Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Tahiti Technical Difficulties

thepointsoflife

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January 21, 2015

We spend all our time as points enthusiasts on Excel, AwardWallet, and our own personal calendars plotting trips and picking dates while making sure our points don’t expire and we don’t get hit with too many annual fees.

For the past few months, I’ve been trying to find availability at Hilton’s Bora Bora,, Tahiti resort AND pull off the greatest flight points heist since my round the world ticket. As I was moving out of Mongolia, the chances of going to Tahiti via N Asia was improbable. As such, I had to cancel my reservation for Tahiti.

However each time that I went to cancel I received an error from hilton.com that said technical difficulties and a message prompting me to call the Hilton HHonors 800 number. 800 numbers are very tricky to use when living abroad because half the time they do not work on Skype and the other half of the time the agent cannot hear you if you aren’t calling from perfect WI-FI using your free WI-FI calling.

This isn’t the first time I’ve had trouble with Hilton’s website so I figured I’d give them a call when I got back to the US to cancel my reservation. Of course, when I finally get them on the line, they tell me “Oh you’ve missed your cancellation window of 14 days.”

The case has been escalated to a higher power as I wait to see if my points will be refunded.

It’s remarkable that the only way to effectively get a hold of an international brand like Hilton is to be back in the States. Try tweeting at them all you want, they’ll still advise you to call the 800 number.

The same can be said of making an Avios redemption on another international carrier. You won’t be able to make changes online so call the US-based 800 number that operates at US times. Good luck trying to change a reservation within the 24 hour cancellation window when you’re on the other side of the globe. Don’t get me started with Korean Air who still, two months later, hasn’t refunded my 24 hour cancellation because the US call center didn’t inform the Chinese call center of my request.

Technical difficulties do happen but will I really lose out on Tahiti as a result?

Jet-Lagged Vs. The Routine

Professor

thepointsoflife

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January 20, 2015

2

After a month of straight traveling with blog material naturally flowing from the external stimulus outside my hostel, hotel, and airplane window, I am finally stationary. I wake up at 4AM restless from having nothing to do. Bored, I go back to sleep hoping to slip back into a dream that has me on an adventure not on a routine.

Many have described this phenomenon as a case of jet lag which may lead to depression if left untreated or if left idle. It’s not the time difference that has me awake at all hours or scanning AwardWallet plotting my getaway. It’s the feeling that I am missing out on what’s happening in the rest of the world. Trying to convince myself that life isn’t all about travel, I try to break back into a normal routine: gym, PTI, blog posts. But even deflate-gate doesn’t captivate my attention like a captain’s announcement that we are landing in a new land that I have yet to frequent.

Observing everyone in my parents’ suburb, I wonder if perhaps they have it better than I: work, family, sleep, repeat. The paradox is how the minimalist traveler with his carry-ons ends up with more ‘baggage’ than the stationary worker who has more ‘real-world’ problems. On the one hand it seems simpler to live out of a suitcase and be on the road. On the other it seems simpler to do the same thing every day.

For those who have contracted the terminal travel bug, it is too late to revert back to a normal routine. Our blessing and our curse is that we remain forever jet-lagged.

Simply the Best: December 2014

TPOL's Best

thepointsoflife

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January 19, 2015

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Whoa, January is almost over and I didn’t even post the best posts for December 2014. I’ve been away from civilization and running around Asia so I haven’t had the time to do proper posts.

Still, there were plenty of memories and plenty of memorable posts. Here are the top 7 for the month of December: Keep in mind, a-live posts are ineligible.

1. Why SQ 777 > SQ A380 Suite Class

I didn’t have my private suite but drinking, eating, and sharing in the excitement of the World Cup action from Brazil with awesome flight attendants who were equally as excited as me more than made up for it.

2. Conrad Maldives: Heaven Can Wait

conrad maldives rangali island review — I stayed at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island in a breathtaking bungalow that overlooked paradise.

3. “What Are Points Worth?” Shut Up and Book!

Back then I didn’t care. I saw a beach, I saw a pool, I saw that it would be free and I booked it.

4. The Best Kebab in the World

5. The St. Regis, My Mauritius

the st. regis mauritius resort — It is rumored the resort has a beautiful pool, countless water activities, and an excellent breakfast buffet. As to the veracity of such claims, I have limited knowledge for I spent my time lounging in this sequential order: night bed, day bed, beach.

6. Is It Immoral to Uber?

is uber illegal — My experience as a taxi cab driver led to serious introspection as to whether I should or shouldn’t Uber.

7. Guns & Butter: Liberia, Costa Rica

And with that, let’s head to Liberia, Costa Rica!

We Now Return You to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

Uncategorized

thepointsoflife

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January 18, 2015

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We Now Return You to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

I like posting at least once a day. In Mongolia I had the luxury of living in the future so posting at 7pm Mongolia time would show up in the US at 7AM (day-light savings notwithstanding). Now, that I’m temporarily stateside I need to adapt to being behind the times by writing my post the day before.

In order to not skip another day, I’m throwing in this nonsense post to let you know that I will be getting back to my scheduled programming so long as I’m stationary.

That is all.

Go Patriots! What a choke job by the Packers.

Of course the year I move from Phoenix, the Superbowl comes there. Actually this is the second time.

36,000 Miles And I’m Back A-Live

thepointsoflife

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January 17, 2015

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36,000 miles later, many headaches, a lot of drama following fortunes made and lost, I’ve returned to these United States. The voyage began in July 2014 and today, the 17th of January 2015, I’m taking a few days to catch my breath before I’m back at it again.

Hopefully the a-live posts over the last month have been entertaining as I chronicled my exodus from Mongolia. I now return to my regular blogging of Trip Reports from my laptop instead of the trusty Blackberry. Obviously I plan on doing much more than redundant posts about first-class showers that but it will be nice to catch up on and relive this latest adventure.

Here is the routing and map of my travels from when this all began:

phx-jfk-hel-rix-ist-icn-pek-uln-pek-pvg-hkg-pvg-kix-pek-uln-icn-uln-pek-bkk-rgn-hkg-ord-mco-fnt

Born Into Points: Disney Vacation Club

thepointsoflife

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January 15, 2015

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Today while on the Disney Bus to Animal Kingdom, I had an eye-opening experience when I heard older people talking points. They were my parents’ age and were embracing the idea of points for stays at hotels throughout the world. This was a strange encounter as my parents do not get nor do they support my points hobby.

Ever interested, I listened intently to try and figure out what made these people different from my parents. Then it hit me; these were not points churners. These were members of Disney’s Vacation Club, a points scheme invented by Mickey so families could come to Disney somewhat affordably year after year.

My parents signed up for Vacation Club in the 90s and still come to visit even though my sisters and I are somewhat all grown up. Indeed, many of my fondest memories are coming to Orlando for spring break before heading off to college.

As I sat and listened to discussions of ‘banking points’ and using points to go to Hawaii, I wondered why my parents would endorse this program that cost money to join and requires yearly dues with similar attention to detail needed to maximize membership benefits versus churning cards and paying annual fees.

In my opinion, the points game is far more flexible with where you can go and how you can get there. And with MS the costs associated with pursuing the hobby are much more reasonable.

As I was leaving the bus, I heard a Vacation Club member use the word ‘aspirational’ to describe a Vacation Club property they hoped to visit.

Perhaps points churns and Vacation Club members aren’t so different after all. Perhaps someone could tell my parents the same.

W Disney: Wherever, Whenever

thepointsoflife

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January 14, 2015

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OK, so there isn’t a W Disney but how funny would it be if that was the name of a hotel here. Instead, this is a quick commentary of Disney hotels in general whose prices are astronomical and subpar guest services.

I haven’t been to Disney in a decade but I do not recall everything being so expensive. Today at SPG’s Walt Disney Swan property, my dad was duped into paying $20 for 3 hours of parking. When did Disney start charging for parking?

A burger with fries at the resort? Also $20. The cost of hotels is so steep that the only magic left in the 407 is when a family of four pulls off a day at the park with the kids with money left for food. The cost of admission for Epcot and the like are right around $100 with a nominal discount of $4 for kids age 3-9.

For these outrageous prices, maybe it’s better to take the kids to Las Vegas, at least then the parents stand a chance of breaking even.

Global Entry Random Search?

thepointsoflife

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January 12, 2015

5

I’ve been trying to sell Global Entry to all my international travel friends. For $200 you get 5 years of skipping the immigration counter and coming back to the United States free of hassle.

The question I always received was “how do they know you’re not bringing in drugs,” if u skip the desk? The answer is supposed to be because you went through the background screening and interview process making you a trusted traveler.

Today I found out that trust must be earned beyond applying and being approved for the program. After 14 hours in Cathay first, I approached the Global Entry machine, swiped my passport, and took my picture.

With no bags checked I was ready to smell the smells of America for the first time in half a year. Instead, I was told that I was randomly selected for screening.

Randomly selected? What’s the point of Global Entry if I’m just as randomly selected to go through extra security checks as I was before I applied for the program?

The check took only a few seconds as I joked the agent that this was my first time using the system and I wanted a refund for what feels like the old days where I was always randomly selected.

Anyone else have this happen?

You're not in Hong Kong anymore. — You’re not in Hong Kong anymore.

Cathay Pacific First Class 777-300ER

thepointsoflife

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January 11, 2015

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So here’s a quick alive post and flight review.

Cathay Pacific first class is awesome. 14 hours of Krug champagne.

Bye bye.

Packing Up And Shipping Out

thepointsoflife

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January 11, 2015

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Another chapter of the book is closed. I’m packing up and shipping out of Mongolia via Hong Kong. Some decisions are no brainers like drafting Bron Bron with the first pick. Others are straight busts like drafting Darko Millicic instead of Carmelo Anthony and a whole host of other players.

But recognizing the failure of a gamble however ill-advised it was leads to better preparation for the next selection. Otherwise you’re stuck with Josh Smith jacking up 3s with no regard for human life.

My name is Darko and I approve this message. So long Ulaanbaatar, see you never again.

At least I’m leaving in style thanks to Cathay 1st.