Travel Guide - ThePointsOfLife

11 Reasons Why I Still Don’t Want to Travel

thepointsoflife

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April 20, 2021

11 Reasons Why I Still Don’t Want to Travel

Greece is now welcoming tourists, France will be soon, and Thailand is to follow (see the ever-changing list here). So why, after being grounded in Puerto Rico since January 2020, am I not interested in traveling?

Destinations: I have been to most places that are ‘open.’ While I would like to revisit many on the list including my second favorite city in the world, Cape Town, I’m not going to repeat a destination simply because there is nowhere else to go. I do have a Country Count List that needs to grow.
Is it really open?: Each day the ‘open’ country list changes. Countries are added and countries are removed from welcoming tourists. That makes it very hard to plan an epic trip. With the testing requirements, the curfews, and capacity restrictions, I may be better off staying in locked down Puerto Rico (see Another Useless Puerto Rico Lockdown).
Testing: TPOL has enough problems keeping up with visa requirements (see China 72-hour Visa-Free Transit Disaster (again)). Like my China experiences, I can see myself being stuck getting in or not allowed to return home because I misread the testing requirements. Add in my laziness in locating testing locations here or abroad and the invasive experience itself (see Thanks Donald! My COVID Test in Puerto Rico) and I am more inclined to wait for the magical ‘vaccine passport’ to go into effect.
Trip Epicness: I don’t go to one or two countries on a trip, book a week’s stay, and plan to unwind. I go to 10 countries in 24 days and burn myself out (see Travel Anxiety Sucks: Can It Be Prevented?) & ThePointsOfLife Travel Philosophy). Incorporating points #1 & #2 above, it is very difficult to book a classic TPOL trip.
If the GCM doesn’t look like this, how is it a real trip?
Value: The dollar does not go far in many parts of Europe. That was fine when I was partying in Sardinia and expected to pay to play (see Guns & Butter: Porto Cervo, Sardinia Travel Guide (Party Edition)). But, I’m not motivated to shell out too many euros on gyros just because Greece is open (see Make Corfu Greek Again! How Tourism Ruined an Island).
Amateur Hour: The most annoying people during COVID are the ones who say that they can’t wait for this nightmare to be over so that they can get back (emphasis added) to travel. Those people never went anywhere before and the only place they’ll be getting back to is the typical tourist destination e.g., Playa del Carmen. Add in that there are only so many places open and everywhere will look like Vegas on Memorial Day. Think long lines, price gouging, and unsophisticated travelers. Or what I like to call amateur hour. Now picture a place like Dubrovnik which was already overrun by tourists even more packed. No thank you.
Service: Given the limited options, the concentration of people going, and the need to make up for lost revenue, do you think that service will be better or worse? I would not expect to receive an upgrade at a hotel regardless of status. And I doubt my other strategy, complaining, would get me very far (see Have You Ever Not Complained?).
Devaluation: By not going anywhere for over a year (see NYC Twice: A Recap of My 2020 Travels) I have amassed a small fortune of points. I thought I would be able to find all sorts of deals once the pandemic was over. I was wrong. Airlines and hotels continue to devalue their programs, making those points more precious. I’m not going to blow a night cert on a domestic stay in Chicago because Shanghai is shuttered to the outside world and I want pizza (see The World’s Best Pizza: Chicago Deep Dish Edition).
It’s Not First Class: Imagine flying Emirates with no shower? Imagine flying Virgin without being able to congregate around the business class bar (see Virgin Atlantic Upper Class DTW-LHR: Party in the Sky). What about not being able to smoke a cigar in a lounge (see Champagne, Cigars, Caviar? The Most Clever Lounge Perk)? Does that sound like fun? It does not. Add in plastic cutlery and I might as well eat hummus and carrots at a Delta Sky Club and then fly a no-frills discount carrier to the aforementioned Playa del Carmen (see What’s the Worst Discount Carrier?).
No Partying: Some people travel to visit museums. I travel to party. If the club is closed, what will I do? (See The Best Nightclubs in the World.)
No Socializing: If I’m not making friends at the bar (see Ganbei! The Guide to Making Friends in China), I am socializing elsewhere. How can that happen with social distancing? There is no fun in going to a new country and not being able to interact with other travelers or local people because of social distancing in restaurants, in the streets, or public bathrooms.

I could end this post by accepting my depression and saying that I will cryogenically freeze myself until this pandemic is over. Unfortunately, I don’t see this coming to an end until the world realizes that it has to vaccinate the poorest countries with as much urgency for us to get back to normal. Instead of giving up on travel altogether, I am going to have to travel to places where these factors are not as big of an issue. These include islands in the Caribbean (see Rum Rum Caribbean Castaway) where restrictions are lax, nature reserves where I can rediscover my Bhutan happiness, e.g., Galapagos Islands, and Vegas because some hypocrisy is acceptable (see Come See TPOL Perform in Vegas in June!).

Guns & Butter: Amman, Jordan Travel Guide*

thepointsoflife

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April 19, 2021

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Amman Travel Guide* is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.

TPOL’s Guns & Butter Travel Guide is the best way to see as much as you can in as little time as possible. Here’s how it works – A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy. The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa. The guide includes inefficient activities i.e., tourist traps that should be avoided and aspirational activities that are worth doing but may be impossible to see given the constraints of time and resources.

I have called this the Amman Travel Guide* because the city of Amman was the launching point to go to nearby Petra and the Dead Sea. With the asterisk explained, let’s move on to another Travel Guide.

Lodging

Can’t Stay

I stayed at Le Meridien when I went. Unfortunately, it is no longer a Marriott hotel. It was still worth a review.

Invalid request error occurred. — I would like to pay homage to the Le Meridien Amman for granting me extra early check-in at 3AM instead of making me find a corner of the lobby to crash.

Can Stay, But Can Skip Too

I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Amman. I was out of the hotel more than I was there. I should have stayed at the Dead Sea for a night instead of another hotel in the city center.

a sign on a wall — Since I barely spent any time at the hotel, my review of the hotel was quite brief.

Should’ve Stayed

Headed to the Dead Sea, the Uber driver asked if I had a specific place in mind and I said the public entrance. He said absolutely not and asked if I would rather go to a resort. Having done no research, I agreed to follow his advice, and we were taken to a luxurious oasis called the OH Beach Resort.

Food

I give 5-stars to Petra and the Dead Sea. I give an incomplete to the food in Jordan. Here’s why:

Petra

Waiting for the bus to take me back to Petra, I stopped at a restaurant for ‘authentic Jordanian food’. It reminded me of the $30 tourist trap taco s I had in Mexico City. Gordon Ramsey would not be amused.

a bowl of food with a spoon — Oh too much garlic.

a stack of tortillas in a basket — This is fresh?

a plate of food with rice and vegetables — The troops!

a bowl of food with a white sauce — Shut it down!

TPOL’s TIP: Petra is a tourist attraction. All the restaurants had the same menu and none of them looked particularly better than the others.

AL- Rainbow Street

The Scottsdale Road of Amman, AL-Rainbow Street is always hustling and bustling but where people are going, I have no idea. I saw the same cars driving by in circles bumping Arabic tunes and casualties of those stuck in endless traffic.

I also had shwarma for dinner.

Like Cyrpus, it did not make the list of best in the world (see The Best Kebab in the World).

Iraqi Food

In the neighborhood, I went to an Iraqi restaurant. As a Chaldean, my idea of Iraqi food is different than a Jordanian restaurant making Iraqi food. I ordered one of my favorite dishes, ‘bird’s head’. When Chaldeans make it, it is meatballs (the bird’s head) and potatoes in a loving stew. Here, it was anything but that.

I ordered fattoush salad and it was more fattoush (bread crumbs) than salad.

The kebab and tabbouleh were not grandma’s.

I need to go to Baghdad and figure out if this was a one-off or if Chaldean food and Iraqi food are that different.

TPOL’s Tip: Mawwal Restaurant is located at Zahran St 241, Amman, Jordan.

Mansaf

With only hours until my departure, the last item on the checklist was to eat mansaf, the national dish of Jordan. I asked the Grand Hyatt for a restaurant recommendation and the man replied, “At this hour? No restaurants will have mansaf. Besides having my mother cook you some, I don’t think you will find any.” He then tried calling a few restaurants and they verified his prediction. Despondent, I pleaded with him to call his mother at once. He told me to relax because right next door there was a restaurant called Jabri, which served mansaf. Better yet, I could pick it up on my way to the airport the next day. His recommendation proved true.

Reader’s Tip: Falafel: The best falafel sandwich in the world is at AlQuds Falafel.

The Asterisk

Petra

This is why I came to Jordan. Read Do’s & Don’t’s for Visiting Petra for full coverage as this snippet cannot capture all the photos that I captured while I was there.

Dead Sea

Like Petra, I invite you to read the entire post, Dead Sea: A Must See Before You Die, for another once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Overall

There you have it. The Amman* Travel Guide is complete.

Jabri: They Say It’s the Best Mansaf in Jordan

thepointsoflife

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April 16, 2021

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Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel Review is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.

With only hours until my departure, the last item on the checklist was to eat mansaf, the national dish of Jordan. Though I had taken in the sites (see Dead Sea: A Must See Before You Die & Do’s & Don’t’s for Visiting Petra), my Jordanian culinary adventure was limited. I had bad food at Petra, street shawarma on Al Rainbow Street, an underwhelming Iraqi restaurant, and a breakfast buffet at the OH Beach Resort (see Guns & Butter: Amman, Jordan Travel Guide*). I asked the front desk at the Grand Hyatt for a restaurant recommendation and the man replied, “At this hour? No restaurants will have mansaf. Besides having my mother cook you some, I don’t think you will find any.” He then tried calling a few restaurants and they verified his prediction. Despondent, I pleaded with him to call his mother at once. He told me to relax because right next door there was a cafeteria style restaurant called Jabri which served the best mansaf in Jordan, second only to his mother’s. Better yet, I could pick it up on my way to the airport the next day (see Jabri: They Say It’s the Best Mansaf).

With my Etihad business class flight to Abu Dhabi leaving at 2:55PM (continuing on to JFK on Etihad Apartments), I had enough time to call the Uber, go to Jabri, and place a take-out order. I stepped up to the counter and said, “One order of mansaf and dolma please.” Seconds later, I was given a to go tray of mansaf and grape leaves. Looking back at the photos, I would have ordered more items. Looking back, I am glad I didn’t judge the quality of the food by the decor.

TPOL’s TIP: The proper Jabri restaurant is located at abri Central Wasfi Al Tal Street, Amman, Jordan

I didn’t eat on the way to the airport, hoping to save it as a pre-departure meal. With my hunger pain growing, I needed a distraction. I realized that I had no idea what mansaf was and if it was something that I would even enjoy, despite the hype. Turning to Wikipedia, I learned that mansaf is “a dish made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or bulgur.” All my favorites in one place, what could be better than that?

Upon arriving at the airport, my excitement gave way to anxiety as I was nervous about bringing this liquid dish through security. I can’t say for certain but it appeared that security gave me a smile when he saw the Jabri bag.

At the gate, it was time to feast. And feast I did.

a man sitting at a table with food — A delicious way to leave Jordan.

Overall

Though my mansaf mission was accomplished, I still need to try two things:

1) The sit down Jabri restaurant

2). A Jordanian grandma’s version of mansaf.

Come See TPOL Perform in Vegas in June!

thepointsoflife

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April 15, 2021

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If the reporting is true, Vegas will be completely open at full capacity on June 1st. As luck would have it, TPOL is slated to perform* in Vegas the weekend of June 11th for what may be the third trip of my Punxsutawney TPOL: Leaving My Basement Trip Report. If I actually go**, I am awarding 5 strangers who spot me on The Strip with a round of drinks***.

*By perform, I mean play one hand of blackjack (see No More Bribes in Vegas? What Happened to This Place?), go to pool parties (see Vegas Knockout: The Encore Wynns in Overtime & 10 M Life Perks for Non Gamblers in Vegas), and reminisce about my Richard Quest Interview (Behind the Scenes: TPOL’s Interview with Richard Quest)

**The only reason I won’t go is because of these absurd flight prices/schedules from Puerto Rico. Duck Covid.

***The Strip means outside of the hotels that I am sure will resume robbing people for shots at their bars (see Busted? Go to Fremont Street Vegas, Chutes & Ladders: Vegas Edition, & Tipping At The Cash Register: Are You Bleeping Kidding?).

Grand Hyatt Amman: Service, Yes!

thepointsoflife

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April 14, 2021

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Grand Hyatt Amman Hotel Review is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.

With only one night left in Jordan, I used points to stay at the Grand Hyatt Amman. While the hotel was centrally located, I would have rather stayed at the OH Dead Sea Resort outside of town (see Dead Sea: A Must See Before You Die) because there is not much to do in Amman (see Guns & Butter: Amman* Travel Guide). Since I barely spent any time at the hotel, my review of the hotel will be quite brief.

Hotel Itself

I like Grand Hyatt’s. Although they aren’t as intimate as Park Hyatt’s, they are reliable and comfortable.

Room

I wasn’t upgraded to a suite, but I did receive three pieces of fruit as a welcome gift.

Bathroom

After going to the Dead Sea, it was funny to see mud soap as the lather of choice.

Lounge

The lounge was sparse on the food in comparison to other Grand Hyatt’s.

Service

With only hours until my departure, the last item on the checklist was to eat mansaf, the national dish of Jordan. Though I had visited Petra and the Dead Sea, my culinary adventure was limited. I had bad food at Petra, street shawarma, and only breakfast at the Dead Sea. I asked the hotel for a restaurant recommendation and the man replied, “At this hour? No restaurants will have mansaf. Besides having my mother cook you some, I don’t think you will find any.” He then tried calling a few restaurants and they verified his prediction. Despondent, I pleaded with him to call his mother at once. He told me to relax because right next door there was a restaurant called Jabri, which served mansaf, and better yet, I could pick it up on my way to the airport the next day (see Jabri: They Say It’s the Best Mansaf). His recommendation proved true and put an exclamation point on this great trip. For that reason, I would recommend the Grand Hyatt.

Overall

Grand Hyatt was grand in its service. Next time, I will not stay in Amman, but I will order mansaf as carry out on the way to the Dead Sea.

Dead Sea: A Must See Before You Die

thepointsoflife

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April 13, 2021

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Dead Sea Guide is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.

After enduring the hike of Petra, I needed a return to relaxation. Without a plan, I hopped into the Uber and told him to take me to the Dead Sea. He asked if I had a specific place in mind and I said the public entrance. He said absolutely not and asked if I would rather go to a resort. Having done no research, I agreed to follow his advice and we were taken to a luxurious oasis called the OH Beach Resort.

TPOL’s TIP: Stay the night at the OH Beach Resort instead of commuting from Amman.

The Dead Sea

Did you know that the lowest point in the world is the Dead Sea at 394.6 m (1269 ft) below sea level? I did not. Do you believe that you will actually float because of the density of the water? I did not. Unbelievable is a great word to describe how it when I first entered the water.

After relaxing, I was given a proper mud bath and went back in the sea to float on.

Reading the Newspaper

While it does not compare to my photos from the Salt Flats in Bolivia, I did take the customary photo reading the newspaper.

TPOL’s TIP: Bring your reading glasses. There’s lots of news in the Middle East.

Salt

Resort

After I had my fill of NaCl, I went to the pool to relax and take photos of the sunset.

With the tranquility of the scenery, it’s hard to fathom that just across the water, there is an ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine.

The Pool

The infinity pool was a great place to spend the rest of the afternoon.

Argelh

While it’s not my favorite hobby, I did smoke some argelh. Like the newspaper, it’s important to get that customary smoke-filled photo.
Overall

Dead Sea is a must see before you die.

Dead Sea Travel Guide is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.

Do’s & Don’t’s for Visiting Petra

thepointsoflife

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April 9, 2021

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Petra Travel Guide is part of the Quest Around the Globe Trip Report.

What is your favorite UNESCO World Heritage Site? Since there are 1121, answering is impossible for me because I have not been to all of them, and it’s hard to compare the ones that I have seen (see TPOL’s World Heritage Site List). One of the most remarkable is Petra. Constructed in 5th century BC, Petra and the Dead Sea are the reasons I visited Jordan.

With that intro, let’s get to the Do’s & Don’t for Visiting Petra.

Do

Take a tour bus to and from Amman. Mind you, I said tour bus, not a tour. TPOL is usually anti-tour guides (see “You’re a Bad Tourist.” Words From Luxor Tour Guide & Amalfi Coast: A Beautiful Tourist Trap vs. Guided Tours: Like Attending Class, It’s Boring But Sometimes Useful). The bus leaves early in the morning and comes back in the night, providing enough time to satisfy all your Petra desires.

a blue sign with white text and red text — I used JETT and found it to be reliable and comfortable.

Don’t

Forget to bring an external charger. There are too many photo opportunities including on the way.

Do

Be in great shape. This is not a walk in the park.

Don’t

Be fooled by your arrival at the Al-Khazneh (Treasury). This is only the start of the arduous journey.

Do

Try to take photos without tourists around.

Don’t

Think it will be easy.

Do

Enjoy taking pictures of you and your camel friends.

Don’t

Try entering the treasury. There are guards on duty.

Do

Take time to realize what was built in this desert.

Don’t

Think you are a world-class photojournalist because you take photos of locals.

a boy riding a donkey — Though I’m sure my photo was better than his.

Do

Coach up your camels.

a man standing next to camels in the desert — In the words of Gordon Ramsey, “Come on guys!”

Don’t

Forget the donkeys.

Do

Resist the urge to ride on a donkey. Riding one only results in a donkey traffic jam.

Don’t

Worry about stopping for more photos. When will you ever come back to Petra?

Do

Talk to the donkeys.

Don’t

Take a horse to the summit. They can’t go up the steep steps and you’ll be right back walking.

a man sitting on a stone staircase in a canyon — No horse, no problem

Do

Commemorate your arrival to Ad Deir (“The Monastery”) with more photos. Don’t

Be disappointed that the Monastery, at first glance, wasn’t as impressive as the Treasury. To that end, don’t question why you just hiked miles in the sweltering heat for this.

a white box with black text and black text — Reading the history helps.

Do

Keep hiking. The best view in Jordan is coming.

Don’t

Be distracted by the beautiful celebrities.

Do

Stop for Argelh, if you must.

Don’t

Forget where you are.

Do

Take in the scenery and reflect on how this could have been built thousands of years ago.

Don’t

Worry about taking the same photo over and over.

Do

Capture the best moment using something better than your phone camera*.

* While I love the quality, I no longer carry this big camera around.

Don’t

Forget to include the goats who are equally mesmerized.

Do

Pose with your turban.

Don’t

Kiss your woman in the park, a stranger was very upset with a single peck.

a group of men in clothing holding shields and shields — Luckily, these are just actors.

Do

Take the same photos on the way down.

Don’t

Forget how long ago all this went down.

Do

Remember that there is no ‘P’ in the Arabic language.

a entrance to a building — It’s pronounced Betra.

Don’t

Expect a conclusion. This post took as long as Petra to complete.

Another Useless Puerto Rico Lockdown

thepointsoflife

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April 8, 2021

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I tried to put an end to the Lost & Found Year(s) COVID Trip Report until I saw dumb shit start happenin’. The latest lockdown is dumber than Vanilla Ice tryin’ to rap again. For those who may be visiting Puerto Rico, take note that starting Friday the new curfew will be 10PM to 5AM, and all businesses will close at 9PM. The governor cites the uptick in COVID cases for instituting this measure. This pointless measure is another example of how the government has no clue how to handle the pandemic, despite dealing with it for over a year.

The reason that cases are on the rise is not because businesses are open past nine. COVID doesn’t appear like a werewolf when the clock strikes a certain hour. And, contrary to what many residents of Puerto Rico say, the spike in cases is not solely attributable to tourists, who are all pictured as drunk degenerates refusing to wear a mask. Yes, there are those jerks. However, there are also family and friends of locals who visit from the US, don’t quarantine, and do not wear masks around their not-so-immediate household. “He’s my cousin from Miami, she’s my sister from New York, how could they give me COVID?” Then the numbers spike after the Easter weekend and everyone is shocked. ” It is not a coincidence that prioritizing the health and well-being of the citizens is a priority after the government grabbed all those spring break dollars.

Puerto Rico could have been like New Zealand by implementing strict measures from the beginning (see Infected Tourists Are Coming to Puerto Rico). Instead, it implemented nonsensical, random measures (see No Alcohol Sales on the Weekend, No Golf on Sunday: Another Stupid Lockdown Measure). For a time, there was a stay-at-home law on Sundays, the day that Boogeyman COVID always comes out to get us. Of course, this rule did not apply to holding Mass in sizeable groups on Sunday. For a time, the beaches were closed because what is more dangerous than miles of sand with plenty of room to social distance? Add in the swift sea breeze and it’s a wonder that the beach still isn’t closed seeing as how COVID has superpowers and can stay suspended in the air despite powerful wind gusts.

The schizophrenic strategy for dealing with COVID has taken its toll on my mental health. With the vaccination rollout going smoothly, I thought that life was finally going to get back to normal. Instead, we are going in the wrong direction and with no plausible explanation for why we are doing so. Exactly one year ago, I warned about the dangers of government overstepping civil liberties under the guise of protecting the interest of its people (see Puerto Rico’s Coronavirus Crackdown: Justified Or Unconstitutional?). We have been on lockdown since March of 2020. This crackdown is not justified. It’s time to sound the alarm on this abuse of power.

a beach with a rainbow in the sky — Paradise or GITMO? Neither place has due process.

Simply The Best: March 2021

thepointsoflife

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April 7, 2021

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I tried a new approach to blogging in March, whereby I would only write twice a week and attempt to post 5 times. It didn’t work. I will try again in April. The process of writing old Trip Reports is not fun, but the results are worthwhile. Below are the best posts from March. In addition, be sure to read Simply The Best: TPOL Triple Bogeys, Turns 7.

Enter TPOL’s Bracket, Flight to Puerto Rico Included!
Shit talking included. Clubs and hotel not included. Alcohol included, subject to availability.
Misplacing My Passport Without Traveling
Are you trepidatious to travel because it has been so long? Where are you having your travel pre-season?
Guns & Butter: Ayia Napa, Cyprus Travel Guide
There will be a next time for me in Cyprus.
What’s in My Wallet: 2021
TPOL has slipped when it comes to maximizing the use of his credit cards for points. Perhaps it’s because I do not travel anymore or perhaps because I am lazy. Hopeful that travel is coming, I have taken a hard look at my credit card portfolio and put together a plan to maximize each.
Bad News: Michigan Lost. Good News: Michigan Lost
The bad news is that Michigan lost to UCLA and failed to reach the Final Four. They choked like dogs at the end despite having every opportunity to win.
Coming 2 America: A PSA for Not Going Back to Paradise
Ten minutes in, I turned Coming 2 America off, refusing to let it contaminate my child memories of Akeem. The same can be said about traveling back to the same city.
WonderBoom 2: Best Travel (And Golf) Speaker

Wonderboom 2 review — What speaker is in your carry-on? Hopefully nothing that triggers a positive explosive test.

Baylor What? Unlucky Me, Lucky Tyler Wins a Trip to Puerto Rico

The Deal Ticker

thepointsoflife

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April 6, 2021

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TPOL, second only to Frugal Travel Guy in frugality, did not come out on top in his bracket and is irked that he has to finance a trip for a reader. Specifically, Lucky Tyler lucked out that everyone else had such terrible picks that he won despite also choosing Houston. A deal is a deal however and I will honor the $150 in points flights to Puerto Rico and the round of golf (see Enter TPOL’s Bracket, Flight to Puerto Rico Included!).

Congrats to Baylor which played aggressively against the weaklings of Gonzaga which played no one this year.