Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

Do You Have a Visa?

thepointsoflife

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May 12, 2014

The U.S. passport is the gold standard of passports, or so I used to believe. In 2007 my friends and I were supposed to go to Brazil for New Years only yours truly was unaware of the visa entry requirement forcing us to cancel the trip just two day before departing. Back then the word visa conjured up memories of my parents immigrating to the United States. So why as an American would I ever require this document just to go on vacation? The answer is reciprocity and politics; The US government forces visitors to have one so they, in turn, require Americans to have one as well. Fair enough, that’s not the point of this post. The point is since the Brazil debacle, I have always checked and rechecked the entry requirements for every country because I do not want to ever experience that sick feeling from 2007. But, even with my due diligence, I still encounter trouble and inconvenience. This brings me to the interesting nightmare I experienced when I was traveling from Istanbul, Turkey to Seychelles. The routing, due to a free points ticket, was a bit unconventional and included a stopover in Khartoum, Sudan. Sudan isn’t the safest place in the world right now and they do require a visa for tourists wanting to visit. I did not, I was simply passing through.

UN aid plane, not a reassuring sign of a safe place

My flight landed in Khartoum late in the evening with plenty of time to make my next connection. At the Customs entrance, I was asked for my visa and I replied with the magical word in transit and they again asked for a visa. Again, I said in transit and back and forth this game went till I was told to step out of line. They sat me down in a waiting area and asked for my passport. I hesitantly handed it to them and watched them walk away with my freedom. Moments later a few officials came back in my vicinity and started speaking about me in a foreign language. Luckily for me and unbeknownst to they were speaking in a language I understood- Arabic. Rough translation: “This American doesn’t have a visa!” Meanwhile, I sat there in ignorance pretending I had no idea what was going on. “Where is your ticket to leave Sudan,” they questioned in English as I checked my watch to see how much time I had left till I missed my connection. “I’m in transit,” I replied, “You have to print me my ticket.” “We cannot let you into Sudan without a visa.” “I don’t want to go to Sudan, I want my ticket so I can leave Sudan.” Puzzled, the group huddled up and kept carrying on in Arabic about “Amreeki” and “no papers”.

Finally, they said come with me and escorted me back out the door from which I had arrived onto the tarmac. A little nervous, I followed the armed guard to another gate where passengers were waiting to board their flight. From there I felt like a video on rewind as I went backwards through the security checkpoint, through the terminal, and out to the entrance of the airport. At last, I had made it into Sudan! Wait, I don’t want to be in Sudan, I’m in transit! The officer told me to wait as he went to the ticket counter. More discussion, more argument, but I finally was given a ticket to get out of there. On a side note, Khartoum’s airport is terrible. Ticket in hand, still ample amount of time, I started to make my way to my gate. I approached the Customs desk and handed him my passport (luckily retrieved) and my boarding pass. He flipped through my passport and perplexingly asked, “Why don’t you have a visa?” In transit! I said as calm as I could. Unconvinced, he asked for his supervisor. More discussion, more argument, and I was finally allowed to pass by. The next stop was the metal detectors and security screening. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, there was no fuss at this final checkpoint. At the gate, with moments to spare, I sat there, eager to leave Sudan. My row was called and I headed to door, my eyes set on the plane that would get me out of Khartoum. The scene from Argo flashed through my mind as I was steps away from the plane. Confidently I walked up to the door, ready to board till I heard the words of the gate agent… “Do you have a visa?” I’m in t-r-a . . .

A Vacationer’s Guide to Vacation

thepointsoflife

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May 8, 2014

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It’s been a longstanding tradition for me to go somewhere out of the country for New Year’s. The tradition started way back in 2001 when I went to Cancun then the expedition meekly shifted to our great neighbor to the north, Canada. In 2002, we went to the legendary club Guvernment in Toronto (finally closing after 20 years). To be fair, I was only twenty at the time. After losing my best friends shortly after the NYE countdown, I spent the rest of the night wandering around this monstrosity of a nightclub. The year after, my best friend Mikey and I went to Montreal for New Years. It was absolutely freezing. Our days consisted of sleep and our nights consisted of drink. All in all it was a miserably cold, great time. I had the chance to visit Montreal in the summer. I highly recommend deferring till then. So why do I love Montreal in the winter? The answer can be summarized in one word: guilt. Actually, it is lack of guilt. The problem with traveling is the guilt that consumes you if you spend all day in bed after staying out all night long. Even with the blackout curtains, you know there is a city to explore, a beach to wade in, and a pool party to…party in? Prepositional faux pas aside, there must be a strategy for going on vacation, seeing the sites, and partying all night. Luckily for you, my dear blog readers, I have come up with said strategy. It is called Take Control of Your Vacation and is a philosophy that not only applies to trips but also applies to life. See Part II of my book Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong. Here are some tips on how to go on a trip, live it up, and avoid that feeling of guilt from not seeing everything you can whether it be the attractions in the day or the atmosphere at night. Strategy 1: Stay in One City for 3 Nights at the Most. The original strategy called for staying in a city for only 2 nights. It was geared at partygoers who wanted to travel to many cities in a trip but became fatigued from hopping from city to city. The rationale behind staying two nights is as follows: Night 1: I just got to this new city, it’s my first night here, I have to go out! Night 2: It’s my last night in this city, I have to go out! I have expanded it to 3 nights because there is more to traveling than partying. By applying the 2 night strategy, you can, at the least, go out 2 nights, while saving 1.5 days for seeing the sites. The same rationale applies to tourist attractions. “Oh, I’ll climb the volcano in Bali later on, we have 11 nights here.” Result: One more FGD drink at Bounty Bar. Strategy 2: The Big Jambox Tired, beaten, worn down? Maybe you’ll just hit the snooze and skip out on the day. Maybe you glance over your phone and convince yourself that partly cloudy really means rain so you can give yourself a snow day. With the same amount of energy that allowed you to check the weather on your phone, turn on Spotify, and play that overplayed vacation theme. That will immediately get you out of bed, day or night and get you back to doing what you are supposed to be doing- exploring.

Jay Z still plays, but now I’ve graduated to Big Jambox

Strategy 3: Espresso, Patrón, Sugar Free Redbull, Shots Jambox not doing it for you? Immediately roll that Jambox tune into a drink. If you’re staying at a finer points hotel, they surely will have a Nespresso machine that has instant delicious espresso. If you’re in a hostel, then skip the java for some Jack, better yet Patrón. That instant buzz will get you on your feet and on your way.

Take Control of Your Vacation my friends or visit Montreal or Mongolia in the winter.

Do I need to comment? Brazil is synonymous with celebration

thepointsoflife

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May 7, 2014

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The 2014 FIFA World Cup is upon us and I am ready to go. Whether I actually do is another topic altogether. The World Cup highlights the best things in life and therefore encapsulates the whole idea behind ThePointsOfLife. I will show how my blog is unique section by section, using the World Cup to hit all categories. 1. Points That word either intrigues you or turns you off to the site. Points lovers and points haters both have expressed the viewpoint that there needs to be more or less emphasis on points in ThePointsOfLife. As a pointsoholic, I say to the lovers, your wish is my command but caution, as I have always done, that points travel is only Step 1. To the haters, I plead please read the post Living Doesn’t Have to Suck: 5 Myths About Earning Points. In all seriousness, apply for a couple of cards, take one business class flight for free, and if you’re not hooked, I’ll refund you your time. If that doesn’t convince you, skip this section and move on to the rest, guaranteed to be points free. So what’s the relationship between points and the World Cup? Simple, the World Cup will cost thousands of dollars to attend and flying to Brazil will certainly not be cheap. Furthermore, the World Cup is held in various cities throughout the giant country of Brazil so flying around the country to visit various stadiums will be a big expense.

How can anyone argue with $2.50 versus ($1420 + $2.50)! 2. The Pulse The World Cup is an international celebration where everyone is united by their love of the beautiful game. By attending, you get to interact with people from all over the world while enjoying the offerings of the host country. And what country has a richer country than Brazil? The beaches, the food, and of course, Carnaval, make Brazil one of the best places to visit. Add in World Cup competition and it may be a bit overwhelming. Also, did you know that Brazil has the second highest population of Japanese people outside of Japan?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Carnaval Street Parade: Copacabana

3. Travel Advice Everyone knows about Copacabana and Ipanema but it is worth leaving Rio for a few days to explore the hidden beaches of Buzios.

4. Drink One word: Caipirinha. This is the drink of choice on a hot summer day in Brazil and is freshly prepared at the right price. Two of Rio’s famous beaches are Copacabana and Ipanema. Ipanema is regarded as more upscale so, if my memory serves me correctly, they charge $3 instead of $2 for this unrivaled cocktail.

5. Food

From the beach vendors, to the Garota de Ipanema (the restaurant where the Girl of Ipanema was written), food is not in short supply. It is inexpensive and it is delicious. Go to Bob’s Burgers if you want to be an uncultured tourist and have some junk food- always allowed once a trip.

6. Pho? Haha, did not get a chance to try it. I welcome a reader’s review. 7. Sport Obviously, the reason you are going to Brazil in the first place. It will be interesting to see how Brazil handles the record number of people in regards to the security concerns. I have never been to a match in Brazil but did go to a regular season game in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The hotel recommended that we buy tickets through their vendor and we were escorted via private security at the stadium to avoid the hooligans. I’m skeptical if security was necessary but the fact that visiting fans are not allowed to attend games made me think twice about not having it.

Brasil (886) — Marcana Stadium Rio: Capacity 96,000

8. Party Do I need to comment? Brazil is synonymous with celebration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOdVECw8RMY&feature=youtu.be

Living Doesn’t Have to Suck: 5 Myths About Earning Points

Points 101

thepointsoflife

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May 6, 2014

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Living Doesn’t Have to Suck: 5 Myths About Earning Points

The mantra of ThePointsOfLife is Living Doesn’t Have to Suck because it doesn’t. The first step from my book Everyone’s Advice Is Wrong is Enjoy #ThePointsOfLife where I provide an overview of the limitless possibilities of points travel and demonstrate how traveling opens your eyes to new opportunities leaving your cubicle life with much to be desired. Even though I tell everyone about how easy it is to accumulate points, nobody follows the Points101 guide or comes up with reasons why the points game is not worth their time. Then they fly first class for the first time for next to nothing and are finally believers, posting pics of candy buffets.

10246632_677384599209_6246774880665996523_n — stolen photo of converted points believer

Here are the top 5 misnomers about earning and redeeming points: 1. I will ruin my credit. “I thought that if you apply for credit cards your credit score goes down.” This is true and false. When you apply for a credit card, the bank pulls your credit to make sure that you are not a bum. That reduces your credit score by 1-2 points because a credit inquiry is warning other lenders that you are asking for credit, increasing the chances that you may default. But! When you do apply for the card and you meet the minimum spend in order to get the sign up bonus, say $3000 in 3 months, and you pay off the balance in full, the banks will see that you are indeed more responsible than when you first applied, and your credit score may actually go up. I have applied for dozens of cards and I still maintain a healthy credit score. 2. I will end up in credit card debt. If you are irresponsible or cannot manage your finances then this is true. But, if this is the case, chances are your credit is already bad to begin with, placing you out of the points game. So long as you do not change your spending habits in order to meet minimum spends, this will never be the case. Furthermore, if you do end up in credit card debt, then it’s points game over for you because now banks see that your debt to credit ratio is poor, leading to a lower credit score, leading to denials. 3. I have to spend thousands upon thousands to get points. This is the most annoying myth by far. If this was the case, then only rich people would participate in the game or everyone would end up ruining their credit or going broke trying to participate. And, why would rich people waste their time trying to accumulate points when they are already rich? The points game was created for those with budget constraints that want to see the world today. Then when they complete Part II of the book, they hopefully will be on their way to financial security allowing them more opportunities to travel. In any event, I would have to become obscenely wealthy to say no to free. 4. There is no flight availability. This is the easiest excuse to make. “Why should I spend all my time applying for cards, tracking offers, meeting minimum spends for points that have blackout dates.” The concept of blackout dates is dated. There is no such thing. Points trip planning requires creativity and a knowledge of flight routes, alliances, and redemption rules. Fortunately, you can just ask me if you are stuck with a mountain of points and do not know how to redeem them.

10176034_677323746159_1135811354411236416_n — the proof is when friends fly for free

5. I have to be a mad scientist to figure it all out. Initially, it is overwhelming to starts the points game process. But if you follow the simple instructions in Points101 and ask questions, you will slowly but surely learn the game and travel the world for free.

Capture — you too can post images of the lounge for spite like this happy points churner

The Park Hyatt Sydney and the Case of the Missing Koala

thepointsoflife

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May 5, 2014

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The Park Hyatt Sydney 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 Here: From the website: Sydney domestic and international airports is approximately a 20-minute train trip in to the city, with an approximate cost of A$16 per person. The closest train station to Park Hyatt Sydney is Circular Quay. You can’t miss it once you get to Circular Quay. It’s a short stroll around the harbor.

In December 2013 as part of my round the world itinerary, I visited Sydney, Australia. Like many tourists, my primary reason for going was to get a picture in front of the famous Sydney Opera House. The events that unfolded upon my arrival remain a mystery to this very day. I arrived in Sydney after a few days in Wellington, New Zealand excited that I was staying at unquestionably the nicest hotel in all of Australia, the Park Hyatt Sydney. First, the Park Hyatt is my favorite hotel brand. The service can’t be beat, the locations are unmatched, and the complimentary pens are of top quality. This was certainly case of the Park Hyatt Sydney. At check in the front desk was more than gracious and offered me a welcome glass of champagne. A member of the staff escorted me to my room that had a stunning bathroom, an incomparable king size bed, and the required espresso machine. Then I was shown the balcony which had a view of the Opera House. In fact, the hotel itself is directly situated in front of the Opera House giving credence to the claim that Park Hyatt’s are located in the top locations worldwide. Scribbling notes of where to go with my sparkling new Park Hyatt silver pen, I felt right at home.

My first stop was the Sydney Harbour Bridge where I passed on climbing the bridge from what the concierge told me was, “the best tourist experience in all of the world.” Even if he was right and the views climbing the bridge somehow rivaled climbing the Great Wall, there was no way I was going to pay $300 for that experience. And this is where the mystery begins. At the gift shop, I purchased a Koala souvenir. We became immediately inseparable. We took pictures everywhere together.

The koala accompanied up to lookout point of the bridge.

Us in front of the Park Hyatt and Bridge, where we first met

I went out to dinner early in the evening leaving the koala in the room for some needed R&R. Upon my return, I saw the koala tucked in comfortably by housekeeping, spent from a day touring downtown Sydney.

The next morning I awoke to find the koala missing. I searched the bed, the bags, and the balcony for the koala but he was nowhere to be found. I called the front desk to report the missing koala and they assured me that they would do their best to locate him when the cleaned the room. Dejected, I left the room for the beach hopeful that the koala would be waiting for me when I returned. That was not the case and I never saw the koala again. I am not sure what happened to him but am grateful for the time we spent together at the beautiful Park Hyatt Sydney. I know that he is still somewhere exploring Australia as I get postcards of him every once in awhile.

<==Back to Qantas Lounge & Flight WLG-SYD – Onto Sydney Travel Guide==>

“Taxi my friend?” The Worst Places to Hail a Cab

thepointsoflife

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May 1, 2014

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“Taxi my friend?” The Worst Places to Hail a Cab

Here are the worst places to catch a taxi on Earth! 1. Dubai, UAE: Dubai is tiny yet the drivers are new to the city and have no idea where anything is. If they get on the phone and try to call their colleague to ask where something is, get out. Should I take Sheikh Zayed Road or go through the city? Result: The pretended not to speak English, so I too pretended not to speak English and got out paying what I thought was reasonable, less 10 percent. Not Robbed. 2. Doha, Qatar: Dubai and Doha are as close to Iraq, the land of my ancestors, as I have been. Nevertheless, I knew when I was in trouble when I heard, “Cousin, I just started my shift and I have no change.” Result: Robbed 3. Istanbul, Turkey: “Istanbul has too much traffic so I’m not going to be able to use the meter. I’ll have to charge you a flat rate.” It took forever to hail this taxi so I had no choice but to agree. Of course when I came to the hotel, the Hilton Istanbul, I renegotiated the price then asked for the bellman to back me up. Result: Not Robbed 4. Shanghai, China: Another excerpt from my book illustrates a problem with taking taxis in China. I later discovered that hotels have a completely different name in Mandarin than English. Saying “Le Royal Méridien” over and over, softly or loudly, while banging on the protective glass that safeguards taxi drivers from psychotic tourists, is completely useless when the hotel is called “Shang Hai Shi Mao Huang Jia Ai Mei Jiu Dian” or上海世茂皇家艾美酒店in Mandarin characters. Even if the driver could read English, he still would have been confused because there was nothing in the Mandarin name that was remotely close to the word “Méridien”. My apologies to the taxi driver wherever he may be. (Probably working right now, as they work 14 hour shifts with only one day of rest) Quick advice: for those traveling to China, print the directions and the name of the hotel in Mandarin characters and make sure your phone is capable of displaying them as ‘square boxes’ is not Mandarin. Result: Unsure 5. Bangkok, Thailand: “If I come one day and there is no traffic, then I tell you there is no more Bangkok,” the taxi driver told me. Ever since then I have repeated that line to taxi drivers who tell me, “Today there is too much traffic.” Another trick I perfected is to sit in the front seat next to the driver and when he says, “Sorry no meter,” I react by turning the meter on myself. That usually gets a good laugh from the driver who now takes me where I want to go at the meter price. However, I’d be a little hesitant of messing with the wrong driver. Result: Use my method at your own risk to not get robbed/killed. 6. Colombo, Sri Lanka: A tuk tuk with a meter? How could this be? Coming from Bangkok where tuk tuks are notorious for ripping off tourists regardless of their travel acumen, I was surprised to see a meter within this hybrid taxi. Result: Surprisingly not robbed. 7. Goa, India: “Very busy today, my friend.” There must be a union of taxi drivers from India, Thailand, and Turkey that all were trained to use this same line. Northern Goa is not that big but because it is a party area, it does have a lot of traffic. More traffic equals hire fares whether or not you are traveling with your Indian compadre, Anshuman. Result: Threatened to be beaten with a stick, paid the fare. *List is subject to amendments and additions.

Top Piña Coladas on Earth

Top Ten Lists

thepointsoflife

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April 30, 2014

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For my alcoholics and people in need of instant satisfaction, here are the Top 8 places, then the not Top 2 places to get (in pictures of course) the ultimate masculine drink based strictly on flavor and delivery, not scenery. 1. Seychelles 2. Miami, Florida 3. Nassau, Bahamas 4. Las Vegas, Nevada 4. Cartagena, Colombia 5. Budva, Montenegro 6. Phoenix, Arizona 7. Mauritius 8. Maldives Dishonorable mention: 1. Sihanoukville, Cambodia 2. Bocas del Toro, Panama

#8: Pho-nix Hotness

thepointsoflife

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April 30, 2014

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Welcome to Phoenix, home to 120 degrees dry heat summers. Dry heat is a great marketing scam. Here’s what Phoenix really feels like: Picture getting into your car only to be burned by the metal of the seatbelt, drenched with sweat from an air conditioner that blows marginally cold despite being on full blast, all the while wondering how you ended up in this sunny hell. What goes better with a broken thermostat than a hot bowl of pho? The answer is another bowl of pho. If you are looking to enjoy the benefits of a steam room while enjoying some of the best pho worldwide, come to Phoenix in the middle of July. You have two quality choices for pho, both equally refreshing during a scorching hot day. 1. Noodles Ranch Noodles Ranch is located in Scottsdale and is my home away from home when I am in need of a quality bowl. My usual booth is informally reserved for me at the back left of the restaurant. Here you will find the friendly owner André doing it all- prepping the pho in the back to waiting on guests in the front. What sets Noodles Ranch apart from all of the pho mentioned in this Top 10 list is the focus on healthy eating. The beef cuts are lean, the broth is not oily, and the flavor is not lost. 2. Pho Thanh Pho Thanh is a traditional pho restaurant. You won’t find any frills or anything fancy in this place. What you will find is a jam packed room of pho lovers including the local Vietnamese community, the curious first comers, and me, the pho king himself. Pho Thanh serves as a much needed pho detox following a night out on the town as it is both casual and inexpensive. The authenticity of the pho is tough to beat and the lack of AC only enhances the genuine pho experience. Fortunately, Pho Thanh promptly opens at 8:30am; no doubt due to the unbearable Arizona heat. Actually, because of a similar hot climate in Vietnam, pho, unknown to most, is a breakfast meal.

Everyone Likes Top Ten Lists

general

thepointsoflife

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April 29, 2014

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Even I, the angry professor, find myself clicking on those terribly captioned articles, “top 100 places to go before you die.” Whenever I do click on them, I realize that I have been to virtually none of them and probably will never to go to any of them making me more depressed than impressed. #28, a private island with a restaurant underwater. Wait, I did go the Maldives. Regardless, top ten lists of any kind always get people talking and clicking. So, I, in an effort to not conform will also put my own spin on some top 7 lists. Of course, we have to start with the 5 greatest rapper of all time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9lg6HqJeY0

The Cost of Roaming

thepointsoflife

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April 25, 2014

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“$800 cell phone bill, how can that be right?” We’ve all been there on the phone with Sprint arguing that the roaming charges applied to our account while we were in Mexico are bogus. Good faith bargaining leads nowhere forcing us to ask for a supervisor in the cancellation department. A few ‘do you mind holding’ and a few more hours of negotiating and our bill is magically reduced to a somewhat normal level. This week has been a week of hell in the world of telecommunications for me. Recently, Sprint has found it suitable to charge customers their full monthly bill while providing zero service in their homes. Even their VOIP service, which routes calls through a user’s cable modem stopped working. With no texts coming and the inability to make phone calls, I called Sprint to tell them of my crippling problem. What was their reaction? I’m sure you already know. Hours later I was at the AT&T store asking for pricing. Here’s where things get tricky. Currently, I have a Blackberry Bold 9900 with AT&T that used to be a symbol business and commerce. Now, the reaction I get from everyone is, “You still have a Blackberry!” I keep this gem of a phone around not because of its amazing app store and interactive web browser, but because it has a keyboard and most importantly unlimited international data plan. AT&T knows I love this relic so much that they will not allow me to upgrade unless I want to give up my unlimited plan. Therefore, I am stuck carrying two phones; one for voice and apps (used to be iPhone now it’s a Samsung S5, no wait it’s a HTC M8, no it’s . . . they are all crap) and the other, the Blackberry, for international travel. With no solution at AT&T, I moved onto T-Mobile who says their phones come with international roaming but only at 2G speeds and even those connections are capped. So I went to Verizon who also did not offer an international solution and wanted my first born in exchange for their communist red map of service which brought me right back to Sprint and no service in my house. Globalization is the buzz word these days only if you do want to engage in international trade be prepared to swap your life savings in order to make the deal with your global partner. To all service providers, the professor would like to say, good riddance but my phone just dropped the call.