun intended), which means I must have qualified for Globalist again. What will I do with my status? Nothing: I qualified for Globalist this year by chance. The reason I was keen on qualifying was so I could remain an Explorist through February 2027. I have no urgency to try to requalify again. Spend: Those who have a thriving self-run business dominate the points game. I would like to increase my wealth (and points) by spending more on my Hyatt card. Wouldn’t it be nice to qualify by spending my way to the top? Category 7: As a Globalist, I have six months to use a Category 7 free night certificate. The list of Category 7 properties is far from compelling, with Santorini being the only destination I would visit for the sake of my Country Count. Explore: Hyatt does not have hotels in the majority of the 52 Places I Probably Won’t Visit in 2025. However, it does have one in Lagos, Nigeria, my prime target. My mission will be to find Hyatts in countries I have yet to visit. Overall I have no major plans now that I am a Globalist. I can confidently say that between having status and making money, I will choose status. Having the former means I can save money, which will ultimately lead to making more money.
a screenshot of a web page
On my way to Globalist 2027? I think not.

52 Places I Probably Won’t Visit in 2025

thepointsoflife
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52 Places I Probably Won’t Visit in 2025
The Failing NY Times published its stale 52 Places to Go in 2025. Based on the unoriginality, I am convinced they used an AI bot to create their list. To retaliate, I told my AI bot to come up with a list of UN countries I haven’t visited. I asked it to rank the cities by ‘danger.’ While most will be missed this year (see I Don’t Want to Visit Every Country), many are intriguing and may make the cut (no pun intended). Those are bolded below with Lagos, Nigeria my top demand. TPOL’s Trivia: I have been to 119 out of 193 countries (see Where I’ve Been).
  1. Kabul, Afghanistan
  2. Algiers, Algeria
  3. Luanda, Angola
  4. Dhaka, Bangladesh
  5. Minsk, Belarus
  6. Belize City, Belize
  7. Cotonou, Benin
  8. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
  9. Gitega, Burundi
  10. Douala, Cameroon
  11. Bangui, Central African Republic
  12. N’Djamena, Chad
  13. Moroni, Comoros
  14. Brazzaville, Congo (Republic of the)
  15. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
  16. Havana, Cuba
  17. Pyongyang, North Korea
  18. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  19. Djibouti City, Djibouti
  20. Roseau, Dominica
  21. Quito, Ecuador
  22. San Salvador, El Salvador
  23. Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
  24. Asmara, Eritrea
  25. Libreville, Gabon
  26. Banjul, Gambia
  27. Accra, Ghana
  28. Guatemala City, Guatemala
  29. Conakry, Guinea
  30. Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
  31. Georgetown, Guyana
  32. Port-au-Prince, Haiti
  33. Tegucigalpa, Honduras
  34. Tehran, Iran
  35. Maseru, Lesotho
  36. Monrovia, Liberia
  37. Tripoli, Libya
  38. Vaduz, Liechtenstein
  39. Antananarivo, Madagascar
  40. Lilongwe, Malawi
  41. Bamako, Mali
  42. Majuro, Marshall Islands
  43. Nouakchott, Mauritania
  44. Palikir, Micronesia
  45. Maputo, Mozambique
  46. Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire
  47. Managua, Nicaragua
  48. Niamey, Niger
  49. Lagos, Nigeria
  50. Islamabad, Pakistan
  51. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
  52. Juba, South Sudan
a man bungee jumping over water
Danger, I laugh in the face of danger!

Priority Pass DTW: Opens at 16:00:00, Not a Second Sooner!

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Priority Pass DTW: Opens at 16:00:00, Not a Second Sooner!
Priority Pass DTW is part of the TPOL Won’t Visit All 50 States And That’s OK Trip Report.
My Michigan mission was accomplished. I visited family. I saw the Bills vs. Lions game at a cheap price (see Bills vs. Lions: Ticket Scalping When No Tickets Are Available), and I qualified for Hyatt Globalist (see Finally, a Review of the Hyatt Place Livonia). All that was left to do was to travel on Spirit for 12 hours from DTW-MCO-SJU. In preparation for this arduous journey, I was happy to relax in the Priority Pass Lounge in DTW. Restrictions  Instead of a warm welcome, I came across this: a sign with text on it The lounge practices German time: I tried to walk in at 3:59 and was kicked out. The woman didn’t find it funny. TPOL’s Tip: Be sure to check the app for restrictions.
a sign and a card on a wall
Not our hours.
Food The pasta was good as was the salad. a tray of food in a buffet a plate of food on a table a plate of pasta on a table Beer I appreciated the Stella and the Labatt Blue. a refrigerator full of beer bottles Memories Did you know that this was the first lounge I visited before my first angle-flat flight (see Losing My Points Virginity: Trip Report Overview)?
an airplane on the tarmac
Like Flint, success is measured in Detroit by not coming back.
Seating It’s becoming increasingly awkward to take photos in lounges. I do my best not to be creepy. a group of people sitting at tables in a room with a metal door a table and chairs in a room Overall As the saying goes, a lounge is better than no lounge even when access is delayed.
a sign in a building
And now for S-P-I-R-I-T!

Tipping: New Ways to ‘Motivate’ Me to Give

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Tipping: New Ways to ‘Motivate’ Me to Give
I hate tipping. You know this (see Tipping At The Cash Register: Are You Bleeping Kidding?, I Don’t Tip at Lounges Either & I’m Not Tipping Uber Either!). On my recent trip to Michigan, I found two creative ways that management has addressed this issue. Forced Tips  I was surprised to find the following on my receipt at Buddy’s Pizza (see Who Agrees? Detroit Style Pizza Is The Best). a receipt with a signature The 20% was already included. At least the waitress was nice enough to point that out. I am not sure if this was because it was football Sunday (see Bills vs. Lions: From No Tickets to the Front Row). If not, is this the new trend? Can we opt out? Does it apply to alcohol? Pay Through the App The worst is when the waiter comes around with the credit card payment machine and asks, “Do you want to leave a tip?” (see Pressured Into Tipping! I Hate Credit Card Processing Tablets). A nice substitution for this is paying through the app using a scannable barcode. a screenshot of a computer Using this method of payment, I receive a breakdown of my (overpriced) bill and a handy built-in tip calculator that lets me know exactly how much gratuity is. Having the space to analyze the bill and the lack of pressure from the hovering waiter has me more inclined to leave more than my maximum 10%. Overall I hate tipping. Just charge more for the food and drinks and leave me the hell alone.  
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