2006 MASTER BLOG
Text and Photos
©2006 Mark E. Halliday
“Year of the Mileage Run”
Unusual trips and
“almost-free” hotel stays by following the deal.
…..and elite status on Star, OneWorld, and Skyteam alliances.
****************************************************
JAN 17 - FEB 01:
PHILIPPINES: CEBU - DUMAGUETE - SUBIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
My
first Mileage Run of the year, aimed at getting UA status via cheap fares
posted on www.Flyertalk.com.
This would not be a “pure” MR, as I opted to visit new destinations in the
Philippines instead of Hawaii.
TUE JAN 17
AUS-ATL 15K AA
Miles award ticket
AUS-DFW
AA# 1524 13:48-14:51 Economy
DFW-ATL
AA# 1390 15:38-18:40 Economy
Sat on Tarmac at end of DFW runway for two hours
waiting for ATL to re-open after storms.
Atlanta Airport Microtel $40
WED JAN 18
ATL-HNL
$132 First
Class upgrade: 30K UA miles
ATL-SFO
UA# 1249 07:30-09:47 First
SFO-HNL
UA# 0075 12:20-15:52 First
Airport bus to Waikiki $8, Waikiki Hotel $90, WI-FI
in room $10. Waikiki looked too touristy for me, really just a estination
suited to couples and families. So I re-considered spending two weeks in Oahu
or beyond, but could not change return flights, even with penalty. Logged on
and booked onward HNL-MNL using 60K NW Miles on CO Air Micronesia flights via Guam. I knew
the Philippines would be a better choice, very much a bargain destination, with
friendly American-oriented people. There are usually a few expats around as
well to provide conversation and local insight.
THU JAN 19
HNL-GUM
CO# 001 15:20-18:50+1 Economy
FRI JAN 20
GUM-MNL
CO# 933 20:00-21:40 Economy
Sat next to interesting CO Freight Manager. He
managed Port Moresby freight back in the days when I was flying into PNG from
GUM, and we reminisced about the old “Combi” 737, the front half a passenger
compartment and the rear full of palletized cargo. On arrival at MNL, walked to
upper departure level, and taxi to small hotel in Mabini area.
SAT JAN 21
MANILA
SUN JAN 22
MANILA
MON JAN 23
Fly to Cebu, Cebu Airways
Downtown Hotel $45
TUE JAN 24
CEBU Mall
WED JAN 25:
6 AM: FastCat Ferry, Cebu Pier to Dumaguete (Business
Class!)
Dumaguete
Hotel- only available one night.
THU
JAN 26
Dumaguete hotels full, taxi to beach area south of
Dumaguete…..xx…. Hans place was full, so I stayed at a Swiss run place a mile
away. No TV or computers, but nice pool. Taxi dropped me at market at ………...then
walked along beach back to hotel.
FRI
JAN 27
Dumaguete to Manila: Cebu Airways
SAT
JAN 28
Manila to Subic Bay: ex-US Naval Base facilities
now ttansformed into nice hotels and casinos. Hired a taxi to take me around to
…… , an area with nice modest hotels on beach, for future reference.
SUN
JAN 29
Taxi
from Subic to Bataan. Ferry from Bataan peninsula to Manila Yacht Club. Taxi to
Townhouse
Hotel near MNL airport.
MON
JAN 30
Visited Intramuros, old original Spanish walled
center of Manila. Area hs been restored only in the last decade, after being
flattened in WWII. Breakfast at Starbucks.
Sleep in afternoon, paying half day at hotel, then
taxi to airport at 9 pm. Check-in for flights to HNL, lounged and e-mail after
surprising upgrade on flight to Guam. Per the rules, reward tix cannot be
upgraded. However, my award ticket “Rule Buster” fare required 40K (instead of
standard 20K) miles. It books in full Y economy class, and my elite status on
NW allows space available upgrade on Y tickets. Nice glitch....and I feel
better about the double mileage penalty.
MNL-GUM CO#
934 23:10-04:40+1
op-up
to First
TUE
JAN 31
GUM-HNL CO#
002 07:10-18:15 (-1)
Moana Hotel near HNL, $105, sleep for 15 hours.
HNL-ORD
UA#
002 17:20-05:16
First
WED FEB 01
ORD-ATL UA#
0594 06:10-09:07 First
ATL-DFW AA#
1411 11:30-13:02 Economy
DFW-AUS
AA#
1398 15:13-14:19 Economy
***************************************************************************
FEB 16-MAR 08: PHNOM PENH - SAIGON via MEKHONG DELTA -
SIHANOUKVILLE
***************************************************************************
**********************************************************
Apr 07–21: HOLY WEEK MORIONES FESTIVAL, MARINDUQUE
**********************************************************
*************************************************
XXX MAR XX:
Mileage Run: AUS-BUF for AA Gold Challenge
--------------------------------------------------------------------
*******************************************************
TUE MAR 28:
Mileage Run: 3X AUS-DFW-AUS for AA Gold Challenge
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
x3= 30K AA bonus miles
AA #1157 AUS-DFW
06:00-06:58
AA #1959 DFW-AUS
08:26-09:21
AA #1489 AUS-DFW
10:50-11:49
AA #0808 DFW-AUS
13:00-13:57
AA #1338 AUS-DFW
14:39-15:40
AA #0416 DFW-AUS
16:20-17:19
**************************************************
MAR 31-APR
02: AUS-JFK Mileage Run /
Theater Weekend:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
TICKET:
AUS-JFK DL#
JFK-AUS DL#
WEST END STUDIOS, 850 WEST END AVENUE NEW YORK, NY Check In: 3/31/06 Check Out: 4/02/06 Room: Standard Shared Rate Taxes/Fees Total 3/31/06 60.00 12.51 72.51 4/01/06 85.00 16.58 101.58
TOTAL
174.09
********************************************
MAY 02-10: SALEM
(Via Atlanta and Honolulu)
------------------------------------------------------------
TICKETS: UA: IAH-ATL $212
UA: ATL-HNL $132
First
upgrade 30K miles
CO: HNL-YVR
$170
First
upgrade 35K miles
Total= $514
TUE MAY 02
drive to IAH
IAH-ORD UA#
7539 13:56-16:30
E+
ORD-ATL UA#
0566 17:45-20:50
E+
On the
trip Atlanta to Honolulu, “FourWheels”, a mileage runner sitting near
me, recommended this thread on UA forum at flyertalk.com: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458247
Well, I had heard rumors...but I finally flew with
the guy I'll call "Mr. Pillows."
This is a very frequent international flyer, whom the 'Carnation People' have
determined can have whatever he wants, however he wants it, and that, he
does: On each and every flight, he
is guaranteed the very same first class seat, no matter what.
He is provided with an entire bag--by that, I mean a four foot by two foot by
four foot plastic bag---full of pillows
strictly for his own use onboard the flight, none of which are to be
distributed (under any circumstances, at ANY point during the flight) to any
other passengers. A minimum of twenty United pillows for his own use, guaranteed, on any flight. The
explanation? "Mr. Pillows
is an extremely important customer. He pays us millions extra for his pillows. He always flies full
fare!" Okay, then there are the specific newspapers, just for him. And did
I mention the blankets? You got it--one bag of ten LARGE blankets--exclusively
for Mir. Pillows.
Explanation? "He likes to 'nest'; it's the least we can do, for such a
great customer. He flies with us nearly every week of the year. No one else is
to touch these pillows
or blankets. We just leave them in frtont of his seat; he'll do the rest. He'll
get his own, during the flight, if he needs them. We leave them by the seat,
and Mr. Pillows stows
them wherever he likes, so do not move them from this (isolated, of course)
first class seat. Let him do it." (Needless to say, Mr. Pillows immediately clogs up the
boarding process by standing in the aisle at door 1L, carefully stowing all of
it in the front closet, and leaving absolutely no space for anything or anyone
else.)
Oh...did I mention the big bag of milk? Yup. Mr. Pillows's milk--bought and
boarded by United--must be separately stowed in a chilled carrier onboard the
first class galley. If you don't recognize the milk, don't ask. It's not our
usual 2% milk; it's a special whole milk. We get it overseas for him, deadhead
it here, and then use it as he returns to his native land.
"Oh...need I mention this? No one--not crew, not cockpit, or other
passengers, are to be served any of the milk out of this bag of milk." And
there--sure enough-- were the quirky, sexy plastic 'bottles' of milk for Mr. Pillows. Each item was hand
delivered to the airplane, in advance of the boarding process, by a separate
United employee. Two 'Carnation People' followed up, with visits to ensure Mr.
Pillows' happiness, prior to departure.
WED MAY 03
ATL-ORD UA#
0283 08:00-09:01
First
ORD-HNL UA#
0001 10:15-13:45
First
HNL-SEA NW#
0096 21:15-05:49
+1 First
THU MAY 04
SEA-YVR NW#
2230 07:30-08:25
9
AM Thrifty Rental
Car
2PM
Tacoma-
Lunch with Peter Donohue
8
PM Salem
FRI MAY 05
“Sitting
on a beam” jigsaw puzzle.
SAT MAY 06
SUN MAY 07
MON MAY 08
11 AM drive to YVR
Marriott (free cert) Vancouver
Airport
Richmond BC
TUE MAY 09- BIRTHDAY
FLIGHTS
6 AM return
rental car $120
YVR-SEA NW#
4017 06:50-07:43
SEA-HNL NW#
0219 08:40-11:32
First
Taxi to Pearl Harbor for Arizona
Memorial. Not enough time to finish tour.
HNL-ORD UA#
0002 16:25-05:15+1
First
WED MAY 10
ORD-ATL UA#
0594 06:15-09:14 First
ATL-ORD UA#
1131 14:40-15:47 E+
ORD-IAH UA#
7593 16:55-19:40 E+
drive
to AUS
****************************************************
JUN 04-JUL 19: Tbilisi-Baku-Zurich-Cyprus-Cairo
****************************************************
****************************************************
AUG 15-25: Salem
and Anchorage (the hard way)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TICKETS: DL: AUS-HSV $260
CO: HSV-ANC
$208
(H-class: Upgraded 15K miles)
TUE 15 AUG
AUS-ATL DL#
1675 08:05-11:14
ATL-HSV DL#
0620 12:40-12:36
HSV-IAH CO#
3130 14:55-16:50
IAH-PDX CO#
0553 17:40-20:00
Hut
Shuttle to Salem ($33). Mom and Dad pick me up.
WED 16 AUG
Install
second hard drive in both Mom and Dad’s PCs.
THU 17 AUG
Setup WIFI card on laptop, test
with drive by library.
FRI 18 AUG
SVHS
extension cable from laptop to TV. Download Pink Panther movie from Movielink.
SAT 19 AUG
Lunch
at Spirit Mtn casino.
SUN 20 AUG
Terry and Karen visit. Mexican
Dinner in Oregon City with Betty, Jason and friend.
MON 21 AUG
Move Karen’s Computer Desk
downstairs. She drops me at PDX.
PDX-SEA CO#
8264 14:30-15:22
SEA-ANC CO#
1583 17:25-19:45
Jeff picks me up at ANC
TUE 22 AUG
Rainy
day. Meet Jeff for lunch at one of his watering holes. He is pretty busy
working on a new restaurant project nearby. I clean up his laptop a bit.
WED 23 AUG
Drive
to Indian Valley, buy Ham. Buy some stuf at Costco. Dinner with Jeff and
girlfriend.
THU 24 AUG
Jeff
drops me at airport in PM.
ANC-IAH CO#
0286 22:40-08:26
FRI 25 AUG
IAH-HSV CO#
2776 10:30-12:25
HSV-ATL DL#
6150 16:00-18:00
ATL-AUS DL#
0343 19:20-20:37
****************************************************
SEP 26-OCT 31: Phuket - Sri Lanka (the Tsunami Tour)
****************************************************
****************************************************
NOV 14-17: NW Gold Elite Run: Denver to Aguadilla, PR
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mileage Analysis:
(DEN-MSP=693) + (MSP-EWR=1017) +
(EWR-BQN=1586) +
(BQN-EWR=1586) + (EWR-DTW=491) +
(DTW-DEN= 1142) = TOTAL: 6515
TICKETS: CO# VWDW6J
NW# OSWQNG $98 RT
UA# K9N3HO $260- $200 cert =$60
TUE NOV 14
AUS-DEN UA#
6652 11:18-12:48 First
Ramada Inn Downtown Denver BRG= Free
1150 E. Colfax, Denver, CO 80218 Room Type: King
WED NOV 15
DEN-MSP NW#
0436 06:25-09:24 First
MSP-EWR NW#
0624 13:00-16:45
First
EWR-BQN CO
#312 18:10-23:10
Cancel
Hotel: FaroHotels
Suites, Aguadilla, Puerto
Rico 787.890.9000 $85
Well,
well, well...... My first failed MR. MSP-EWR was 2 hours late yesterday, due to
ATC limits, or "weather" as NWA was careful to label it. So I
deplaned at Term B 2 minutes after the CO flight EWR-BQN departed from Term C.
Even if I had been there 20 mins earlier, still must re-clear TSA going from B
to C. NWA was not that helpful, did offer to send me to Ponce last night since
I had misconnected for my flight to “Barranquilla”.
I
had to provide my own hotel at EWR. so I came back to DEN today, where car and
hotel were set up, and my return to AUS is tomorrow AM on UA. I am hoping I can
get NWA to "Original Routing Credit" the missing miles from
EWR-BQN-EWR, which is what is needed for Gold Elite qualify. Discouraging run,
but I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. In hindsight, 2 hours is not a
safe interval for an EWR transit and airline change. But then, what is?
More
distressing is the 30K miles I burned to upgrade to First Class. This was
really just to cover the two 4-hour flights on CO, as I often will get the free
upgrade from NWA as Silver, and 2 hour coach segments are OK anyway. Has anyone
had any luck re-instating all or some of the upgrade-mileage in a situation
like this? I expect when I misconnect and no-show, NWA doesn't have to pay CO
for the First Class seats, but I may be wrong. Well, I have not heard of
"trip in vain" rules. I will search on that.
After
confirming the BQN flight had departed, I went to the NWA counter. The agent
didn't offer any suggestion, but asked what did I want to do. I did not know
exactly what I wanted! Roughly calculated the cost of losing prepaid hotel in
Denver and changing DEN-AUS ticket at $200. So I just told the agent I guess my
only option was to go back to DEN in the morning. At that point he noticed I
might still catch a Ponce flight with CO. I couldn't estimate the cost of a 2
AM taxi to BQN from Ponce, but did not think I would like the answer.
The discussion never really got
into rules of any kind, except that it was a misconnect due to weather. I did
call in yesterday; agent said to send a written request and explanation to
Worldperks address. So I guess it will take some time to know if I make Gold
Elite.... I am still trying to decide if I should only ask for the original
mileage credit, or complicate the request by pointing out the lost value of the
30K upgrade that went half-unused.
THU NOV 16
BQN-EWR NW#
6231 10:25-13:30
Cancel
EWR-DTW NW# 0655 16:15-18:18
First
DTW-DEN NW#
1225 19:00-20:10 First
Ramada Plaza Denver Area North BRG=
Free
10 East 120th Ave Denver CO 80233 Room
Type: King
FRI NOV 17
DEN-AUS UA#
6552 10:25-13:22
First
****************************************************
NOV
20 - DEC 01: Alaska Ham to Oregon
MON NOV 20
Supershuttle
05:30
AUS-SFO UA#
657 10:45-12:29 First
SFO-PDX UA#
282 13:08-14:52 WL
TUE NOV 28 UA-1K
Final Qualifying Run
PDX-SFO UA#
220 13:15-14:59 First
SFO-JFK UA#
014 16:00-00:20+1 WL
WED NOV 29
JFK-SFO UA#
005 06:25-10:00 WL
SFO-PDX UA#
1117 10:45-12:29 First
THU DEC 01
PDX-DEN UA#
794 09:07-12:39
DEN-AUS UA#
7704 13:53-16:52
****************************************************
DEC 11-18: Puerto Aventuras, Yucatan, Mexico
****************************************************
MON DEC 11
Supershuttle
4:15 AM
AUS-DFW AA#
580 07:00-07:55
DFW-CUN
AA#
315 09:30-12:05
TUE DEC 12
Ek
Balan and Valladolid with superguide Moro
WED DEC 13
Beach
THU DEC 14
Coba
Day trip, Fire show at Beach Theater
FRI DEC 15
Mayan
Culture Show
SAT DEC 16
XpuHa
SUN DEC 17
South
Pool Complex
MON DEC 18
CUN-DFW
AA#1654 13:10-16:05
Mom, Dad, Karen headed back to Oregon on AA flight.
I pickd up Avis rental car at CUN, Dodge Attitude, automatic, one grade car
better than reserved. The insurance would have doubled the rental from $186 to
$370, so just went with minimum Mexican liability already included in rate.
That is the important part that keeps one from going directly to jail. Anyway,
insurance does not cover local police bribes, which are the biggest risk.
$30 of tolls on Cuota to Merida, road pretty empty,
300 km, arrivd about 3 pm at Hotel D´Champs, LP said they had internet, but no
WEP key could be found. A large altar for Santa Barbara over the reception
desk. Walked around Merida in evening, internet at Cafe Habana, check out some
other hotels, farmacias tell me Tamiflu not available in Mexico, early to bed.
TUE
DEC 19
8 AM watched soldiers raising flag in Gran Plaza. Huevos
Motulenos ($6) in Cafe Habana (desde 1952), then upstairs for internet, bought
340 shares ECA, and Dell projector mount from Ebay. Visited the cathedral and
the Blistering Christ, which had a line of people waiting.
Left hotel at 11 AM, within 2 blocks the local
police pulled me over for making a right turn on a red light. They were
correct, that is not allowed here, I remembered, too late. So we chatted a bit,
they checked my license and papers, and said lets go to the station where I could
pay the $20 fine. I said OK, I will follow you ! But, of course, turning down a
side street less open to public view, they pulled over and asked if ¿¿¿ I
REALLY wanted to go to the station ???
I
enquired about paying an instant on the spot fine of $10, they said that was
reasonable, gave me another reminder to always respect the signs, shook hands,
and I was off to Campeche. This really made my day, no kidding. I was 12+ years
out of practice on this maneuver, but performed OK. The only thing missing is
the crying girlfriend in the passenger seat. And I can once again re-confirm
the standard rule:
¨YOU
WILL NEVER GO TO THE STATION¨.
I actually thought I might see the station for a
minute or two. Later I wondered why this happened so quick, and looked at the
rental car. Sure enough, a big rear bumper sticker says AVIS. In Spanish AVIS
translates as "FREE LUNCH HERE". Topped up at Pemex, 27 liters of
Magna for 185 pesos, Almost 30 mpg at 130 KM/h with AC blasting. Near Highway
180 turn off for Uxmal, another challenge: A matched pair of gleaming gasoline
tankers were neck-and-neck racing in my direction taking both lanes. I politely
decided to simply move to the very wide right shoulder like everybody else in
front of me.
As
always, Mexican road signs provide a constant stream of reminders:
RESPECT AND OBEY THE SIGNS
THE SIGNS ARE A SYMBOL OF SECURITY
AFTER AN ACCIDENT NOTHING IS THE SAME
VIBRATORS IN THE CITY
DON´T MISTREAT THE SIGNS
DON´T PUT ROCKS ON THE HIGHWAY
Arrived
Campeche about 2 PM, drove around, found parking spot in front of Hotel
Colonial, AC room with 2 big beds, $25. Impossibly small shower though ! Dropped
off 5 kilos of laundry for $7 at Lavanderia Antigua. Campeche is very nice,
clean, colorful World Heritage Sight city. Traffic not bad, policemen in snappy
uniforms with radios on almost every corner. Dinner at La Parroquia, Pulpo al
Mojo de Ajo, Sopa con Ajo y Huevo, and GRANDE Marg and Bohemia, $21. Folkloric
dancing at seafront Baluarte 8:30 pm
WED
DEC 20
Torta and lime juice in Mercado for breakfast
$1.50. LP Walking tour of Campeche, along top of 3 Baluartes, drive car up to
Fuerte San Miguel, with fine museum and three jade masks from Calakmul. Pick up
laundry 3 PM, drive south towards Champoton along coast, nice area and lots of
Cocktelerias. Turn South to Escarcega, 5th ugliest toiwn in Mexico, Mom tells
me. Pemex 20 liters, 140 pesos. Hotel Posada Escarcega $20 AC and good cable.
THU
DEC 21
8 AM breakfast Huevos Mexicana at hotel, drive East
towards to Calakmul. At turnoff from Highway 186, pay $4 for car and $4 per
person to enter Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Exciting 60 km very narrow winding
access road through beautiful mtropical forest, max speed 20 mph, Blue Morphos
fluttering everywhere, birds flying out into roadway. Signs say no cutting of
trees and Calakmul is a nuclear-fre zone.
11 AM arrive Calakmul archeological site, $3 entry,
2 km walk via "Ruta Larga", visit Acropolis and Gran Plaza. Climb up
Stuctura II for excellent view over the pristine jungle. Only 30 people visited
the site today, perhaps the main reason I would say Calakmul is the most
pleasant site I have ever visited. The Gran Plaza is full of shade treas, not
the manicured grass one finds at Tikal and Chichen. 1 PM depart back to road to
Mex 186, blast through Xpujil to Chetumal, Pemex 200 pesos, Hotel Paradise
Caribe $42, AC, WIFI
FRI
DEC 22
Drive along Chetumal bayside road towards
University of QR, beautiful garden areas and lots of modern monuments and
parks. Huevos Mexicana and coffee in center, then Chetumal Maya Culture Museum
10-12 noon $5, very interesting displays, especially of Xiballba (Mayan
Underworld) in lowest level. Ccheck out of hotel, guest pass at new Sam's Club
and buy Negra Modelo (cheap!) and Ice.
1 PM
start drive to Playa, arrive 4:30 PM, heavy traffic, Pemex 190 Pesos. Check in
totally new Holiday Inn Express at Playa Del Carmen, three nights free using
30K points! Good internet connection ia ethernet in room. Back to another Sam's
Club for whole Hawaiian pizza $9, eat in room. Drive down to 5th street area,
walk along pedestrian mall. Found Jeff Griffin's friend Keith at Captain Dave's
bar. Back at hotel, watch Carlito's way on Cable, couldn't sleep until 3 AM.
SAT
DEC 23
Coffee in room, 11 AM drive north looking for
Xcalacoco, went down a road marked Coco Palms, that seems to have been it.
Veered left at end for Pinos restaurant, rented a palapa with nice large
hammock for $10. The hammock guy had lived there for 26 years, and said Miguel
of Xcalacoco sold out about 4 years ago. Spent all day almost finishing
Michener's the Drifters. The young hippies explored Mozambique and are
in Marrakesh. References to Isla de Mocambique and Zambela Game preserve will
have me studying that country.
5 PM Back to PDC (the Xcalacoco road is 7 km north
of Juarez ave). At Sam's again, buy Sangrita de Viuda, the ctitical spicy-hot
ingredient for making Vampiros. And another whole pizza (supremo !). Enjoyed
pizza back at room, but annoyed to find that maid pocketed about $5 worth of
peso coins I left on computer table. Reported to manager, but this is Mexico,
after all.
SUN
DEC 24
MON
DEC 25
CUN-DFW AA#1688 14:15- Fly to
AUS also 07:10, 13:10
DFW-AUS
AA#
Text and Photos Copyright ©2006 Mark E. Halliday