$95 is the going rate for Citi card annual fees. Today two of mine became due. The first was the Hilton Reserve which was promptly closed with no retention offer. That’s fine because I had opened another of which I am eligible for the bonus again. The other was the ThankYou card which serves no purpose since I ultimately decided to keep my Prestige card open.
The good news is that there was the best retention offer given for doing next to nothing: six thousand points for spending $300. On top of that, the agent assured me that these TY points would remain transferable.
All I had to do was downgrade to the no annual fee version. To the option, I said thank you kindly.
I tell you April and May were busy times for TPOL. April I was running around NYC and May I was running around the globe. I did not post as frequently as I usually do and need to get back to that. Nevertheless, the a-live posts (where I blog in real-time) received a solid number of views.
Do you know who I am! It almost slipped out when I checked into the InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana and was told in no uncertain terms that there would be no upgrade, no free breakfast, and no additional perks.
No, it isn’t me. I’m in transit from Auckland to Shanghai via Tokyo. (writing this at the time I didn’t realize the visa problems that were coming my way)
Planters peanuts, shrimp cup noodles, Diet Coke, regular Coke, Bloody Mary’s, sandwiches, Jack n Diet, and anything else is a reason to write a sentence in the passive voice.
Warning: This isn’t a points post. TPOL likes to talk about sports especially since he’s a sports agent.
Apologies for my time away, the last couple of days. It isn’t like me to go a day without posting regardless if I’m in Tahiti or, as was the case this Memorial Day weekend, Columbus, Ohio. It’s the first time that this Wolverine has gone to Columbus and as far as the city goes, I regret to say that it isn’t terrible.
Today I watched OKC roll over and die against Golden State leaving a Warriors Cavs rematch. I regret that I didn’t post my prediction for March Madness (TPOL had Villanova). I was a bit gun-shy to write about sports after my poor Super Bowl prediction.
This Finals will be boring. I expect GS to win in 5. Let’s go through it step by step.
Home Court
GS has home court and if this series goes more than 5, the home team overwhelmingly wins game 7.
Coaches
Kerr has already won and Lue? Come on…
Pressure
There’s too much pressure on Lebron to do everything himself and bring a championship to the terrible state of Ohio. It will prove to be too much for one man to handle.
Players
Who does Cleveland have after Lebron? Kyrie shows signs, that’s about it. JR Smith can’t be trusted to even show up to the game. Kevin Love is not a good fit and the bench is nonexistent.
Overall
I don’t think it’s worth the time to go into great detail as to why GS will win and win easily. I just had to document it for credibility. Although I love basketball, I don’t think I’ll start watching until game 3.
Which part of the points hustle do you enjoy the most? Is it the MS and the feeling of shame and guilt as you buy one gift card after another? Is it the undeserved feeling of self-importance as you enter the first-class lounge? Or is it the thrill of executing a booking knowing you got in one more trip before the next devaluation?
For me, it’s creating my bus schedule Excel and tallying up how much the trip would have cost had I actually decided to burn a hole in my wallet and pay for it myself. Second to that is reflecting on just how far I traveled by looking at the Great Circle Mapper.
Analyzing the spreadsheet after the fact is a lot different from when I was piecing it together. Little did I know then that I would miss my flight from LAS to New York, that I would not be able to play golf in Dubai, and that I would be deported from China to Hong Kong. The last part was the worst experience because there was no Avios flight available to get me to HKG. Instead, I had to fly the worst airline in the world, Spring Airlines, for $325/pax. That put a black mark on the trip which is why I did not add it to the spreadsheet. Also, I kept the Vegas Freddies experience separate as that warrants its own trip report.
Let’s start with the GCM for some perspective on what TPOL has done.
Whee!40,000 miles and counting
Now, for my masterpiece, the colorful Excel. I’m terrible at making keys but it’s pretty self-explanatory. The trip retail was 差不多 $60,000 and required 800,000 points in total. But for that stupid Hong Kong getaway, it would have been $1999 out of pocket.
This trip was the ultimate curve ball. Some things went my way while many didn’t. Throughout the journey, I will detail some great Travel Advice so you don’t have to go through the same ordeals that I did. Tahiti is supposed to be a place of relaxation. Overall, it was but it could’ve been a lot more tranquil.
Smooth start at EK Lounge in NYCNo turbulence on EK firstShanghai Transit Visa worked the first timeBlack Mamba Dreamliner to AKLLe Meridien TahitiCool spot in IC bungalow (rest of hotel had no AC)Famous duck in MooreaGreat golf in NZTai Chi en deportation flight to Hong KongBack to ShanghaiJAL to DFW
Is it an April Fool’s Day joke or is it the new reality that TPOL is getting out of the churning business?
Vegas, Missed Flight Misery: Another funny story as someone stole/mistakenly took my jacket. I was able to get new ones made in Shanghai but due to the visa issue I almost was unable to pick them up.
TPOL did it again. Too much party in Vegas led to too much sleep the morning after.
No AC in Tahiti! The premonition of drama to come is uncanny. Not only was there no AC, there was no free breakfast! (see angry comments on that one) There was also cockroaches in the room.
I posed the question in this article, “How bad could it be with no AC when you’re in a bungalow?” The answer is bad.
Avoiding Taxi Scams Abroad: Apparently, TPOL is famous for his taxi articles. I met some great people at the Freddie Awards that really enjoy reading about my trouble with taxis!
Having lived in Shanghai, I know that taxi drivers have a propensity to be cunning. Here are the tips that will save you from being taken by your taxi driver whether you are in China or overseas.
Chase Recon: How to Get It Done: Interestingly, today Chase extended its 5/24 rule to more cards. Maybe this post will help.
Now, more than ever, it is critical to know everything that appears on your credit report and to make sure you have logical, honest reasons as to why you are applying for the card in the first place.
Disqus Is Dead: An Invite to Trolls The ‘don’t argue with fools’ line is so fitting but sometimes I can’t help but engage with those that misinterpret what I say. It’s probably a waste of time but it does provide for great entertainment when trolls and those of their ilk take what I say literally.
The choice is yours America! Anonymous angry Trump troll comments or the other not so great alternatives.
The fun has been had and now the work begins. I leave in a few weeks for Iceland but before I do I am going to attempt to write the Tahiti Triumph Trip Report piece by piece. Let’s relive all the moments of beef jerky at the IC, the deportation from China, and sleeping through the night in Tokyo instead of karaoke and sushi.
If you missed me while I was gone because I didn’t post enough, perhaps you will be sick of me in the coming weeks as I post and post and post. Hopefully the photos of the duck docked in Moorea and Bora Bora will make it all okay.
TPOL is back in the US of A but it certainly was an adventure to get here. Realizing my celebrity status, the Chinese let me in the country. Dim sum for lunch in Hong Kong, party at M1NT in Shanghai, followed by street food galore was the best (unplanned) way to spend my birthday.
After a quick stop in Tokyo, I’m in Dallas en route to Detroit. Unsatisfied with the Admirals Club, I took the Skylink to the Centurion Lounge. Eavesdropping, I heard a group of people talking about first class flights and champagne. Intrigued, I approached the group and was happy to learn that they were points travelers. Some had even read the blog (shout out to those that do and my new Twitter followers).
No, it isn’t me. I’m in transit from Auckland to Shanghai via Tokyo. After a tremendous flight on Air New Zealand, I’m too full to be the fat guy in this lounge. Fortunately, some other guy has picked up the slack and punctuated his performance by walking around on his iPhone wearing a Karate Kid inspired Japanese headband while yapping away to his buddy about his lounge experience loudly on speaker.
I detest people who use speaker phone in public places, scoff at parents who let their children play their video games with the volume on the subway, and want to write a strongly worded letter to Southwest passengers who watch the free in flight entertainment without headphones. Who raised these people? How are they not more embarrassed with themselves? Why is self-awareness an overlooked attribute?
Each time he walks by, I get closer to telling him how rude he is. I have no problem addressing issues such as this but think better of confronting someone in airports. In 2004, I got into an interesting altercation with a University of Texas fan on his way to the Rose Bowl to play Michigan (Vince Young single-handedly beat us). The ish talking took a turn for the worse when he decided that pushing and yelling was acceptable airport behavior. I diffused the situation before both of us ended up in the airport lockup.
As I type this post, I’m hearing his Facetime ring again. Maybe it’s worth getting strangled to prove my point because if I don’t tell him, who will?
Planters peanuts, shrimp cup noodles, Diet Coke, regular Coke, Bloody Mary’s, sandwiches, Jack n Diet, and anything else is a reason to write a sentence in the passive voice.
Although there was no beef jerky, the Priority Pass in Tahiti was heaven sent. It wasn’t because the sodas which cost $6 at the hotel were free or because the Hinano beer was a bargain at $0.00 francs. The lounge was great because it was peaceful. There was no arguing, no up selling, and no complaining from me or anyone else.
We all just sat in the lounge watching island planes come and go. It was a perfect way to end a rambunctious Tahiti trip.
