Thirteen 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:
3 more weeks to go. Unlike last week when I lamented my sorry Lions, this week I ask, “How bout them Wolverines?”
3 weeks. Ow. 3 weeks. Ow. 3 weeks. Ow.
Some people have great luck with retention offers. Besides Citi who comes to my house and serenades me to stay, the other banks are hit or miss. Amex has never given me an offer for my SPG cards which I’ve had the longest. US Bank didn’t want me as a customer in the first place so they’ll gladly close the account quickly and hang up promptly. This brings me to today’s Chase call.
Like my SPG cards, I’ve had the Chase Ink for a while now (though this is Ink #3.) and have never received a retention offer. Anyhow, the Ink card benefits are well documented so it was not my intention to cancel. Instead, I wanted one of two things: 1) A statement credit of $95 2) to downgrade to the no annual fee version which still provides the benefits that I utilize.
The answer was no to the first and no to the second. I was told that I wasn’t eligible to downgrade. My only option was to cancel the current Ink and apply for the no annual fee alternative.
I don’t even know how to describe how confused I was at my options, or lack thereof. First, there is no way I could apply for the no annual fee Ink with Chase’s anti-churning laws. Second, really, you can’t just downgrade me to the no annual fee version?
Are you as shocked as I was? Obviously, I’m going to call back and hope my luck turns. Otherwise, Chase has another $95 coming their way. I hope I didn’t just give away all my bargaining power by disclosing that fact.
The Park Hyatt Saigon 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: I took a taxi from the airport to the Sheraton Saigon (my first hotel in Saigon) and consulted my Blackberry for a reasonable fare. Google said $10 so I like to bargain for $8 and go from there. On the way back, I took the taxi called for me by the Park Hyatt.
It’s perfect. There’s no other way to describe the Park Hyatt Saigon than by using that word. Everything about the hotel is 5-stars.
The Hotel
No matter where I go, it seems a new tower is being constructed. Though a skyline helps define a city, it isn’t what makes it unique. From Yangon to Saigon, the essence of a city is captured through the historical buildings that have persevered through time.
The Park Hyatt Saigon is the site of the 1964 Brinks Hotel bombing, an attack on the South by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Though the Park Hyatt is not the original building, it was constructed in a way to preserve the French Colonial charm.
The Room
Though not a Diamond suite upgrade, the room overlooked the pool and had spectacular bathrobes.
The Pool
There’s plenty to see and do in Saigon which becomes difficult once you lounge at the Park Hyatt pool. It is hard to imagine there is so much chaos within meters of your location.
The Peace
Saigon is insane. Motorbikes, street vendors, and everyone in between live in this densely populated city. It can be exhausting to simply cross the street. Retreating to the refuge of the Park Hyatt Saigon restores the balance that is lost from trying to navigate the bustling metropolis.
The Location
If you do choose to leave the peaceful premises, you are minutes away from all the sites and sounds and more sounds of Saigon. Like I said, it’s the perfect hotel.
The Price
When I booked, the room rate was a ridiculous $400 a night. As of writing this, the daily rate is $329 for the month of December. I used 12,000 points to book the room which has now gone up to 15,000 since it is a Category 4 hotel. Alternatively, the cash n points option is 7500 + $100 which is a great deal. It does qualify for the annual Chase Hyatt free night certificate as well.
The Pho
Looking for some late night Pho? Why wander back alleys when the Park Hyatt’s room service provides it. It’s quality and quantity pho from the comfort of your own room.
Overall
If you’re going to Saigon, stay at the Park Hyatt. Enough said.
<==Back to Sheraton Saigon – Onto Best Pho in Saigon==>
The Sheraton Saigon 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: I took a taxi from the airport and consulted my Blackberry for a reasonable fare. Google said $10 so I like to bargain for $8 and go from there. On the way back, I took the taxi called for me by the hotel.
Following the overnight flight from Maldives to Kuala Lumpur, I paid $161 for a round trip ticket on AirAsia to Saigon, a deviation from the business class opulence of the Explorer Award ticket. Arriving at 10AM in Ho Chi Minh, I was hoping that the Sheraton Saigon would let me check in early which they did. Exhausted, I passed out, completely oblivious to the sounds of motorbikes swarming below.
The Hotel
The Sheraton Saigon is typical of Sheraton hotels worldwide (excluding the pitiful Sheraton Times Square.). It had a plush king size bed, ample space, a great shower, and a decent view of the city. But for $151/night there are much better deals to be had in the city especially if you’re packing a carry-on full of points. I stayed for one night to meet the requirement to qualify for SPG Gold for 2014. For that purpose, it suited me just fine.
The Room
The Location
Saigon is a tiny city. The Sheraton is in a great location in the heart of all it. It is walking distance to everything including the first restaurant on Pho King’s Phoking tour of Saigon Pho, the terrible Pho 2000: President Clinton’s Bad Dining Advice.
<==Back to Conrad Maldives – Onto Park Hyatt Saigon==>
The points world is buzzing about Amex’s latest perk on its platinum card- Hilton. Hilton Gold is great especially when traveling abroad. I received ocean bungalow upgrade in Seychelles, a stellar room at the Conrad Tokyo, and the over-the-top Japanese Penthouse at the Hilton Colombo Residence.
But is the $450 annual fee for the Amex Platinum worth it for this benefit, among others? As someone who has both the Amex Platinum Personal and Business, I will give you my finest legal answer: it depends. While the Amex Platinum personal card gives a $200 airline statement credit if you can maneuver the restrictions and provides SPG Gold status and access to the Centurion Lounges (see Vegas, Mexico City), I’m still wary of the high annual fee when cards like the Citi Prestige provide a $250 airline credit that can go directly towards airline tickets, access to the Admirals Club Lounge when flying American, and 3 free rounds of golf.
On the other hand, is it better to pay $95 for the Citi Reserve card for Hilton Gold and $95*2 for the SPG Personal and Business? The answer again is it depends. If you are striving for platinum with SPG and benefit from the 4 night stay credit towards the 25 required and if you can MS or shell out 10k on the Citi Reserve for a free weekend night then paying for those cards are worth it. Personally, I need SPG platinum in my life and this will be the second year I have earned a free Hilton night which may be used in Tahiti. For those reasons, I hold onto these three.
This year’s Keep vs. Cancel list is complete and I’ve already paid the annual fees for the two Amex platinum cards. So for now they’re all in my wallet. Next year when the annual fees become due, I may have to reconsider carrying all the cards when one Platinum may do the trick.
Then again, it depends.
For convenience, here is a list of all the Platinum Personal card benefits and here is a list of all the Platinum Business card benefits.
The Conrad Maldives Airport Lounge 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.
Before you take your $500 seaplane ride to your Conrad Maldives bungalow, the luxury (or misery) begins at the Conrad Maldives Airport Lounge. Perhaps it is called the Seaport Lounge. My experience at the lounge was far different from my companion’s.
Despite being the first off the plane, the first to clear customs, Ms. TPOL was bumped from her early noon flight to Rangali Island. She was stuck waiting in the lounge with old sandwiches for snacks stuck between the lunch and dinner service. Needless to say, she wasn’t pleased. The hotel blamed the seaplane company for the delay. The seaplane company blamed the hotel. In the end nobody cared.
Not to sound like a jerk but my experience at the lounge was great. Well rested after a night on Male, I arrived at the lounge in time for breakfast. Sitting on a reclining day bed, I drank my espresso, had some fresh eggs, and waited to board the seaplane for paradise.
I found it interesting to observe the manners of those waiting in the lounge who came from all corners of the globe. I assumed that these people were part of high society and would conduct themselves with grace. That wasn’t the case. Each time more food was brought out, it was a feeding frenzy of people who acted like they hadn’t had a good meal in forever. As someone who stays on points, flies on points, I am guilty of taking it too far in trying to exploit everything that is free. Nevertheless, I try to observe some rules of etiquette such as waiting my turn in line!
But in the words of Jay-Z, “You can pay for school, but you can’t buy class.”
After that comedy, it was time to board the plane to Rangali.
It is worth mentioning that lounge access is not offered for free on the return but must be purchased at the hotel. Due to a sprained ankle, Ms. TPOL got us complimentary access and endless bowls of pasta while we waited for our flight to Kuala Lumpur. The ravage behavior of hungry patrons was on full display for dinner as well. This time I can cut them some slack because we were all starving after enduring the unconscionable prices for subpar food at the hotel.
<==Back to Male, Maldives – Onto Maldives Seaplane==>
The British Airways Colombo to Maldives 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.
Male is one of the most densely populated cities in the world with a population of over 100,000. That means next to nothing until you step foot onto Male which most people fail to do. This is a mistake for a few reasons: First, getting to the Maldives is an exhausting experience. Before you take the overpriced sea plane to your overpriced hotel in the middle of the Indian Ocean, spend one night recuperating from the journey. Second, visiting Male allows you to see what life is like for the people of the Maldives. Though some live full-time at the resorts, the majority live in cramped quarters on a tiny island. It is like Hong Kong but exponentially more compact. Finally, by arriving a day early, you can schedule your sea plane for first thing in the morning. That way you are not stranded at the airport all day while your travel companion (me) is sitting in the bungalow’s hot tub.
<==Back to British Colombo to Maldives – Onto Conrad Seaplane Lounge==>
The British Airways Colombo to Maldives 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.
In the good old days, you used to be able to fly Emirate Shower Class from Colombo to Male from $300 and experience a nice soak at 30,000 feet. That is no longer the case. When I booked this RTW ticket, I made it a point to avoid using British for any of the segments in an effort to steer clear of fuel surcharges. The one exception was my flight to the Maldives which I was not only lucky to find available but also was surprised to find it was aboard a 777. Imagine taking a 777 for a flight that is only an hour and a half long.
British flies direct from London to Colombo then onto Male. While the majority of the passengers are exhausted from the 10.5 hour flight, I was ready for my short trip across the Indian Ocean.
What makes British Business unique is the reverse facing seat layout which is perfect for couples traveling to a romantic getaway like the Maldives. I was alone at this point so I put up the privacy guard and passed out. Though I can’t say too much about the flight itself, I will advise that anyone flying to Maldives should consider a couple of days in Colombo to break up the trip.
<==Back to Colombo Travel Guide – Onto Male, Maldives==>
It’s been a tough year for manufacturing starting with the FreeBird being taken away. The twists and turns of MS can be found in my most popular post, I’m In Manufacturing, Spending. With all these ups and downs, this Election season I pledge to build a great firewall for those that give away a million secrets like the boy who cried Vanilla Reload one too many times.
Today, I discovered more bad news. Giftcards.com, the site that used to charge $999 for $1000 worth of gift cards not only has eliminated free shipping but also has eliminated USPS shipping for $1.99. The only shipping they offer now is USPS Delivery Confirmation for $7.45. This means that the price of a $1000 order jumps up to $1015.29. In a matter of months $1000 of gift cards went from free to a $7 charge, to the current price gouge of $15.
Our trusty chocolate alternative to these cards goes for $5.95 for $500 though it is only loadable on the Bird not Swerve. Unless free shipping comes back or at least a discount, I won’t be ordering anymore gifts from this retailer. I guess you could order more than 1k to offset the shipping cost but in my experience those orders don’t get approved.
For those whose Target’s require a gift card with a name or for those that use Swerve, I don’t know what the solution is. One thing is clear, the war on MS is in high gear so like Andy Dufresne said, “Get busy loading or better get busy dying.”
How much more can we take?
The Colmbo, Sri Lanka Travel Guide 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.
Colombo, Sri Lanka just sounds like a cool place to visit. It is.
Here is the Travel Guide using the Guns & Butter methodology:
Sri Lanka is a country rich with history, culture, and people. The capital of the teardrop island is Colombo, a crazy city that has been described by the author Cherry Briggs as follows: “If Bangkok is Asia’s city of sex and drugs, Calcultta the city of death and poetry, and Tokyo the technotropolis of innovation, then Colombo is their immature sibling, still trying to find and assert its identity.”
Colombo is a mishmash of all countries in the region. This eclectic, colorful mix is what makes Colombo worth visiting even if it is only for a couple of days before heading off to the beaches of Sri Lanka or an atoll in the Maldives.
Here’s a breakdown of how to organize the chaos:
Street Shopping
Looking for a headache, head to the local market where everything is on sale. Fruits, bootleg Beats by Dre, and clothing all are sold in one jam packed area. I suggest doing this first thing in the morning while you still have energy to deal with the crowds and the bargaining.
The City
There’s lots to do and see all over the city from temples to snakes.
Train to Mt. Lavinia
Ask many people and they’ll say the best thing about Colombo is getting out of Colombo. It is that hectic. While you could take a taxi to the beach, I recommend taking the open air train. It moves slow enough that you feel safe but having no door between you and death makes it a somewhat dodgy experience.
The Beach
You’ll notice the graph has the beach as the most restful activity in Colombo. That all depends on how much you feel like kicking back and relaxing or if you’d rather do push ups, pull ups, and dips on the makeshift gym at the beach.
Drinking & Eating
The amount of energy you expend on drinking, eating, and exploring is up to you. It is also best told by me using photos:
In order to get a table, patrons have to buy a vat of beer, so I did.
As you can see Colombo was an awesome time. Everything here was done in one day meaning I must return to so an do a lot more.
<==Back to Hilton Residence Colombo – Onto British Airways Business to Maldives==>
