That’s right folks, for today and today only LifeMiles is running a Cyber Monday Deal whereby you purchase 9000 LifeMiles and your account balance actually goes down by 8000.
Joking of course, the promotion actually is as follows:
My headline does hold some truth as LifeMiles are notoriously devalued overnight meaning all the money you spend today could be worthless tomorrow if you don’t use this promo for an award in the near future. However, when you do use them, they can be wonderful. This past summer I redeemed 21k LifeMiles + $300 for business class aboard Singapore Airlines from Shanghai to Bali with a delicious stop in Singapore for some lounge access.
If you’re on the IATA website wondering why you can’t locate the airport codes for IGLOO and GER it is because nobody flies to these frozen locales. If you live in an igloo or reside in a ger, you are living somewhere that is far too cold.
This is the overview for the Trip Report cleverly called Welcome to the Cold. As part of my $77,000 Trip Heard Round the World I had a flight from New York to Helsinki, Finland then onto Tel Aviv, Israel. Due to the conflict in Gaza and because I was moving to Mongolia, I had to cancel the remaining itinerary and find a safer way to Ulaanbatar. In the 11th hour, I found an innovative points routing that would take me to my new home by way of an unanticipated stop in Riga, Latvia.
The combination of the following two itineraries is how I ended up going for a nation of igloos to a nation of gers while checking off a few countries along the way:
When Bo Schembechler descended from Mt. Sinai he was armed with the Ten Commandments in his left hand and a mantra in his right: Wherever You Go, Go Blue!
Thousands of years later, the saying is still relayed from father to son, mother to daughter, canine to puppy.
Through the years, the words, striking as they are, have lost some of their luster as the University of Michigan has fallen on hard times. The decline started with a loss to a certain mountain range school and has hit the bottom of bottoms with the product you see today, or the product you will most likely see post kickoff at high noon.
Much like questioning scripture, questioning the direction of Michigan’s future by recommending deviations from the past can lead to excommunication by the blind clergy of the Maize and Blue. These powers that be live in a state of denial convinced that the world hasn’t moved on from the teachings of the iconic football prophet who preached “three yards and a cloud of dust.” Instead, they believe the second coming of their savior will arrive by way of a highly touted 5 star running back who will disarm defenses by his willingness to run straight up the middle. This ideology has gone nowhere.
Integration of other religions like the spread offense have been likened to the teachings of scientology, mindless gobbledygook practiced by those who believe in sorcery and witchcraft. Yesterday, a sorcerer all too familiar to the Blue faithful, proved what is possible with commitment, without past interference (pun intended) from the mullahs that wizardry, if left to its own devices, can work.
Meanwhile, the concussed leaders of the best, are wondering why the pews are empty, their disciples are apathetic, and many of the missions to convert new followers have resulted in decommitment.
Today, good battles evil once again as the apostles take the field against the devil himself praying that the energy from pageantry can deliver the faithful from the oppression of those nutty infidels.
Tomorrow, barring a miracle, Michigan will be 3-14 this millennium against its arch enemy, an accomplishment so trivial for its adversary, past participants have chosen to sell winning memorabilia instead of keeping it forever as prized treasure. Meanwhile the Wolverine elite will look to the skies in disbelief wondering why divine intervention did not elevate their game to where it used to be.
Wake up weaklings! Realize an epic battle cry and timeless fighting fatigues does not mean that time hasn’t marched forward without you. Recognize a conversion from antiquated proverbs to modern philosophy is past due.
Simply put, to remain the winningest program in history, Michigan faces two choices:
Turn away from the teachings of Bo and start a new tradition. Or;
Join the MAC conference.
Go Blue!
Wherever You Go, Go Blue! Especially in Seychelles.
Maybe the country of Mongolia does have some sympathy for me. Knowing that I am not in the United States and knowing that it was Black Friday in the United States, Mongolia wanted me to feel right at home.
That is why I have spent the whole day without power hiding under blankets hoping that the heat doesn’t go out as well. Luckily, most of you are far too busy buying DVD’s for 99 cents to notice that I am only posting now.
Happy Black Friday and somebody please get me out of here!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my turkey lovers. I’m broadcasting live via Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia where the temperature is too cold to reenact the first Thanksgiving.
A year ago, I had Thanksgiving at the Aloft Phoenix Airport Hotel not because I was going somewhere but because we wanted to pretend like we were getting away. What better place to celebrate Thanksgiving than at a hotel that makes you feel at home.
The Aloft Phoenix Airport Hotel is only minutes from the terminal, reasonably priced at around $100 a night, provides free parking for short-term getaways, includes a serviceable swimming pool, and, most importantly, a prototypical, comfortable Aloft room.
We packed the essentials: the wine, the glasses, and Thanksgiving dinner. We left Scottsdale for the harrowing fifteen-minute drive from Scottsdale. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the front desk who wondered why we had so much luggage but no departure tickets.
Entering the room, we unpacked all the food and drink, put out the do not disturb sign, then turned on the television. What followed was an endless feast of food and football.
So from everyone here at ThePointsOfLife (meaning me), Happy Thanksgiving and Go Lions!
The Hotel Pics
The poolThe snacksRefuelThe Phoenix AloftWXYZ barThe aloft bed
The Thanksgiving
Enough water for late night thirst.Essential TabascoYeah buddyMinutes later it was all goneWe’re not in Phoenix anymore.
With the new IHG PointBreaks list just released where you can still at IHG properties from all over the world for the steal of 5000 points, I am going to take the time to fill out this short survey.
Normally, I say why bother but little efforts like these add up over time by giving me a few more points, leading to a few more nights of points bliss.
I have my eyes set on the IHG Bora Bora and if United Airlines would release some award space from Shanghai to New Zealand, it will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.
Here’s the email I received for the survey and the link for it.
What’s Ulaanbaatar weather like in the winter? Well, it’s only November and the word freezing is as adequate an adjective to describe it as ‘grand’ is to the Grand Canyon or ‘great’ is to the Great Wall.
I’m attempting to write today’s blog post but I have been facing an unusual problem for the last hour: my fingers won’t stop shaking. I’m originally from Michigan so I’m used to the frozen tundra of hail, sleet, frost, and snow. Before moving to Mongolia, I mentally prepared myself for the wretched Ulaanbaatar weather that has advanced past my doorstep into my ice box of a bedroom.
I told myself that I have to be tough and stick out the winter as a challenge in perseverance. Similar to running a marathon, the key to enduring a Mongolian winter will be to prepare for the worst and expect it to be worse than that.
Sermonizing from the pulpit of an insulated apartment about what is needed to survive the elements is all well and good until you get outside and nature punches you squarely in the face, nose, and ears.
“Welcome home,” the howling winds proclaimed as I stepped out of my apartment. Lungs frozen, muscles tight, I could barely put up a fight needed to take another step forward. And this is only the appetizer before the appetizer. The months of December and January make the late weeks of November feel like spring in the Midwest.
So for all my friends still living in Scottsdale, Arizona, I ask you to please guess the current temperate right now in Ulaanbaatar. For my friends in Europe who ask if the measurement is in Fahrenheit or Celsius, I reply by saying it doesn’t matter.
This Overview is part of the Losing My Points Virginity Trip Report where in 2012 I flew business class for the first time on points.
Do you remember losing your virginity? For me it’s impossible to forget my first long haul flight aboard Lufthansa Business Class bound for Taipei via Frankfurt.
Not only did I have a memorable flight on Lufthansa which included great in flight Wi-FI, champagne, and steak but I also managed to sneak my way into the Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Frankfurt for ten hours of embellishment. Perhaps it is heresy to say that flying Lufthansa Business Class was the highlight of the trip given all that I did, but because it was my first time in business, I’d have to say that it was.
The trip included more business class aboard Asiana, xiao long bao in Taipei, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, partying in Bangkok and Goa, a mishap at the Taj Mahal, and my first time in Africa by way of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The final destination was Las Vegas for a couple of days of much-needed R&R.
So Long Detroit!Lufthansa First Class LoungeNext time I’m staying at the W Taipei.Angkor Air in CambodiaAloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11: The best Aloft in the world.Anjuna Beach, GoaThe Taj Mahal DisasterAddis Ababa!Some much needed rest in Las Vegas.
Between this report and The Southwest Companion Pass: Round 1, you’ll see more of Montana than most people ever will in their lifetime. From there I ventured to Chicago for stays at the Conrad Chicago and the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. After a quick goodbye to my parents in Michigan it was back to New York to catch my flight to whatever was next where unfortunately Southwest Airlines does not fly.
I have to return to the United States in 2015 because I have another year remaining on my Southwest Companion Pass and thanks to the merger of Airtran and Southwest Airlines, another 120,000 rewards to rapidly burn. Next time I’ll take advantage of Southwest’s new routing by visiting the Dominican Republic and Jamaica two countries I have yet to see. Oh, and maybe I’ll head to Cancun for old times’ sake.
But before I get too carried away, here’s the picture preview of this trip report.
Philipsburg, Montana
Chicago, Illinois
Detroit, Michigan
New York, New York
Anytown, USAI still call it the Sears Tower. Sorry Willis.The best Chinese food in all of the world! Click the pic for the full review.So long USA! For now.
Too often I look beyond the borders of the United States for where I want to go next. Excited by the limitless possibilities, I quickly forget the treasures in my own backyard believing that a trip abroad is the only way to unlock a travel adventure. Luckily, Southwest Airlines’ barrage of commercials is there to remind all of us that we can get away and stay away from this mindset. And we can do it for cheap, if not for free.
Last year, by applying for both a business and personal Chase Southwest credit card when the offers were 50,000 miles each respectively, hitting the minimum spend of 3k on both, then transferring purchased Choice Hotel points to my Southwest account, I was able to qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass.
Not only did I have a plethora of Southwest Rapid Reward points at my disposal, I also had the ability to take a companion with me wherever Southwest flew by paying the nominal $2.50 security fee per ticket.
We left Phoenix bright and early.First, we headed north for the wineries of Napa Valley.We continued north to Seattle.Thanks to the Southwest Companion pass, we were able to purchase affordable tickets to Montana from Seattle.We saw the Big Apple.Headed back to my home state of Michigan.Saw some nerds in Boston.Then we returned to sunny Scottsdale
My headline does hold some truth as LifeMiles are notoriously devalued overnight meaning all the money you spend today could be worthless tomorrow if you don’t use this promo for an award in the near future. However, when you do use them, they can be wonderful. This past summer I redeemed 21k LifeMiles + $300 for business class aboard Singapore Airlines from Shanghai to Bali with a delicious stop in Singapore for some lounge access.
