TravelBloggerBuzz

An eclectic journey through the Travel Miles/Points blogosphere

July 9, 2013: Easter Island, Brussels, Indonesia, Cappadocia, higher fees, Hilton promo, $500 tip for pizza

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This is the 8 month anniversary of Travel Blogger Buzz. I thank you for reading. And I can not believe I am still here doing this! If you like my blog please let others know.

 

TRAVEL

Twisted Sifter’s top 50 “Pictures of the Day” of 2013. Most I have featured here before, here are some that escaped me!

sunrise-easter-island-aerial-kite-photography
Easter Island. Photograph by Pierre Lesage
4886301247_2be00d4cd1_b
Brussels. Photography by Gaston Batistini
two-kids-under-a-banana-leaf-in-the-rain-indonesia
Indonesia. Photography by Kendisan Seruyan

A Hot Air Baloon Ride Over Cappadocia. By The Barefoot Nomad post found here. Incredible views. I still wouldn’t do it; I have seen too many accidents!

Interesting list: “The Top 15 Publicly Traded Travel Companies“. Hey look, Delta right next to Ryanair!

Aeroflot CEO downplays talk of bolting SkyTeam. By USA Today. Hmm, where there is smoke there is fire I say?

Alaska Airlines increased some fees. By The Wandering Aramean.

 

MILES/POINTS

Sign up for Hilton’s third quarter hotel promotion to earn double or triple points on your next stay until September 30, 2013. I usually sign up for these even though I have no plans to make a stay because, you know, plans change so might as well!

The Points Guy has the scoop on Barclay’s launch of Online Travel Community.  This looks promising to earn points by contributing to this site. Is this a sign of Barclay’s “here to stay” approach in the US which may lead to pick up of new travel partners? Or another to fail move into developing these communities? Time will tell. And is this a breaking news story finally by TPG?

View from the Wing does video. Gary is a natural in front of the camera talking how to score the best hotel upgrades. More on this below in the Blog Buzz section.

 

ON MY MIND

Please do not lobby me to include your blog posts in my blog. I welcome you to send me material I should consider and thank you! I still make the final decision what shows up here! Entirely subjective process and it’s all mine (one of the benefits of running the show).

I do not have a Discover card. And I do not plan to get one. I hardly do any online shopping and have a hard time keeping track and maximizing the 5% categories for the Freedom cards. Sometimes you need to keep the complexity of this hobby down to manageable levels and then just keep on hitting it with the arsenal you can work with! If you did everything you read in the blogs you would not have time for much else:-) Remember, nothing is free!

I did not get to do even one thing, just way too many higher priorities. It has been like this since…I started!

No $500 gift cards in the Office Depot in a nearby town I visited. Can’t keep up with the developments. It appears the stores where we can do the 5x deal with the Chase Ink or Bold cards are very limited? So  was not going to drive more and just went to my favorite coney island nearby and had my favorite Greek salad instead.

 

ODDZ & ENDZ

This is one of the most heart warming stories that have gone viral. A 30 year old guy dies and in his will he tells his family top go order some pizza and leave the waitress $500 tip. Well, they are still doing it!

 

BLOG BUZZ

Note: This section is intended for long time readers and miles/points addicts who follow the blogs in this space.  Readers not familiar with this crazy hobby could skip this section!

I wonder if bloggers go through their day trying to find an excuse to make a post justifying pushing yet more credit cards. This is what I thought after seeing the headline “When your car breaks down, your credit card can help” by Noob Traveler. Shaking my head.

A reader made a comment yesterday why do bloggers bother with the Daily Getaway deals? Easy content and another reason to push some more cards. I am constantly amazed how good bloggers have become in product card placements lately!

Sad to see how bloggers suddenly discover Southwest after writing so much about their numerous upgrades elsewhere!

Garyf Leff‘s video looked much better than the videos at The Points Guy. I see a business opportunity here for video camera extraordinaire Sean Colahan!

As I was going to bed, I saw the post by Traveling with Grant and title was, please sit down, “Which Credit Card Should I Get?”. Seriously??? He even has an encrypted poll like form for readers to send him and he will come up with recommendations. Please someone shoot me, so much expertise out there in the blogosphere. The most important asset you have is indeed your credibility. Shaking my head and banging it against the wall busting my butt here while these youngsters not even born while I was flying all over in First Class have become Experts in miles/points by credit cards. I need to find that video again with the guy whipping himself with a Slim Jim:-)

Filed Under: TBB

Comments

  4. TWA44 says

    Love the photo of the kids on the road in the rain!

    “Sometimes you need to keep the complexity of this hobby down to manageable levels and then just keep on hitting it with the arsenal you can work with!”

    Totally agree with this sentiment. Today was a big day in our household because our shiny new Ink Bold cards arrived. We got the real cards so I guess they must have replenished their supply of navy blue plastic. Much as I am tempted to use the 5x to do more manufactured spend, I am also cognizant that I need to go at a pace that works for me, in terms of time and level of spend.

    For now, I am just glad to have the cards in hand before a little road trip to CA. Office Depot will be here when I get back!

  5. Oliver2002 says

    Just a note about your friends at Barclaycardus: applied for the Wyndham visa on July1 to get 30k with no minimum spend and since the app would only work on chrome I had to use our ipad to complete the app. Made a mistake with my birthdate, app went into review. Didn’t bother to call, I have better things to do than call bank to beg. Yesterday I get an email that I got approved. :p

    Daily Getaways: it seems these packages only sold to greedy points freaks like us in the past years. Not one offer (I tracked) sold out this year :o. Still the bloggers are raving about it. Puhlease!

    • TravelBloggerBuzz says

      Good to know about Barclays. Not doing Wyndham cards, don’t trust that program. Unless I get really desperate;-)

      I am shocked no Daily Getaways packages were sold!

  7. Anonymous (the PERSON not the RETIRED MORTGAGE DUDE) says

    OMG the ultimate MMS linkfest, I think what made my eyes hurt most is his including the SPG American Express in his list of ways to get UNITED MILES. He concedes the transfer ratio is bad. Why include it then? KA-CHING! One of his n00b readers might click on it even though if their goal which is the point of the post is to get United miles. Give them bad advice, doesn’t matter. It’s like Ice Cube said, “Life ain’t nothin but bitches and money.”

  8. Angry Fly says

    Ahhhh! I am melting! MMS’s Chase Affiliate links…….it hurts my eyes and soul! Make the bad man stop! I agree, his blog is on life support….he must need some more money to buy Emily a nice new purse.

  9. dhammer53 says

    It’s ok to make fun of bloggers, as long as it’s good natured. I’m waiting for the 1st anniversary of TBB. I think by that time he’ll have a link or 2 posted. At that time, we’ll all be able to make fun of him. The betting starts in the eleventh month on which cc link will be posted first.

    Who knows. By then IB will make him an offer he can’t refuse.

    • TravelBloggerBuzz says

      I am aiming to get them before the 1 year anniversary. If this ever happens (u know I move slow!) they will be stuck in a separate tab the FM way. I am no cheerleader marketer type. Which, as we are all witnessing, it WORKS. Since there will be no cheerleading/pimping/pushing…it won’t be long before they take them back?

      If you ever see TBB doing this crap we are seeing…LET ME HEAR IT, BURN ME, GET AGENDAS AGAINST ME:-)

      Waiting for offers from Randy or IB (hint hint). The only offers I get is how to get Viagra or my lotto winnings in Nigeria lol.

  10. harvson3 (the person, not the blog) says

    I’m going to disagree with Milevalue (who’s still in my RSS feed, yeah, I know) and opine that Copacabana, Bolivia, is far cuter than Puno or Juliaca, its Peruvian neighbors. Puno is meh. Copacabana has the blessing of the cars and stunning views of a fantastic lake from Cerro Calvario. And yes, a little-known beach in Brazil (and NYC nightclub) are named after the Bolivian original.

    I’ll be a broken record and comment that I’m glad I added Miles to the Wild to my feed subscriptions. She’s on the side of the anti-Lucky: travel that’s actually interesting, not boring, lifeless luxury. Also, the Imperial Amazon is my new favorite bird.

    Here’s a quick summary of the next interminable series from MMS: Chase link. Use Chase credit cards. Chase link. Go to united.com. Chase link. Did you know they’re in the Star Alliance? Chase link. ANA website. Chase link. Go to united.com. Chase link. Call in for awards. Chase link. Here’s how to avoid paying phone fees. Chase link.

    George, one doesn’t necessarily get a Discover card not necessarily for the cash-back bonuses. (Seriously, just use a spreadsheet and Google Calendar.) One gets it for the cashback portal that sometimes the highest, per cashbackholic.com, and the special offers. It’s a different issuing bank and thus “free” in a churn.

    Oh, and 50% applause to Brian Kelly for the Barclays thing. He did break actual news, but I’m sure Barclays was only too happy to have him provide them free advertising. That’s a little less journalism than it is corporate spokesman-ship. Looks good – I’m tired of posting to Tripadvisor and not getting paid – might as well make some points on a half-assed review when bored.

    • harvson3 (the person, not the blog) says

      Last note: La Orilla in Copacabana is my vote for best restaurant in the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes.

    • Anonymous (the PERSON not the RETIRED MORTGAGE DUDE) says

      Barclays sent that out in press releases two weeks ago. There are too many unanswered questions, too little detail. TPG puts out news 2 weeks after he gets it, as usual, and basically regurgitates their press release. Kudos to the bloggers that are waiting for actual details and answers and not just reprinting (shilling) bank talking points.

      • TravelBloggerBuzz says

        Looks like MV is spending way too much time in South America, can’t keep his staff!

        I hardly do any online shopping! Shopping belongs to Mrs. TBB exclusively. And she goes around to the local stores and malls, it’s like going to the gym:-)

        I must have missed that news release. I agree not much meat into this yet. Barclays can bo clunky, I bet this goes nowhere…Time will tell. Dang it, I thought TPG finally broke something!

    • Tara @ Miles To The Wild says

      Thanks Harvson3! I am LOL at being an “anti-Lucky”. If it was easier for me to get to the US for that Parrot Lover’s cruise I would def do it. I may try to organize one based out of Australia in the near future. I make my debut as a birding tour organizer in Feb next year for Aussie based tours.

      I saw MileValue’s Bolivia post, geez I am going to be twice his age on my next birthday. We’re stopping in Maui on the way home from Central America to burn some Hyatt and SPG points before they devalue. I booked that Old Lahaina Luau (someone on F2B just blogged about it) direct with the luau to insure good seats for my birthday. I didn’t think to try to get points out of it!

  11. Rick I says

    I like to look at the start date for blogs. Those blogging before the big money started in September 2010 did it for the Love of the Game (great movie btw). Start date after September 2010, well you decide their motivation?

    • ferrari_fan says

      I agree Rick. That is a very nice starting benchmark. I have a lot of respect for Gary@VFTW as well, just wish he wouldn’t advertize as much where it is simply unfriendly to read.

      The hacks that have spawned after late 2010 are the ones I dislike the most as well as those they simply started massaging/plagiarizing threads from FT into profit making link fests. Even that was fine but they would attack FTers taking offense to these moves and stand defiant with words like “we are helping people travel for free”. What rubbish.

      It is also why most members who joined after 2010 support junk blogs. They were direct products off of them.

      • TravelBloggerBuzz says

        Yeah, September 2010 sounds like a pretty good indicator.

        There are blogs who would still be in existence even if no easy money from banks. My guess was that at least 80% of the blogs will die if that ever happens. I may be too low…thinking likely 90%?

        The after9/2010 opened up the hobby to a wider audience that the blogs simply catered to. Blogs are not going anywhere. Neither will McDonalds:-)

    • anonymous says

      Well, the start date of something is not a good indicator of anything at all. Just that they survived. And it’s self serving, ain’t it? It’s like saying you trust senior citizens more than others, or Republicans more than Dems, or , well, you get the point, I hope…

      • TravelBloggerBuzz says

        Well we don’t have any better indicators so marking a date appears to be a decent indicator. Do you have any better ones?

        I don’t trust politicians either:-)

        • bluecat says

          I understand the temptation to choose the start date but this is a little lazy–I would choose the quality of the content. This takes more energy than just simply glancing at the start date, but there have been many guys who started early and who have declined or gone commercial whole hog, just as there have also been relative newcomers who are putting out good stuff.

          It would be a very good service to compile a list of the top 7 (or so) blogs to follow, though, to separate the grain from the chaff.

          • TravelBloggerBuzz says

            This has been on my list for a long time…I keep a running log with it…but some bloggers eventually get dropped….So I just can never decide to JUST post my list because it…may change:-)

            So I stayed away from it…so many other things are in higher priority….like that darn Norway trip report from April!

    • ABC says

      Good rule of thumb, i agree that was their original interest. But the massive amount of money has destroyed the purity of the game. I see more and more stupid post and very similar post from almost all bloggers with the sole purpose of driving business for Chase/Amex etc. This of course includes “old” bloggers such as one mile at a time and view from the wing. They are sales persons and should be viewed as such. It is a brilliant game played buy the cc companies. Here we have people we as readers “trust” and have a favorable (“innocent”) relationship with and you can’t ask for better spoke persons (without actually being employed by the CC companies). I can guarantee you that the CC companies track everything and play a winning game. This is particularly the case since you have a lot of newbies seeing that shiny “aspirational” ball (1st class seat or Hyatt suites) that Gary and lucky promote and not having had to do their own homework (as old schoolers had to do to a greater degree, we used to be called “point pirates”). I would prefer seeing more common sense approaches for the average Joe. Do you really need that 1st class seat? Do you need that hotel upgrade? Do you need all that aspirational stuff. I may fantasize about if for a while, but at the end of the day, when it comes down to execution, i keep it simple. Coach is perfectly fine in most cases, you get twice the trips compared to 1st class. Hotels.com is often a better option. With Gary and luckys of the world, always ask yourself, why are they writing this article, is this how I need to travel (with many fewer available points)?

      • Anonymous (the DOG not the PERSON LICKING HIMSELF) says

        VFTW and OMAT wrote about first class and suites long before they did any sort of CC links. I don’t think they write about those because of the CC money. That’s how they travel, what they are interested in, to each their own. They don’t make their bookings at Hotels.com and generate enough points (neither have kids, right??) that stretching points and going coach isn’t necessary.

        Rick (the person, not the blog) used to be more the ‘everyman’ before he sold out (the blog, not the person). Now he’s an internet gazillionaire, laughing at all of us!! No wonder he calls us angry. He’s happy, and I don’t blame him, wish I had thought of it!

        Different blogs for different needs, just wish more of them disclosed their financial interest and didn’t actually give bad advice in pursuit of that interest (best links, cough, best links).

        • TravelBloggerBuzz says

          I don’t have much to add. Remember, I ‘ve been reading both VFTW and OMAT since they both started and there is no doubt in my mind that both would still be blogging if there was none of the easy cc money! Have they skewed their content more towards that? Of course, it is impossible not to these days as the banks will cut you off quick if you don’t produce enough apps!

          It is just a brutal balancing act…

          Let’s also not forget that cc sign ups is the best/quickets/cheapest way to gain lots of miles/points too!

          I think, deep down, I have resisted to jump in the circus because I may fall victim for the same crap I rant about here:-)

          I am in a family of four, I literally hurt burning my miles/points for business/first class!! Some of the aspirational crap is just way too much. Great point you raised about them having no kids!!

          Again, my point was…what the heck my point was? There are a WHOLE lot of more bloggers to rant against before these two old timers! (hard to call OMAT an old timer at his age!!!)

        • ABC says

          “I don’t think they write about those because of the CC money.” I agree, but the glamor helps in pushing CC’s. I fantasize that my CC application will take me to Maldives in 1st class rather than coach. Feels so much better. Then I end up traveling in coach to the Caribbean (rather than 1st class on CX to Bali!).

          ” That’s how they travel, what they are interested in, to each their own.” sure, but leave the dick measuring exercise out of the picture. Just look at Gary’s latest video. Gary sure got a giant upgrade d%$k. Five toilets or three toilets in a room, Gary needs more d%$ks! The scientist in me says ” just suggest how to get upgrades. I don’t need to know about you successful outliers”.
          TBB is right that there are more rotten apples out there.

  12. Angry Fly says

    I look at those bloggers who sold out Rick and I make my judgement based on that. If you think that you are “noble” and doing people a service, you are dillusional. Rick ran his blog like a business, not to be altuistic.

    • TravelBloggerBuzz says

      FTG (the person) took a hobby and turned it to a great business and sold at the peak and now has plenty of time to mess with us. Great marketer. Something I never was and never aspired to be. There was a reason I picked Accounting for my major in college LOL.

      • Anonymous (the DOG not the PERSON LICKING HIMSELF) says

        And now you’re a famous WSJ blogger. Who started out bashing affiliate links but has articulated a goal of getting some ka-ching by the end of the year. WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING! Watch out for FTerinA2… 😉

        • TravelBloggerBuzz says

          Excuse moi, I was already famous before that capitalist publication picked me:-)

          Love your sense of humor (the DOG not the PERSON LICKING HIMSELF) = Brilliantly funny.

          Listen dude. Maybe I will get there, maybe I won’t. When I ever get there (you know how fast I move!) please be here to bash me if you do not think it is not done the right way okay? Don’t worry, I won’t censor, I can take it…it is quite entertaining!

          Just thought of something? Would you be fine if I turned all revenue to charity? 🙂

          One thing for certain…All who do this (not that many) for the absolute labor of love refusing any $$$ need to get their heads examined. You have no idea how tough it is, no idea!

          The key for me will be to NOT turn into one of your favorite bloggers…

          It is a journey, glad to have you aboard. Please don’t make me forget my roots:-)

          And please diversify lol.

          • Elenor says

            “The key for me will be to NOT turn into one of your favorite bloggers…”

            Oh dear. But you already ARE! I skim through (some of) the others, then settle down here to read…

      • Anonymous (the DOG not the PERSON LICKING HIMSELF) says

        “Greatest fall in shortest period of time” No, even that can’t be true. MileValue fell the fastest. Arianna had such potential. Both cases are sad.

  14. anonymous says

    Oh man, Dubius had me salivating with his blog title, only to let loose with his diarrhea of credit card links. I really really thought I was going to see some new way to manufacture United points, or AT LEAST a comprehensive list of ways to get points. Nope.

    If he had done his job right, there would at leasat be a post to Fidelity which gives 50K points for transferring in $100K assets. I do this every year for me and wife and earn 100K points a year. Not hard to do at all if you have some assets at another brokerage.

    • TravelBloggerBuzz says

      Yeah, that was quite heavy today. What bothered me the most is throwing the SPG card links in it, he should know better!

      Fidelity has me blacklisted and won’t give me more miles/points. I used to have an account which I called my “miles whore” account…used to go around and around and around. Fidelity got tired paying for it eventually:-)

      • Anonymous (the DOG not the PERSON LICKING HIMSELF) says

        Fidelity doesn’t pay MMS. Coincidence?

        • AgendaGuy says

          No but he does pay Buzz though. In the form of NOT $$$ hahahah, but may be an opportunity to lick the boots……..

          • TravelBloggerBuzz says

            If MMS pays me I will disclose it here:-)

            Huh, maybe that is a way for me to avoid joining the circus? For $100, you avoid getting bashed in here for a….month? Buy my silence lol. TBB becomes the reverse Chris Elliott Yeeeeeeeeeeeees!

            • bluecat says

              And if they dont pay, you can hire those guys that go around a write those phoney baloney trip reports for hotels on tripadvisor!

              Cmon, we all know many are fake!

      • bluecat says

        you can try Fidelity to etrade to Fidelity, and throw in Schwab every leap year. I haven’t got blacklisted but then I haven’t tried the “partial deposit until you get to the $100K” workaround either—just straight deposit and I get (nearly) 2 rountrip coach (NON ASPIRATIONAL 🙂 ) each year.

        • TravelBloggerBuzz says

          TD Ameritrade and etrade don’t want to give more miles/points either:-)

          I do not do business at Schwab. I have a vendetta against them. I can be stubborn with some things:-)

  15. theblakefish says

    Hey Georgie Poargie,

    Have you noticed that the any statement in a Boarding Area blog with the term ” HT: ” results in that statement and a link placed in the hat-hipped blog’s comment section?

    Like if Schlappy says “HT: View From The Wing” that it seems that it appears as a comment and a link on Gary’s comment section for the specific hat-tipped blog entry? Nice feature, although at times there is a lot of hat-tipping over there and little original content…ymmv, of course.

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