Care to Comment? A Blogger’s Guide to Etiquette

Stop the presses! TPOL is merely a blog providing my insight, comedy, and experiences learned from travel using points to get me there while hopefully inspiring others to do the same. It is not a journalism. So why do people leave angry, cheeky comments passively criticizing me of distorting the truth or being critical of nonsensical issues. Case in point, Scott wrote, “If you don’t even bother rotating your images, why bother writing?” Such pettiness should be ignored but I can’t help but get annoyed at someone implying that I’m lazy. Are people so rude that they can’t put phrase their feelings in a polite way? For example, “I saw your pictures and wondered why don’t you rotate them to account if they are meant to be vertical?” That’s a valid question and I would answer with a well-reasoned response e.g., “I learned today that rotating them on WordPress doesn’t fix the problem.” Greg wrote regarding my post on Travel Blogging vs. Travel Writing, “If you’re already talking about how many ‘hours’ a post took to create you’re not in it for the love.” Nowhere in my post did I say I was doing it for love so what’s with the brassy comment? The last example from my Hotel Review, Park Hyatt: Too High in the Sky is my favorite.  TJ’s snarky remark was “There is a difference between fog and clouds. FYI.” I’m still trying to figure out his motivation for saying this though I Googled fog and found the definition to be: a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth’s surface that obscures or restricts visibility (to a greater extent than mist; strictly, reducing visibility to below 1 km). I understand that I shouldn’t shine the spotlight on silly behavior and that I shouldn’t acknowledge such negativity but the problem is much larger than a few bad-mannered comments. The problem is that social media provides a bully pulpit for anyone to say whatever he wants with no repercussions. These remarks relate to issues of far greater importance than if the lounge I was in at JFK was the Admirals or Flagship.(see Charles’s sensitivity to my mistake). All it takes now is a screenshot of a Tweet and the bloodhounds move in for the kill. From there, the pack waits for someone else to do something ill-advised and it’s game over for him too. Individuals who use social media to assassinate the character of others defend their actions with the misapplication of the 1st Amendment. The targeted person has no way to defend himself once the virality of what he said gets into the hands of the social media jury. Unlike in criminal cases, where the 6th Amendment provides that the accused shall enjoy the right to confront witnesses against him, social media trials are conducted by anonymous avatars who hide behind their Twitter handles or fake emails while relishing in the contrived uproar they have inspired. To that end I propose a code of conduct for bloggers and commentators alike. This etiquette guide should have simple rules such as the following as a starting point: For commentators: Actually read the post before responding. For bloggers: Tone it down with the click-bait (of which I’ve been, in my opinion, emphasis added, wrongly accused in the past.) Alas, none of my rambling will matter since, as I wrote in the post To Reply or Not to Reply, few commentators follow-up and even fewer are genuinely looking to engage in a dialogue on the point of which they have taken issue. Anyone care to comment? Inapplicable remarks will land you in TPOL’s Hall of Shame for life. That’s a joke. Sorry I refuse to follow the threat up with a smiley. And now here comes the monkey! Capture          

Where Are You Hyatt Regency Osaka?

This is part of the Trip Report The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) which started and ended in Mongolia with these stops along the way:

Here is the overview for this report: All in Business, All for $200 And $30,000 US AIR Miles
Getting There: Unless you are staying here for a conference, do not stay here. It is not close to central Osaka. If you are here for a conference, then have your work pay the car service.
Where are you Hyatt Regency Osaka? If you’ve been keeping track of this mess of a trip, you have noticed that the only well-thought out part of the itinerary was the initial cost of the ticket which is why the post is named All in business, all for $200 and 30,000 US Air Miles. The disoriented fun continued in Osaka. We arrived late and missed the last bus to the city. The choice was to take the train or pay $115 for a taxi. Frugal, economical, cheap, or all of the above we decided to take the train. The train required three changes, three hours, and thirty times the headache of a basic taxi ride. While I commend myself for being able to navigating the entire metro system of Osaka, the expression ‘penny wise and a pound foolish’ comes to mind. As we got closer to the hotel, it didn’t take much for us to figure out that we would not be exploring Osaka tonight. The hotel was literally on an island and the only way to get off was the aforementioned expensive taxi or to swim for it. Fortunately, we found a place right around the corner that had great sake and sushi, allowing us to eat and drink our poor planning sorrows away. As for the hotel, it was nice but don’t stay here unless it is on purpose. Here are some pictures.
hyatt regency osaka
Armed with my map
The last train to the Hyatt Regency Osaka
The last train to the Hyatt Regency Osaka
Sushi!
Sushi!
Sake!
Sake!
Sashimi!
Sashimi!
Sake!
Sake!
Hyatt Regency Osaka!
Hyatt Regency Osaka!
On an island
On an island
Time to leave.
Time to leave.

 <==Back to Air China Business PVG-KIXOnto The St. Regis Osaka==>

       

5PM Chow Hall: Air China Business Class Lounge Shanghai

This is part of the Trip Report The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) which started and ended in Mongolia with these stops along the way:

Here is the overview for this report: All in Business, All for $200 And 30,000 US AIR Miles
In many places around the world 5PM means happy hour. In Air China’s Business Class Lounge Shanghai 5PM is chow time. It is a spectacle worth seeing. First the chefs bring out some nonsense salad that goes untouched by the international crowd of wolves. Then the fried spring rolls are offered as a sacrifice to the starving patrons. These are quickly devoured. An eternity later the clock strikes 5PM and the chefs bring out the pastas, the beef and broccoli, the fried rice, and whatever else they could fix together to fend off the starving frequent fliers. Shamelessly everyone, myself included, goes back for seconds, thirds, and many more rounds, only stopping because our gates are called. The Wi-Fi works terribly and the alcohol selection is mediocre but the fatties do not seem to care so long as we are well fed.
DSC_0316
Let me in! I’m hungry
air china business class lounge shanghai
The mood lighting for the hungry folks.
air china business class lounge shanghai
Calm before the storm
air china business class lounge shanghai
Fried rice
Noodles
Noodles
Fish?
Fish?
The broccoli goes untouched
The broccoli goes untouched
More
Pepper steak!
Breathe in, breathe out, there is still food
Breathe in, breathe out, there is still food

 <==Back to Le Royal Méridien ShanghaiOnto Air China Business Class to Osaka–>

Air China Business PVG-KIX: Different Plane, Same Product

This is part of the Trip Report The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) which started and ended in Mongolia with these stops along the way:

Here is the overview for this report: All in Business, All for $200 And 30,000 US AIR Miles
The trick of my $200, 30,000 US AIR Miles ticket was that all flights must be on Air China metal. I’ve flown Air China many times and for the most part have not been impressed. I was excited that this flight was on an A321 versus the standard 737. Perhaps this would make the flight different. It did not. These pics may look familiar. I apologize for the redundancy but thought it was worth pointing out that a different plane doesn’t mean a different product.
DSC_0321 (Copy)
More champagne please. I’m in Air China business.
DSC_0318 (Copy)
I hate these seats

<==Back to Air China’s Business Class Lounge ShanghaiOnto Hyatt Regency Osaka==>

   

Le Royal Méridien Shanghai for Halloween

This is part of the Trip Report The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) which started and ended in Mongolia with these stops along the way:

Here is the overview for this report: All in Business, All for $200 And 30,000 US AIR Miles
Getting There: If you’re arriving in Pudong International Airport, the best way to get to the city center is via the Maglev. At 430 kmh (267mph) a faster and more convenient way of jump starting your trip does not exist. If the Maglev is closed at night then you will have to take a taxi to People’s Square. Check the sign in the taxi line for prices before entering the taxi and pay close attention to the meter. Print the address of the hotel in Mandarin characters and show it to the driver. 南京东路789号, Huangpu, Shanghai, China, 200001. Returning to the airport, take Line 2 to Longyang Lu then get on the Maglev from there. Taking Line 2 from People’s Square to the airport will take forever.
I am partial to Le Royal Méridien because it is located next to my old apartment building. It is also located next to Nanjing Walking Street, an overcrowded place that is worth seeing once but should otherwise be avoided. Le Royal Méridien is only a few minutes away from The Bund, The French Concession, West Nanjing Road, and all that is good in life. Because of our visa issue, we were in a hurry to get a Halloween costume, meet up with friends, and begin the festivities. Therefore, as was the case with Hyatt on The Bund, I didn’t have the opportunity to truly enjoy the hotel’s many amenities. I did, however, find my way to the club lounge which offered ample amounts of food and premium drinks. This is the second time I’ve stayed at Le Royal Méridien so I can advise from past experience that the breakfast buffet is worth waking up for or arriving to after a night out on the town. Overall, if you are looking for an excellent location, great value, and what life should be then look no further than Le Royal Méridien Shanghai.
The lobby
The lobby
le royal meridien shanghai
The decor
Le Royal Meridien
Le Royal Meridien
2nd floor
Art
le royal meridien shanghai
Fancy
 
View of People' Park
View of People’ Park
living space
living space
le royal meridien shanghai
No time to rest
Platinum perks
Platinum perks
Henny!
Henny!
What's a hotel without a robe
What’s a hotel without a robe
Great shower
Great shower
Lounge decor
Lounge endless buffet
Club Lounge
Club Lounge
View of the lounge
View of the lounge
Lounge drink selection
Lounge drink selection
DSC_0299 (Copy)
Capital Land Building!
Shanghai by Day
Shanghai by Day…
TPOL M1NT Shanghai by night
TPOL M1NT Shanghai by night

 <==Back to Shanghai’s MaglevOnto Air China’s Business Class Lounge Shanghai==>

 

Shanghai’s Maglev: No Time to Waste

This is part of the Trip Report The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) which started and ended in Mongolia with these stops along the way:

Here is the overview for this report: All in Business, All for $200 And 30,000 US AIR Miles
Quick Tip: Per a reader’s comment below: Be sure to show your plane ticket or boarding pass when buying the ticket – cuts the cost from CNY 50 to 40 one-way.
In each of my Hotel Reviews I start off with a Getting There snippet because I am tired of getting ripped off by taxi drivers right when my vacation is about to start. Landing in a new city there is nothing more frustrating than looking up how to get to a hotel and only finding information about the pool and the toilet but no directions on how to actually get there. This is true whether consulting the hotel’s website directly or by reading blog reviews. If you’re arriving in Pudong International Airport, the best way to get to the city center is via the Maglev. At 430 kmh (267mph) a faster and more convenient way of jump starting your trip does not exist. The issue that many travelers face is arriving late in Shanghai and finding the Maglev closed. Not only did your waste you time walking all the way to the Maglev station but now you have to brave the endless taxi line. As of writing this post, the Maglev operates from 7AM to 10:40PM but check here for further updates. The ride from the airport to Longyang Lu which is still in the middle of nowhere is a zippy 8 minutes and costs about $8. Mind you, the $8 ticket does not cover the cost of taking the metro or a taxi the rest of the way. Compare this to a taxi which takes an hour and will run no less than $30 depending on where you are going and the Maglev is still the best option. My two gripes about the Maglev is that it does not run late enough and that it stops in Pudong when it should stop in Puxi, the location of the Bund, People’s Square, the French Concession, and other more lively neighborhoods of Shanghai. Still for speed, novelty, and value, the Maglev literally can’t be beat.
maglev shanghai airport
Returning to Pudong
I'm so ordinary
I’m so ordinary
Yeah baby
Yeah baby
Back at the airport.
Back at the airport.

 <==Return to Hong Kong Travel Guide – Move onto Le Royal Méridien Shanghai for Halloween==>

 

Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui

This is part of the Trip Report The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) and So Long Mongolia, Hello SE Asia (December 2014-January 2015) 


Getting There: From the airport purchase a one-way ticket for the Airport Express train. Take the Airport Express to Kowloon. Take the elevator to the ground floor and then take the free bus to the Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui. This is a free ride into town even if you aren’t staying at these hotels. The whole trip takes about an hour and a half.
The Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui is a refuge whether it be from a botched visa run or too much time in Mandalay. It is also located in one of the tallest skyscrapers in Kowloon. The Hyatt Regency is a Category 4 hotel so it qualifies for a free night stay using the annual certificate if you have a Chase Hyatt Visa. I used the cash and points option which was a bit expensive at $100 + 7500 points + a 10% service charge. The room rate is around $250 so I’m right at my threshold for 2 cents per point for Hyatt. The value of cash and points diminishes if you are a peasant platinum member like me which gives you basic benefits (2PM checkout, free Wi-Fi) compared to diamond where you are treated like a king (amazing breakfast, suite upgrade). Still whether you have a stopover in Hong Kong or a getaway [from Myanmar] weekend, the price of luxury is worth it. In October 2014, I was upgraded to the deluxe room which had a partial view of the harbor. At the time, I  thought the room was a bit small until my next trip to Hong Kong when I was not given an upgrade. The benefits of the Hyatt Regency are as follows:
  • Excellent location in Kowloon conveniently next to Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station
    • Excellent dim sum right around the corner
    • Starbucks next door
    • Plenty of bars, restaurants, and shopping
  • Included wireless phone which includes data and voice 
  • A comfy bed and hot shower, features not to be discounted compared to other hotels in Hong Kong and SE Asia in general
Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
The bus drops you off in the parking lot. For shame!
Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
Elevators to the good life
Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
Platinum members non-harbor view
Real Hong Kong
Real Hong Kong
Hyatt Bed
Hyatt Bed
My work desk
My work desk
The entrance
The entrance
So high up. One of the tallest buildings in Kowloon.
So high up. One of the tallest buildings in Kowloon.
Sunny day
Sunny day
View from the room
View from the room
Old Hong Kong
Old Hong Kong
a tall building with many windows
Too tall by day
a tall building with lights on top
Another shot of Hong Kong by night

As you can see, everything at the Hyatt Regency is nice but what if you want to see another side of Hong Kong or what if you think that the points+cash value isn’t as great as other award redemptions? Then read on for the review of the Chungking Mansions, a city within a city.

It’s time to choose your adventure: 

 For The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) you can:

<==Return to Shanghai Travel Guide – Move onto Guns & Butter: Hong Kong Travel Guide==>

 For So Long Mongolia, Hello SE Asia (Dec 2014-Jan 2015) you can:

<==Return to Bargaining Abroad, I Lost the Battle Move onto Chungking Mansions==>

Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai

This is part of the Trip Report The Visa Run Keeps Running (October 2014) which started and ended in Mongolia with these stops along the way:

Here is the overview for this report: All in Business, All for $200 And 30,000 US AIR Miles
Getting There: If you are arriving at Pudong airport, the fastest/most convenient way to get to the Bund is to take the Maglev then a friendly taxi from there. Be sure to print out the name of your hotel in Mandarin characters and show it to the driver.
Following the visa mess up, I had to change my plans from two nights at Hyatt on the Bund to basically one long evening. Hyatt on the Bund is a Category 4 hotel which makes it eligible for a free night’s stay if you are a Chase Hyatt card holder. I used cash and points which was 7500 GoldPassport + $100 + 15% service charge, a great deal considering for Halloween weekend the rooms were going for $330 a night. Hyatt on the Bund as the name makes apparent is in a great location: the Bund. The Bund faces Pudong Skyline which in my opinion is the best in the world.
The best skyline in the world.
The best skyline in the world.
The room overlooked the Huangpu River and Pudong. Besides the next morning, I did not get to enjoy it too much. Given the beauty and location of the hotel, it is quite a shame I was only here for a few hours making this review less than extraordinary. Nevertheless, I did take some great pictures and will certainly return both to my former home, Shanghai, and Hyatt on the Bund.
Like a scene out of Indiana Jones.
Like a scene out of Indiana Jones.
hyatt on the bund shanghai
Goodbye Dr. Jones!
hyatt on the bund shanghai
Arrival Hyatt on the Bund
hyatt on the bund shanghai
Beautiful lobby
3 nights would've been nice to explore
2 nights would’ve been nice to explore
Cursory photo taking
Cursory photo taking
Generous Category 4 hotel
Generous Category 4 hotel
The fountain
The fountain
Great inside
Great inside
The unused gym
The unused gym
The great bed
The great bed
Excellent bath
Excellent bath
View of the bund
View of the Bund
Bund by rainy, Shanghai night
Bund by rainy, Shanghai night
Bund by hazy, Shanghai day
Bund by hazy, Shanghai day
In living color
In living color
From the elevator
From the elevator
hyatt on the bund shanghai
Hyatt on the Bund

 <–Back to China’s 72-hour Visa-Free Transit Rule – Onto Guns & Butter: Shanghai Travel Guide–>

 

The Final Leg! Air China from Korea to Mongolia

This is the conclusion of the Trip Report Welcome to the Cold where I went from NYC to:

If you’re just tuning in now be sure to read how I ended up with this unique itinerary by checking out The Original Plan: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, the subsequent Change Up: Riga, Latvia? and the Mongolia angle: IGLOO-GER: The Helsinki-Ulaanbaatar Trip Report.
It’s almost over folks. It’s funny writing after the fact about my move to Mongolia. The quality of life began to drastically diminished as I went from the Park Hyatt Istanbul to Air China’s Business Class service from Korea to Mongolia. Suddenly everything was more dated, more worn out, and less fun. Though I was initially excited for my move to Mongolia, I had no idea what Mongolia had in store for me.
air china business class to ulaanbaatar
What became the all too familiar Air China business class seats
air china business class to ulaanbaatar
Doesn’t anybody want to go to Mongolia?
air china business class to ulaanbaatar
The smog in Beijing
Landing in the land of endless blue skies
Landing in the land of endless blue skies
Plane
That’s an interesting plane.
Chinggis Khaan Airport Welcomes You
Chinggis Khaan Airport Welcomes You

 <==Back to Korean Airlines Business Class Lounge

Korean Airlines Business Class Lounge Incheon

This is part of the Trip Report Welcome to the Cold where I went from NYC to: If you’re just tuning in now be sure to read how I ended up with this unique itinerary by checking out The Original Plan: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World, the subsequent Change Up: Riga, Latvia? and the Mongolia angle: IGLOO-GER: The Helsinki-Ulaanbaatar Trip Report.
I’m getting closer to Mongolia but I thought I’d ease into Asia with a stop in Incheon. While it didn’t have the bells and whistles of the Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge, it did have hot showers, something I would be without frequently in Mongolia. korean airlines business class lounge
korean airlines business class lounge
The baby kegs were clever.
Last call for hot showers.
Last call for hot showers.
Where are my macadmia nuts!
Where are my macadmia nuts!

 <==Back to Turkish Business Class – Onto Mongolia!==>