Month: December 2019

Finally got to check out Palm Springs last weekend!

Here are some highlights and tips:

• Palm Springs International Airport = very cool interior decor and the fact that it’s ceiling-less. It has a chill Cali feel for sure. Only downside that I quickly noticed, though, is NO AIRPORT LOUNGES.
• Car Rental = due to the small size of this airport, there is no way you’ll miss the car rental area: it is a row of front desks of different rental car companies. You also cannot miss it because everyone will be racing to there after they arrive. This brings me to another important highlight – namely, that if you are planning to visit Joshua Tree National Park, renting a car is a must.
• Joshua Tree National Park = aside from going to Coachella, this national park is essentially why one would visit Palm Springs! Most people who visit will start at the west entrance and then head east and come out of the south exit. That is the path I took, but I’m sure you can go the opposite route. What I did: first enjoyed a latte at the hipster cafe called Frontier, then headed over to the nearby Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center. I recommend purchasing the visitor entrance pass here (or at the Cottonwood Visitor Center if you are doing the opposite route). It costs $30, covers everyone in your party in the vehicle, and is good for 7 days.

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Thoughts on Joshua Tree National Park?

Particularly intriguing to see the more desert terrain of Cali since when I’m in that state, I’m usually in the more urban parts (SF and LA) or in a beach-y town (San Diego/La Jolla). The roads in the park itself are fairly well maintained and I would say there are plenty of signs pointing you to places of interest to see such that you won’t get lost (you’ll often notice the words “Exhibit Ahead” – sounds so law/lawyer-y, I know). You can pretty much drive for a little bit and then pull over when there is something to see – some parts look cool (Coachella Valley), others not so much. If you are hardcore (so not me), you can do some climbing or camping/glamping (which means spending the night). Otherwise, a good 2-3 hours would be a decent amount of time to drive through and see the park. Just a heads up that you will NOT have cell phone reception in the park (no Google Maps), so I would recommend printing a map beforehand and/or downloading an offline version on your phone. Travelers I’ve talked to also suggest bringing water. I saw some areas in the park with public restrooms so no worries when nature calls – better stay hydrated when in a desert.

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A lot of people ask me about what credit cards I use to get all the points and perks, so here’s a rundown and summary of the credit cards I currently have:

1. CHASE FREEDOM = this is not really a credit card for traveling as there are associated foreign transaction fees, but I do keep this as a “just in case” card. Plus, there is a percentage cash back with certain purchases made.
2. CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED = this is a nice card in general for anyone that is getting their first credit card (#adulting). Aside from the 60,000/100,000 point bonus (bonus amount depends when you get this, I recall) from spending a certain amount within the first few months, the $95 annual fee is waived for the first year. Moreover, there are no foreign transaction fees and travel- and food-related purchases will get you extra points. You can also transfer Chase points to one of its many airline partners (e.g. United Airlines). Those who want airport lounge access will need to opt for its “superior” counterpart, the CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE. Do note that the annual fee for this one is $450 (NOT waived the first year), so it ain’t cheap. Cardholders will note that the $300 travel credit make it worthwhile, though. However, you won’t need the RESERVE if you have the American Express Platinum like me (see below).
3. AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM = this is one of the BEST travel credit cards in my opinion as it gets you access to the Priority Pass lounges, a network of airport lounges located around the world independent of airline companies, as well as access to the bougie Centurion Lounges (AND Delta Sky Club lounges when you fly with Delta). The Priority Pass lounges can be a hit or miss depending on which one (I’m a fan of the “library” lounge in Nice, France), but I’ve had pretty good luck with the Centurion Lounges (though not all are created equal and some, such as the one at SFO, are better than others). I’ll eventually publish a post on the different airport lounges I’ve patronized, but all in all this is an excellent credit card to have despite the hefty $550 annual fee. I will say that the Amex Platinum includes other wonderful perks besides airport lounge access, such as $50 SAKS Fifth Avenue credit every 6 months, $15 Uber monthly credits, free TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry (this is how I got my Global Entry for free), and $200 of airline credit for incidentals, so in the end you will get your money’s worth. Only caveat with an Amex – as I’m sure a lot of you are aware – is that many foreign countries do not accept it (hint: the ‘American’ in ‘American Express’) so it is beneficial to pair this with a Chase credit card (Visa) like I have.

Santorini, Greece is BY FAR one of my favorite places in the world because of its picturesque views and iconic white buildings with blue domes – the country itself (Greece) is also one I would visit again, which is quite a bold statement considering that I do not usually repeat countries (gotta visit them all #YOLO). Santorini is just one of many Greek islands, and each one of them has its own unique character (I’m thinking of Mykonos, Ios, Crete, etc.).

When I went: early June 2017 – a good time to go during the year as it is not overly crowded with tourists and the weather is relatively NOT as hot as later in the summer (though I did surprisingly get sunburned and it was not pretty…)

Where I stayed: Kamari – this is a beachtown in the southeastern side of Santorini. It is not as bougie as the northern-located Oia (pronounced ‘ee-ah’) or as central as Thira/Fira, but it definitely has its own charm and is a little bit more hidden than those 2 aforementioned places. My Airbnb felt more like a hotel than an actual Airbnb given that there was cleaning service. The owner who runs the Airbnb also operates a non-profit that helps with the adoption of stray animals, so you’ll see dogs and cats lounging in the area.

To get to Thira/Fira and Oia from Kamari, your best bet is taking the public bus. If you want to go to Oia (or pretty much any area that is NOT Thira/Fira), you have to transfer to another bus at Thira/Fira – essentially Thira/Fira is like the central hub that branches out with the bus routes. A bus stop in Santorini looks like the following:

What to do: rent an ATV – this was an awesome experience and a great way to explore the island! I rented a 50cc ATV for about half a day and explored the southern part of Santorini. To be quite honest, I’m not sure how ATV-friendly the northern part of the island is (starting from Thira/Fira and going north), but the roads were perfect for traveling from Kamari and ending at the southwestern tip where the lighthouse is. Do note that due to the strength of the ATV’s engine (or more like lack thereof), you won’t be going Fast and the Furious speeds and instead will have to pull over to the side when an actual automobile appears behind you to let them pass.

What to do: outdoor movie in Kamari – a nice break from the whatever you were doing in Santorini to catch a movie at Open Air Cinema Kamari. I can’t for the life of me remember what movie was playing when I was there, though, but it was in English (American movie) with Greek subtitles.

What to do: hike from Thira/Fira to Oia – there is a clear (ish) hiking trail that will take you alongside the west coast of the island from the capital to Oia. I would say this trek will take you approximately 3 hours depending on whether you stop to take a break and/or pictures. I ended up doing this hike once I arrived in Santorini and because this was not planned AT ALL, I walked the whole path in flip flops…crazy, I know, because I am 🙂

What to do: wine tasting at Santo Wines Winery in Pyrgos – this is a must-do when you are in Greece! I recall making a reservation before I went considering it was summertime, but you may not have to if you go during off-season (e.g. winter). The ‘Santo Flight 4’ that I selected costs 55 Euros ($63.56 USD) for a 18-sampler flight – yes, 18!

For how to properly down this flight: you start with the whites, then do the rose, and finally finish off with the reds. You’ll get some snacks to munch on so you aren’t consuming on an empty stomach. Nevertheless, this was admittedly a lot of wine, and I’m not sure how I was able to walk down the stairs of the winery with no issues.