Will Possible Avianca Strike Ruin My Adventure?

thepointsoflife
-
40
Will Possible Avianca Strike Ruin My Adventure?

I’m making final preparations for my trip to South America and Africa. The first leg of the trip is Montana to Los Angeles in coach. From there, it’s all business. I fought United hard to get the routing that included LAX-BOG on Avianca on the Dreamliner. From there, it’s Avianca to Lima for one night. Then I head to Cusco. Yesterday, I read that a Colombian pilots union voted in favor a strike. The strike could last up to 60 days. That could spell disaster for my trip. Who knows if United would rebook my complex itinerary, and if they did, I would be stuck flying TACA Avianca (not sure if that division would be affected) via Salvador. The reviews of that airline are not great. After I leave Peru and go to Bolivia, I will make my way to Santiago, Chile. From Santiago, I am flying Avianca again through Colombia to Sao Paolo en route to Zambia. A strike could mess that up as well. The Colombian government says that the strike is illegal. I’m not going to interject myself into Colombian politics, but I will say that they should resolve this right away for the sake of me. a map of the north and south america

Transfer MRs Today for Avios Bonus

thepointsoflife
-
0
Transfer MRs Today for Avios Bonus

I do not like transferring points out of my UR account or MR account randomly because we do not know when the program we are transferring to will experience a devaluation. This time I made an exception because 1) I have over 400k MR and 2) the bonus is big enough to insulate me from any devaluation. I decided to send over 45k MRs which resulted in 63k Avios with the 40% bonus. My British Avios balance is a healthy 125k, and I still have 53k Iberia along with another 100k Avios in the family account. These healthy balances will help me sleep well at night even though I do not have any imminent travel plans. Are you transferring any MRs before the midnight deadline?

an airplane wing and city in the air
Use Avios to get to and from Hong Kong

Jerry World: Dallas Trip Report Recap

thepointsoflife
-
0
Jerry World: Dallas Trip Report Recap

I think I visited Dallas when I was a kid but can’t remember exactly. Therefore, I’ll call this my first real trip to Dallas. I went to see Michigan play Florida in the college football season opener. Here is a recap of the Jerry World Trip Report:

  1. Michigan vs Florida: A Review Of Cowboy Stadiuma group of people in blue uniforms marching in a stadium
  2. Dallas, Texas: Food & Drink Party Guidea plate of food and a drink
  3. Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel Reviewa group of tall buildings with a round tower
  4. Sheraton Dallas Hotel Review a pool with chairs and a building in the backgroundOverall, it was a fun quick getaway. I’m happy college football is back.

Sheraton Dallas: The Biggest Hotel in North America?

thepointsoflife
-
6
Sheraton Dallas: The Biggest Hotel in North America?

The Sheraton Dallas Hotel Review is part of the Jerry World Trip Report to watch Michigan beat Florida at AT&T Stadium.

Getting There: Uber, unless it is surging. There is the DART option as well if you can tolerate a train ride with many stops.
According to the front desk, the Sheraton Dallas is the biggest hotel in North America. It has 1841 rooms which apparently is more than the MGM Grand Las Vegas. a tall building with many windows The Location The hotel is in a perfect location for going out in Dallas. I walked back from Deep Ellum which was a little over a mile and walked to Uptown which was only a few blocks. The Room  Have you ever turned down a suite upgrade? I did this time because it was a suite with two beds. Yes the room was bigger but I want that king. a bed with white sheets and pillows a bed with white sheets and a lamp a room with a desk and a tv a city with tall buildings The Extras 3 free bottles of water and a coffee machine were nice to have. a group of water bottles on a tray a coffee maker with two cups on a tray The Bathroom  The room had a more comfortable bed than the Hyatt but not as good of a shower. The soaps were not the typical soaps from Sheraton. I’m not sure if they are unique to this hotel or if this is the new rollout of soaps I read about. While they look better than the ugly brown bottles with elementary school font, they do not stack up to the Westin aloe soap. two glasses on a table a shower with a shelf and shower head a shower accessories on a shelf a bathroom with a mirror and sink Dogs Dallas has dogs everywhere. At the Hyatt Regency Dallas, plenty of guests had dogs. The Sheraton was the same. Unfortunately for me, my neighbor’s dog likes to bark all night and there’s nothing that could be done about it. The hotel offered to move my room but at midnight, who’s in the mood? The Gym I didn’t use the gym but I did take photos. The dumbbells go up to 100lbs. That’s legit. You’re not strong unless you can incline bench at least 100. The gym also had hammer strength machines, the best machines if you’re not doing free weights. a row of weights on a rack a gym with many exercise equipment a room with treadmills and exercise machines The Pool The pool was on the 4th floor on the roof. I passed on swimming because the water wasn’t clear. a tall building with a lamp post a pool with chairs and a building in the background a pool with lounge chairs and people in it a pool with a person standing next to it The Breakfast Breakfast is from 6 to 12 on the weekends. I didn’t go because of the Michigan Florida game and because I had an early flight the day after. Still, breakfast till 12 is awesome. The Lounge The lounge was picked. It had free beer and wine to drink. Salad, cheese, and fresh tacos were also available. a group of people sitting at tables in a room with a large window a plate of vegetables on a counter a plate of cheese and fruit a group of tortillas on a grill a group of people cooking food a plate of food on a plate Overall  I like the room at the Hyatt more but prefer the Sheraton for location.    

Hyatt Regency Dallas: 12 Hours of Straight Sleep

thepointsoflife
-
4
Hyatt Regency Dallas: 12 Hours of Straight Sleep

The Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel Review is part of the Jerry World Trip Report to watch Michigan beat Florida at AT&T Stadium.

Getting There: You can take the DART from DFW but it’s a bit faster to just hop in an Uber, unless it is surging.
When I was a young lad, my dream was to get a job as a consultant so I could fly for work. It seemed like the perfect way to travel and get paid. Now that I am on the road fighting the consumer arbitration fight (contact bachuwalaw.com if you have a dispute), I am not envious of those who are on the road most of the year. Just going from Montana to New York to Dallas was enough to put me on the PUP list. Fortunately, I had two nights at the comfortable Hyatt Regency Dallas where I put up the do not disturb and passed out for 12 hours. a sign in front of a building a group of tall buildings with a round tower The Inside The hotel interior reminded me of the Hyatt Chicago O’Hare, my favorite airport hotel. a framed newspaper with fireworks looking up at a building a tall building with a skylight a large glass window with people sitting at a counter The Suite Although the extra room was huge, I didn’t use it. Instead, I spent most of my time asleep. The one oddity about the suite setup is that it requires a separate key to access each room. At one point, I ended up locked out of the bedroom, delaying my return to zzz. a room with a television and a table a living room with a couch and a lamp a couch in a room a tv on a wall The Bedroom It was very nice of the hotel to put me in a one bedroom suite. The lounge chair was a nice touch. I spent the few hours I was awake in that chair sending angry emails to lawyers. a bed with a headboard and lamps a room with a bed and a chair a room with a television and a chair a highway with cars and a large building in the background The Bathroom  Sleep then shower and repeat. There were two showers to do this. a bathroom with a mirror and a sink a group of towels and a bag of cotton pads a bathroom with a glass shower door a group of bottles of shampoo and conditioner on a metal shelf a shower curtain in a bathroom The Extras  No espresso machine but the coffee machine did the job while I read the Texas magazine. a coffee machine and bottles of water on a table a book with a skull on it The Breakfast  I interrupted my slumber to check out the breakfast buffet. Too tired from travel, I could only muster enough energy to take one photo of the breakfast. Too tired from travel, I didn’t even go back for a second plate. a plate of food on a table a receipt with a pen on it The Hotel Itself  The hotel looks like Lego pieces clumsily pieced together. It is connected to the historic Reunion Tower which is the fifteen tallest building in Dallas. It’s not that tall so that should give you an idea of Dallas’s skyline. a tall glass buildings with a round tower Overall This was a very relaxing stay and a necessary recharge before I went to the Michigan vs Florida game at Cowboy Stadium.

Dallas, Texas: Food & Drink Party Guide

thepointsoflife
-
5
Dallas, Texas: Food & Drink Party Guide

Dallas is not the most entertaining city, but it does have a few spots that are worth checking out. TPOL breaks it down for you as only he can.

Arlington

It’s worth mentioning that Cowboy Stadium is in Arlington, not Dallas. There’s nothing to do in Arlington besides football, baseball, or Six Flags.
a stadium with lights on the roof
Deserted after the game

Uptown

Happy Hour: Nickel & Rye  During happy hour, for $5 you get craft cocktails that are normally $10. I recommend the Muay Thai. It’s spicy and satisfying. On Thursdays, a substantial size cheeseburger and fries are only $5. The happy crab dip, which was $6, is not the best. Nachos at $9 any time is a great choice. I should also mention that this is Dallas’s Michigan bar. Go Blue!a sign on a sidewalk a large yellow letter on a blue door a group of people sitting at tables outside a menu on a paper a plate of food and a drink
a couple of drinks on a table
Summertime Sadness left, Muay Thai right
a plate of nachos with cheese and vegetables Clutch This is the happening nightlife spot. It’s also infamous because of an incident involving Ezekiel Elliot.

Deep Ellum

After staying in uptown, it was time to get serious by going downtown. The area is called Deep Ellum and it consists of streets of bars and restaurants. a neon sign on a pole a group of people outside of a building

Pizza, Ice Cream, Donuts, Fried Chicken, Sushi

Pizza Serious Pizza  If you’re looking for late night pizza, get ready to wait in line. I couldn’t tell you how this Deep pizza stacks with Chicago deep (pun intended) because the queue was out the door. a sign on a building Ice Cream Chills 360 The same can be said about the hipster Coldstone (a defunct franchise). The line was crazy long and I couldn’t understand why. a sign on a building
a group of people in a room
This guy was mesmerized by the process.
Fried Chicken After a few beers, I was hungry again. Heeding the advice of a local, I went for fried chicken and habanero mac and cheese. The mac was on point. The chicken was crispy and delicious. I recommend going. a sign on a building a sign with text and words a sign on a brick wall a bowl of food with a fork Donuts  Glazed Donut Works For dessert, I stopped at a donut shop. It had a pretty display of donuts that I could not resist. A random local walked by and cautioned that the donuts looked better than they tasted. I ordered the chocolate one and a bottle of milk from the window. Indeed, the local was right. All presentation and no flavor for $4.50, I’ll stick to Dunkin’ Donuts. a plate of pastries with signs on it a chocolate donut with white dots on it Sushi Deep Sushi Returning from the game I wanted sushi. To no surprise, the name of the place was Deep Sushi. I ordered three rolls which were okay. I’m not a fan of pickled ginger. The difference between downtown and up were apparent. This place was hipster cool, all atmosphere and messy flavors. The alternative was Nobu in uptown, chain but clean and classy. a sign on a wall a group of people sitting at tables in a restaurant a plate of sushi on a table a plate of food on a table Pho  Pho Bowl  Unfortunately, the pho place was closed so I couldn’t add it to my pho reviews. a sign on a building

Bars in Deep Ellum

From death metal bars to hip-hop to breweries, Deep Ellum has something for everyone. Dots I went to Dots the first night. Dots is a beer garden with an extensive offering of brews from all over the world. I tried the Texas varieties which were very nice. a building with many windows a wall of black signs with writing a group of people sitting at tables with umbrellas and lights a stained glass window on a brick wall a group of people sitting in benches and a chandelier BrainDead Brewery The second night I went to BrainDead Brewery. I’m not a fan of IPAs so I appreciate the wider selection at Dots along with the beer garden atmosphere. a pink paper with black text on it a glass door of a store people sitting at a table with yellow stools and people sitting around two glasses of beer on a table a large metal container next to a row of beer taps The Pharmacy  a sign on a brick wall a group of people sitting at a counter Another interesting shop was The Pharmacy which served alcohol milkshakes. They were out the night I went so I can’t vouch for them. I had them before in Scottsdale and remember the belly ache. The combination of sugar and alcohol can’t produce good results.

Overall

I wouldn’t return to Dallas to party. I’d go back for the Super Bowl.

Uber Won’t Stop, Can’t Stop Surging!

thepointsoflife
-
9
Uber Won’t Stop, Can’t Stop Surging!
Disclaimer: I get Lyft credits if you sign up with Lyft. For those that have yet to sign up, why not support TPOL by signing up here?  When it rains, it complains, so might as well keep going off about Uber. I needed a ride to Arlington to see Michigan play at Cowboy Stadium. (I’m not going to call it AT&T Stadium.)‎ There was an expected surge because of the game and because of the fake gas crisis that social media created in response to Harvey. The price to the stadium is normally $26. The surge had it up to $64. Fans from both sides kept refreshing their app waiting for the cursed surge to end. It didn’t and was showing high on Lyft as well. After a coffee, I checked Lyft again and it had dropped down to $28. I invited a few Florida fans to join my ride and we arrived at Arlington for next to nothing. After the game, more tailgating was in order because we won and because the surge was astronomical. The price for both services had jumped up to $88. Instead of refreshing my app, I refreshed my beer and talked Michigan football. Two hours later, Uber had gone back down to $26, and I requested a ride. Thinking the aberrations were over, I requested an Uber to Dallas Love Field at 8AM. Mind you, there was no traffic and no one was around. Of course, Uber was surging at more than double. The app used to tell me the degree of surge. Now it’s like Delta.com. Who knows the ‘normal’ price. I switched to Lyft and found the rate to be $11. Out of habit I use Uber, but after this week it may be time to break that habit because Uber can’t stop, won’t stop surging. a screenshot of a map  

Michigan vs Florida: A Review Of Cowboy Stadium

thepointsoflife
-
0
Michigan vs Florida: A Review Of Cowboy Stadium
Disclaimer: I get paid if you use my affiliate link.  It will always be called Cowboy Stadium. I will never refer to Jerry World as AT&T Stadium. The magnificent complex, which is home to the underachieving Cowboys, cost 1.2 billion to build of which 325 million came from the taxpayers. I went for the first time to see Michigan play Florida. Although there were some tense moments, Michigan thoroughly dominated the game, much as they did last time they played Florida in the Citrus Bowl. The Tailgate Since this game was at a neutral site and in the isolated city of Arlington, I thought it best to pay for a tailgate party. For the ripoff price of $90, it was supposed to be all you can drink beer, margaritas, BBQ, and a photo with a celebrity. It ended up being an awkward wedding with strangers along with a DJ that played hits from SiriusXM on 9. a group of people standing in front of a stadium a large group of people sitting at tables in a room with a large screen The Stadium After doing the cha cha slide and getting funky, I headed to the stadium to take pictures. The place is massive and every other superlative from inside and out. a large building with cars and people in front of it a group of people outside of a stadium a man standing in front of a large building a large stadium with a large metal structure a group of people outside of a stadium a large stadium with cars parked in front of ita football stadium with people watching a game with AT&T Stadium in the background a large screen in a stadium with AT&T Stadium in the background a group of people in a stadium a group of people in blue uniforms marching in a stadium a large crowd of people in a stadiuma large stadium filled with people a large screen in a stadium with AT&T Stadium in the background a football field with people in the stands a football stadium with people on the field The Jumbotron  The key to attending a game at Cowboy Stadium is to avoid sitting too far up. If you do, you will spend your time staring at the jumbotron. While it is impressive in size, it is not as great as I once thought. TV’s have come so far since the stadium was built. The screen is more of a distraction than an attraction. a large screen in a stadium The Seats I was in section 103 row 3. The face value of the tickets was $200 but I paid $300 on SeatGeek, the easiest place to find tickets to any event. The seats were on the Florida side but near the Michigan endzone. I was right there watching as Michigan’s QB threw two pick 6’s and also overthrew Crawford on a poor fade pass. Unfortunately, when the action got to midfield, the camera man would obstruct my view. a football stadium with people in uniform a large stadium filled with people a football game in a stadium a football game in a stadium with AT&T Stadium in the background a man standing on a platform in a stadiuma football stadium with people in the stands with AT&T Stadium in the background The Game Itself  Michigan handled its business and came out ahead. We still have a ways to go, but things are looking up. a man in a sports uniform in a stadium The After Party  With Uber surging, I decided to make new friends. This was much more fun than the wedding tailgate. a man sitting in chairs next to a bus a bus parked in a parking lot Overall The stadium is certainly worth visiting. I wouldn’t go for a college opener again as the teams are still trying to sort out the X’s & O’s. I would return for a Lions/Cowboys playoff game, but what are the chances both get there? Next Up The next game I’m going to is Michigan vs Ohio State. Hope to you see you there! Go Blue! a group of tickets on a blue background  

Free AA Platinum Pro [Targeted]

thepointsoflife
-
1
Free AA Platinum Pro [Targeted]

My poor points friend has a balance of 44k AA miles. He has earned them the hard way– working. He was pretty excited that he will earn platinum on AA. As you probably know, I don’t fly enough to get any status. All the commuting from Montana to New York only has me half way to Delta Silver! That’s why I thought it was funny when I received this targeted promotion from American Airlines, offering me platinum pro status for a few months. I doubt I’ll utilize it, but at least I can make fun of my friend more. Check your inbox to see if you were targeted. a woman sitting in a chair on an airplane

Southwest Drink Coupons Winner!

thepointsoflife
-
0
Southwest Drink Coupons Winner!

Well that was a fun contest. The software gleam.io picked out a winner. And that winner is Craig Auker who poetically said, “I’m thirsty.” Thanks to everyone who participated. More contests to come. Peace

a man and woman holding glasses and a bottle of champagne
Cheers from Hong Kong!

1...144145146...298Page 145 of 298