The flight is available. The hotel can confirm your suite upgrade. All the stars are aligned so you book. It’s only after making this arrangement that it dawns on you that perhaps you should’ve checked the weather for when you are traveling. You Google “Weather in . . . February”. Your heart sinks when you see that the worst time to travel to [INSERT BEACH SPOT] are the exact dates that you have selected. Obstinate, you research the historical trends for the last ten years for the exact GPS coordinates of your hotel. Sadly, there has been a constant drizzle in that very spot the majority of the time but a couple of years ago it was partly cloudy.
Do you go? If you’re a lover of rain then absolutely. If you’re a bad gambler who believes that it will be sunny this time around, then you proceed. Finally, if you are lazy and you can’t be bothered to change your perfect reservation, you rationalize that weather isn’t that important and stick to the plan. When you do arrive and it is indeed raining, don’t complain about being stuck in your room.
That exaggerated example is another attempt to explain to my friend that there are certain places in the world that are not worth visiting when there is a credible risk of a terrorist attack. A couple of months ago, I wrote a post calling for the Arab World to take on ISIS in Istanbul. The backlash of the misinterpreted post was that TPOL is ‘letting the terrorists win’ by suggesting that tourists shouldn’t visit Turkey. While the post has little to do with tourism, I was called a coward by many who probably never leave the United States in the first place.
This time the debate is centered on the prudence of going to Tunisia, a beautiful country in North Africa with stunning beaches. Unknown to most, the failed Arab Spring began in Tunisia when a banana vendor set himself on fire in protest to the government’s interference with his business. In January 2015, 38 people were killed Riu Imperial Marhaba and Soviva, Port El Kantaoui, Sousse when Islamic militants opened fire.
I’m going to be as deliberate as possible in analyzing if I would go to a place like Tunisia. First, it has to be stated that innocent people lost their lives while on holiday because of the action of cowards. I need to make this point clear because regardless if your plans aren’t changed by terrorist or terrorist threats, innocent people were actually killed by these extremists.
With no great transition, I’m going to shift the discussion as to why I would not go to Tunisia tomorrow. (Tunisia in this case represents a number of countries which were popular tourist destinations that have become increasingly unstable.)It is not because I am scared of a terrorist attack. It is not because I am letting the terrorists win. It is for the selfish, simple, and superficial reason that I do not think it would be fun. Security hassles, a city on lock down, and a populous on edge is not my idea of a good time. I experienced something similar when I went to Sharm el-Sheikh only days after the Russian jetliner was downed by ISIS. I ended up in a ghost town with the few remaining tourists noticeably nervous. Nobody was talking about going to Space or Pacha for a night of debauchery. The conversation was centered around the safety of the hotel, if terrorists would, like they did in Mumbai, attack from the unsecured beach, and how countries like Britain were having a mandatory evacuation for its citizens. That situation along with the worst food poisoning of my life made the trip to Sharm terrible.
In sharp contrast to visiting a party destination, the explorer in me would like to go back to my parent’s home country of Iraq. I would love to see where my parents grew up, eat at local restaurants, and experience what life is really like there at present. I recognize that it isn’t the safest place in the world and I would be as vigilant as possible, even if this would do little to prevent something catastrophic from happening. That heightened awareness is something that is necessary when going into a war zone. It is not something that I would want to deal with when going on vacation. For example, when I went to Cancun, I appreciated that I could have three yard glasses at Senor Frogs, stumble home, and the chances of something bad happening to me may not have been 0% but were relatively low.
Today in Tunisia, that carefree attitude would not be possible. And until it is, I’m going to take my liver somewhere else where it can be more inefficiently utilized.
Would You Travel During the Rainy Season?
How to Get to Asia in 2017
It struck me as I booked my New Years trip to Asia that this will be the last time in life I will fly Cathay first. Dramatics aside, TPOL is concerned that flying to Asia on points, his favorite use of miles, has become untenable.
United which used to have the best award program charges 80k for one way in business or 130k in first. American which was my second favorite will charge 70k for one way in business and 110k in first. Delta will charge whatever it feels like charging on any given day depending on the mood of its computers.
This leaves Alaska as the only U.S. air carrier that has partners with international flights. Besides applying for Alaska card after Alaska card and transferring to partners, a strategy that came to an abrupt halt for me, it isn’t easy to replenish the Alaska cache. Transfers from SPG to Alaska are possible but getting SPG points via the churn process is no longer possible. It’s quite remarkable to see that the list of airlines in the US that provide global travel is so limited due to mergers.
An alternative is to fly Singapore Air. The issue with SQ is availability and the fuel surcharges which, like paying for gift cards to hit mins, may become a cost of doing business. If you do find availability on SQ first (suite or 777) from JFK to SIN, the cost in miles for first is 94,000. This isn’t outrageous in comparison to AA or United but the issue is still churnability. MRs, URs, TYs, all transfer to the KrisFlyer program but Amex and Chase have told points people that their business is no longer welcome. Perhaps you’ve accumulated a few hundred thousand of those points but absent a recession, change in policy, or category spend, those currencies are gone once they are gone. While I’ve heard good things about KoreanAir, a Chase transfer partner, transferring points there presents the same problem as flying SQ.
What is the solution apart from flying coach or continuing to complain? First, I need to do more research into other programs that were previously overlooked hoping that this whole time I’ve been missing something. That’s a long shot but I’m left with few options. Next, I need to take a break from flying first and maximize my time in business. For example, SQ from JFK-FRA-SIN is 72,250 KrisFlyer miles and an annoying $397.27 in taxes. Simultaneously and most importantly, I need to forget the old award chart prices. They are gone. The new price for AA business class is 70k with no fuel surcharges. That is starting to sound like a good deal. Finally, 2017 may be a good time to change it up and look to South America for trips. I’ve only been to Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. There are many Country Count destinations that can distract me while I plot my new approach to free first-class travel to Asia in 2018.
Ultimately, if things get really desperate, it may be time to move back to Asia, so long as it is not Mongolia.
AirlineRatings.Com: Surprising, Both Good And Bad
After completing my wild award booking to and from Asia for this December, I briefly started looking at inter-Asia flights. My favorite low-budget carrier is AirAsia but passengers need to know that all AirAsia subsidiaries are not created equal. According to the website airlineratings.com, AirAsia Indonesia has a safety rating of 1/7 while AirAsia Malaysia was given a 4/7. To put that into perspective, Allegiant Airlines, often ridiculed by me and others, received a 5/7.
Besides regional carriers for my Asia booking, I was also trying to find a way to get from Morocco to Amman so I can catch my Etihad Apartment flight this fall. With no efficient route, I may scrap the Morocco segment but I did see the option to fly Ukraine International which connects in Kiev en route to Jordan for only $140 from AMS. I incorrectly assumed that this was not a safe airline because I had never heard of it. Indeed it receives a 6.7 safety rating.
Airlineratings.com provides a reference if you are booking a flight on an airline of which you are unfamiliar. If that airline is considered safe then you can rest easy. If it has a lower ranking but you are familiar with it, chances are you will dismiss the safety rankings as unimportant.
I will continue to fly AirAsia Malaysia because my personal experience has been positive and that is enough for me to rationalize that it is safe. At the same time, I would book a flight on Ukraine International because of its rating.
Thoughts anyone?
Push It To The Limit! Pre AA Devaluation Booked
If you’re a nerd like me then you are enjoying the posts about booking a flight to and from Asia before the AA devaluation. If you aren’t enjoying these posts, then there’s a strong possibility that you don’t read my blog anyway. Still, I thought I would insert that sentence in your honor. The Trip Report appropriately called The Year of the Monkey hasn’t even got off the ground and already I have four posts on the flight planning including this one. They include:
- Cathay First Booked: Dates TBD, Imagination Required
- Cathay First Booked: Date Determined, Persistence Required
- The Marginal Return of Booking An Added Segment
The Marginal Return of Booking An Added Segment
I’m on hold with AA today for the fourth time. I’m talking to a nice agent and I’m at peace from the hold music because it is barely audible. The reason I’m calling AA again is because I want to improve my reservation. The first rule in making an awards reservation is to lock up the long-haul portion. That was done. I have JFK-YVR-HKG-BKK all in Cathay first. This includes the flight from HKG-BKK meaning I will get to enjoy the Champagne Bar after all. For the return segment, I originally had HKG-EWR in business class.
More impressed by my departing segment than my return, I decided to search for additional segments for my flight back from Hong Kong. The reason is two-fold: First, why not stretch the value of your precious miles to the limit? Second, TPOL is a man of adventure. Besides playing the Country Count Game in order to reach the century mark, there is a separate thrill that comes from visiting new places.
Here are the countries within Asia Region 2 that could be added to my return segment while still preserving the 55k mile requirement.
The only ones I have not visited are Guam, Java (since Bali is a separate territory from Indonesia according to the TCC), Saipan, and Borneo. (I’ve been to Brunei (Borne) and Malaysia proper (Kuala Lumpur) but Indonesia Borneo and Myanmar Borneo are also considered separate countries.)
I tried to book Guam or Saipan but of course there was no availability. In order to maximize miles and memories, I elected to fly from Kota Kinabalu (Borneo in Malaysia) to Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong. I will also find a way to get to Jakarta (Java, Indonesia) in between arriving in Bangkok and departing Asia so I can check that off of the list. Remaining true to TPOL’s Travel philosophy, I will spend the required 3-4 days in each new destination.
Cathay First Booked: Date Determined, Persistence Required
It may be Saturday night in NYC but all I can think about is an evening in December when TPOL will actually take flight. This morning I booked an imaginary flight from JFK to HKG via Vancouver with service to BKK to get one more round of luxury before the much ado about something, AA devaluation. I also booked a separate business class ticket from HKG back to America. The problem with the reservation was that the departing ticket came a month after the return ticket.
My plan was to change the departing flight later this year when the flight became available while preserving the glorious rate of 67,500 AAdvantage miles + $34.50 for 21 hours of Cathay First. Not fond of uncertainty and obviously obsessed, I kept searching for a flight that I actually would take. Dealing with British Airways slow search can drive a sane man insane. Well my friends, I can happily say that this Saturday night was not wasted as I found that ticket and it is now mine, all mine.
The best part of the phone call was the AA representative telling me that I would have an hour on the ground in Vancouver which would allow me the chance to get off the plane, should I so desire.
I will most certainly waive that option.
Cathay First Booked: Dates TBD, Imagination Required
The criticism I receive for points travel is that I could not afford to perpetuate the lifestyle if I had to pay for my flights. I do not have to tell my points brethren why this hotels.com, captain obvious, analysis is stupid. I will add that even when TPOL makes it big, I’m not going to spend $12,000 to fly to Hong Kong and feel good about it. With Devaluation Day quickly approaching, the opportunity to go to my favorite continent in class is going to be taken away from me.
Therefore, like everyone who went through the same ordeal with Hyatt DSUs, TPOL searched British Airways forwards and backwards with flights origination from Chicago, New York, Newark, Los Angeles, and San Francisco for a pre New Year departure in first class. There was absolutely nothing available for the entire month of December. The next step was to check the month of January. I didn’t want to search for anything before December because Cathay opens up first class close to the departure date making a booking in November or a prior month a solution for now but a headache later.
Again, there was nothing. That is until I clicked on a certain magical date and found the following:
Le Méridien Ile Maurice: An Affordable Option in Mauritius
Le Méridien Ile Maurice Hotel Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Melbourne, Australia
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Sydney, Australia
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Maldives
- Saigon, Vietnam
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Hong Kong
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Knysna, South Africa
- Durban, South Africa
- Mauritius
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Doha, Qatar
- New York, New York
- Helsinki, Finland
Getting There: Here’s an unwelcome surprise, the cost of getting to the hotel is $100 via taxi. In Mauritius, renting a car may be worth the trouble if you plan on exploring the island. Otherwise, it’s cost-prohibitive to go anywhere without forking over cash to a private driver.
I foolishly booked Le Méridien Ile Maurice for one night to save a few points. The next two nights I would be at the idyllic St. Regis Mauritius which was located on the other side of the island and had I taken another taxi would have cost $100. Having said that, I can’t blame my stupidity in logistics on this hotel. It is a very nice property with a huge pool, good gym, complete breakfast, and direct access to Mauritius’s main attraction, the ocean. Still, I contend that if you are going to fly all the way to Mauritius, especially if it is your first time, it is worth skipping the affordable option for the luxury one. Even though I was upgraded to a suite, it was nothing special compared to the 1 bedroom St. Regis villa. Overall, I really didn’t do much at this hotel after a day of travel besides take a few photos and lounge on a beach chair. Suffice to say, the review is not as comprehensive as others. Hopefully, the brevity of words will be overlooked for the beauty of photos.
Where I Stand on Min Spends
Bluebird, REDbird, Serve: all are dead. And after jumping from one to the next, so is my desire to manufacture spend. The problem is my aspiration to learn new, efficient means to reach the mins on my plethora of cards is at an all time low. Complain as I must, I wish that banks would just charge me a slightly higher annual fee and leave me alone to enjoy my bonus. The days of caring about if my Top Cash Back cleared leaving me with a slight profit in the purchase of the Rubber Duck are gone. All I want is points without hassle. Exploring the Reddit forums, I have come across some viable ways to inch forward but today I’d rather reminisce about swiping my credit card at Target twice a month for 5k per card. Tomorrow I have to get motivated to reach the mins on the following:
- Citi Business: 3k =50kAA
- Citi Personal: 3k =60k AA
- United: 2k =55k United
- Marriott: 3k =87.5k Marriot
- Southwest: 2k =50k SWA
- Amex Hilton: 1k =70k Hilton
- British: 10k =Additional 50k Avios
Bunny Chow in Durban, South Africa
Bunny Chow in Durban, South Africa is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Melbourne, Australia
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Sydney, Australia
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Maldives
- Saigon, Vietnam
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Hong Kong
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Knysna, South Africa
- Durban, South Africa
- Mauritius
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Doha, Qatar
- New York, New York
- Helsinki, Finland
On the way to the Hilton Durban, a comfortable choice in the heart of Durban, I had a chat with the taxi driver. Among other factoids, he told me that Durban has the largest concentration of Indians outside of India. This seemed as random as Sao Paulo having the second largest Japanese population outside of Japan. After learning why so many Indians came to South Africa, I asked the driver about the Indian food in Durban. New cities means new food and in Durban that food is called bunny chow. Bunny chow is made from a hallowed out piece of bread filled with your choice of curry ranging from spicy to ridiculously spicy. The only comparison I can use to describe bunny chow is a throwback to Tim Horton’s campaign, “And I ate the bowl!” While Mr. Horton’s dish was disgusting, this South African and Indian infusion was not. At a price of 98 rand or $6.50, I was able to get more than my fill of lamb bunny chow from the famous House of Curries on Florida. So if you ever find yourself in Durban and are looking for a local treat, TPOL recommends bunny chow, a dish with a curious name but a one-of-a-kind taste. For more unique food recommendations be sure to check out the Libations Travel Menu.
