On a churner’s high, I decided to apply for a Wells Fargo travel card way back in early May. I’m not even sure which one it was.
I was rejected online then told to wait for my rejection letter in the mail. It arrived May 14th and the reason for rejection was: Lack of or insufficient duration of relationship with Wells Fargo.
I called the number on the letter hoping for an explanation. The agent stated that Wells Fargo requires an additional account such as a checking or savings account before it will consider an application. He advised me to go into a branch and open an account. I went to the local branch with my US Passport Card since I had lost my Arizona driver’s license. The personal banker who was unfamiliar with the card asked me if I was a US citizen. That was interesting.
Accounts opened, I called reconsideration and was told that my checking and savings account were too new and underfunded to satisfy the requirement. A week later I called again and spoke to a nicer representative who said that my application would now be processed. A couple of days later I called again and was told that my application had been rejected because they could not confirm my address. I would have to fax proof of mail at my address for at least three months for them to process my application. They advised that I go to the local branch.
I went to the local branch with my proof of address and they faxed it to Wells Fargo credit services. I called reconsideration to see if they had received yet. They had but they said it would take another 48 hours to process my application.
Today I called to see if my application had been processed. It had. After all this, I was approved for a mind-blowing $2500! I think the card provides $400 in travel credit after $3000 spent in 3 months but I’ll probably have to call in to verify that too.
Wells Fargo Card: The Most Resilient Reconsideration Call(s) Ever
Summer Reruns: Hotel Reviews, Golf Section & Heat
It’s harder to blog in the summer since I’m out and about though that’s not an excuse for not giving TPOL’s readers a daily post. I liken my laziness to major television networks showing reruns or TNT launching the Closer post NBA Finals to fill up air time.
Anyhow, since it’s Sunday and it’s over 97 outside, I’ll keep this post brief. I spent my entire weekend golfing various courses so this week in addition to a new Hotel Review I will also have two new Golf Review as part of the new offering here at TPOL. Also, I did another burger eating contest so that great post will be up. (Click here for the hot dog contest.)
See you next week.
Kind Regards,
TPOL
Seinfeld Restaurant Tour NYC
With Hulu’s release of all episodes of Seinfeld, I find it appropriate to link this NYT article that shows all the great places that Jerry and the gang ate in New York.
Seinfeld and Fresh Prince are my favorite shows of all time which is why next time I’m in Bel Air I’m stopping at Uncle Phil’s house to do my best rendition of Jazz. And the next time I’m in New York I’ll gladly follow the tourist guide from the article and visit all of the restaurants on the list.
On a side note, what’s the deal with Ovaltine Hulu? Why would anyone pay for a subscription and still have to watch commercials?
Cue Seinfeld intro music.
TPOL’s Newest Review Section: Golf Courses Worldwide
TPOL continues to reinvent itself in this modern age of points travel. Inspired by my abundance of free time and the Citi Prestige card, I’ve taken up the game of golf. Golf & travel go hand in hand like islands and scuba. So why not add golf course reviews to the already stacked list of features available to readers?
Starting this weekend I will be providing reviews of golf courses not exclusively from a golfer’s perspective but from a hybrid travel golfer. Playing Pebble Beach will be like flying Emirates Shower Class though I won’t pass up the economical Southwest local course.
The Golf Reviews section will be under the Travel Guide tab which includes the Country Count List all-inclusive directory and the Guns & Butter Travel Guide.
Fore!
Hyatt Let Me Cancel a Non Refundable Award!
Hyatt Suite Upgrade Change? No Diamond, No Problem
I signed up for the Hyatt Diamond Challenge in August of 2013 and visited the Andaz Napa, the Park Hyatt Mendoza, and the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhua in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Diamond Challenge gives confirmed suite night awards for the entire duration of the stay as opposed to SPG which gave me 10 suite night stays. Anyhow, in 2014 since I did not complete the challenge, I had to speculatively book a suite award and decided to go for the Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow for August 2014. When I decided to move to Mongolia, I had to change the reservation but was scared I would lose out on the suite upgrade.
Kindly enough, GoldPassport made the change. Then I was supposed to go in February but since I was moving from Mongolia I had to make another change. Again, they did it with no fuss.
Now I’m supposed to go in September but find myself wanting to change it to coincide with my trip to Iceland next summer. I hope Hyatt will let me change it once again but will be happy if they don’t. At least then I’ll actually go. Either way, they have been far generous.
So if you are participating in the new Hyatt Diamond Challenge and do qualify, in 2017 don’t forget to speculatively book some great suite stays.
Spieth, Golf, & Citi Prestige
Spieth won the US Open today on an ugly course that was ripped by many golfers for its terrible greens. The loser, Dustin Johnson, 3 putted the final hole to give Spieth, the Masters Champion, another major.
Three weeks ago I began my amateur quest to become the best points golfer the world has ever seen. Three lessons later I am ready to leave the 9 hole course and tackle some great ones all around the world. Armed with a used set of Wilson clubs and stellar confidence, I am scanning Citi’s golf portal for where to play this entertaining yet infuriating game.
Early winners include courses in Phoenix and San Diego though many of the courses abroad intrigue me as well. I’ve written about it before but sports and travel go hand in hand. The benefit of having the Citi Prestige card is 3 free rounds of golf per year (more if you are abroad) which totals to 6 rounds of golf before the annual fee comes due.
The only obstacle I face is rationalizing checking in my beloved golf clubs versus renting some from the local course.
AutoPilot Saturday: News You Should Peruse
Jurassic World: A Theme Park Worth Skipping
Earlier this year I went to Disney and stayed at the Hollywood Tower Hotel. After that adventure, I thought I’d go visit Jurassic World because scientists had made the unthinkable happen by bringing dinosaurs back to life. All I can say is that I was severely disappointed in the whole experience. There was nothing real or interesting in the park. Even with all the danger, I still was bored. I highly recommend using your points to go to Costa Rica but opt for the ziplining over the SeaWorldish Jurassic World park which makes Animal Kingdom look like the Serengeti.
TPOL gives Jurassic World two thumbs down.
Waiting to Go to Greece
When the economy crashed with the bursting of the housing bubble, the vultures swarmed Las Vegas, Scottsdale, and Miami in search of condominium carnage. Today those economies have recovered much of those losses.
The same can be said about Greece which is on the verge of being excommunicated from the European Union. This is an inevitable result of a stupid plan to make a uniform economy in Europe. How anyone thought that Germany could share a currency with the likes of Italy, Spain, and Greece is ridiculous. When the UK decided to preserve the sterling there was plenty of malcontents within the EU that disapproved of the decision. The pound is much stronger than the euro demonstrating who was right in that argument.
Today the chickens have come to roost and the winner, though they do not know it yet, is Greece. Greece has no business being in the union. Greece produces next to nothing besides olives, pistachios, cotton, and rice. They may have invented calculus but it’s safe to say the patent on that invention has expired. Going forward, Greece should focus its efforts on tourism, an industry that has suffered as a result of having to use euros to purchase gyros.
Greeks shouldn’t bemoan their exodus from the EU as it in no way takes away from their great history. It would be narcissistic to believe that they could reach any level of prominence by complying with the austerity rules imposed by Germany. Instead, Greece should default on its loans and go back to the drachma. Though many big banks may be hesitant to loan Greece any money should they do this, they will find capital by way of microfinance, i.e., happy tourists willing to go there on holiday.
