The play by play of the a-live section is working brilliantly. Since my last post I have received more news: flight delayed again.
A-Live!
Hit the Road Jack…That Means Get Out!
ThePointsOfLife Thank You
It was November 2011 and I was watching one of my favorite news programs (besides 60 Minutes), Nightline, when I first learned about my original mentor in the points game- The Frugal Travel Guy. He talked about traveling for free just by applying for a couple of credit cards. After watching that segment my life changed forever. My first credit card churn (a process for racking up points described here) was reserved to one credit card, the SPG card from American Express. The spend requirement was $5000 in 3 months for 30,000 points so naturally I had to book an inaugural trip to start meeting that requirement. My first trip as a points churner was to New Orleans to see Michigan play Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. I used a companion ticket, a perk from my only major points earning credit card, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card from American Express. My how times have changed. I no longer fly Delta and I cancelled that card years ago. Fast forward to spring break and I quickly spent part of my SPG points staying at the Sheraton in Nassau, Bahamas utilizing the cash and points option, whereby I provided the points and my friend Brent provided the cash. Add in a Delta voucher with a free flight back to Vegas, and that was a grand redemption. My how times have changed. Bahamas in coach? After getting my feet wet, I started to read more blogs for points redemption and studied their every post from top to bottom. Each blogger has a unique style and unique insight that made the whole process fun and understandable. 1. ThePointsGuy: “Alex, there’s some other guy doing the same thing you are doing.” I hear this from friends who only read the headline of my blog posts and only read the word points in my handle and his. That is where the similarities between me and ThePointsGuy end. ThePointsGuy is the guru of crunching the numbers of points programs, showing the most efficient ways to redeem points, and is the ultimate authority on credit card offerings. ThePointsOfLife (see full description of “What Is The Points Of Life”) is an ideology that comes from not settling from the status quo and deferring to your own ingenuity. It is Step 1 of my rehabilitation program from cubicle to the Caymans in Part II of my book Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine that encourages readers to question if this is how they envisioned spending their everyday. An easy way to break the cycle of monotony is to use the points you earned from following ThePointsGuy by taking a trip! 2. Millionmilesecrets: This is the primer for anyone that anyone that wants to start earning points but finds the process a bit intimidating. A special thanks to Daraius for featuring me on his interview series and for explaining the points process so that anyone can understand. 3. One Mile At a Time: Lucky, and the whole family at Boarding Area cover every topic you want to know about ranging from travel reviews, best safety videos, and all the groundbreaking points devaluations that occur in the middle of the night. 4. Milevalue: Can I go Antartica, route through Dubai, while getting an on board massage with a stopover on the moon? If you’re looking for how to pull off a points heist, then look no further than this site. By putting it all together and you too can plan a masterpiece like I did last December: 50,000 miles in business class, 16 stops, 5 continents all for $275. All of that wouldn’t be possible had I tried to do it on my own. So, to the points bloggers listed here, I say thank you, and to you, the reader, I also say thank you for helping me grow my blog and support the publication of my book. Did I mention that it should be out by early July?
Deserting the Complacency of the Desert
Picture a city where it is sunny 296 days out of the year, it never snows, there are no hurricanes, and no earthquakes. Add in a moderate cost of living, good looking people, and great pho and you have arrived in Scottsdale. In 2005, I moved to Arizona to attend law school and as you will read in my soon to be released book (I’d say early July at the latest) Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong . . . Including Mine, I have always returned to the desert as a refuge from the unexpected curve balls of life. Somewhere along the way refuge turned me into refugee forcing me to reanalyze why I am here in this 120 degree desert. While Arizona is a great state for the reasons I have mentioned, it is also preferred by the retirement community for the same reasons. (The elderly love pho too). This country club, complacent lifestyle is too sure-footed and would not get me moving forward with my plans for international domination. The only risks that come with living in Arizona are not going to the gym everyday so you can’t be at your best at the W pool party where only the finest douches spend their Saturday afternoons. The state is so cut off from international commerce that the only flights out of here take you to another hip destination, Cabo San Lucas, where you can encounter even more douches at the pool-their origins being from Los Angeles and Orange County. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a great time in my many years as a citizen in this encampment known as Scottsdale but am ready to move on to a place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock likethe salmon of Capistrano. That place is the polar opposite of Arizona and is better known as Mongolia. But, before I get there, I have a few more points affairs to settle, a book to publish, and a promotion plan to reveal.
The World Cup: A Risky Jump for Emerging Economies
The World Cup starts tomorrow in Brazil and the paint on the stadiums is unlikely to be dry. At least, that’s is what we are being told. Whether it be the Olympics or the World Cup, questions always arise as to whether a country is ready to host the games. Four years ago in South Africa the world questioned if the tournament would be a success. The result was a memorable World Cup and we barely heard anything about unfinished stadiums, lack of security, or any other negative media attention meant to undermine the host country. This time, there are serious doubts about the preparedness of Brazil that are not unjustified. There have been multiple deaths in the construction of stadiums that may or may not be ready for play according to FIFA. Meanwhile, in the streets there has been social unrest due to the outlandish spending on football stadiums while the country’s infrastructure is in shambles. In CNN Money, there is an article analyzing the expected economic impact of South Africa hosting the World Cup and the resulting reality: millions upon millions spent with a feeble spike in the economy. The question is whether the externalities of hosting such games including country pride and promotion of tourism are worth the cost of forgoing investments in public works projects that arguably are more impactful than the few weeks of euphoria while hosting an international tournament. This naturally elicits the next question: should emerging economies be granted these games with many examples of venues from Olympics past that have now been abandoned? Last New Years, I visited South Africa making the usual circuit from the Western Cape through Cape Town, Knysna, to Port Elizabeth, to Durban, then onto Johannesburg. In Cape Town, there is a beautiful stadium that hosted the World Cup semi finals. Today, apart from some sporting matches and concerts, the stadium sits idle, apart from gracing the adjoining golf course. Upon arriving in Durban, I asked the taxi driver about the immaculate stadium that is right in the heart of the city. He told me that unlike the other stadiums in South Africa, this one was actually making money. I was laughing when he told me how. This June and July the futbol elites are back at it again, ready to battle for my favorite trophy in all of sports, the FIFA World Cup Trophy. For the next two months, the world will be focused on Brazil, anxiously waiting to see if the tournaments goes off without a hitch. I, on the other hand, am more curious as to what amusement ride will be placed in the Arena Amazonia, a stadium built right in the heart of the jungle.
Is Hawaii a Country?
Free without the ‘R’ spells FEE
Remember when checked bags were free? Remember when you got a free (terrible) meal on the plane that was undercooked and disgusting? Remember when you felt a sense of accomplishment because you convinced the flight attendant to give you the whole can of Coke! Those days are over and we are being duped into paying fees without questioning why. Initially, the excuse for checked bags was because of the cost of fuel. Fuel costs have gone up, down, and all around but checked bag prices have not gone away. Instead, we gleam with pride when we present our airline awards card and tell the agent at the check-in desk, “No, my first bag flies free!” I rarely check bags because I like to get in and out of the airport in a hurry because nothing is more demoralizing than watching one bag after another get dumped onto the carousel only to wait for yours never to come. While we are on the subject, a quick aside, does anyone else believe that they put a couple of dummy bags on the carousel as soon as you land to give you a glimmer of hope that your bags too will quickly be on their way? Anyhow, last week I took my free flight from Phoenix to Costa Rica. In total it cost 40,000 Frontier Airlines EarlyReturns points (a horrible name for a frequent flier program) because only the returning leg was at the ‘saver’ level. The outbound leg went for a premium of 25k while the return was the discounted 15k. Why is this important? Checked bags, carry-ons, and chickens are allowed with premium bookings. But when I was hastily clicking through to reserve my return seat (which always disappears as soon as the booking gods realize that you are indeed serious about booking) I skipped over the option that said ‘Don’t Get Left Holding the Bag’ followed by a menu of prices. I had heard that Frontier was charging for carry on bags but assumed that it was only for domestic flights. Wrong. I arrive at the airport and the less than helpful agent tells me that I have to pay for my backpack because it exceeds the size of a personal item. Pleading with him that my laptop and jambox were very personal, I begrudgingly gave him my credit card and headed for the gate. But wait, I almost forgot to add, if you do want to go to Costa Rica and you do plan on returning home, you have to pay an exit departure tax of $29. And, if you are thinking about using your credit card to pay for your getaway to earn points, think again. A credit card transaction will be treated by the country whose motto is Pura Vida as a cash advance. Pura Vida? No, mis amigos, Pure Ripoff. In all fairness to the Bureau of Costa Rican tourism, they do sell beer at the airport at 6AM. Too bad it’s $5 a pop. So in conclusion, I had a great time in Costa Rica but this was the final frontier for me flying Frontier. I’m not saying not to apply for the Frontier Card but just know ahead of time that free without the ‘R’ spells fee. Con Gusto, El profesor enojado
Pho Yo Review
Do you believe it, it’s been a few months and we are still on the air. As I wrote last week, two of my top posts of all time have to do with timeless Pho Sho: Top 10 Pho Worldwide. Before I get going with the countdown and reveal the top places to get pho in the world, just like Casey Kasem would never forget to do, I need to have a quick recap of Pho Not #10, #10, #9, #8, and #7. I began by revealing the shocking truth that New York had abysmal, disgraceful pho in ChinaTown of all places.
Then things really heated up when I revealed #10: #10: Red Light Pho: Surrounded by vices and virtue, this pho restaurant is in the heart of the Red Light District in Amsterdam, Netherlands. #9: Trick Or Treat? Hong Kong Pho Halloween talked about phogetting your problems for a memorable Halloween fiesta, right in the heart of Hong Kong. #8: Pho-Nix Hotness: My home (for the time being) where the pho and the thermometer can reach the same temperature with only the latter being enjoyable. I need to add that Pho Thanh needs a little help in its water replenishment services, especially now that we are breaking 3 digits outside. #7: Pho Peace Summit: Shanghai, China: Secretary of State John Kerry must read ThePointsOfLife because he was recently in Asia trying to broker some phormal agreement among China, Japan, and Philippines on the issue of who owns what in the South China Sea. #6 is on its way, sooner than later. I’ll give you a hint, a man once broke out of prison and swam all the way to his freedom just to get a bowl!