Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Skyscanner: Why I’m Going to Warsaw Before Athens

thepointsoflife

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October 25, 2015

Skyscanner: Why I’m Going to Warsaw Before Athens

Next week I’m off to London on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class from the D to LHR in the hopes of running the marathon in Athens the Sunday after. The original plan called for taking a train from London to Athens because I can’t drink, eat, and party as I would like before the race. Given my lame injury, the exorbitant prices for train tickets, and the opening and closing of routes due to the humanitarian crisis, I decided to be a wimp and fly to Athens instead.

As a newly minted Hyatt Diamond member and uninspired blogger, I thought I would go from London to Paris and write another mind numbing review of the Park Hyatt Vendome: “And because I was Diamond, I was upgraded to a suite and was given free breakfast, a value of 100 euros!” Luckily, my blogging soul was saved by expensive flights and bad routing to and from Paris.

With no Avios options, I almost settled for the lazy choice: fly Ryanair to Greece the same day I arrived in London. I tried to rationalize that this would give me more time to see Greece. Simultaneously, I couldn’t ignore the voice in my head that was mocking me for what a travel softy I had become. “Oh no what will you do without the Park Hyatt? Your foot hurts. Maybe you shouldn’t run at all,” and on and on.

Committed to remaining a world explorer and not a sheltered sissy, I went to skyscanner.com typed in the origin of London and my destination of ‘everywhere’.

Here were a few of the results:

Going through each one by one, I needed to find a destination that gave me enough time to make my connection from London and had a reasonable price to Athens. Gibraltar would’ve been cool, Malta, Cyprus, or the Canary Islands would’ve been nice, but the one that fit was Warsaw, Poland.

I know going to Warsaw doesn’t require balls of steel but the idea of picking a random place and booking it is a lot more adventurous than just flying to Athens early and consequently violating TPOL’s Travel Philosophy. Not to mention it is another destination that I could add to my Country Count List which will reach 76 after this trip.

Next time I go to Europe, I won’t pack a set itinerary. Instead, I’ll just use Skyscanner when I’m ready to move from one city to the next. That way I can try to salvage my reputation as an intrepid traveler and not a timid tourist.

Week 15: Marathon Update

thepointsoflife

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October 25, 2015

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Fifteen weeks of training is done for the Athens marathon and in order to keep myself honest and motivated, here’s my weekly diary of all things marathon.

Here’s what happened this week:

x-rays were negative last week but I still can’t run without pain.
I purchased every PED from Amazon including Biofreeze, KT tape, compression socks, and a brace.
Went to physical therapy for electric shock treatment.
At this point, there’s no more running. Just lifting.
Leaving for London next week.

1 week to go. Lions playing Vikings today.

Radisson Blu Waterfront Cape Town: Yeah Buddy

thepointsoflife

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October 24, 2015

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Radisson Blu Waterfront Cape Town: Yeah Buddy

The Radisson Blu Waterfront Cape Town Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.

Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.

Getting There: Go to myciti.org.za and select from airport to waterfront. The fare is 81 rand or $6.

Without question, the Radisson Blu Waterfront is one of the best hotels to use your Club Carlson points and Office of the President stay certificates if you haven’t burned them already.

The Location

Right next to the Waterfront, right across the street from the barely used soccer stadium is the idyllic Radisson Blu Cape Town. It’s in an excellent, safe spot from which to explore one of the best cities in the world.

The converted soccer stadium grounds is now a golf course

The Room

As is usually the case, the Club Carlson gold status didn’t earn me a complimentary upgrade. It did get me an ocean view room that was so close to the ocean I thought I would be swept away during high tide. The room had a king size bed that took up most of the space along with a shower and bath tub.

The Service

Everyone was very friendly and helpful. If I needed a taxi one was called promptly. When I had to deal with setting up tours, the hotel helped make the arrangement.

The Pool

I didn’t go for a soak in the pool because there are too many things to do in Cape Town but after exploring the city it was nice to come back to the resort and sit by the pool while the live band played some tunes and I drank some wine.

The Cost

Unlike the Doubletree, the cost of food and drink at the hotel were pricey. With the Waterfront only minutes away, it would be unwise to spend money here with so many better, cheaper dining and drinking options close by. The rate of $330 night highlights what a great deal the US Bank card used to be.

Overall

The Radisson Blu Cape Town is one of the best hotels in the Club Carlson collection. I highly recommend staying there especially if you have some points to be rid of.

View of the Radisson Blu from Table Mountain

<==Back to Doubletree Cape Town –

Doubletree Cape Town: Too Far to Taxi

thepointsoflife

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October 23, 2015

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The Doubletree Cape Town Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.

Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.

Getting There: While the hotel isn’t close to the major attractions of Cape Town, it is a 15 minute tax from the airport which according to the hotel’s website should cost 320ZAR or $23.

The Overview

The Doubletree Cape Town Upper Eastside is not in a good location. It is far from the waterfront, far from the beach, and far from any taxi driver’s recollection of how to get there. That is a huge negative. The positive is that it was available for New Years at a rate of 20,000 HHonors points a night when the going rate was $250/night.

The Location

The Upper Eastside is a neighborhood undergoing revitalization. However, apart from the hotel, there were no restaurants nearby and I was advised not to walk in the surrounding areas. Instead, I could either take the complimentary shuttle to the waterfront or take a taxi. If you missed the shuttle, you had to wait a half hour. If you called for a taxi, you had to wait for a half hour.

The Staff

The staff was more than accommodating. I arrived on New Year’s Eve and the front desk made calls to see which parties were still available and offered a complimentary driver to take me to pick up the ticket.

My last day there the tour bus was supposed to take me for a wine and penguin tour (mutually exclusive). There was a mix up and the bus didn’t show. The hotel called every private tour company available until they found a driver to show me around. They even split the cost of the tour with me. It doesn’t get better than that.

The Hotel

The buildings around the Doubletree are run down but the hotel itself has been renovated. It is modern and clean with a great bar and nice breakfast area. The breakfast buffet was excellent.

Room Service

Room service is the tourist trap of all tourist traps. It’s often a rip off and despite the allure of not leaving your cozy bed, the food isn’t as delicious as we romanticize it to be. This is not the case at the Doubletree. The food is very affordable and of top quality.

The Room

This was one of the smallest rooms I’ve seen for a Hilton but it did the job.

Overall

The hotel’s location isn’t a deal breaker but it is awfully inconvenient. No taxis knew where the hotel was making coming and going a laborious task. But the price and service, make it worth checking out if you aren’t SPG or Club Carlson points rich.

<==Back to Cathay HKG-JNB –

TPOL’s Food & Drink Travel Guide

Food & Drink

thepointsoflife

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October 22, 2015

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Why do we go to the gym everyday? Is it to stay healthy? Is it because we have nothing better to do? No. For the shallow, vain among us, it’s to take that one great picture on the beach. After that, all bets are off as we eat and drink whatever we want. Inspired by hedonist tourism, TPOL has launched Let’s Eat! Libations Travel Menu to celebrate the joy of international food and drink. This menu will showcase the best places to grub from the isolation of Montana to the global crossroads of Shanghai. The goal is to highlight those can’t miss restaurants that cause your stomach to grumble as you read the posts from the quarantine of your cubicle.

So without further adieu, I give you The Menu:

Vino

[dining-review name=”The Malbec Wineries” post-link=”/its-like-riding-a-bike-those-words-have-haunted-me-for-years/” location=”Mendoza, Argentina”]

Apéritif

[dining-review name=”Waldorf Express Martini” post-link=”/its-an-institution-sir/” location=”Shanghai, China”]

Burgers & Hot Dogs

[dining-review name=”The Original Coney” post-link=”/detroit-delicious/” location=”Detroit, Michigan”]

[dining-review name=”The Double Lawdog” post-link=”/man-vs-himself-my-4th-of-july-hot-dog-eating-contest/” location=”Elliston, Montana”]

[dining-review name=”The 2Lb Burger” post-link=”/man-vs-food-the-2-pound-burger-eating-contest/” location=”Drummond, Montana”]

[dining-review name=”The Double Mo Club Burger” post-link=”/the-road-trip-burger-the-mo-club/” location=”Missoula, Montana”]

[dining-review name=”The Quadruple Big Macs” post-link=”/the-ugly-hungry-american/” location=”Prague, Czech Republic”]

[dining-review name=”The Burger Joint Double Cheeseburger” post-link=”/the-burger-joint-le-parker-meridien/” location=”New York, New York”]

[dining-review name=”In-N-Out UB Burger” post-link=”/in-n-out-burger-ub-style/” location=”Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia”]

Kebab, Gyros, & Shawarma

[dining-review name=”Dristor Kebap” post-link=”/best-kebab-world/” location=”Bucharest, Romania”]

[dining-review name=”Arab Kebab” post-link=”/arabs-fight-over-who-makes-the-best-kebab/” location=”Scottsdale, Arizona”]

Asian Cuisine

[dining-review name=”A Medley of Phở” post-link=”/category/the-pho/” location=”Worldwide”]

[dining-review name=”Endo Tempura” post-link=”/endo-tempura-kyoto-japan/” location=”Kyoto, Japan”]

[dining-review name=”Xiao Long Bao 小笼包” post-link=”/xiao-long-bao-a-tutorial/” location=”Shanghai, China”]

[dining-review name=”Princess Chicken” post-link=”/where-can-you-find-the-best-chinese-food-in-the-world-flint-motherfking-michigan/” location=”Flint, Michigan”]

C & B

[dining-review name=”Chicken & Broccoli” post-link=”/get-swoll-a-repats-guide-to-returning-healthy/” location=”Kirkland, Washington”]

Sides

[dining-review name=”Hot Sauce” post-link=”/put-some-hot-sauce-on-my-burrito-baby-the-worlds-best-hot-sauce/” location=”Worldwide”]

[dining-review name=”Ranch Dressing” post-link=”/i-found-hidden-valley/” location=”Anytown, Montana”]

Digestif

[dining-review name=”The Icebar” post-link=”/do-you-come-here-a-lot-the-pick-up-artist-visits-the-icebar-tokyo-2/” location=”Tokyo, Japan”]

Be sure to bookmark this page for the latest menu updates.

The sooner you take this... — The sooner you take this…

The sooner you can have this... — The sooner you can have this…

Finalized! 5 Nights at Hilton Moorea for 280k Points

thepointsoflife

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October 22, 2015

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In the end it all came together. 8 nights in Tahiti for $103 + the incidentals like $1,000,000 for a burger. My first choice was to stay at the Hilton Bora Bora but good luck trying to find availability even a year out.

This rate goes on for months and months.

I rationalized that 3 nights at the InterContinentals in Bora Bora would be sufficient and that I owe it to myself to go to Moorea seeing as how I would be in the neighborhood. Furthermore, to sweeten the deal, I received one night free for booking five. That brought the required points down from 350,000 to 280,000 causing my nerdy points hoarding heart to skip a beat. Even better, the cost of the overwater bungalow upgrade is cheaper at the Hilton Moorea than the Hilton Bora Bora. Also, from what I read prices are generally cheaper in Moorea. Maybe a beer will cost only $12 instead of $16.

Points enthusiasts will appreciate my cynicism for this trip because Constructing Tahiti is more about solving the puzzle of how to get there on points versus the desire of being on an isolated, though breathtaking island. TPOL is more of a big city guy, a thrill seeker, and libations binger than a Corona, find your beach retiree. Nonetheless, I am very much looking forward to doing nothing, until that gets old.

Who am I kidding? This is going to be fantastic.

Here’s the recap:

Shanghai – Papeete via Auckland on 787 Dreamliner Business: 60,000 United Miles Round Trip!
InterContinental : Le Moana Bora Bora: Double Beach Bungalow; 1 Night; Stay Certificate; $0
InterContinental : Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa ; Overwater Villa; 2 Nights; 100k ; $0
Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa: King Guestroom Garden; 5 Nights; 280k; $0
Papeete via stopover in Auckland to either Bangkok or Shanghai; $103

Maximized! IHG Rewards Free Night in Tahiti

thepointsoflife

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October 22, 2015

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It’s annoying when I read about the best uses of free night awards only to find there is no availability. For example, not that I have any genuine interest in staying at the Conrad Koh Samui (the real party is across the way in Koh Phangan) but for the sake of maximizing my weekend certificates I inquired as to the availability of this isolated resort. The standard room, the 1 bedroom king ocean view pool villa is seldom available. The 1 bedroom waterfront pool villa, is always available but it doesn’t qualify for the redemption. The difference in price is nominal yet it’s enough to disqualify points travelers from burning their certificates.

The same can be said of the InterContinental : Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa which has virtually no availability though I was able to snag a couple nights for next spring using a defunct trick.

Dates flexible? It doesn't matter. — Dates flexible? It doesn’t matter.

This week I received my IHG Chase Anniversary Free Night, a $49 charge that is worth $700 if timing and opportunity are on your side. And wouldn’t you know it, a random check of IHG’s site yielded free night availability at the InterContinental : Le Moana Bora Bora. In full disclosure, the resort doesn’t look as nice as the other InterContinental and the booking is for a Double Beach Bungalow, not an overwater one but I’ll get over it. The alternative was to do something unthinkable, spend cold, hard cash for the extra night.

Though it’s a remote possibility, perhaps I’ll be upgraded to an overwater bungalow on account of my prestigious platinum elite status or perhaps an overwater room will open up by then. In any event, I’d call this booking a success.

Here’s where I stand in my constructing Tahiti Triumph Trip Report:

Shanghai – Papeete via Auckland on 787 Dreamliner Business: 60,000 United Miles Round Trip!
InterContinental : Le Moana Bora Bora: Double Beach Bungalow; 1 Night; Stay Certificate; $0
InterContinental : Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa ; Overwater Villa; 2 Nights; 100k ; $0
Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa: King Guestroom Garden; 5 Nights; 280k; $0
Papeete via stopover in Auckland to either Bangkok or Shanghai; $103

Obviously, I’ll have to pay for the upgrade at the Hilton but as it stands, $103 for 8 nights in Tahiti ain’t too shabby. The real problem is what I’m supposed to do there the whole time considering that I found Samui to be boring.

Photo courtesy of IHG.com: Not as nice as the other InterContinental? Life is tough.

Cathay Pacific HKG-JNB: 13 Hours of Lie-Flat

thepointsoflife

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October 21, 2015

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Cathay Pacific HKG-JNB: 13 Hours of Lie-Flat

Disclaimer: TPOL was compensated for providing a referral link for Jurlique, my favorite lip balm.

The Cathay Pacific HKG JNB Flight Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.

Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to South Africa? There’s the painful way, flying coach on Delta on one of the longest flights from ATL-JNB and then there’s the right way HKG-JNB. Crazy to think that this route along with fifteen other segments was included in the AA Explorer Award when today it would cost 50,000 AAdvantage Miles for a one way.

After the fun in Lan Kwai Fong, it was time to sit back and enjoy top-end service highlighted by a lie-flat bed, an extensive IFE selection, and flight attendants that simultaneously leave you alone to relax while catering to your every need. It was time for Cathay Pacific’s 777 service to Johannesburg.

The landing gear before takeoff — The landing gear cam before takeoff

The bag had a terrible zipper but inside was the best lip balm, Jurlique which retails for $30.

The Cathay Delight pre take-off drink. I’ll take one of each.

The convenient IFE and seat controls. Recline right away.

The Superdry in-flight duty free purchase

Flying Cathay, always the right decision.

<==Back to Lan Kwai Fong – Onto

Hong Kong Layover = Lan Kwai Fong

thepointsoflife

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October 20, 2015

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Lan Kwai Fong Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.

Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.

Anthony Bourdain has his Layover Guide to Hong Kong and I have mine. With all due respect to Bourdain, his layover is actually a stopover as he stays in HKG for 48 hours. I had 6 hours to enjoy Hong Kong and did it in the best way possible: I went straight to Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong’s entertainment district.

“There’s more to Hong Kong than LKF,” every local will advise. While this is true, there’s no better place to spend a few hours before your next flight than LKF. Upon arriving to HKG in the good care of another Cathay flight, I could’ve relaxed in the magnificent Arrival Lounge as I did earlier in this round-the-world trip.

Instead, I purchased a round trip ticket on the Airport Express which is cheaper than a one way ticket only if you are returning to the airport the same day. The cost is 180 Hong Kong dollars or $23 USD. From there, I took the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station, walked to Central Station and exited at D2.

En route to LKF, tempted by YOYO massage

There’s something going on in LKF regardless of when you visit. Of course, the best time to visit LKF is during Halloween when it plays host to the greatest block party of all time. Still, even on a Monday evening there were plenty of tourists, expats, and locals having a drink.

Why is there GNC everywhere in the world?

The best part of LKF are the two 7-Elevens which have to be the highest grossing 7-Elevens in the world. They sell beer, liquor, and wine and provide bottle openers. Taking advantage of the nonexistent open container laws, the frugal traveler can enjoy libations without having to pay steep bar prices while staying in the mix of the action.

For an expedited version of the 7-Eleven drinking game, I recommend making the loop around LKF over and over. Otherwise, if you do want to spend money, my favorite bar is the one located at the top of the hill to the left of the 7-Eleven. There you will find happy hour and Hoegaarden at a decent price. Skip the tourist trap Hard Rock but stop in at the Canadien bar for a Molson. Avoid overpriced Ebenezeer’s for a snack, though delicious, it is not The Best Kebab in the World.

While great for a late night crave, there are much cheaper options for kebab nearby.

After a few drinks and after making a few new friends, don’t forget you have to make it back to the airport, clear immigration, and find your gate. Inebriated, that can be quite the process.

Luckily for me, I had a long flight to Johannesburg on Cathay up next to decompress. Everything was going according to schedule until I stumbled upon LKF express at HKG.

<==Back to Aloft Kuala Lumpur – Onto

Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Review

thepointsoflife

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October 19, 2015

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The Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral Review is part of the Trip Report: The $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World which covers 5 Continents, 13 Countries, and 17 Cities.

Find the nerdy planning here. Find the picture preview here.

Getting There: Via the hotel’s website:

SkyBus: Hours:24 hours, Travel Time; 1 Hour; Arriving at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) Terminal? Hop on a bus and you’ll be here in no time!

Express Rail Link (ERL) Train Services: Fee:35 MYR one-way ($8); Hours: 5:52 AM – 1:23 AM; Travel Time:28 minutes; About:

Aloft is my favorite hotel in Bangkok. It’s in a great location in Seoul and my go-to airport hotel in Phoenix. While I don’t recommend the Aloft Beijing, I approve of the Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral if you have a stopover in KL.

Located right across from the Sentral Train Station, getting to and from the airport is convenient. Situated in a high-rise, the Aloft KL is by far the nicest Aloft I have visited. Furthermore, at 2000 SPG points + 35, the price can’t be beat. The room was double the size of a typical Aloft but everything else was standard Aloft quality.

I'll take the green one. — I’ll take the green one.

Brand new Aloft as of December 2013

<==Back to Saigon Travel Guide – Onto =>>