The New Travel Thread: Now with write ups in the OP

Koh Phi Phi was pretty chill. I liked it, but nothing to compare it too

 

I did Koh Phi Phi a few years ago and stayed in a hut with a buddy. I'll be with my GF this time. We're starting off in Bali, then two nights in Singapore, then 5 total nights in Thailand. Our last two will be at the Westin Resort on Phuket that I booked on points, and the other three will be either on Phuket or Ao Nang. I've never been to the latter so would love to hear from someone who's done both. I get the feeling that Railay might be a little less touristy than PP

 

Selected mine with Delta and American directly in the portal

 

Iceland was amazing, could definitely spend a full week there. Got to Edinburgh today though, Wow Air was a great experience today, preferred it over IcelandAir. Plus, those flight attendants

 

I thought you couldn't use chase points for delta

 

Well NVM. I thought chase portal limited seat selection and that I had hacked the system by changing my seats within United's app. In a way, they don't display "change seats" option for my segments purchased through the chase portal.

 

You cant transfer to them, but you can buy them through the portal

 

Delta isn't a transfer partner but you can buy Delta flights in the Chase portal with points.

 

I actually just got the CSR card and am still in the "honeymoon" phase where I need to spend some serious money. Should be able to hit that with all the travel I'm booking/doing. Do you have any general tips and tricks for it, other than just getting the 50,000 bonus points and $300 statement credit? I'm signing up for the airport lounge stuff now, but other than that, not really sure how to maximize my card. Feel like I'm missing something.

Also, can anyone recommend a decent-sized backpack that I can carry onto budget airlines but can fit about 5 days' worth of clothes? I saw some daypacks linked in other threads, but I think I could get away with something bigger. I'm trying to ditch the luggage entirely for this trip and will be gone for about three weeks. I'll also try to put a writeup here for anything (new) I do in London and the Danube river cruise (goes to Berlin, Nuremberg, Dresden, Salzburg, Budapest) I'm taking with my family after Croatia/Serbia.

 

If you get to St. Petersburg and can fit it in, I cannot recommend going to Peterhof enough. Absolutely incredible group of palaces and gardens. Also are you getting a travel visa or booking through an agency?

 

I have an osprey farpoint 55 that I'll be going to Europe with next week and trying to carry on. Will report back.

 

Awesome. That's the one I've got my eye on. If you are using any of the more ridiculous airlines (Wizz, Ryanair, Easyjet) and they give you any grief, would appreciate a heads up.

 

That's the one I used for Europe over NYE and a few months in Asia, highly recommend. If you take advantage of it, you'll love the detachable day pack. I used it almost every day.

Re: airlines, it probably won't fit in carry-on on the budget airlines going within Europe, but will should be fine going from US-->Europe and back, and long flights on bigger planes.

Also, and I did this almost every flight, just check in at a kiosk so you don't have to get your bag weighed, go through security like it's a carry-on, and then when you're boarding just play dumb if they say something to you. I was able to just bring it with me if the flight wasn't full, or they valeted it at the gate, which is still much better than checking it. A handful of times they didn't even say anything to me and I boarded with it, even though it was obviously bigger than other people's bags.

 

My 55 fit just fine on ryanair carry on, but mine isn't terribly bulky

 

You can buy Delta using your chase points? I'm looking at S.A. tickets in delta and have enough delta points for 1, but will be short for 2 tickets. Might have enough Chase points to buy 2 tickets if I can buy Delta through the portal, have looked though.

I don't know the difference between transfer points and points through the portal...

 

Finally have everything booked

June 16th arrive in BA, take a bus to Rosario where my buddy is working. (check out a bar called Brit Rio on facebook )
Sunday 6/18 bus back to BA, staying at Milhouse that night.
Monday 6/19 flying to Bariloche, 3 nights at Hospedaje Penthouse 1004
Thursday 6/22 fly back to BA and spend THU-FRI nights in Palermo.

Thanks for all the help brahs.

 

The portal is essentially just like using kayak but the chase version where you can use your points.

 

I'm flying Iceland air to Europe and back, then have a flight with transavia and sas each. I'm less concerned about sas, but I may have trouble with transavia since they allow only one carry on.

 

Ok. Is the portal where you can get 1.5x?

Maybe I'm conflating the whole transfer partner and portal thing.

 

Yes. If you book through the portal Chase points are worth 1.5x their value. They transfer to partners at 1:1.

 

Yeah that's where you get 1.5. You are. You can book whatever you want in the portal, but you can only transfer to certain programs that are partners

 

I just pulled the trigger on it. I'm too hyped up on the travel buzz to delay gratification.

 

Explain this to me like I'm 5 - is a situation where buying in miles from the partner is cheaper than buying from Chase in points generally going to be the only situation in which you transfer points instead of booking through the portal?

 

Yeah. Say you're flying to dubrovnik and United offers the flight for 30,000 United points, but it's 900 bucks if you pay cash. So instead of spending 60,000 points to get the 900 dollar flight through the portal, you transfer 30,000 ultimate rewards points 1:1 to United and buy it that way

 

Ohhhhhhhh

 

Explain like I am a retarded 5 year old.....

Delta has a 70k point flight. Can I buy through portal for 47k? (47,000*1.5=70000)

 

Nah when you buy through the portal you pay cash value, but you do it at 1.5x your points. So imagine you search kayak, it populates the available flights and gives you the prices. But you can buy these flights with ultimate rewards points at a 1.5x multiplier

 

Does buying the Delta flight via flying blue (chase ultimate rewards partner) work at 1:1?

 

I flew IcelandAir from London to KEF and had to check my roller at the gate. I carry it on every flight ever but the attendant wouldn't budge but it wasn't a big deal since they include a free checked bag. Gf was really concerned about our Wow flight this morning as a result and the lady working the information kiosk actually helped us a little (all the airlines have those bins to see whether a bag fits or not, mine didn't quite fit because of the wheels but she said it'd be fine) and gave us these approved tags they use. Come to find out their overhead bins are massive and my bag fit easily

 

It's all about the $$$

 

Any last minute bar / restaurant / to-do recs for Barcelona?

Leaving tomorrow for the week for Primavera Sound Thursday to Saturday. 3 days of sight seeing Mon-Wed, then the fest Thurs-Sat, and a day to chill Sunday.

Have Picasso Museum, Casa Battlo, Casa Mila, Sagrada Familia, and Park Guell as stuff planned to do. Looking for some under the radar things or cool places to check out.

 

This isn't really the right thread but im in Asheville and just won a free eno in a raffle

My friend who owns the backpacking shop on the AT also just gave me another free hammock

We hammock rich around here

 

If you want to unload the older hammock then I'd be happy to take it off your hands!

 

They're both brand new and unused but I'll keep you in mind

 

I'll just book everything by myself. I would assume the Visa fee would be waved for WC like it was for Brazil so will just send to the Russian embassy to get. Thanks for the rec on Peterhof though. I have never even heard of it, but will be sure to look into it. Any other recs for Russia?

 

Hiking this in a week. Can't wait

 

In 24 hours I will be beginning my three week trip in Europe.

I'm packing drunk... I'm sure I won't forget anything important.

 

Nice. Wife and I hiked Angels Landing in Zion three days ago. It was incredible. We've been talking about possibly doing Kauai next year.

 

Volcanic ridges and an ocean. Where?

 

Kauai. There's 3-4 incredible looking hikes we are going to do.

 

There's a secret flying deal that is NYC to Tokyo for $487 if you book through Momondo. I'm about to jump on this shit with the girl. What is the best district? I know there's Shinjuku, but is there another district worth looking at staying that might be more vibrant? This is kind of an impulsive trip due to the cheap ass flight.

Edit: Trying to find theTokyo write-ups.

Edit: Found, and it sounds like Shinjuku is the way to go. I'm now debating on a hostel or airbnb. I'd prefer hostel, but they're looking to be significantly more expensive if I'm getting a private room at ~$95/night.

 

awesome

 

I was just there. I'll put one together soon.

 

Will be going with my girl, and I think we'll have like ~10 days, so we're def planning on leaving Tokyo. I'd 100% go skiing and wait until winter if she effing skied, but I'd be so lucky. We will most likely utilize Thanksgiving week, so it might be a little bit chilly in parts. I'd like to see Kyoto or other off the beaten path places that would be worth checking out.

 

I stayed in Roppongi when I went but if I went back I'd stay in Shibuya

 

I did two weeks and did 3 nights in Tokyo, 2 in takayama, 4 in Kyoto, 2 in Hakone, and 2 in Tokyo.

Tokyo and Kyoto are must sees. I'm driving back from dc but will do a detailed wroteuo for you when I return

 

Yeah, so, full disclosure, I went to St. Petersburg on a Baltic cruise and our itinerary was mapped out. From what I've read and understood, the visa process can be a bit tricky, especially with our ever-deteriorating relations, but if you are part of a group booking and stick to a planned route then no visa is required. You're probably also right that they will make it much simpler with the World Cup going on. Just something to think about and be careful of before you start booking.

So anyways, when I was there, went to Peterhof, Catherine's Palace, Peter and Paul Fortress, the Hermitage, and St. Isaac's Cathedral. Didn't get a chance to go to Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, but really wanted to go in. I'll save it for next time. I'd say all those spots I went to are must-sees and all are right in St. Petersburg proper besides Peterhof and Catherine's Palace. Oh, and a river cruise is always easy as most of the significant buildings are built right along the river. I'm obsessed with Russia's history and culture, so, really looking forward to hearing about your experience. Also this is odd, but if you see someone following you and furiously sketching, they're probably doing a portrait of you unannounced. Actually stop and ask to see what they put together --- my Dad and I got some incredible portraits done in a Soviet realism style that we both have hung up in our offices now for next to nothing. Other than that, I loved the people I met, the tour guides are great and weren't afraid (then) to answer questions truthfully about their experience under communism and Putin, and the food and vodka is plentiful.

 

For those that have travelled around Croatia, is it worth buying bus tickets ahead of time? Or is it fine generally just to show up to the station and get a ticket? I'm just thinking about staying as flexible as I can.

Also, may seem like a dumb question, but how much cash is really necessary in Croatia/Serbia? Can you use credit cards fairly easily/without much hassle? I'm hoping to use cash in an emergency or at open markets but otherwise use my credit card for everything that I can... making sure to close my tabs as soon as I get a drink in bars too. I hate carrying around tons of cash and considering I plan to have some boozed up nights don't want to make myself an easy mark.

 

At the airport to start my trip. I've had the nervous/anxious shits all day.