Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Booking Miles & Smiles on Air Canada: Takes Calls, Emails, Luck

thepointsoflife

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November 21, 2023

Booking Miles & Smiles on Air Canada is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report. This post is also part of the Melbourne & Bangkok Residencies.

Could there be a more frustrating challenge than booking a partner award using Turkish Airlines‘ Miles & Smiles? No, there certainly is not. But is there a better value than making an Air Canada booking using Miles & Smiles? Again, the answer is no. If you’re just joining in on the fun, my flight to Fiji left from Vancouver (see 55K Alaskan to Fiji And My New Melbourne Residence). The most comfortable way of getting from the Midwest to Vancouver is on Air Canada’s lie flat from Toronto (see Worth It! Lie Flat Toronto to Vancouver on Air Canada). The best way to book this flight is using Miles & Smiles. For only 12,500 miles and $52, I would be able to lie flat. The sticker price for such a trip is $1523. To book the trip, I went to Turkish’s website and searched for availability under Star Alliance.

The good news was that many flights were available. The bad news is that I could not book the ticket for myself, let alone for two people. TPOL’s Tip: If you want to book a Miles & Smiles award for someone else using your miles, you need to have flown on a Miles & Smiles award ticket before you try to make the booking for that special someone. I have no idea why this is a requirement. TPOL’s Tip: If you want to book a Miles & Smiles award for someone else using your miles, you have to call Turkish as bookings cannot be made online. Ask yourself if you really like that person before committing to making such a booking. Call Center Time I called the call center. The good news is that I was not on hold for a long time. The bad news is that the agent could not find availability. I called again and again and again and again. I finally was able to put one ticket on hold. I could not put another ticket on hold because there was no availability. Riding Coach? Needing to get two passengers to Vancouver, I informed Ms. TPOL that she may have to fly peasant to Vancouver (see Points in the Front, Peasants in the Back). Why? Because she had applied for the Citi Premier card and was not approved (see Leave Your Lover Behind? What If She’s Bad at Recon). She was not happy but accepted that this may be the only way. Ticketing for Myself With my ticket on hold, I called to pay the taxes. It took four phone calls until the taxes populated correctly and I was able to secure my flight. Business Availability? Understanding that I could not leave my lover in peasant, I kept checking availability for another business class seat. Time and time again, the website would show seats. Time and time again, I would call and the agent would say that there was no availability. Time to Give Up? Never I called at various times to see if availability would show up. It finally did. I tried to pay for the taxes, but the system kept rejecting my credit cards and Ms. TPOL’s credit cards. With the award hold expiring, the agent agreed to extend the time the award could be held. Emailing Credit Card Information Making zero progress, I thought that I could pay for the ticket when I arrived in Toronto. Googling this option I learned of a different option. I could email a Turkish ticket office and, if they responded, I could send them my credit card information. I looked up every Turkish office in the US and Canada and sent them this email: I have been trying to pay over the phone with Turkish. System keeps giving an error. I would like to send you the documentation to complete this booking. The ticket is in [Ms. TPOL’s] name but it is my account number. Please help. Response #1 Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups: ZMEZOUARI@THY.COM The recipient’s mailbox is full and can’t accept messages now. Please try resending your message later, or contact the recipient directly. The following organization rejected your message: ISTPEXCF13V.thynet.thy.com. Of course, this didn’t work, I thought to myself. Response #2 The next day I received this:

Dear Alexander,

You reached the Turkish Airlines office, we can accept the USA credit card for payment via email only.

The cost of the ticket against reservation below will be 12500 miles and 52.00USD as airport taxes.

Kindly ask you to transfer to our side the following:

-Miles&Smiles card holder’s passport copy

-Award ticket request form (attached)

-CC authorization form (attached)

-credit/debit card photo

Ticketed I sent in the required information and received the confirmation email. That was easy! Response #3 & 4 Many offices did not respond. However, two other offices did. They sent this message: Dear passenger, Thank you for your email. Ticket seems already issued. Have a nice flight. Which Office Should You Email? I didn’t list the offices that responded. Why? Fellow travel bloggers advised against doing so as the responsive office would get inundated with emails, and it would ruin it for everyone. Since multiple offices did respond to my request, I do not feel bad about not publicizing this information. I am confident that you will get a response following my steps. Overall When it comes to points bookings, I get fixated on making it work. While Ms. TPOL was very happy that she didn’t have to ride in coach for 5 hours, I was happier than she as I had, once again, proven my points-booking prowess.

a tv on a table — Damn right it was worth it!

Pho Hung Toronto: Still Tops

thepointsoflife

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November 20, 2023

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Pho Hung Toronto is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.

Thanks to Covid (see The Lost & Found Year(s): COVID Trip Report), it has been years since I have seen my cousins in Toronto. Thanks to Covid, it has been years since we met for a bowl of pho at Pho Hung. In 2014, I wrote Pho Sho, Fu Uh Sho: The Top Ten Places to Get Pho!. Many things have changed for the worse since then. One thing that has not is Pho Hung, one of the best places in the world for pho. Another thing that has not changed is the great experience of sharing pho with family. For this reason, it is worth re-posting pictures to commemorate this happy time.

a bowl of soup with noodles and vegetables

Pho Your Review

Do not order beer during pho. It is an unnecessary extra both in terms of cost and in terms of corrupting the palette.

Do order Cafe Sua Da. It’s a necessary stimulant after a large bowl.

Only order one order of spring rolls. Yes, you can eat an unlimited amount, but this caviar of the Far East should be savored.

Overall No pandemic will keep me away from pho and phamily again. TPOL’s Tip: 350 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5T 2G4, Canada.

Air Canada DTW to YYZ: Expensive in CAD, Expensive in Points

thepointsoflife

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November 16, 2023

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Air Canada Detroit Toronto is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report. This post is also part of the Melbourne & Bangkok Residencies.

Can you believe that the 1:20 minute flight from Detroit to Toronto in coach retails for $457? Can you believe that it costs 16,500 United points? Compare that to the 5:15 minute flight in lie-flat business from Toronto to Vancouver that retails at $1523 but only costs 12,500 Turkish Miles & Smiles points. While I could have made a cheaper points booking using Miles & Smiles, I did not have the tolerance to endure that process again (see Booking Miles & Smiles on Air Canada: Takes Calls, Emails, Luck). Concurrently, I had plenty of United miles in my account which I do not value as much as transferring Capital One or Citi ThankYou points to my Miles & Smiles account. But enough of the points talk, here’s what 632CAD gets you:

$30 checked bag fee
A one-hour delay for, as I wrote, a flight that takes 1:20.
A tiny plane.
Oh no, I’m missing ‘business’

Emergency: this is consumer fraud.

Welcome to Canada.

Hyatt House Lansing: “University Area”

thepointsoflife

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November 14, 2023

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Hyatt House Lansing is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.

Come on Sparty! Don’t be clever. It isn’t in your school’s DNA. What am I complaining about? I’m complaining about the location of the Hyatt in East Lansing which is called Hyatt House Lansing University Area. Attending the battle of Big Blue versus Go Green, I wanted to be close to the action. For $565, I thought I was paying to be right on campus. Instead, I found that I was so close but still so far away.

a map with a blue line — 30-minute walk to the most unused building on campus.

But for the cold wind and rain, I would be fine making the 1.5 mile walk to Spartan Stadium (see Cheaters! Spartan Stadium Review). I also took solace in knowing that I only spent 8,000 Hyatt points a night. Distance complaints aside, this was a really nice Hyatt House. Here are the photos:

a building with cars parked in front of it

Having resoundingly beaten MSU, I have no plans on going back to East Lansing. Perhaps I will return when the rivalry is relevant again in 2032.

Cheaters! Spartan Stadium Review

thepointsoflife

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November 10, 2023

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Spartan Stadium Review is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.

This post is both a Stadium Review and a continuation of my guide to Ticket Scalping. Here are the previous posts on the latter subject:

In all my years as a proud Wolverine, I had never been to Spartan Stadium. There have been many memorable games between us and our little brother. Unfortunately, this was not one of them. Still, I enjoyed the experience and can add another game to the Wolverines Trip Report.

a statue of a man on a brick platform — Fitness is only one part of being well-rounded.

a sign with flowers in front of a sign — Fitness is only one part of being well-rounded.

a stadium with a sign on it — The high school stadium

a building with a sign on it — Shocking, there’s no one here.

A Note On CheatingI know there is plenty of speculation going on about if I was a secret agent spying on behalf of Michigan football. I cannot comment. A person who did comment was a young lady in the game who yelled ‘Cheaters!’ each time Michigan was going to snap the ball. Her subpar MSU education did not do her any favors. Had she been taught properly, she should have yelled this when MSU’s offense was on the field as we steal signs from opponents’ offenses. Alas, I can’t expect much from a student of Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. Speaking of Intelligence As I wrote in The Guide to Buying Tickets for the World Cup And Other Big Events, you should only buy tickets at retail price on the day of the game. I decided to go to this game in July. At that time, I could have not foreseen the cataclysmic collapse of the Michigan State program and would have paid a pretty penny from a third-party reseller. Instead, I waited till game time to purchase. I offended the first scalper with my low-ball offer. Before walking off, he told me, “I sell crack, I sell heroin, selling college football tickets is nothing. I am not doing business with you.” A lover of pre-workout supplements, I would’ve been more inclined to buy from him had he thrown in some stimulants. With the game quickly approaching, my crew was growing anxious at the prospect of finding another scalper. I told them to stay strong. After walking halfway around the stadium, I also was getting nervous. That nervousness quickly dissipated as I saw another man with tickets held up in the air. He, like the first guy, told me that I could purchase them at the face value price of $100. I told him 3 for $60. He replied 3 for $100. I told him 3 for $70. He said final price 3 for $90. I told him final price 3 for $80. He again said 3 for $90. I said 3 for $80. He agreed. As I was giving him the money, he said the funniest line: “How about giving me a tip?”

a group of people in a large room — Inefficient to get to the seats.

people walking down a walkway — Up ramp and after ramp

TPOL’s Tip: Speaking of tips, here’s one: Do not rely on ticket apps to buy tickets last minute without the aid of Wi-Fi. There is no service to process the transaction.

Overpaid?I am confident that I could have purchased 3 tickets for $50. Older now, I put a premium on my time. Is it worth haggling for an extra fifteen minutes to save a few dollars? Writing this now, I still believe the answer is yes. At the same time, I, along with most of the patrons, left at halftime, meaning I definitely overpaid. I tried to find the scalper to receive a refund but he was long gone.

To the BarI watched the rest of the blowout at the bar away from the howling wind and rain of Spartan Stadium.

a group of people walking down a sidewalk — Everyone left by halftime.

a group of people standing on the steps of a house — Can’t say I like Jim either but maybe he’ll win a national championship before we get sanctioned, and he leaves for the Bears.

Overall Thank you for showing up Sparty. We might cheat but you suck.

Finally, a Review of the Hyatt Place Livonia

thepointsoflife

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November 9, 2023

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Hyatt Place Livonia is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.

I know you’ve been waiting for a review of the Hyatt Place in Livonia. It is finally here. You may be asking, where is Livonia? Livonia is a city in Michigan. You may be asking, why Livonia? The answer is simple. I need ten nights to requalify for Explorist using the AA status match. At 5k points, this was an excellent deal. (If my uncle is reading, I meant to say that I chose the Hyatt Place Livonia so I could visit you before going to the Michigan vs. Michigan State game (see Cheaters! Spartan Stadium Review)). What is there to do in Livonia? Nothing other than to be thankful that I do not live in Livonia. Here are the one-of-a-kind photos of another Hyatt Place:

a small kitchen with a microwave and a small refrigerator

a couch with a stool and a painting on the wall

You might also be asking, why write a review about a Hyatt Place that no one will ever visit? I will tell you as I have told you before, I document all parts of my trip. I also want to have a contest one day to see who has been to the most Hyatt Places in the world.

Hertz President’s Circle: No Benefit for Frugal TPOL

thepointsoflife

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November 9, 2023

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Hertz’s President’s Circle is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report.

TPOL loves cars but I will not waste my money purchasing them because I live in Puerto Rico, home to the worst roads in the US. Back on the road, I thought I found a way to satisfy my need for speed thanks to Hertz’s President’s Circle program. Members of the President’s Circle are allowed to pick any car from the designated rows of cars. In addition, there is no need to wait in long lines before picking up the car. This perk can be yours for free if you have the best credit card available (see Keep vs. Cancel (Proactive Edition): Capital One Venture X). I quickly learned that certain restrictions apply.

I registered for the President’s Circle on the same day as my reservation. When I arrived at the lot, the board said that I had to check in inside. At the counter, the agent said I had to present my ID as this was my first reservation.
When booking, I selected the cheapest option for a rental called ‘manager’s choice.’ While I like nice cars, I have no interest in paying extra for a nice rental. I also hoped that maybe manager’s choice + President’s Circle equals Maserati. I was told otherwise. Manager’s choice = worst car on the lot.
Worst car on the lot = no President’s Circle perk = no thrill of choosing my own car.

TPOL’s Tip: To obtain the benefit of the President’s Circle you must reserve a mid-size car. I was asked if I wanted to pay for an upgrade. I said absolutely not. I told the agent that I would be fine in a Dodge Neon. She upgraded me nonetheless. Before heading to my car, I was asked if I wanted to pay $57 and return the car on empty. While nothing is worse than trying to find petrol on the way to the airport, this privilege is not worth the premium.

a black car parked in a parking lot — Behold my Honda Accord.

Due to my frugality, the fun of picking my own car will not be something I ever experience. How about you?

Delta Damaged Bag Premium Economy Flight Review

thepointsoflife

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November 7, 2023

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Delta Damaged Bags is part of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report. This post is also part of the Melbourne & Bangkok Residencies.

I typically do not write Flight Reviews for domestic, coach flights. This post is an exception for a few reasons: 1. This flight marks the beginning of the Bula! Fiji Hub Trip Report which rolls onto the Melbourne Residency which rolls onto a Bangkok Residency. 2. I ‘upgraded’ to Premium Economy on Delta because at 5 hours the flight from San Juan to Detroit is far too long. 3. I ended up with broken luggage and want to document the process for reimbursement. 4. This may be my best adventure yet. Each moment requires a post. Let’s get started. My trip started off on the wrong foot, literally. The gate to my villa would not open, forcing me to hop the fence.

The flight itself was uneventful. But for a Delta flight credit, I would not have paid for premium economy. There are no substantive perks. While I enjoy near the front of the plane, that’s not worth the extra cost.

Premium economy doesn’t include a checked bag, yet another reason not to pay for it. Instead, I came out of pocket $30 to check a bag. Here is the result:

It would appear that my bag was dropped from a considerable height. Indeed, the broken plastic was on the carousel proving that this did not happen in the flight. I went to the Delta counter and was given a piece of paper and told that someone from Delta would contact me about reimbursement. Would this be a sign of things to come for this trip? Keep reading to find out.

Simply The Best: October 2023

thepointsoflife

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November 6, 2023

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I was OOTO for most of September (see TPOL’s Out of the Office Until September) and part of October (see Guess Where I AM? OOTO). Now, I’m back. Regular programming will resume for the foreseeable future. Here are the best posts from October:

Cabo Verde: Puerto Rico’s Fraternal Twin
Fascinated by their longitude-latitude relationship, I thought I would compare how these fraternal twins are the same but different.
TPOL Does the Unthinkable, Skips a ‘Country’
I am curious to see if I will end up regretting not going to American Samoa when I’m actually in the neighborhood.
Guns & Butter: Sal, Cabo Verde Travel Guide
Welcome to one of the best places in the world. If you know TPOL, then you know this is high praise.
Rescued! Cabo Verde Airlines: Sal to Lisbon
I resolved the issue of getting off a remote island by booking a direct flight on Cabo Verde Airlines from Sal to Lisbon.
Hilton Cabo Verde: Perfect, Peaceful Stay
The Hilton CV is a good value but only if you’re not using points.
Citi Does It Again: No Credit Limit, Can’t Pay Bill, Can’t Shift Credit
Citi you make no sense to me. Why approve me for the Citi AA Exec card, require that I spend 10k in 3 months to earn 100k AA points, but make it impossible to do so?
What the Pho? In Cabo Verde
In CV, I found a delicious, authentic bowl of Hanoi pho.

TPOL’s Back But Down Under

Uncategorized

thepointsoflife

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November 4, 2023

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I started this trip stealing signals at the MSU vs. Michigan game. Now, I’m waking up in Melbourne ready to watch the Wolverines thrash Purdue. Tomorrow, the posts resume.