Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

TPOL for Sale? Surely You Jest

thepointsoflife

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February 11, 2020

I received this email yesterday:

We are a rewards points service that specializes in helping people find and book the best airline flights using their credit card points & miles.We have recently pivoted into the affiliate and blog space and we are looking to acquire businesses to help us grow in that direction. Your website The Points of Life made it on our short-list of sites that we’ve identified as being a good potential fit.

If you’re interested in selling, please reply with a confirmation that you would be interested and I would love to set up a call at your convenience to discuss things in more detail.

Let’s be clear: TPOL is not for sale. Why? First, without this blog, what would my editor do all day when he is not rummaging for garbage (see Who Is The Most Interesting Man in the World (After TPOL)? and see Circling The World on a Bicycle: Part 2 of My Editor’s Journey)?

Sidenote: Clifford don’t correct the bold text above. That error is from the person who sent me and many others this serious offer to sell. Perhaps when we get bought out they could still use your services.

Second, what would I do all day? I would have no forum to complain.

Third, who would replace me?

I scheduled a meeting out of curiosity and, to no surprise, did not receive a call. I’m assuming if they actually want to buy my site it is to improve their SEO through linkbacks. I doubt it’s because they love my pho reviews.

There is enough money in the world to buy TPOL, but I believe I’ll eventually have my Parasite coming out party. This blog will be huge. I will sell thousands of copies of my book (buy Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine). And my screenplay will be adapted. Until then, I will continue to do what I do: be incomparable.

Rest comfortably Clifford, TPOL ain’t going nowhere. (Keep the double negative.)

a man in a golf cart — How do you retire from retirement? Randy Petersen suggests that I sell and upgrade my golf cart to an electric Tesla version.

How to Get to EWR Airport: Take NJ Transit

thepointsoflife

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February 7, 2020

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How to Get to EWR Airport is part of TPOL in NYC ongoing Trip Report.

My routine is as follows: fly to NY, find a cheap hotel (see TownePlace Suites Long Island City: Spring for Four Points Instead), get there, attend a meeting, get back to the airport. Every time I go, I complain about how inefficient it is to get to any airport in NY. I have covered the topic extensively:

This time around my flight was from EWR, the worst airport to fly into in the NYC area. The reason I hate EWR is because NJ Transit is awful. When I lived in Hoboken, I had to rely on the dreaded PATH train to get me Manhattan. The train was slow, unreliable, and if I dared try to take the train after a night out, I wouldn’t get back until the sun goes up. The same problem happens when I arrive to Newark at night. I end up waiting for an hour at the train station and don’t get to my hotel until the wee hours of the morning. It is a bad experience.

a building with a bridge over the tracks — Tick, tick, tick tick, Chris Berman style.

From NYC, taking NJ Transit is not bad. Here’s how that experience goes. First, walk or take the subway to Penn Station.

a street with many buildings and people on it — I prefer to walk.

Second, purchase a ticket for $15.25.

Third, find a seat in the antiquated train.

a screen with a schedule on it — Any train with the airplane icon will take you to EWR.

Fourth, don’t use your headphones since there are no digital displays for station names.

Fifth, exit the train.

Sixth, and most importantly, don’t throw away your ticket! It is required to exit.

Seventh, take another antiquated vessel to your terminal.

a seat on a train — One side has seats, the other does not and the car is tiny and awkward when full.

Eighth, ask yourself why you fly Jetblue to either JFK or EWR because there is no damn lounge!

TPOL’s TIP: The journey on the train takes a little less than an hour. That doesn’t include the AirTrain ride.

How to Get to EWR Airport is part of TPOL in NYC ongoing Trip Report.

TownePlace Suites Long Island City: Spring for Four Points Instead

thepointsoflife

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February 6, 2020

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TownePlace Suites Long Island City Hotel Review is part of the TPOL in NYC ongoing Trip Report

Getting There: AirTrain + Subway.

Is there any hotel I have not stayed at in NYC? From the Consistently Inconsistent Park Hyatt NYC to the efficient, sketchy hotel in Jamaica, Queens (see How to Avoid Expensive Hotels in NYC), I’m like those annoying Farmers Insurance commercials: I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two.

Long Island City

Long Island City is the place to stay if you need to be close to Midtown without the sticker price of Manhattan. Taking the F train from the Queensbridge station to Midtown takes less than ten minutes.

Location

Apart from the convenience of the subway, this hotel is not in an ideal location. There is nothing around it except construction. Like Brooklyn, LIC is overrun with development which may, in the short run, be good for business travelers looking for cheap hotel options, but will become overpriced like everything in NY.

Hotel Itself

The hotel is brand new in sharp contrast with its surroundings.

Towneplace Suites?

This is the first time I’ve stayed at Towneplace Suites. It’s best described as a cross between Aloft and Residence Inn. I picked it because it was $8 cheaper than the Four Points LIC, my favorite hotel in LIC.

Construction

Construction noise is a problem but the hotel discloses this on its website.

Thermostat

It’s the middle of winter. I walk into the room. It is freezing. I understand the need to save energy but a thermostat reading 58 is cooler than being cool.

The Remote

I dedicated a whole post to how annoying it is that the remote is under the TV, not next to the bed (see Complaint of the Week: Hotel Remotes).

Room

The room was very big compared to most NYC hotels. The bed was especially comfortable.

Mini Kitchen

Usually I do not use the kitchen but because it was frigid outside and because I had no desire to walk anywhere, I made use of the fridge for my Uber Eats order, the microwave for reheating, and the tea machine for trying to bring up my core temperature.

Bathroom

I can’t recall a hotel in NY with good water pressure. This was another with low pressure. The first room didn’t have hot water forcing me to change rooms mid-stay.

Soap

This is the best soap if you have a cold like I did or if you are hungover. The aroma woke me right up and cleared my sinuses.

Breakfast

Breakfast is strangely only offered from 6:30AM to 9. I passed.

Overall

For $8 more, the Four Points is a much nicer hotel in a more developed part of LIC.

TownePlace Suites Long Island City Hotel Review is part of the TPOL in NYC ongoing Trip Report

Juneyao Airlines: My Panda Express to Chengdu

thepointsoflife

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February 6, 2020

1

Juneyao Airlines Flight Review is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Do you know that Juneyao is part of Star Alliance? Do you know they fly to Helsinki from Shanghai? And do you know they have a modern fleet of planes including the Dreamliner?

I confirmed this by flying Juneyao while taking a break from my expat experiment, TPOL in Shanghai, and heading to Chengdu. The flight from Hongqiao is shorter than from Pudong (see Shanghai’s Maglev: No Time to Waste) and a cheaper taxi/DiDi.

This was not an official part of my ANA round the world ticket. Thus, as a peasant, I was told to go right so I couldn’t see what the business class looked like. I took the standard pictures before passing out for the 2-hour journey.

Overall

I never heard of Juneyao before flying them to Chengdu. I was worried that it was a discount carrier like Spring Airlines which tops my list of the Worst Flight Experiences. I was wrong. It’s a nice airline from inside and out.

a large white airplane on a tarmac — Chengdu

Juneyao Airlines Flight Review is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

Recap! TPOL’s Trip Down Under

thepointsoflife

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February 5, 2020

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This is the recap of the TPOL Down Under Trip Report.

I love doing the recap a year later. It lets me recall how great the adventure was and gets me excited about my next trip. I’ll start from the booking and work my way around the globe. The most memorable part of this trip is that I had just moved into my villa in Puerto Rico on the 29th of December and left that night for weeks on end.

Here it goes, step-by-step:

HKG! AUS! NZ! Booking a Last Minute Trip Down Under

Cutting It Close: Will I Make My JFK-HKG Connection?

AA Flagship Lounge JFK: Fine Dining at Its Finest

Cathay Pacific First Class JFK-HKG: 15.5 Hours of Bliss

Hong Kong New Year’s Eve Fireworks: What a Dud!

Lan Kwai Fong New Years Eve: Beware of Blackout

Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong: New Year’s Cert Rescue Story

Hong Kong: Airport Express vs. Bus vs. Taxi

Cathay Pacific Pier Business Class Lounge: I Demand First!

Cathay Business HKG-SYD: No Orchids Says It All

Bondi to Bronte: How to Spend A Day in Sydney

Hyatt Regency Sydney: Not My Favorite Hyatt

Qantas Club Sydney: But for Baristas…

Qantas Business Sydney to Darwin: Off to Croc Country

Croc Jumping Darwin: Keep Your Hands Inside at All Times

Too Cheap for Points, Too Much for Cash: DoubleTree Darwin Invalid request error occurred.

The Road to Kakadu: Walking in Dundee’s Footsteps Invalid request error occurred.

Yellow River Cruise Kakadu: More Croc Hunting

Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel: Name Says It All Invalid request error occurred.

Crocosaurus Cove: THE CAGE OF DEATH!

Pho Darwin: Worst in the World Invalid request error occurred.

What to Do in Darwin Besides Croc Hunt

Frontier Hotel Darwin: My Case for Hostels Invalid request error occurred.

Litchfield National Park: Swimming with Crocs in the Wild Invalid request error occurred.

Do You Take Photos of Your Rental Car?

Guns & Butter: Darwin Travel Guide Invalid request error occurred.

Reminder: Download Qantas Entertainment App

Darwin to Melbourne: Burn Those Avios!

Con-X-ion: How to Get from Melbourne Airport Invalid request error occurred. Supernormal: Where to Eat in Melbourne

Vineyard Crawl: My Yarra Valley Wine Tour Invalid request error occurred.

Pho Flinders Melbourne: Fantastic Pho on Flinders Invalid request error occurred. Trattoria Emilia Melbourne: A 5 Course Lunch, Why Not?

Australian Open: Amateurs Welcome Invalid request error occurred.

Aura Hotel Melbourne: Flinders, Flinders, Flinders! Invalid request error occurred. Australian Airports: Safe And Swift Without TSA

Guns & Butter: Melbourne Travel Guide DSC00320 (Copy) (Copy)

Qantas Melbourne Hobart Flight Review: Alcohol Included Invalid request error occurred.

I’m in Tasmania. How Do I Get to My Hotel? Invalid request error occurred.

Museum of New and Old Art (MONA) Tasmania: What the £µ¢&! Invalid request error occurred. What to Do in the Citaaay, City of Hobart

Renting a Car in Tasmania: The Devil Is on the Island Invalid request error occurred.

Why You Should Go to Bruny Island Tasmania Invalid request error occurred. ibis Hobart: Aloft Decor, Sheraton Prices

Guns & Butter: Tasmania Travel Guide Invalid request error occurred. Trademark Infringement? Hungry Jack’s vs. Burger King

Melbourne Airport Lounge Review: SQ vs. Centurion

LifeMiles Great Customer Service: Seriously, True Story Invalid request error occurred.

Air New Zealand Flex: Fly When You Want for the Lowest Price Invalid request error occurred.

SQ Business Melbourne to Wellington: Worth It? Invalid request error occurred.

Air New Zealand Wellington to Blenheim: Prop Plane Comfort Plus Invalid request error occurred.

The Best Indian Food Comes from This Small Town Invalid request error occurred.

Wine Station Blenheim New Zealand: Wine Tasting the Right Way

Golf Blenheim New Zealand: So I Picked the Wrong Course Invalid request error occurred.

Wine Tours by Bike NZ: A Must for Wine Enthusiasts

Hans Herzog Vineyard New Zealand: Yes to Wine, Pass on Food

Chateau Marlborough: The Best Hotel in Blenheim Invalid request error occurred.

Guns & Butter: Blenheim, New Zealand Travel Guide Invalid request error occurred.

Blenheim, NZ Airport Review: What Flying Private Must Be Like Invalid request error occurred.

Air New Zealand Lounge Auckland: Coffee On Demand Invalid request error occurred.

Air New Zealand Auckland San Francisco: Business Back Up Over

Centurion Lounge SFO: So Stale I Left Invalid request error occurred. Priority Pass SF Giants Clubhouse: Even If It’s Free, Stay Away

Bluffworks: 30,000 Miles Later, How I Showed Up Wrinkle Free to NYC Bluffworks Wrinkle Free Suit Review

Are you not entertained!

Complaint of the Week: Hotel Remotes

thepointsoflife

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February 5, 2020

4

I used to write a complaint of the week post because some things really grind my gears (see all complaining posts). This week’s complaint of the week is the placement of remotes in hotel rooms.

After flying long hours in peasant from PR to NY, all I want to do is get to my hotel, turn on the TV, and wait for Uber Eats. I get in the bed and before I can unwind, I realize that the TV remote is placed under the TV, not next to the bed. I curse aloud as I make my way across the room and wonder why this is. If I happen to stay for more than one night, the same thing happens the next day as housekeeping puts the remote back by the TV.

All I can do is ask why.

a tv on a wall — Like the middle finger taunting me, the TV remote sits there in the least convenient place.

New Star Spa Shanghai: It’s a Lounge Without the Flight

thepointsoflife

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February 5, 2020

9

Best Spa Shanghai is part of the TPOL in Shanghai Trip Report.

What’s the best part of traveling? For me, it’s the time after I am done taking all the damn pictures of the lounge, flight, hotel, food, drink, taxis, sights, and whatever else I compulsively feel I have to blog about.

Complaining aside, the best part about traveling is when I am forced to relax because I have nowhere else I can go and nothing else to do. For some, that could be an overrated bungalow in the Maldives. For me, that place is an airport lounge or a long haul flight. I can eat, drink, and sleep while being pampered like royalty. I once compared SQ first to Thanksgiving without the annoying relatives. On a few occasions, I have stayed at the lounge well beyond the time recommended by my physician (see AA Admirals Club JFK Gate 42: Here All Day, Amex LAS Centurion Lounge: The Full Day Freeloader Review, and New Turkish Airlines Lounge Review: I Miss Chuck E. Cheese).

Regrettably, I don’t have the points to fly first every day. However, I may have found the next best thing for my expat days in Shanghai. It is a Korean style spa called New Star. Like an airport lounge, the place opens early and closes late. Like an airport lounge, there’s plenty to eat, plenty to drink, and many places to relax.

Pajamas

The first stop is the locker room where I, in keeping with the premium class theme, changed into pajamas.

Food

For my first meal, I had Korean style BBQ.

Massage

After my meal, I went to the massage room for a 30-minute leg massage. For, the price of 68RMB ($10), it can’t be beat. Following the massage, I sat in the quiet room and enjoyed my ginger tea.

Food Again

For my second meal, I had dumplings.

Spa

a circular staircase with a black couch and a black railing — Spa is on the lower level

a stair with blue writing on it — Beware of ladder.

Next up was the spa. Women go to one side and men go to another. Be prepared to disrobe. The patrons looked at me in amazement. It had to be because I was the only foreigner, right? In the spa, there are various pools with different temperatures. Completely submerge yourself in the cold one if you want to feel alive and dead at the same time. It literally takes your breath away.

It also reminded me of the Seinfeld shrinkage episode.

After hot and cold combinations, I went for a salt scrub. A man put salt all over me including my dumplings. That was awkward and reminded me of another Seinfeld episode. It was relaxing and for 58RMB ($8) was worth the price.

Following that, I went into the sauna to unwind and then back to the hot and cold pools. The man’s day at the spa ended with a warm shower and more onlookers staring in amazement.

Relaxation Everywhere

There are plenty of places to sit down and relax including hot rooms, cold rooms, and oxygen room.

a room with a glass door and a rug — Oxygen room

Video Games

Like the older and better TK Lounge (see Turkish Airlines Business Class: Where Costco Meets Chuck E. Cheese), games are available.

Saddam Spider Hole

My favorite part of the experience was what I call the Saddam spider hole. It’s like going into a CAT scan machine without the fear of a diagnosis. I slept there for a solid hour.

Bracelet

For two people, the day at the spa cost $135. It was all tracked by the bracelet on my wrist.

Overall

This was a great discovery. It was like being in a lounge and flying first class without going anywhere.

a man taking a selfie in a mirror — Thumbs up to this place.

TPOL’S TIP: New Star has two locations. I went to the newer Pudong location which is located at 288 Dongxiu Rd, Century Park, Pudong, Shanghai, China.

Best Spa Shanghai is part of the TPOL in Shanghai Trip Report.

INLOVE KTV: Where to Sing Karaoke Shanghai

thepointsoflife

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February 4, 2020

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Where to Sing Karaoke Shanghai is part of the TPOL in Shanghai Trip Report.

So you think you can dance? But can you sing? If you can or can’t, it does not matter at KTV’s in Shanghai, the moniker given to karaoke bars. KTVs are everywhere. I picked INLOVE KTV because it was the first one I saw while walking down Huahai Lu.

TPOL’s TIP: INLOVE KTV is located on.5/F, 688 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Sinan Lu

It was Friday at midnight and the place was packed. We had to wait thirty minutes before we got a room. I went to the mini grocery store and bought snacks, beer, and a bottle of champagne. INLOVE doesn’t accept US credit cards so either bring enough cash or figure out how to set up Wepay, something of a hassle for short term tourists (see Without Technology TPOL’s the Creepy Old Guy in Shanghai ).

Price

Like a creature of the night, INLOVE charges by the hour. I paid for two but stayed for four. No one seemed to care. I probably could’ve stayed longer if I wasn’t so tired/the champagne didn’t run dry.

Room

The room for two people includes two TV’s, wireless microphones, and the star is born microphone with a stage. That’s certainly where I shined. For bigger groups, the rooms are extraordinarily spacious and have all sorts of features.

Song Selection

There is an English menu but good luck finding it if you scroll off of it. In terms of songs, all of Beiber was expectedly there. The rest was a random mess as karaoke should be. I learned that I am a terrible rapper but cemented my legacy as a great Shaggy cover performer.

a tv with a microphone and a man singing — Frank classic

The Button

If you need help, drinks, or anything at all, hit the magic button. Within seconds, the waiter will be there to help. There needs to be this level of service on flights, or there needs to be karaoke rooms on airplanes (see Emirates A380 Silent Disco!).

a man pouring a glass of champagne into a glass — Another bottle is a call away.

TPOL’s TIP: if you have no friends and are a lonely vocalist, you can pay for women to sing with you.

Overall

That was a fun night. The next TPOL meet up will be at a KTV.

Where to Sing Karaoke Shanghai is part of the TPOL in Shanghai Trip Report.

Keep Vs. Cancel: JetBlue Personal

thepointsoflife

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February 3, 2020

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I feel like I have written this post before. Have I? Let’s search the archives for it. Indeed, here it is: Keep Vs. Cancel: Barclays jetBlue. This second time around was much like the first time. I was not given a retention bonus and had to decide if the 10% rebate on miles redeemed perk was worth the annual fee. In addition, I would receive 5,000 points if I kept the card. Though I enjoy the 10% rebate, I have exhausted my JetBlue points and cannot rationalize the $99 annual fee. I hope to apply and be approved for this card in the future, though my luck has not been that great recently (except for the Amex Green Approval!).

I’ve asked the question before and I’ll ask it again: would you keep this card?

Simply The Best: January 2020

thepointsoflife

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January 31, 2020

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January of 2020 is done. That’s wild. Not as wild as these great posts:

Happy New Year from TPOL: The Year & Hindsight Is 2020
How I commute to work now. Who needs a Cadillac when you have a golf cart?
Game Over: TPOL Found the Best Pho in NYC
On this day, Sao Mai served the best pho in NYC. When I go again, I hope that is still true.
Renaissance Yu Garden Shanghai: A Comprehensive Review
Renaissance made good on its promise and moved me to a huge room with a view on par with my views from Grand Hyatt Shanghai, Park Hyatt Shanghai, and Hyatt on the Bund.
“Puerto Rico Rocked by Earthquake”: Enough Dramatic Headlines
I am tired of reading national news that imprecisely depicts the situation on the ground. I am sick of being asked if I have electricity. I am over talking about Hurricane Maria.
How to Get to JFK from Brooklyn: LIRR, Of Course
If I am in Brooklyn near the Atlantic Terminal, I will take the LIRR + AirTrain to JFK. It’s cheap, fast, and convenient.
Cheap Eats Shanghai: Morning, Day, Night, Morning Again
The street food is alive. Some have moved indoors, but the prices are still cheap and the food is still great.
Wyndham Tortola BVI Resort: What a (Isolated) Beach
When the sun is up, I would recommend skipping your work conference and doing nothing. The beach is Seychelles-esque.