Flights Flight review: Turkish Airlines “Turkoflot” A350-900 business class (Seattle to İstanbul) [SEA to IST] Upgraded to Economy, June 20, 2025June 20, 2025 To start my very first sojourn to India, I flew Turkish Airlines from Seattle to Delhi transiting in İstanbul. I had the pleasure of enjoying one of their most luxurious business class hard and soft products on this route. Why I booked this flight I had been eyeing this route… Continue Reading
Flights Flight review: British Airways A350-1000 business class (Vancouver to London–Heathrow) [YVR to LHR] Upgraded to Economy, June 7, 2025June 7, 2025 In early November 2024, I flew to Europe for a business conference. For business travel, I always pay with cash because it’s expensable. I found the cheapest way to get business tickets to Europe from my neck of the woods was by flying from Vancouver to Paris via London–Heathrow on… Continue Reading
Travel What I’ve learned from my ski trips Upgraded to Economy, March 25, 2025March 26, 2025 When I skied as a child, I didn’t think I would be doing it very often as an adult. Now, it’s a blessing that I get to live my dream of being able to ski at some of the best ski resorts in the world. But making it happen is… Continue Reading
Travel Should you go alone on your first trip to India? Upgraded to Economy, January 12, 2025March 31, 2025 Earlier this year, I made the decision to go to India when I found tickets for a really great deal and quickly booked them. Even though I invited some of my Indian friends to come with me, nobody ended up accompanying me. With comprehensive preparation and sufficient support from my… Continue Reading
Travel Making payments in India Upgraded to Economy, December 19, 2024December 19, 2024 In India, you should always be prepared to pay for things in three different ways: cash, UPI, and credit card. Just about everybody takes cash. UPI is the Indian version of Venmo but it’s accepted widely for basically everything. Credit cards operate on the major networks: Visa, Mastercard, and even… Continue Reading
Travel Best mobile plan for India for foreign travelers in 2025 Upgraded to Economy, December 19, 2024December 19, 2024 I recently visited India for two weeks, a country where smartphones have proliferated and apps have become ubiquitous for many aspects of society. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to be able to stay connected throughout your whole trip. Among the various countries I’ve visited, I’ve found eSIMs to be excellent choices… Continue Reading
Is Up3 the best way to roam in Europe? Upgraded to Economy, November 1, 2024November 1, 2024 eSIMs are amazing, but most eSIM prepaid plans don’t include talk or text, which becomes a problem when you have to call somebody in Europe. If you want to get a local phone number, you usually have to waste time going to a shop, buying a SIM card, swapping it… Continue Reading
How to affordably call while abroad Upgraded to Economy, October 29, 2024October 29, 2024 In today’s connected world, new innovations in international telecommunications have made communication while traveling abroad easier than ever. The advent of eSIMs in the past few years have enabled a significant number of consumers to avoid hefty data roaming fees charged by their home carrier, only requiring them to pay… Continue Reading
Travel How to add a second passport to your Trusted Traveler Program profile Upgraded to Economy, October 16, 2024October 16, 2024 For those of you who have more than one passport that needs to be added to your Trusted Traveler Program profile, ever wondered how to do it? Typically, the website only allows you to have one passport. When your old passport expires, you simply replace the old passport’s info with… Continue Reading
Travel Is it possible to be a seasoned traveler on your first trip? Upgraded to Economy, October 16, 2024October 16, 2024 You may think that the first time you visit a new country is always going to be trial by fire. I’m happy to share that, with enough research and learning from good resources, you’ll be able to feel like a seasoned traveler on your very first trip to a new… Continue Reading
Flights Flight review: Japan Airlines 787-8 business class (Seattle to Tokyo–Narita) [SEA to NRT] Upgraded to Economy, October 4, 2024October 4, 2024 In late August 2024, I had the opportunity to fly to Japan from Seattle and back in business class on Japan Airlines. I started and ended my time in Japan with trans-Pacific business class on JAL. Here is my experience onboard! How I booked this flight I booked my original… Continue Reading
Flights How to use an Alaska Airlines MVP Gold Guest Upgrade Upgraded to Economy, September 29, 2024September 29, 2024 Want a cheap way to be upgraded to first class on Alaska Airlines? You’re in luck, as Alaska Airlines provides each Mileage Plan member who reaches MVP Gold with four MVP Gold Guest Upgrades that expire at the end of the year after your qualification. These can be used to… Continue Reading