Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Mount Gay Rum Tour: Drinking in the AM

thepointsoflife

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May 8, 2017

Real drinkers drink in the morning. I consider myself a real drinker which is why I went on a rum tasting tour on the way to the airport. The tour began promptly at 9:30AM at the oldest rum distillery in the world, Mount Gay. We initially signed up for the baby rum tour for $15 but upgraded to the signature tour for $10 more. That was the best decision of the trip. The tour begins with a rum punch and history of the distillery. This was followed by a short video. I paid attention in order to deliver the readers the inside stuff on how rum is made. Here are the key takeaways:

Mount Gay is the oldest rum brand in the world. It was started in 1703.
Rum is made from two ingredients: molasses & water.
It is distributed the most in the United States followed by Barbados.
It is made in Kentucky white oak barrels. Mount Gay buys them after they are used to make bourbon.
The rum starts clear. The charcoal effect of the barrel turns it amber. And it gets darker.
Barbados has 1800 rum shops. Some rum shops never shut and some open at 5am.
The man’s name, who purchased the Mount Gay plantation/distillery, is John Sober.
A bicycle drink is a shot of rum in a beer.

Following the video, we sampled a few kinds of rum. With no breakfast, I became buzzed almost instantly. That made it hard to comprehend what the tour guide was saying. (Think ouzo shot scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.) After the tour was over, we headed downstairs for the premium part of the tour. We were given a private sampling of five different types of rum including the heralded 1703 rum which goes for hundreds of dollars a bottle. Basically hammered at this point, we ordered two drinks to go and headed for the airport. Next stop Trinidad. Mount Gay Rum: There’s a Time and a Place.

Should I Move to Ko Samui? Vote Now

thepointsoflife

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May 6, 2017

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Vote Where TPOL Moves Next! And I’ll Go There, the run-off election, continues with Koh Samui on the list. I just got off the island of Barbados. And as lovely as it was, I don’t think I’m ready to live on an island. I need the nightlife of the night, not just the tranquility of the day. Ko Samui might be tolerable for a few months because there are direct flights to Hong Kong and Bangkok, and there’s the full moon party right across the way in Ko Phangan. Here are the other cities on the list and the poll:

#	City	Country	Cost of Living per month	Temperature in December (Celsius)	Internet Speed (mbps)	Safety	Nomad Score
1	Taipei	Taiwan	$1,862	20	20	100%	100%
2	Kaohsiung	Taiwan	$1,456	21	10	100%	84%
3	Coimbra	Portugal	$1,762	16	29	100%	84%
4	Las Palmas, Gran Canaria	Spain	$1420	21	24	85%	91%
5	Braga	Portugal	$1343	15	39	82%	93%
6	Aveiro	Portugal	$1883	14	23	82%	73%
7	Porto	Portugal	$1658	16	26	80%	100%
8	Ko Samui	Thailand	$1400	30	15	80%	86%
9	Lisbon	Portugal	$1949	15	11	80%	78%
10	Bangkok	Thailand	$1123	31	40	79%	93%

Barbados BBQ: Delicious!

thepointsoflife

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May 3, 2017

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It was a Bank Holiday in Barbados which meant no rum crawl. That was the bad news. The good news was the celebration of food. Instead of going to an overpriced restaurant, we went to a food stall right off the beach and did not move. Local rice, chicken wings, and ribs were on the menu. I kept ordering more and washing it down with the best ginger ale I’ve ever had.

Barbados Cruising Club: Home Sweet Home

thepointsoflife

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May 3, 2017

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I just wrote about the ugly side of beach clubs in Barbados. Now it is time to write about the nice side. I spent two days and one night at the Barbados Cruising Club mingling with the members and trying many drinks on the menu.

First, let’s start with the magic coffee. If you’re looking for caffeinated crack to get the day started right with a touch of alcohol, be sure to ask the bartender for his special blend. From there, we ordered a Pina Colada and a Bloody Mary. That may have been the best Bloody Mary of all time despite its simplicity in presentation. The Pina Colada was good but is not worthy of the Top Pina Coladas List. The caipirinha and rum runner were pretty good, and the daiquiri was refreshing. The local draft beers are nothing special. Still, nothing is better than day drinking with a view of the ocean.

Drinks are not the only thing on the menu, guest members can eat too. We had a chicken wrap, fries, fish sandwich, and the best burger on the island. It was meat and cheese but absolutely delicious.

Besides food and drink, the reason to go or even join the club is the people. The bartenders told us where to go out and were pleasant. The sambuca based shot one bartender made for me was not. The people, both expats and locals, were fun to drink with. We met 8th generation people from Barbados, and a character who used to live in Luxembourg if you’re looking for some expat tax advice (or see my TPG article).

Beach Clubs in Barbados: A Tainted History

thepointsoflife

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May 2, 2017

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Beach Clubs in Barbados: A Tainted History

The social issues that island nations face is something that does not receive publicity. When I was in the Cayman Islands, locals and expats alike gave accounts of the friction between those from the island and those that now called it home. Along the beach in Barbados are private yacht clubs and beach clubs that say “members only.” ‎The one to the right of the Radisson is the Barbados Yacht Club. It is an uppity establishment with a tennis court and members who look like their other country club is a golf course in Bushwood. If you’re not a member there, you’re not allowed to order a drink or use the barge located a few meters in the blue ocean. TPOL violated the rules and swam out to record this video. I went to the Barbados Cruising Club. Anyone is welcome to join and those that are not members do not have to pay a premium to go in. All you have to do is sign in the guest book. I asked a local about the Barbados Yacht Club, and he informed me that it was started by the British and it limited its membership to whites only. According to the local, it began accepting everyone in 1965, but from what I saw the club was not very diverse. Although it was not as overt as South Africa, there is racial tension. It is something that tourists choose to ignore. It’s much easier to come to the island, take in the sun, have a drink, and pretend that you are in paradise rather than acknowledge that problems exist.

Don’t Let National Holidays Mess With Your Trip

thepointsoflife

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May 2, 2017

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Monday was a bank holiday in Barbados. Most of the businesses were closed including the rum distilleries. That was bad news for TPOL who could not go on a rum crawl as he intended. Overlooking public holidays is something that has been an issue before. In Doha, I was upgraded to the biggest room at the W. When the front desk called to ask if I was impressed with the room, he said that there was no alcohol served anywhere in Qatar because it was Muhammad’s birthday. In Belgrade, I did not know that the military museum was closed on Monday. As a result, I couldn’t see the remnants of the stealth fighter that was shot down. I’m sure there are other examples which I have chosen to forget. I highly recommend checking the holiday schedule before arriving at a new destination. When I travel to many places in one trip, it is something I overlook to my detriment.

JetBlued to Barbados

thepointsoflife

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May 2, 2017

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‎Hello from Barbados.

I just took the red-eye flight from JFK here. The flight is four hours and fifty minutes. For a cost of 7800 points, I was fine flying economy. I slept most of the way thanks to the soothing voice of Anderson Cooper. That doesn’t mean that the journey was comfortable. Switching through all positions of the Airplane Kama Sutra left me more exhausted than when I started my journey. The final hurdle before much needed rest and relaxation is trying to check into the hotel at 5am.

Delta Gives Points for Delays

thepointsoflife

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May 1, 2017

6

The worst thing about Montana besides perpetual winter is coming back to Montana. Besides Vegas, there aren’t many direct flights to Montana. Even if you can find one, it will be on Allegiant from a second tier airport.

Last time I was coming and going to NY I experienced delay after delay. I was stuck in Cincinnati which is actually in Kentucky for hours on the way to NY. I was stuck on the tarmac from JFK to SLC on the way back. The annoying part of the outbound flight was the availability of a flight to EWR that was on time. Because of my ticket class, I wasn’t able to fly stand-by. The irritating part about the return is just sitting there wondering if we would ever take off.

Being the points hoarder that I am, I complained on delta.com about both incidents. One week later, Delta gave me 9000 points cumulatively. A flight from Montana to NYC ranges from $200 to $600 or 11,500 points. The credit was more than fair and probably one of the best domestic redemptions (cash to points) ‎using SkyKyat.

Olive Garden Times Square: Real Italian Food

thepointsoflife

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May 1, 2017

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Since I’m going to Naples in a week, I figured that the best way to get acclimated to authentic Italian cuisine was to head to the Olive Garden in Times Square. Nothing says New York like Times Square. And nothing says Italian food like the internationally acclaimed Olive Garden. The View Without a reservation, TPOL strolled into the Olive Garden and was given the best seat in the house. The price of admission during New Years is $500+. Lucky diners who get my table have a great view of Times Square. Revelers can enjoy all the salad and bread sticks their hearts desire, but are not allowed to leave the restaurant. There are trade-offs in life. The Wine If you’re looking for fine Italian Pinot Grigio then order a bottle of Costco’s favorite, Cavit. Costco sells the 1.75 L bottle for $13. The Olive Garden sells the standard 750 mL for $27. Salad & Breadsticks What’s better than Olive Garden’s salad and bread sticks? Nothing. Especially with extra, fresh Parmesan. The Soup I prefer the minestrone but the zuppa toscana (translated to Tuscany Soup) is a crowd pleaser. The Tour of Italy For the main course, we had the tour of Italy. I began to wonder why I am wasting my time flying coach to Naples when the very best of Italy could be had right here in NY. Lasagna, fettucini alfredo, and chicken parm were perfectly prepared. Dessert And what’s dinner without dessert? That small piece of chocolate is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. The Bill All of this magic was only $71. Unlike with Uber, I left a hefty tip. Overall Don’t bother going to Italy. Go to the Olive Garden. And not just any Olive Garden, go to the one in Times Square, the best place to be in NYC.

Don't fall for tourist trap Italy when the real cuisine is in NYC. — Don’t fall for tourist trap Italy when the real cuisine is in Times Square.

And The Award for Biggest Party Goes to…Freddies

thepointsoflife

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May 1, 2017

4

Forget the Oscars. The real party is the Freddie Awards. This is my second year going, and I will certainly be returning for a third. As a travel blogger, I’m not interested in the winners. My favorite hotels are SPG and Hyatt. My favorite airline is any one that is free in business. The event is special because of the people who attend. After BACON, I’ve met most of the bloggers in person. For those that I did not meet before, it was fun to play the game ‘And what’s the name of your blog?’ Besides the BA bloggers, there were other travel writers and their friends who redefined the meeting of last call. (FirstClassQueen, not to name any names). The list also includes my new friends from Rio, Mestre das Milhas, who brought Brazilian chocolates to my delight. Finally, it is interesting to meet people in the industry: the brand managers from hotels, banks, and airlines were there, ready to answer any questions. “How can I stay/fly for free?” is a question that mystifies them. Getting to the Freddies was an adventure and waking up this morning was a struggle. (Special thanks to a BA buddy for letting me crash in his room haa.) All in all, it was a fun experience and I look forward to ~~going~~ presenting next year.