Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Simply The Best: January 2023

thepointsoflife

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February 3, 2023

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Would you look at that? January is done. And TPOL is the best. Here’s why:

This Flight Is Bound for Baghdad: IST to BGW Turkish Flight Review
On my 40th birthday, my journey to my homeland for the first time was underway.
Iberia Residency Booked: Adios Puerto Rico, Hola España
Last year, I decided that in addition to my crazy jaunts around the globe, I would also take up residency in a pre-selected, first-world big city for four months out of the year.
Sign of the [Economic] Times: Marijuana Is Legal in Thailand
I sternly warned my friend that weed is illegal in Thailand and that there are stern penalties for those who possess it. He rebutted my claim by saying that he had purchased it from a legal dispensary. Initially, I did not believe him.
Vilnius to IST: Turkish Flight Review 1 out of 8
I have these eight flight reviews to share: VIL to IST IST to BGW BSR to IST IST to TUN TUN to IST IST to TBS TBS to IST IST to DOH
Guns & Butter: Singapore Travel Guide
As a backpacker looking for value, I used to think that was boring. As a resident of Puerto Rico, I wish my island was ten percent as ‘boring.’
Scoot SIN-BKK: Hard Product: Dreamliner, Soft Product: Not
Try as I might, I could not contain the toxic gasses that escaped from this dreadful dish. I would have set off a domino effect of everyone on board vomiting had I taken a bite of this. It was so vile that I had to press the call button and have the flight attendant take it away.
Michigan Loses on NYE: Suing ESPN for Emotional Distress
I am willing to take on Ohio State clients as well as they literally had to go through this agony when the clock struck midnight.

Iraq Visa on Arrival: Take a Seat, Hand Over Some Cash, Then Exit

thepointsoflife

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February 1, 2023

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Iraq Visa on Arrival is part of the Iraq Homecoming Trip Report.

“Welcome to Iraq,” a passenger sarcastically said after the exit door and plane were not aligned correctly, forcing us to wait on board while the geometry was sorted out. After a walk to the passport control, I was handed a misaligned visa-on-arrival form created using a copy machine. I was told to go back to the waiting area and fill out the form. I filled it out hastily so as to avoid the queue of other foreigners. I then saw a random guy in uniform standing near a sign that said visa-on-arrival. He was not behind a desk or a counter. He was just standing there. I handed him the form along with my passport. Then I was told to sit down. Each person filled out the form and handed his passport to the same person. Then he disappeared with our freedom. I observed and wondered what other people were doing Iraq. I thought maybe someone else was having a homecoming (see Iraqi Homecoming Trip Report: An Introduction). Maybe these were fellow family members.

a group of people sitting in chairs and a blue suitcase — Could these be long-lost cousins?

An hour later, the same random man returned and called each person’s name and shouted how much money each of us owed. One by one, people went up to the man and paid him with cash in exchange for our passports. It didn’t matter who submitted the form first. What mattered was having exact change. My guide told me only to bring 100s because most places will not accept bills in small denominations. I would suggest some change for situations like this. The visa cost was $77. I only had crisp Benjamins, forcing me to wait until everyone else had paid to receive $23. Change in hand, I went back to the immigration counter, had my passport stamped, and proceeded to exit. “Welcome to Iraq,” indeed. Overall Visas are usually a problem for me. I am bad about sending the app ahead of time, I gloss over the rules, or I sloppily fill out the forms. Judging by the informal approach at Baghdad customs, I have concluded that culturally I am predisposed to such disorganization.

Keep vs. Cancel: Chase Business Hyatt

thepointsoflife

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January 31, 2023

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I have stopped being lazy when it comes to calling in for retention offers. With the economy sputtering, maybe banks will be a little kinder when it comes to subsidizing annual fees with perks. That was not the case with Chase Hyatt Business. Me: Calling to cancel my card. Chase: Why? Me: Annual fee. Chase: OK, card is closed. There was no hesitation. He didn’t even read a disclosure where I could interject. It was over before it began. I have no regrets about canceling. The $199 annual fee is not worth the sticker price. There is no annual free night like its personal partner. The only benefit for most people is two $50 statement credits when staying at a Hyatt.

a pool with chairs and flowers — Use the statement credit at the overpriced, overrated Park Hyatt St. Kitts.

This Flight Is Bound for Baghdad: IST to BGW Turkish Flight Review

thepointsoflife

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January 30, 2023

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Turkish Istanbul Baghdad Flight Review is part of the Iraq Homecoming Trip Report.

Are you ready for Turkish Airlines Flight Reviews? As part of my RTW ticket (see 25,000 Mile RTW Trip Including Iraq Booked!, I made great use of ANA’s flexible routing options to add many new countries to my Country Count List (see Where I’ve Been). While flying direct is the most optimal way to book such a ticket, I had no choice but to transit in Istanbul over and over, and over, and over again. Accordingly, I have these eight flight reviews to share:

Passenger: Excuse me, is this gate A9? Agent: Where are you going? Passenger: Cancun. What’s this line for? Agent: Baghdad Passenger: Oh Walks off gingerly.

On my 40th birthday, my journey to my homeland for the first time was underway (see Iraqi Homecoming Trip Report: An Introduction)! Unlike my Turkish flight from Vilnius to Istanbul (see Vilnius to IST: Turkish Flight Review 1 out of 8) and unlike previous Turkish flights in general, this one did not disappoint. Plane Flying the A320 neo was incomparable to the standard A321. There was a crisp TV screen, large chairs, and a footrest where I could actually rest my feet.

Service I’ve joked in the past that it’s not that Turkish flight attendants are mean or indifferent, it’s that something is lost in translation. I hypothesized that “You, food?” in a sharp tone may not sound warm, but it is not purposefully mean (see Turkish Business Beirut to Istanbul: Lamb Chop!). On this flight, there was nothing lost in translation. Everything was ‘sir this’ and ‘madame that.’ The service was impeccable. Drink There was no alcohol on the flight but the OJ was freshly squeezed (contrast LOT’s JFK-WAW Tropicana offering). Other juices were available as well.

a glass of pink liquid with a straw in it — Sour cherry juice? No, thank you.

Pillow and blanket I was freezing from Vilnius to Istanbul and was not offered either a pillow or a blanket. On this night flight to Baghdad, I was offered both. Food The food was terrible on the last flight from Vilnius to Istanbul. On this flight, the simple appetizer was great. The croissant, though a no-no on the travel diet (see A Holiday of Healthy, Tipsy, & on Budget? Basically Impossible) was appropriately hot, and the mushroom omelet, though not spectacular, was good enough.

Entertainment I passed out on the last flight but have had the chance to peruse the in-flight entertainment on this one. While the TV comedy shows were sparse, the movie selection was full of favorites. Since I will be flying Turkish six more times on this RTW trip (see 25,000 Mile RTW Trip Including Iraq Booked!), that was good to know. Wi-Fi There was 1GB of free Wi-Fi for business class. Destination Although it was 3:30AM and I should have slept, I refused to do so. I was taking in the experience. I never thought I would visit Baghdad and now I was minutes away from arriving.

a view of a river from an airplane window — Tigris River

Touchdown I’ve landed in hundreds of cities but nothing will compare to touching down in Baghdad on my 40th. To think, had my parents not emigrated to the US, this could have been my home airport. Beyond that, it is eerie to imagine all that has transpired at this airport. It used to be called Saddam Hussein International Airport, SDA. After the US invasion, the name was changed to Baghdad International Airport, BGA.

a large building with many windows and a parking lot

Overall Thank you Turkish for taking me home for the first time in comfort and style.

Sign of the [Economic] Times: Marijuana Is Legal in Thailand

thepointsoflife

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January 27, 2023

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Marijuana Thailand is part of the Reunion Tour Trip Report.

While I was stuck in Singapore on account of not receiving my Vietnam visa (see Vietnam E-Visa Not Processed: Another TPOL Duck Up?), I called my friend whom I was supposed to meet in Hanoi and told him to meet me in Bangkok, Thailand. Because of my error, I booked him a room at the Hyatt Regency Bangkok on points and told him to try and behave himself before I arrived. Later that night, I received a message from my friend stating that he had purchased marijuana off the street in Thailand. I sternly warned him that weed is illegal in Thailand and that there are stern penalties for those who possess it. He rebutted my claim by saying that he had purchased it from a legal dispensary. Initially, I did not believe him. When I arrived in Thailand, I took my friend to Koh San Road, an obligatory stop for any tourist (see What Are You Doing on Khaosan Road?). Next to every pad thai station was a weed dispensary. If you’ve been to Khaosan then you will know that that’s a lot of dispensaries. I asked the proprietor when weed became legal. He said in June of 2022. I was dumbstruck by this development.

Like all merchants on Khaosan, the proprietor asked if I wanted to buy any weed. He asked me to smell the bud, as if that would convince me. I politely declined as I am not one for the sticky icky whether it be in blunt, gummy, or brownie form. Back on the infamous Sukhumvit 11 (see One Night in Bangkok: A Marathon Party Guide), there was one stall next to another.

a man standing in front of a food truck — Ubiquitous is the word of the day.

TPOL’s Tip: A ‘J’ as the kids call it costs 100 baht. The good kush costs 300 baht. Overall After years of travel restrictions, I assumed that post Covid the government was looking to rev up the tourism industry. This seems to be a quick and easy way of doing it. I never believed that marijuana would be legal in Thailand. That is a sign of the [economic] times.

a sign on a stand — Weed is legal all over Thailand including Koh Pha Ngan.

Approved! Alaska Personal

thepointsoflife

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January 26, 2023

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I applied and was instantly approved for the Alaska card which offers 70k after 3k spent. The reason I am writing about it is two-fold: First, I continue to be rejected for the business version. I assume that they did not refund the annual fee when I closed it and it shows that I have an outstanding balance. I always mean to call to clear it up, but the list of personal calls is out of control (see Complaints: How Long Till You Let It Go?). Second, Alaska points have a special place in my heart. Remember the days of flying Emirates first after 4 40k apps in the same day? Whatever happened to Darius from MMS? I recently redeemed Alaska points for the world’s longest flight from JFK–SIN for 100k points (see World’s Longest & Best Business Class Flight: JFK-SIN). I also booked LAX to Fiji then to Australia in business for 55k points (see 55K Alaskan to Fiji And My New Melbourne Residence). Although those are great redemptions at a great value, my Alaska balance suffered as a result. Fortunately, BoA doesn’t hate personal me. Now, if I can just figure out how to get business me back into their good graces.

a bowl of soup with vegetables and meat — More SQ for me in my future.

Another Error: Why Didn’t I Reschedule BKK to HAN?

thepointsoflife

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January 25, 2023

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Another Error is part of the Reunion Tour Trip Report.

I finally made it to Bangkok. But, let’s recap how I got here. The ordeal started with not receiving my Vietnam visa in time (see Vietnam E-Visa Not Processed: Another TPOL Duck Up?). Instead of going from JFK–SIN–HAN, I found myself at Singapore’s airport trying to change my Alaska reservation (see Booking Bangkok After Vietnam Failure). There were no flights available, leaving me stuck in Singapore for one night, a city I no longer lament (Guns & Butter: Singapore Travel Guide). After a fun night out (see Singapore Nightlife Guide: Hip Hip Hop-a You Don’t Stop), I found an acceptable option for a flight to BKK (see Scoot SIN-BKK: Hard Product: Dreamliner, Soft Product: Not). What I did not do and what I should have done when I called Alaska was change the date of my SIN-HAN leg to any date in the future. There is no charge to do so. Since my first objective was to cure my initial mistake, I did not do so and was marked as a no-show for what would have been a sweet SQ business class flight. I used 100k to book JFK-SIN (see Booked! World’s Longest Flight) and paid $6 to add the Hanoi leg. Unfortunately, that money is gone forever. TPOL’s Tip: Think I’m stupid? See all of my mistakes on the Travel Lessons page.

a man standing on a boat with arms outstretched — Visiting Ha Long Bay in 2009

Why I Still Don’t Like the Turkish Lounge in IST

thepointsoflife

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January 24, 2023

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Turkish Lounge IST is part of the Iraq Homecoming Trip Report.

I flew Turkish 8 times as part of my RTW ticket (see 25,000 Mile RTW Trip Including Iraq Booked!). While flying direct is the most optimal way to book such a ticket, I had no choice but to transit in Istanbul over and over, and over, and over again (see Vilnius to IST: Turkish Flight Review 1 out of 8). Accordingly, I went to the Turkish business class lounge many times. I have already written a thorough review of the Turkish business class lounge in IST, both the old one which I enjoyed (see Turkish Airlines Business Class: Where Costco Meets Chuck E. Cheese) and the new one which is not as good (see New Turkish Airlines Lounge Review: I Miss Chuck E. Cheese). Rather than take the same pictures, I would like to share why I still do not like this lounge:

There is no liquor, only beer and wine.
Efes is the worst beer in the world.
The golf balls are nerf.
Where are my noodles?
The Wi-Fi is terribly slow and requires going to a machine to print out a password. With such ‘exclusivity’, I would expect my web surfing to be flawless.
The food break at night still happens, leaving passengers with no food.
The food is great, if you arrive when there is food.
The beds are reserved for a select few.
The seating situation is even rougher than before. People are scoping out seats itching for someone to leave so they can swoop in and rest. The couches are worn out from the traffic.
There is also a battle for charging ports as there are not enough outlets.
The place is noisy. Given the layout, guests are on top of each other. Here, more than any other lounge, I have found people using Facetime without headphones.
The shower rules are next to impossible to secure. I have yet to qualify for a shower.
The chai is always empty or brewing.
The staff is not friendly, especially the barista.
The barista should have more Turkish coffee.
The gates are far, far away.
2:05AM to Baghdad, better get going now.

Overall The Turkish business class lounge in Istanbul is a big Sam’s club bus station with no personality.

Vilnius to IST: Turkish Flight Review 1 out of 8

thepointsoflife

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January 23, 2023

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Vilnius to Istanbul Turkish Flight Review is part of the Iraq Homecoming Trip Report.

Are you ready for Turkish Airlines Flight Reviews? As part of my RTW ticket (see 25,000 Mile RTW Trip Including Iraq Booked!), I made great use of ANA’s flexible routing options to add many new countries to my Country Count List (see Where I’ve Been). While flying direct is the most optimal way to book such a ticket, I had no choice but to transit in Istanbul over and over, and over, and over again. Accordingly, I have these eight flight reviews to share:

I have never been particularly impressed with Turkish. The last time I flew their long-haul it was from Istanbul to Shanghai on an old school 2-3-2 (see Turkish Business IST-PVG: Really, 2-3-2?). I have found the soft product to be anything but soft. It is typically service curt and short (see Turkish Business IST to Beirut: Just the Basics). After flying Turkish eight times, I enjoyed the consistency and familiarity of what it offers but cannot say that it is a great business class product when compared to airlines like SQ, Cathay, or Qatar. The Familiar Since there are eight of these posts, I refuse to audit each flight as if it were my first time. For this review, I will focus on the familiar. The first is the seat which can range depending if I were flying on a 737, an a321-200, or an a321-neo, with the latter being the best.

a seat on an airplane — a321-200 on this flight

Another familiar on-board offering is the welcome juices. I prefer champagne (see Get Ready to Takeoff: The World’s Best Champagne), but it was not offered.

a glass of lemonade and a lemon slice on a table

What would a Turkish flight be without its mezze? Prepare to see this photo again and again.

In keeping with the theme of familiarity, another consistent attribute of Turkish is that the main dish is inconsistent. Sometimes it’s great (see Turkish Business Beirut to Istanbul: Lamb Chop!), and sometimes it’s this:

Overall Lest you misinterpret my post, I am not slamming Turkish Airlines. I was happy to fly it eight times, but I recognize and can affirm its limitations.

Scoot SIN-BKK: Hard Product: Dreamliner, Soft Product: Not

thepointsoflife

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January 20, 2023

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Scoot Flight Review is part of the Reunion Tour Trip Report.

I first laughed when I heard, “We will be ‘scooting’ off to Bangkok. If you have any questions, ask our flight attendants, we call them Scootis.” I laughed again when I heard: This is your captain. My name is Herman. I laughed for the third time when I noticed that I was on board a 787 for a 2 hour 25 minute flight. “Scooting away?” “Scootis?” “Herman?” A Dreamliner for this short flight from Bangkok to Singapore? Surely this was a joke.

a window of an airplane — 787 drape-less window

I also noticed that I was sitting in the ‘business class’ part of the plane. I booked the ticket on a random website, eDreams, that was cheaper than Scoot. Included in the fare was a free drink, which the flight attendant insisted I order. In no mood to drink after a night out in Singapore (see Singapore Nightlife Guide: Hip Hip Hop-a You Don’t Stop), I obliged and asked for an Asahi. Then I proceeded to pass out.

Meal Rather than leaving me in peace, the flight attendant came back later and shouted at me that my meal was here. I guess that is included in the fare as well. Shaken from my scoot slumber, I thought I would give the yam rice a try. I opened it and instantly regretted that decision. While Singapore is known for its delicious chicken rice (see Guns & Butter: Singapore Travel Guide) and SQ is known for its ‘Book the Cook’, this was the exact opposite. This was death served on a plastic plate. Try as I might, I could not contain the toxic gasses that escaped from this dreadful dish. I almost puked when I ate the tartare on my LOT flight from JFK to Warsaw (see LOT JFK-WAW: It’s How You Finish) and would have set off a domino effect of everyone on board vomiting had I taken a bite of this. It was so vile that I had to press the call button and have the flight attendant take it away.

food and drink on a table — Can you smell it?

Overall I should have been flying SQ business to Hanoi (see Vietnam E-Visa Not Processed: Another TPOL Duck Up?). Instead, I was trying to stop gagging from the garbage that I was served. Safe to say I was no longer laughing. The joke was on me.