My friend was approved for the CSR after previously being rejected. Since yesterday was the last day of the 100k sign up bonus, I thought there was a chance that 5/24 was being overlooked and there was a chance that I would get one past the goalie.
Last time when I applied, I was rejected immediately. This time Chase said it needed more information. Too impatient to wait for a result, I called recon and was told within seconds that I was rejected and was given the 5/24 reason.
When will the madness end? I still think approval is a bad thing.
Anyone pull of the heist of the century and get approved despite 5/24? Keep it to yourself.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Rejected Again
Malindo Air Review: US Discount Carriers Take Note
The Malindo Air Flight Review is part of The Year of the Monkey Trip Report which covers the following places:
- New York, New York
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Guangzhou, China
- Hong Kong
- Shenzhen, China
- Sanya, China
The Delay: Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur I had one hour to make my connection when I arrived in KL. We were delayed on the runway for an hour so I was sure I would miss the connection. The flight attendant told me that when we arrived someone would be waiting for me at the gate with instructions on how to proceed. Nothing is worse than sitting on a plane trying to come up with contingencies for a missed flight. With no Internet, I could not look up if Malindo had later flights to Kota Kinabalu. Instead of worrying, I spent my time, as every blogger should, taking pictures of the in-flight service.
The Seats
If you thought Allegiant is cramped, fly Malindo Air. The only other plane I recall with less room is EasyJet.
The Food
I was reading the in-flight magazine which featured a famous singer that was interviewed about flying Malindo Air. She commented on the food and the cupcakes and how she had asked for another one because it was so delicious.
It actually was really good but the hot dog was a bit strange.
The Entertainment
American carriers take note. This budget airline has free in-flight entertainment. That makes the cramped seats much more tolerable.
The Connection: KUL-BKI
We landed well after my KUL-BKI boarding time. I didn’t bother pushing my way through other passengers because I had accepted that there was no way I would make my connection unless my flight to BKI was delayed.
As the flight attendant mentioned, there was someone waiting for me outside the jetway with news on my Kota flight. She told me that I would have to go through immigration and come back to the same gate and wait for the ground crew to clean the plane before we could leave.
Initially confused, I quickly realized that I was never in danger of missing my connection as the plane I took to KL was the same one that was headed to BKI.
Overall
A few minutes later, I was at the gate waiting to get back on the same plane. This time in addition to the yummy muffin, I also had a pretty good pizza thing.
Priority Pass Jakarta Lounge Review: Yuck
The Priority Pass Jakarta Lounge Review is part of The Year of the Monkey Trip Report which covers the following places:
- New York, New York
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Guangzhou, China
- Hong Kong
- Shenzhen, China
- Sanya, China
I flew Malindo Air from Jakarta to Kota Kinabalu. At CGK’s smaller terminal, I passed the time at the Priority Pass lounge. Obviously, a lounge is better than no lounge but this one was worthless. The Food It was gross. Look at the photos:
The Drinks
No drinks until noon! Unless you count the juice.
The Seating
There were plenty of places to sit which was good because the terminal was crowded.
Overall
I always want to know before I get to the airport what lounges are available but seldom find reviews on smaller ones. Writing these reviews, no matter how brief, may be useful to someone flying out of Jakarta. That person will know to have a beer ahead of getting to the airport in the morning, something I wish I would have done.
Tugu Kunstkring Paleis: Where To Eat In Jakarta
The Tugu Kunstkring Paleis Restaurant Review is part of The Year of the Monkey Trip Report which covers the following places:
- New York, New York
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Guangzhou, China
- Hong Kong
- Shenzhen, China
- Sanya, China
If you’re looking for authentic Indonesian food and want more than what is offered in the Grand Hyatt Jakarta lounge or what your tinder date recommends, I highly suggest going to Tugu Kunstkring Paleis. A family friend lives in Jakarta and took me there to get a taste of local food. Instead of ordering a la carte, we ordered a family style spread that included soup, salad, main courses, and dessert. I wish I could tell you the names of what was what but I have no idea. All I know is that it was delicious and to be on the lookout for the hot peppers. The restaurant used to be immigration office when Indonesia was a Dutch colony. The artwork and decoration were remarkable.
Tinder: It’s Not Just For Sex
If you’re looking for a million dollar idea, I suggest building a Tinder app for travelers in a relationship where there is no expectation of sex. Apart from using this post to defend themselves, Tinder subscribers will find it tough sledding to convince their partner that their Tinder use is purely to learn the local spots for eating, drinking, and partying. But that (in addition to sex) is what Tinder can do.
When I was in Jakarta, I was clueless about where to go for good nightlife. The Grand Hyatt recommended some boring expat bars because somehow they, like most luxury hotels, think that Westerners come to hang out with other Westerners and dine at Western restaurants. While hotels only recommend expat bars, the taxis only recommend hooker bars. Clearly the overwhelming majority of locals are not going to either.
With no good options, I turned to Google for advice. Since TPOL had not written a guide for partying in Jakarta, the search results were useless. Meanwhile, my new Australian friend that I met in the club lounge, was receiving great feedback on Tinder. By feedback, I don’t mean matches based on his good looks, I mean recommendations on where to go out.
As it turned out, the place to be on a Friday night was a club called Immigrant. It was in the mall connected to our hotel, something that the Grand Hyatt failed to mention, despite its proximity. I’m not sure if my friend ever met up with his matches but what I found was a normal club with great music that was not overrun by expats and working girls.
Had I hopped on Tinder, I’m sure I wouldn’t be given the benefit of the doubt that I was using it for the wholesome reason to find where to go out. That’s why I’m asking for Kickstarter funding to launch the platonic version of Tinder. Let’s call it Iskender, after its Arab founder, Alexander, aka TPOL.
Uber Motorbike Jakarta! What Could’ve Been A Great Story
I rationalize doing many things ‘for the blog’. Caviar and vodka tour in Russia? For the blog. Impromptu trip to Abu Dhabi? For the blog.
That’s why while I was in Jakarta, I had to try out Uber motor. Taking motorbikes from strangers in SE Asia is the norm but this would have been an Uber motorbike. For $2, I booked a motorbike to take me to the Garuda office in an effort to capitalize on the sale.
Unfortunately, I never could connect with the Uber driver and I ended up taking a taxi. I wasted so much time waiting for Uber that I missed out on the sale of the decade. And now, all I have is this lousy post to show for it.
Grand Hyatt Jakarta: It’s Where to Stay
Getting There: There is Uber in Jakarta but I could not connect with my driver. From the airport, I suggest taking our favorite card of yesteryear, Bluebird. It cost 180,000 rupiah or $13.49 to get to the hotel.
Have you ever been to Jakarta? Do you want to go? If so, be prepared for traffic, and lots of it. I went to Java to check it off my country count list for my quest to reach 100 ‘countries’. I had no expectations of what the city would be like. Many people who had been there did not have anything to say about it, one way or another.
The Location
As a launching place for my adventure, I stayed at the Grand Hyatt. That proved to be the best idea as everything I did was near the hotel. That is very convenient in a city where gridlock never ends.
The Security
Bomb sniffing dogs, reinforced gates, and metal detectors are the norm in many hotels in Jakarta. There is intense security to get into the Grand Hyatt from the main entrance. On the other hand, the entrances from the mall have lax security. I’m not sure if the extra security makes a difference or if it’s for show but it’s definitely visible.
The Hotel Itself
It’s a massive property that was lavishly decorated for Christmas.
The Suite Upgrade
I used a diamond suite upgrade and received a room that was too big. My friend was staying with me in this gigantic space and they brought him a roll away hospital bed. It did not match the grandeur of the room.
The Bedroom
The Closet
There was a walk in closet that connected the master bedroom to the bathroom. It was a huge waste of space unless you are planning on moving in.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was very nice. The rain shower is something I need at home. Why live better on the road?
The Gym
I’ve finally been able to travel and workout. The gym at this hotel was fully equipped. It even had a leg press.
The Pool
Like the Park Hyatt Saigon, the pool at the Grand Hyatt Jakarta provided solitude from the madness outside the hotel.
The Mall
As I said, there is a luxury mall connected to the hotel and two other malls next to that. I’ll never understand the fascination with malls but there are many near the hotel in case you want to drop $5000 on a Hermes handbag.
The Club Lounge
Some people think that bloggers have a duty to take pictures of the included breakfast. TPOL is not a fan of breakfast and I often skip the most important meal of the day. What I did not skip was the happy hour at the lounge which had a great selection of food. From mini burgers to noodles, the food made going to dinner superfluous. Since it was Christmas, the hotel brought in a choir of children to perform a Christmas concert, the only time I’ve enjoyed kids in the lounge.
The Breakfast
Unable to sleep, I checked out the breakfast on the club floor. I like when hotels offer either the club lounge or the standard buffet as the club selection is very limited. Here, the club lounge breakfast was great but not spectacular.
Overall
The convenience of the location and the amenities make the Grand Hyatt the clear choice for where to stay in Jakarta.
Have you ever been to Jakarta? Do you want to go? If so, be prepared for traffic, and lots of it. I went to Java to check it off my country count list for my quest to reach 100 ‘countries’. I had no expectations of what the city would be like. Many people who had been there did not have anything to say about it, one way or another.
The Location
As a launching place for my adventure, I stayed at the Grand Hyatt. That proved to be the best idea as everything I did was near the hotel. That is very convenient in a city where gridlock never ends.
The Security
Bomb sniffing dogs, reinforced gates, and metal detectors are the norm in many hotels in Jakarta. There is intense security to get into the Grand Hyatt from the main entrance. On the other hand, the entrances from the mall have lax security. I’m not sure if the extra security makes a difference or if it’s for show but it’s definitely visible.
The Hotel Itself
It’s a massive property that was lavishly decorated for Christmas.
The Suite Upgrade
I used a diamond suite upgrade and received a room that was too big. My friend was staying with me in this gigantic space and they brought him a roll away hospital bed. It did not match the grandeur of the room.
The Bedroom
The Closet
There was a walk in closet that connected the master bedroom to the bathroom. It was a huge waste of space unless you are planning on moving in.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was very nice. The rain shower is something I need at home. Why live better on the road?
The Gym
I’ve finally been able to travel and workout. The gym at this hotel was fully equipped. It even had a leg press.
The Pool
Like the Park Hyatt Saigon, the pool at the Grand Hyatt Jakarta provided solitude from the madness outside the hotel.
The Mall
As I said, there is a luxury mall connected to the hotel and two other malls next to that. I’ll never understand the fascination with malls but there are many near the hotel in case you want to drop $5000 on a Hermes handbag.
The Club Lounge
Some people think that bloggers have a duty to take pictures of the included breakfast. TPOL is not a fan of breakfast and I often skip the most important meal of the day. What I did not skip was the happy hour at the lounge which had a great selection of food. From mini burgers to noodles, the food made going to dinner superfluous. Since it was Christmas, the hotel brought in a choir of children to perform a Christmas concert, the only time I’ve enjoyed kids in the lounge.
The Breakfast
Unable to sleep, I checked out the breakfast on the club floor. I like when hotels offer either the club lounge or the standard buffet as the club selection is very limited. Here, the club lounge breakfast was great but not spectacular.
Overall
The convenience of the location and the amenities make the Grand Hyatt the clear choice for where to stay in Jakarta.
VPN: A Necessary Hotel Amenity in China
TPOL was blocked in China!
I’ve been trying to publish reviews as quickly as possible because I won’t do it when I get home. The plan was thrown off when my laptop charger gave out, leaving me with a limited WordPress app.
Everything was back on track until I went to China. Unlike my hotels in Guangzhou and the St. Regis in Shenzhen, The Grand Hyatt Shenzhen was not built with a big, beautiful door to circumvent The Great Fire Wall. Much of the Internet was off limits. My law firm’s website which is built on WordPress was still accessible but wp-admin for BoardingArea was not. What’s worse is not being able to access Gmail and its apps from my laptop. My friend recommended a VPN but I couldn’t get to the site to download it.
Back in Hong Kong, I thought I’d post this before I get to Sanya where I may or may not experience the same problem. It depends on how the hotel has its Wi-Fi setup.
Just like foreign hotels have adapters for outlets, they should also have a VPN in place for guests who don’t bring one with them.
Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge KL: Damn Good Soup
The Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge Review is part of The Year of the Monkey Trip Report which covers the following places:
- New York, New York
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Guangzhou, China
- Hong Kong
- Shenzhen, China
- Sanya, China
The Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge is a lounge that does not receive enough attention in the points world. This is the second time I have had the pleasure of going to the lounge in KL airport. The first time was a part of my $77,000 Trip Heard Round The World. And let me tell you, it is pretty damn good this time around.
The Soup
I love soup. I, as many of you know, love pho. At the Golden Lounge, there is a chef that prepares two different styles of soup. One is traditional Malay soup and the other was wonton soup. As the fat man in the lounge, I had to sample both.
The Breakfast
The standard buffet was nothing great apart from the hash browns.
The Seating Area
There’s plenty of places to sit whether it be in the dining area or by the bar.
Overall
If you’re looking for a nice place to relax while you wait for your inter-Asia flight, check out the Golden Lounge.
Malaysia Airlines: Business Class Review in SE Asia
The Malaysia Airlines Flight Review is part of The Year of the Monkey Trip Report which covers the following places:
- New York, New York
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Guangzhou, China
- Hong Kong
- Shenzhen, China
- Sanya, China
It’s hard to write about flying Malaysia Airlines without thinking about the tragedy of MH 370. Following my CNN interview, my new best friend, Richard Quest, was kind enough to send my father and sister an autographed copy of his book on the subject. Even with all the experts weighing in, the mystery remains unsolved. From a business perspective, it is interesting to see how Malaysia Airlines has responded to both 370 and 17. The carrier services much of SE Asia so it is too big to fail. At the same time, it’s impossible to ignore what has happened. With no easy way to transition, here is a quick review of my flight from BKK-KUL and KUL-CGK.
The Staff
The flight attendants couldn’t be nicer. They greeted me warmly and constantly checked in on me even though both flights were brief.
The Champagne
Is this what flight reviews have come to? Indeed they have and I will say that the champagne was not good.
The Food
I didn’t eat from BKK-KUL but had a nice breakfast from KUL-CGK.
The Seat
It was a typical business class short-haul seat. I passed on both flights due to exhaustion of too many legs and not enough proper rest.
Overall
I could lie and say that I didn’t think of 370 while flying Malaysia. It wasn’t on my mind because I was worried about safety. It’s impossible not think about how a 777 can go missing and, years later, still not be found. Besides that, it was a typical business class experience.
