Flotation Therapy

Today's post has nothing to do with travel, but rather a new experience.  Recently, I had the opportunity to try float therapy for the first time. Basically, you enter a sensory deprivation tank and float in water about 18 inches deep that has a higher content of salt than the Dead Sea.  The session lasted one hour and I was surprised at how long an hour can be with no sense of time or distractions. I meditate and practice yoga and believe those exercises helped me to relax enough to enjoy the session.  Several people who also tried the therapy with me ended up leaving their tanks (everyone has their own tank to float in) after 15 minutes because they could not get their minds to calm and they were too wired to relax.  I had no such issue.  Inside the tank which is completely dark (you do have the option to have a night light or overhead light on and play music (I did not use any option other than complete darkness). You enter the tank and you are completely naked except for ear plugs. The temperature is a heavenly 93 degrees. There are pages of requirements that must be signed off on before you can float. For example: you must not have open wounds or cuts, no recently dyed hair, no recent tattoos and you must wash off your perfumes, make up and hair products before entering the tank using products provided by the facility.

The experience reminded me of being in utero, not that I remember.  Sometimes you even forget that you are lying in water.  I was good for about 45 minutes and then I was obsessed with when the light was going to come on to alert me that my session had ended.  I did need to use a head cradle (provided) because I could not get my neck to relax.  Once in the head cradle I started to doze off  - when my body would touch the side of the tank the movement was magnified 100 times over the initial slight touch. I would be startled enough to move and water would roll up my body ever so slightly feeling like a ripple with a tickle.  My stomach  reacted to the tickle like the feeling of being on a roller coaster ride.  I would recommend trying this therapy and found it odd two days later parts of my body were sore like after a workout.  I'm certain the next time I try floating it'll be even better as I won't have to deal with the anxiety of not knowing what to expect.    

Read more about flotation therapy here.            

Shopping to Maximize Points

When travel points collecting becomes a hobby you constantly think of ways to maximize each purchase.  I needed a new ceiling fan.  Most folks would hop in the car and head to a home improvement store of their liking, pick out a fan, pay using a credit card and happily head home. With a few minutes of effort a simple $200 purchase can generate 1400 points over the hop in the car method of shopping and I don't need to leave my home.

Let me explain....most everyone owns some sort of points per dollar rewards credit card, using one of those cards for a purchase would net 200 points simply by presenting the fan for payment.  I have several points earning credit cards and while many give you 1 point per dollar on a purchase like a ceiling fan, others can provide a whole lot more.  I carry a Chase Ink charge card and receive 5x the points for purchases at office supply stores or for paying my cell phone, cable TV and internet bills - given that those are my most expensive bills, it's a nice little point perk card to own.  Needing a new ceiling fan meant that I brought out the card, opened up my browser to locate Staples.com and purchased a $200 eGift card for Home Depot from Staples' online store.  I used my Ink card to pay and earned 1000 Ultimate Rewards points.  Those points are the best because they are transferable to several hotel and airline partners that I frequently use when I travel.  While 1000 points was nice, I knew I could earn more.  I then went to American Airlines shopping portal, logged in and indicated I wanted to make a purchase at Home Depot.  The portal showed that any purchase I made from Home Depot would earn me 2x the points, but they are American Airlines specific points.  I used my $200 egift card from Staples to pay for my purchase and netted 400 AA points.  1400 points, one $200 ceiling fan being delivered to my door for free.  Not a bad way to shop.

        

An Unintended Vacation

I earn a lot of points and several free night stays annually.  I work full time, care for an elderly parent and navigate between two young adult children.  Sometimes its difficult to fit in trips between the many things I have going on.  I recently found out I had another Fairmont free night to use (see details of previous free night usage here).  I wasn't aware I had this free night and now I must use it before September 8, 2017.  When I called to check on another Fairmont reservation I was reminded this free night existed and was also informed of a perk that if I pay for two nights I have the third night free at any Fairmont property.  In addition, I have a Hyatt free category 1-4 hotel night that must be utilized by August 23.  I know, nice problem to have.

I have an upcoming extensive trip to Africa booked for January, 2018. I wasn't planning on taking any long trips before then but now it looks as though I'm planning a week long get away before August 23rd to utilize these "forgotten" rewards.  My first thought took me to the Fairmont website to see where all their properties were located.  I easily narrowed the list down to 5 taking into account I did not want to travel longer than 6 hours to reach my destination.  The list included Canada, Barbados, United States and Spain.  I realize I listed four destinations as two are located in the United States.  I have a daughter with a birthday in August and she has become quite used to a birthday get away.  I presented her the list and she narrowed it to Barcelona, San Diego and Barbados. So I am currently pricing where I can receive the most value for my money.  At this writing it looks to be San Diego.  Future posts will explain my decision making process.  Barcelona will remain the runner up destination and Barbados will be dropped from consideration.

To recap, I have potentially 5 nights available to me for the price of 2 - I can't let that deal slip away. I have options for flights that I am considering but because of the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card deal just announced, the flight to San Diego just got more attractive.  Stay tuned.

  

Selecting Travel Destinations

Like many I have a travel bucket list but no goals in mind for when I'll reach the destinations I listed. I set one travel goal when I started this points hobby - it was to visit all 7 continents before I turned 60.  As of this writing I have 3 continents remaining to visit: Africa, South America and Antarctica. My Africa trip is already booked for January 2018 (I'll be detailing much of that trip via this blog). South America and Antarctica will happen as a joint trip, since the jumping off point for Antarctica is at the southern most point of South America.  The timing for the Africa trip will come 4 1/2 years after my trip to Asia.  I had to visit Africa before my shots ran out.  I hate needles and to visit Phuket, Thailand I was required to acquire seven shots from Hepatitis A & B to yellow fever.  Some of the shots have a shelf life of approximately 5 years and I do not plan to repeat having them administered again. When I go to South America I want to visit Mendoza, Argentina and Patagonia therefore, no new shots are needed.  I have no desire to see the Amazon, so again, no shots required.  Basically, I did all my risky travel previously and what remains on my bucket list are places like, Asheville, NC, Palm Springs, CA, Croatia, and Greece.      

Credit Card Annual Fees

Yes, I pay annual fees on some of my credit card.  Meaning this points collecting hobby is not totally free.  However, if you are serious about travel and understand the benefits of the cards you carry and how to maximize those benefits you learn to look at fees in an entirely different way.

Yesterday, I received notice from Mint, my personal finance, money manager app indicating I was charged an $89 credit card fee for my Barclays Aviator Advantage MasterCard.  It was an expected annual fee however, just because it is anticipated does not mean that it can't be negotiated or ultimately waved. I simply called the customer service number printed on the back of my card and asked if they would consider waving their annual fee.  I knew ahead of time how long I had the card
(April, 2012)  and the amount I had charged on it in the previous year.  This information helped to present my case for having the fee waived or negotiated. I originally applied for the card when it was a Barclays US Airways card, then when US Airways and American Airlines merged it was automatically switched to the Aviator Mastercard.  The fee attached to this card is $89 and I have yet to pay it, even once.

Today's call resulted not only in having the entire fee waived, but I was provided an additional spend bonus.  If I put $1000 of new charges on the card before August 1st I  will earn 5,000 American Advantage miles as a bonus.  That's a great deal.  I'll simply make a note to use this card until I earn the bonus and I'll then tuck it away until another offer comes along.  This card also comes in a fee free version but you lose the majority of the benefits that make the card attractive.

The benefits on my Aviator Red card include....
-Fee free 1st bag check for up to 4 passengers travelling with me - potential saving of $25 per passenger per domestic flights, international flights save more.

-priority boarding

-10% of redeemed miles returned to account up to 10K - this is why I really like keeping the card.  If   I book an award for 40K points I'l receive a 4K kickback in points.

While these are great benefits I wouldn't necessarily pay $89 for them but once again I have another twelve months fee free to enjoy the card for the price of a 5 minute telephone call.


      

Grand Banks

Taking advantage of a warm spring day by relaxing with a cocktail at an outdoor bar is always pleasurable, but when that outdoor bar happens to be a floating vessel it becomes a divine delight.  I knew the weather would be perfect on my overnight to NYC so I researched local blogs to find the best outdoor bars and Grand Banks did not disappoint.  From their website you learn:  "Grand Banks is a celebrated oyster bar aboard the historic wooden schooner, Sherman Zwicker. Inspired by the floating "oyster barges" that lined Manhattan's waterfront in the 18th and 19th centuries, Grand Banks features sustainably harvested oysters, nautically inspired cocktails, and awe-inspiring views."

This grand old lady sits docked at Pier 25 right on the Hudson River. In the distance you can see Lady Liberty, the New Jersey coast and the NYC skyline in a 360 degree surround all for the cost of a drink. So skip the overpriced tourist boat tours along the Hudson and instead visit here.  The clientele consists of well paid, over worked twenty year olds suffering from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Just offer to take their selfies' for their Snapchat or Facebook posts and you'll instantly have new friends. 

Drinks are in line with Manhattan pricing plus the added bonus of being on the water. If you're drinking wine, buy the bottle for which they'll take an empty clear glass bottle put it under a tap and pour until filled, $64 later you walk away with your wine in an ice water filled pottery wine cooler. Chose to sit at the crowded bar, or along the roped ledge of the ships stern or port railings or on just about anything else you find.  Keep in mind the boat is tethered to the dock and there is considerable swaying side to side especially if its a windy day.  

     

A different way to visit the Stonewall Inn

One can never tire from visiting NYC.  With every passing trip I think at some point this will grow old, but it never does.  My most current sojourn was just an overnight but we enjoyed so many new and different experiences.  Our area of concentration centered loosely around Greenwich Village. We had just walked the entire High Line trail, a 1.45-mile-long linear park built on an elevated section of a disused New York Central Railroad spur called the West Side Line looking to locate the historic Stonewall Inn.  It was early afternoon, the weather couldn't have been more perfect.  The bar that started the LGBTQ movement  had not yet opened when we arrived.  Next to the Stonewall Inn was a brownstone with large steps and wrought iron hand rails.  My travel companion suggested we have a seat on the brownstone steps to plan the best route to our next activity. While her suggestion suited me for a few minutes, it dawned on me that to truly fit in we needed one more essential item. A quick trip to the package store and out we rolled with a cold quart of Corona in a brown paper bag.  Back on our stoop we mapped out the next stop between sips of beer which was never to leave the brown bag as that was part of the charm.  I have to say taking the thirty minutes to sit, relax and watch the city revolve around us was amazing.  I could have spent the entire day on that stoop with several more brown paper bag Corona's but an even more amazing bar adventure was waiting.     

So You Wanna Get Started in the Points Game?

Spending to earn credit card reward points is a fun hobby, but it's not for all.  The game has changed considerably since I started over 5 years ago.  Earning the points requires more effort today and sometimes creativity.  There are not many shortcuts so right there those thinking of trying out this process bail but if you want to dip your toe into this game I would suggest the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card as a great place to start.

Earn 100,000 Marriott points after spending $5,000 on the card in the first three months, plus earn a free night (category 1-5 properties) upon annual renewal.  There is an $85 annual fee to own this card.

Normally, this card offers somewhere between 50,000-80,000 points, so at 100,000 Marriott reward points you have what amounts to a offer great!  The free night upon card renewal is capped at a category 5 hotel, but with some planning you should be able to tweak out a room valued at more than the $85 fee. The card also gives 15 nights towards status annually which comes in handy if you travel for business or have a several pleasure trips planned. 

The link to apply for the card is here.  I don't have an affiliation with Marriott or any one at this point so by taking advantage of this offer you are NOT padding my pocket.