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

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Jax Teller, Apr 8, 2015.

  1. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    I'm just worried about Chase portal--every time I have an issue with an Ultimate Rewards flight (cancel/modify/etc), Chase tells me to talk to Delta (or whatever airline I choose). Then, when I talk to Delta, they say they can't do anything because it was booked through Chase. It's given me a headache before.

    Just gonna call Chase and see if that gets me anywhere. Maybe before actually booking they can help me out.
     
    texasraider likes this.
  2. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
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    That sucks to hear, the only time I've had a flight change issue like that Chase was super easy to deal with after the airline told me I needed to talk to them
     
  3. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    Chase has been great to me.

    In this case they'll just book it for you, then pawn you off on Delta with any future changes likely
     
  4. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    I really need to stop being a poor with bad credit and get on this Chase bandwagon. Maybe next year...
     
  5. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Open a freedom now. You'll get approved
     
  6. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    Everyone pretty much has you covered with talking to chase. 3K is a hell of a deal for that flight though with one way being first class. If you can't make the chase points work that would probably be worth buying anyways.
     
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  7. Harvey Updyke

    Harvey Updyke RTR!!!!!1!

    Nob hill north of California, east of Polk, west of mason would be ideal. You can go as far north as you practically want into Russian hill/marina/north beach. The closer to Jones and Sacramento the better (that is the top of the hill).

    Mission is "fine" and much less expensive than the rest of the city, but it is a bit seedy for my tastes and doesn't have the views of the other areas I mentioned. Just not my style except for a burrito on Sunday. You are going to be here for a limited time so stick to the tops of the hills would be my advice.

    Ryoko in the tenderloin is an awesome sushi restaurant (that entire area south of California is branded "lower Nob hill", but it's the tenderloin).

    Chotto is fantastic Japanese in marina/cow hollow.

    Osso for steaks (cc: Dayneface ).

    Check out fort mason. Once again depending on time of year and weather, they have off the grid, which is essentially a food truck party, there on Friday nights. Coit tower is pretty cool to check out. Alice Marble park has awesome views from the tennis courts.

    Always carry a jacket. The fog will roll in and it feels 25 degrees colder in 25 mins. Wear comfortable shoes. Don't waste your time or money with cable cars. Stay out of fishermans wharf as much as possible unless you are into tourist traps.

    Hopefully you get 70 and sunny with light wind because there is no where better when it is. Enjoy!
     
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  8. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    Chase Sapphire right? I've been putting off applying for it, so I'm going to do it now.
     
  9. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Get the reserve then get the preferred after you hit the spend
     
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  10. Patface

    Patface Touch & Go Like A Dantonio Heartbeat
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    User Harvey Updyke with lots of good recs. HOPR is probably my favorite restaurant period, authentic SF at its best if you like prime rib.

    I'm not a San Francisco mega expert but I can provide some good stuff depending on where you end up in the city. Russian Hill is my area of best expertise.
     
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  11. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    Am I confused or do you have that backwards? Isn't the reserve better than the preferred?
     
  12. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    It is. That's why you go ahead and get it first
     
  13. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
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    He's not saying to downgrade the Reserve after hitting the spend, just to get the Preferred to get those bonus points also then eventually ditch the Preferred
     
  14. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    Gotcha, I've had the preferred for a few years but I'd like to get the reserved. Apparently you can upgrade easily if you have 10,000 credit limit on the preferred. For some reason they only me 5,000 limit when I got it and haven't raised it since, while my amex card has close to 40,000 limit.
     
  15. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Upgrading is bad. You don't get the sign up bonus.
     
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  16. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    That's what I'm thinking, too. I really want my return flight to be business or first, flight is just so damn long and I'll likely be going back to work the day after I get back.
     
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  17. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    gf was talking about biking over bridge and ferry back. is this as ridiculous as it sounds?
     
  18. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    To be comfortable and able to sleep on a flight that long makes it so much better and I think worth the cost. I don't think I could do that in coach, especially with an extra leg onto Seattle. If you do book it, just double check to make sure the entire flight home is in first. I've seen times where its coded under "first" but then its actually "mixed cabin" where one leg is first and the other(s) are economy. Would suck to pay all that and then have to do economy from Africa to Atlanta and only have first class from Atlanta to Seattle.
     
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  19. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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  20. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Lol that is so stupid
     
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  21. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    So, due to "optics" lets spend probably 20x as much money on a place. That Tahoe place does look incredible though.
     
  22. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    exactly. I think we're getting it for 4x the price.

    Still, pretty excited about 4 days there...
     
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  23. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    During ski season? ski in ski out is sweet.
     
  24. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    Nope in September. Fine for me as I'm a hiker
     
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  25. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    I wish when my plans got nixed it was replaced with 4 days in Tahoe. That place looks awesome
     
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  26. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    The flight to Africa is: Sea-->ATL-->Johannesburg. I think I can do that in coach, will just be a shitty 15-16 hour flight from ATL, but I can sleep through 8-9 hours of it with some help.

    The return flight is actually: Cape Town --> Amsterdam (10 hours), just a 2 hour layover and then Amsterdam to Seattle (10 hours). Fucking brutal. The flight from Cape Town is KLM airlines, which I understand is pretty legit.

    Just need to get somebody on the phone and see what I can do.
     
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  27. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    That was my exact itinerary because I was still living in Seattle at the time. Do it. Take some Xanax and pot brownies and I slept all 16 hours to Joburg

    You can do Namibia with South Africa, have some friends that did that. How long are you planning on going?
     
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  28. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    First KLM leg kinda sucked, shitty old fleet. The Amsterdam to Seattle flight was half empty so I had a whole row in coach to myself and it was delta operated for the second leg.
     
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  29. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    About 10-12 days. Plan now is to Leave June 26, but wouldn't get there until evening of 27th/28th. Johannesburg and a safari for 4-5 days (maybe Namibia), Cape Town for last 5-6 days and fly back on July 8.

    I'm sure I'll be hitting you up for Tips
     
  30. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    What time of year did you go? Everything I read about July said it's low season and not crowded, but also lots of thunderstorms--but a lot of stuff I've read still recommends going in July

    Where Eagles Dare same question por favor
     
  31. mb711

    mb711 West Coast Barner
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    No, it's fun, ride in to Sausalito(or a bit more of a hike to Tiburon, if you go there on a nice day go to Sam's) You can take the Ferry back from Sausalito or Tiburon
     
  32. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    Got there mid October back by Halloween.
     
  33. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    If you're only going for that long scratch off Namibia. You want 6 days in Cape Town for sure, and 4-5 safari days and then a day or so for miscellaneous travel.
     
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  34. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    Winter is best visibility for sharks.

    I went in November. Their spring. I was told Cape Town weather can be really sporadic in the winter. 60 on day and nice then thunder storms the next. :idk: Cape Town didn't seem overly packed in the spring
     
  35. Goose

    Goose Hi
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    Any suggestions for a hotel in Phuket, Thailand?

    Going to Thailand in December for 2 weeks and am looking to spend a few days in Phuket
     
  36. Oshie

    Oshie single dad no kids
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    Just say "Phuket" and book what's cheapest
     
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  37. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    I think phuket kind of sucks and I'm not much of a resort guy so I can't help there
     
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  38. Room 15

    Room 15 Mi equipo esta Los Tigres
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    Boston bound for a long weekend. Fenway, Freedom Trail, JFK museum, lobster and beer on the docket.
     
  39. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    Get in a boat and go to Koh Phi Phi or any of the other island. Lot of cooler ones than Phuket.
     
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  40. Goose

    Goose Hi
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    Open to any suggestions for Thailand outside of Bangkok
     
  41. Goose

    Goose Hi
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    Flight from ATL -> Incheon is 16 hours. God damn that is going to suck ass

    Looking forward to smacking some hot flight attendant ass on Korean air tho
     
  42. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Chiang Mai in the north is an absolute must. For islands really anywhere but phuket imo. I'm going on December and doing koh lanta and ao nang Beach. I recommend koh Tao, samui, railay, phi phi as well
     
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  43. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Some people like phuket but as I said I'm not big on resorts and outside of that it's like the Thai Myrtle beach

    I'd still move there though
     
    Goose likes this.
  44. Goose

    Goose Hi
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    Lol when you gonna be there?

    I leave here 12/9 and leave BKK 12/23
     
  45. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Land Dec 26 in bangkok, in the islands dec 29-jan 3, chiang mai until the 7th, fly home the 8th
     
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  46. dahldennsull

    dahldennsull Living in the best state
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    I'm not currently looking, but thought I would pass on the recommendation for Rhino Africa - https://www.rhinoafrica.com/en

    Had a friend who had a wonderful experience using them for a safe/full trip to Africa. Handle all the details and surprisingly reasonable for all that's included (not cheap but you get a lot)
     
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  47. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    Chiang Mai or die
     
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  48. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    & Pai
     
  49. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    If you go to Thailand for 2 weeks and don't go to Chiang Mai you should kill urself.
     
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