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set the channel description: Travel Hacking

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Who?s applying the hotel things ?

@philippe I am :wink:

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Regarding @simon?s US CC + Revolut trick (to get cheap air miles), a while ago I discovered that Revolut has removed all my US debit and credit cards and won?t let me add them back in the app. However, I can still top up with my US credit/debit cards via Android and Apple pay, at the same rates as before?problem solved :slightly_smiling_face:

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Hi guys, I am looking for a credit card (as EU national) I can use to earn miles doing the Revolut Hack. Any ideas?

Simon is doing it using US-based credit cards @brian

They work through Android/Apple pay, not directly

@brian the Revolut trick @maxsuur is talking about getting airmiles to get cheap biz flights. If you abuse it too much I?m pretty sure Revolut would shut you down quickly though, since it?s definitely against their T&Cs

Also note that at least some US banks categorize Revolut topups as cash advances, charging 5%/$10 minimum + interest. Bank of America is one. I?m guessing Citi would be the same. I haven?t tried Chase yet, but I think they are generally a bit more forgiving.

I know SAS offers some prepaid travel cards that give miles on your spend (available in NOK, SEK, DKK and EUR), should be easy enough to get (but might require a nordic bank for top-ups). If they register as debit cards, not credit cards on Revolut, that would basically be free money as long as you don?t do any currency conversions. I?m sure other airlines offer similar products.

Revolut only charges 1% for CC topup. FX is near zero (top up in EUR with your USD card). If you have a card earning 2-3 points per dollar that can take you far

US Bank has a card now that gives you 3x on mobile payments (e.g. topping up Revolut via Android Pay). And when redeeming for travel they give you 1.5x return. So effectively you get 4.5% back.

FX fees are about 0.1-0.4%, so that?s a total of 1.1-1.4 dollars spent for every 4.5 dollars you get in travel credit

They charge 3% + 1% if you top up to your USD balance, so you?ll need a CC with no FTF.

And good rewards

I would agree with @simon that it?s not worth doing until you?re earning at least 2 points per dollar

?Similar what?s the point of loading revolut with the prepaid scandavian ones unless they screw you on FX?? The Scandinavian Travel Cash cards do actually screw you on FX, so they don?t really make sense to use on their own. But this isn?t to use the money, but to do MS. So now I can actually do this: Load my SAS Travel cash card with 1000 NOK, top that up to Revolut (completely free, still NOK, no FX taking place), transfer the money back to my bank account and top up the card again. Rinse, repeat. For every cycle I get 10 miles per 100 NOK (approximately 1 mile per EUR).

But yeah, the trick isn?t for money you?re planning on spending organically, just for Manufactured Spend.

But if you over-do it, Revolut will probably shut you down as they would be losing money on you.

that would make a nice tutorial @tkrunning which I'd be looking forward to reading

http://www.flysas.com/en/eurobonus/create-account/is this the site?

So I looked at the terms, and it looks like the ?Travel Cash? option is only available to residents of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. But I don?t think there?s any further checks other than the address in your profile. In most cases you need a local bank account to top up the card though. But it would surprise me if no other airlines offer a similar prepaid card.

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So, the yearly top-up limit for the SAS Travel Cash card is 90,000 EUR, meaning this trick could net you about 90,000 points per year that could be used on Scandinavian airlines or any other Star Alliance carrier. On SAS that?s two free upgrades from Y to C on IC, or six free upgrades from Y to Y+, earning EQMs for the class you upgrade to not the original booking class. Or 36 free lounge entries (when flying SAS).

I wonder if Revolut would make a fuss out of this at that level. I think you could probably get away with it. Last year I hit my Revolut top-up limit, but I just had to send them a few pay slips and then they increased my limit to 100,000 USD for the rest of the year. They could probably have increased it more, but 100K was all I asked for.

it'd be nice to have a collection of the best Travel Cash Cards available in the market by country. I wonder if someone has written something in this respect.

True! Maybe I'll do a write-up on Nomad Gate soon!

@brian yeah that's a good card. I'll probably get it in a month or two, and the unlimited PP perk is really nice

I already have Star alliance gold though, so mostly have lounge access anyway

And those lounges are generally nicer than the PP ones

@simon is it worthy ?

@philippe uploaded a file: https://freedomsurfer.slack.com/files/philippe/F64TEAQHJ/pasted_image_at_2017_07_06_12_26_pm.png

Mariott bonus

Have you got it already?

no this is why I?m asking experts :stuck_out_tongue:

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@philippe It?s only worth it if you can find two cheap Marriott hotels within 1km of each other as you?ll need to hotel hop every night

That sounds doable :slightly_smiling_face:

@maxsuur Definitely, I did it a couple of years ago moving between the Aloft and Sheraton in Bangkok for nearly a month. I made a ton of points and confused every front desk employee!

Have you written something in this respect @simon?

Small update on the SAS Travel Cash/Revolut hack: I?ve been cycling a few thousand EUR worth of Norwegian Kroner, from my bank > SAS Travel Cash > Revolut > Bank now. All good so far. The miles post to my SAS account once per month, so I think they should show up in a few days. I also think you might be able to use the hack without actually having a Norwegian bank account (so it could be relevant for more of you). You can top up the travel cash account via a domestic bank transfer (meaning you would need a local bank account). However, it looks like Revolut (via Currency Cloud) actually send local transfers, not SEPA. The only problem is that in Revolut you need to enter the IBAN and BIC of the bank account, not the local Norwegian format. But I converted the local account number into an IBAN using an IBAN calculator, and plugged that into Revolut. I just sent a small test transaction, will probably know around this time tomorrow if it worked or not.

Now I just need to request a yearly top-up limit increase with Revolut before I do too much manufactured spend, so I easily can show them the source of funds of my Revolut account. If I plan to cycle through 90000 EUR in the rest of the year, that?s more than I pay myself in salary, so it would be hard to show pay slips reflecting that.

Excited to get tomorrow's update on this subject @tkrunning

@maxsuur depositing money back to the travel cash card directly from Revolut was a success, so technically no Norwegian bank account required for this to work :slightly_smiling_face: Just make sure you have a good way to spend SAS miles, and this trick might be well worth it :slightly_smiling_face:

Awesome! @tkrunning opening a Travel Cash Card shortly. It seems they require a scandinavian address

Check your PM

@maxsuur Also confirmed: the trick earns 10 points per 100 NOK, not 5 points (which it would if it had been categorized as domestic spend).

@tkrunning amazing!

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@brian FYI I've also had success adding US cards with a billing address in another (European) country where I just put the US zip code as the postal code, so that way you don't need to use Apple Pay in case a card does not support it. But that's a bit more hackish than just using AP...

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Dusseldorf-Cancun 200 eur return

Very good offer!

Could not resist the temptation to share it :)

Been there before :) @brian just amazing

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Should try with revolut hack

The fact that is multicurrency might mitigate forex fee

Not sure it works for non Italians,but could be good for travel hack,should be able to top up with card as well

"Hype", whatta name!

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Has anyone managed to get a Miles and More credit card in Euros without being a resident?

Brussels airlines, Lufthansa and Austrian...

Seem be the only euro denominated reward credit cards available

It's definitely NOT as good as US/Canadian/Australian/many Asian cards, BUT if you need a card in EUR they are available for personal use, sole entrepreneurs, and companies

1 mile per euro

Also appears to give HON Circle status https://www.miles-and-more.com/online/portal/mam/rowr/program/information?nodeid=2547184&l=en

Alternative option from Cyprus: https://www.astrobank.com/Default.aspx?id=17573&nt=18&lang=2

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@jase did you figure out a way of getting any of those as a non-resident?

Working on it @tkrunning. Currently doing my tax return in Andorra where I can then prove my income. Apparently they will be happy with this and send me the card (for personal use)

For company use, TBA. But I intend on trying there too

Cool! Was that the AstroBank one or DC Bank? @jase

DC bank

Astobank for personal use looks good too

I just tried DC because I'd like to also get a corporate card

Guys, I have been looking like crazy for someone to bring me some quality coffee from Chiapas (Mexico) to Spain. Joined forums, facebook groups, asked relatives, friend of a friend of a friend, even messaged some flight attendants. Nothing seemed to work. Then all of a sudden, there's this girls on this fb group saying there's an app that connects travelers with buyers, so they can bring whatever legit product you want in their unused space of their luggage.

That app was still in beta, and there were barely any travelers/flights displayed. But all of sudden, I realized, if there's one, why shouldn't there be more out there? So I began searching again (this time in the anglophone world) and found these: (in order of relevance): 1. http://Grabr.io, 2. Ouibring and 3. http://Airfrov.com

I am going to sign up for the first site and I'll tell you how it goes. P2P item carrying. Let's save quite a few bucks and bring the times faster. Like the airbnb of international airline passengers.

Do you guys use any of these sites?

We should even have a channel for this, I believe, so we could help each other in that regard, due to us travelling a lot

@maxsuur good to know!

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what is the best lounge pass to buy to take advantage of at airports, any ideas on where to start my research? I'm mostly in Asia.

best to get it form a US CC, Chase Saphire reserved $450 annual fee you get $300 travel credit with a very loose definition of "Travel" so $150 a year plus unlimited guests or US Amex Platinum $550 annual fee with $200 travel credit and $200 uber credit (its geo locked to US, and only can use max $15 month and if not used it is lost. Chase has the most value since you get a year to use the $300 for everything from airbnb, uber/car rental to paid parking.

The fastest way would be to get an Amex in your home country after 3 months request a Global transfer (no itin needed) and you will receive the US platinum if you had it in your home country. You would lose the $200 uber, but if you meet the spend target you make up for it. Apply for the ITIN as soon as possible when you get it link it to the us amex and in 8 months apply for the chase SR and product switch the platinum down to the gold. Which will only cost $95 after the $100 annual airline credit (best use is in-flight purchases).

Assuming you can get or have a Platinum in your home country.

Thanks, I am from the UK so cannot get the US CC, I also want to use it for tomorrow, I may just buy a 1-time pass for now

https://www.prioritypass.com is the one that Chase card uses, but you can buy directly from them as well (although less value than with the CC).

https://www.groupon.com/coupons/stores/prioritypass.com See here for discount coupons.

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These look decent. How did it go? Hopefully I can utilise it at some point. I just signed up at http://airmule.com - It's mainly for travel between China and USA and seems an easier system with pick up and drop off at airport. Will update once I get the chance to use it.

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@simon, with your Revolut free miles hack, how do you get around the identity verification? Or is this only available to people who have ID's from the support countries?

When selecting British as nationality for example, you have to submit a drivers licence, passport, or identity card. When selection Australian, I have to select residence card, working/family visa or a support country drivers licence.

Back when I signed up, I used my passport (Canada) and a Chinese mailing address. When they went EU-only, I added my Estonian E-Residency card and it seems to have worked fine because I?ve never been asked for additional documentation (I signed up back in 2015).

@burrup.lambert @simon I?m trying to get a Revolut business acct and they are requesting for a proof of address such as utility bill in the EEA

@simon, I see. I just tried to use my e-Residency card as an ID then, denied. No doubt it's the fact that the card doesn't actually have a photo on it which they are supposed to match with the selfie you take. You might of slipped through the cracks as you already had an account. I might finally cash in on the UK Ancestry visa I can get residence (on paper), swap some drivers licenses over etc.

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Tried to find the most appropriate section for this one. I was approved for a Curve card yesterday. Didn't use VPN, no proof of address required. I used an Australian number for verification and added an Australian card (though changed currency to GBP, it automatically defaulted to AUD). Got the card sent to a UK address. I used the same UK address for both billing address (for the card) and shipping address.

@burrup.lambert In my experience, Curve will only ask you for a proof of address / residence if you ask them to raise your annual limit (from 10k to 50k).

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Out of curiosity, does any of you travel hack as a hobby? What's your best stories?

I once used Expertflyer to purposefully book a last-minute Delta flight I knew was badly oversold. I got bumped twice in a row, netting a little over 1500 USD in gift cards + two nights at a hotel, meals and taxi. Not bad considering I paid a little over 400 USD for the ticket.

There was an Orbitz promo a couple of year ago where you had to send a few travel photos to get 110 USD in travel credit. What made it particularly lucrative was that you could continue sending more photos after getting the initial credit to get additional credits. I don't remember exactly how much I got but it was close to 5000 USD.

There was a crazy Expedia promo where you got 300 USD off a flight + hotel combo to Vegas. There was no minimum spend and you could use the discount code multiple times. I spent an entire week flying back and forth between the east coast and Vegas racking up miles (that was back in the days when 1 mile flown equaled 1 mile earned + bonuses + status miles). I managed to book most of my combos for around 300-305 USD so my out of pocket spend for the whole thing ended up being only a few dollars. It was a lot of fun, a lot of Flyertalkers were on those flights (especially the Vegas to Philly to Vegas) making the whole thing feel like a weird meetup event. I don't remember exactly how much Expedia lost on this deal but I think it was something like 70 million dollars.

I feel like I'm not creative enough, as soon as I started living overseas, credit cards seem impossible to get. So my travel hacking basically stopped there.

My only game plan to fix that is start a dropshipping business in the US, secure a credit card and rack up points that way.

Do you still have your Canadian social insurance number? If you do, you can use it to open an account online with TD Bank (the US subsidiary of TD Canada Trust). You can then apply for their credit cards (they will pull your Canadian credit history if you have no SSN). The Cash card is pretty good (no annual fee, no forex fee). https://www.td.com/us/en/personal-banking/credit-cards/cash-card/

After you get the card, you can switch to a US address and this will create a US credit file (even if you have no SSN or ITIN).

After 6-12 months, you can apply with Bank of America, AmEx or Citibank. They do not require SSN or ITIN.

I'll have to dig through my records and see if it's still alive!

Not quite hacking but there's a travel expo in Manila Feb 8-10. Last year I booked Manila to Melbourne roundtrip business on Brunei Airlines for $1000. The year before I booked Manila to Paris roundtrip business on Turkish Airlines $1500. They usually have a few airlines like Korean Asiana JAL ANA for Manila to US and than Emirates Saudia Turkish Qatar Airlines for Manila to EU, both for close to $1500 roundtrip business.

I used Skylux mileage broker a few times and those flights are always $2000+

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See updates here > https://freedomsurfer.slack.com/archives/C1CG9U1N1/p1549272490255900?thread_ts=1548029663.158100&cid=C1CG9U1N1

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Looks like Australia was added to accepted countries for Revolut last month. Successfully verified my card with Australian Drivers Licence then. Queue the free miles!

Did you use an Aussie address @burrup.lambert?

I did @jase. My situation is a little different though. Over a year ago now I signed up for Revolut with a UK address, paid the 15GBP or whatever it was and got the card sent there however I was unable to verify my identity as I didn't have a UK/EEA ID document. Today I found out Australia was added last month so in the app I went to my Personal Details hit edit on the address and changed the country to Australia and input an Australian address. I provided my Australian drivers licence (which had the same address on it), although an Australian Passport would of done just fine. I used my drivers licence because I didn't want to make the process more complicated then it needed to be after already having the card sitting dormant for a year. Since my account is now verified if I go back into edit my address in the app I am unable to change the country from Australia, only the street address. If you are thinking about getting one I'm sure you could use the same method as me for Andorra (so your card doesn't have to go to the other side of the earth). Sign up with an EEA/UK address, get the card sent there, then sent on to Andorra, then once you've got it change your country in the app to Australia, input an Australian address and use your Australian passport as the ID document.

@burrup.lambert interesting process, good find! Thank you.

Thanks mate, excellent work!

I have ordered some supplements from a US company for personal use and this time, it has been held in customs. Wondering if you guys would know any workaround to this. I have registered for that peer-to-peer delivery company http://grabr.io and posted a few requests for this product, without much success so far. Alternative options anyone?

customs where dude

Madrid Barajas (Airport)

Yeah I guess the point is - Spain is your problem, not USA. But, I'm guessing that the supplements are "grey area" supps. Maybe you can look into a US mail forwarding service where you get them to repackage your goods then YOU ship them from you to you, and you make the customs declaration.

@maxsuur have you tried smaller quantities? Usually customs get triggered by the price tag

But also back in Estonia it was always a leap of luck - 5 postages go through without any issues and 6-st one gets scrutinized by customs

Back in Estonia I tried to avoid sending all the packages to one address.

@skat this is an expensive supplement. I paid 85USD for a couple of units + shipping.

Thanks for the tips

That's kinda interesting. Any suggestions for a US-based mail forwarding service, Jase?

I haven't used them in years but there used to be like 20 of them. I'm sure there are some off the books ones as well

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I am in Prague for the following 5 weeks. If anyone is down to a beer (or even a cup of coffee), let me know.

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I?m in London this weekend if anyone wants a coffee or beer

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Anyone have any tips 'n' tricks for an Amex card holders issued out of the supported Amex Global Transfer support countries list? https://www.americanexpress.com/global-card-transfers/#accounting

Anyone used Curves LoungeKey feature? How much is a visit each time? What lounges are included?

anyone have jet lag tips? 300mcg Melatonin maybe helps a tiny bit but not a whole lot, and I feel groggy in the morning so I don't really use it. Modafinil makes me feel normal during the day, not tired, not wired, but it doesn't fix my sleep. I take it only the first day or two in the new location. 1:1 cbd:thc ratio tincture , I just got to California from Tokyo and I've been taking this before bed and sleeping great! Normally it takes me a month to get fully normalized sleep from that trip. The other thing I've noticed is flying eastward is worse than flying westward, was thinking about flying Asia to EU to US but that's a lot more hours in the plane... I'm also considering booking multiple shorter flights, like Tokyo to Hawaii, stay in Hawaii a week, than Hawaii to California. Looked at cruise ships but their schedules seem really limiting.

Drink only water on the plane. Stretch regularly. Set your watches/alarm for your end destination and wake up when you would normally wake up on the far side. Does the trick for me!

Compressive socks for blood circulation also helps immensely.

L-Tryptophan & Magnesium both induce sleep.

what difference do you notice with the compression socks?

Better blood circulation. In frequent long trips, it does make a difference

Blueblocker Sunglasses (to block Blue light), avoid looking at screens past 9 pm, dinner 2-3h prior to going to bed, and long walks if necessary so you're sufficiently tired to enjoy a good night's sleep.

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Have you found anything on this?

Nothing yet. I have an Amex issued outside of the Amex Global Transfer list and I'm wondering if it's worth maintaining.

just checked out what happened to the rewards with the US Amex SPG change to Marriott Bonvoy this year... with SPG for every $120k spent I got 150k miles which is a round trip biz class korean air ticket. now with Marriott I need to spend $360k to get the same 150k miles... 3x worse

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Whats everyones opinions on the best country for a Platnium Amex out of the Global Transfer list? I'm talking annual cost of the card vs. rewards/perks.

I?ve applied for Canadian AMEX in hopes of transferring it to the US later.

Got info from https://princeoftravel.com/

I applied for an Amex in HK (I?m not a HK resident). After 6 months, I used the Global Transfer to get a US Amex card.

I got a Platinum Amex ICC (USD) through my HSBC Expat account in Jersey (UK). In terms of earning Membership Rewards points, the US version offers a lot more though.

Can you elaborate @ledrewy on what you needed for the HK & Jersey accounts? Sounds like a few good options :blush:

For Amex HK accounts, you?d need to have a HK address. They would ask for a HK phone number but it?s not crucial. Having a HK bank account helps to settle the payment easier. You?d want to build your credit report for at least 6 months or more. If you have a HSBC Premier account in one country, you could request for the international banking unit to open an Expat account in Jersey. This would qualify you for an Amex USD, EUR or Platinum for International Currency Card edition.

Did you apply straight for a Platnium Amex in HK @ledrewy or a lower card then apply later? And you didnt use Global Transfer to get that card? With regards to Jersey, what happens to the Jersey account if you downgrade the Premier account in another country to Advanced or lower? Whats the Jersey Amex Platnium annual fee? I have a HSBC Advanced in HK I might upgrade just to do get an account in Jersey.

Also is this the HK card you have? https://www.americanexpress.com/hk/en/charge-cards/platinum-card/?linknav=hk-en-amex-cardshop-PlatinumCreditCard-details-learnmore-PlatinumCard-r Whats the income requirement?

It makes no sense to apply for a platinum card in HK, just get the green / gold credit card (they have low annual fees) and after a few months, apply for the US Platinum card.

@burrup.lambert In HK, I applied for a Amex-Cathay Pacific card. It wasn?t a Platinum card. It?s rather a popular card. I see a lot of ppl in HK carrying that. If you maintain a Gold status with Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club, the annual fee is waived. You get Asia Miles for spending with the card. From there, I applied for the Amex Bonvoy card in the US. One of the advantages of the HSBC Premier program is that if you maintain Premier status in the base country, you enjoy Premier status everywhere else. So, once you fulfil the minimum balance in the base country, you don?t have to worry about maintaining any minimum balance in other countries. Monthly fees are waived. Otherwise, you might need to pay the monthly fees for every accounts you have. With the Premier status, you get higher savings interest rates and could use their Global Transfer to transfer funds from one country to another for free. The Jersey Amex Platinum annual fee is the same as the US edition - USD550. The perks and the reward point:dollar spent ratio work differently. https://www.expat.hsbc.com/credit-cards/products/amex/ Personally, I think I will cancel my card before the anniversary date. Paying the card balance was a hassle initially until I activated direct debit from my US bank account. They finally added a phone app for the ICC card recently.

It?s the same with Citi, if you are Citigold in one country you will automatically be in all other countries (and will use one username / password to access all your accounts).

@simon It requires only MYR200k (about USD49k) to qualify for HSBC Premier. For Citigold it takes MYR400k (USD98k) to qualify.

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I have 2 spots in a GoogleFi group if anyone wants them. $45 USD/m for unlimited data worldwide. Can post you the SIM if needed. Confirmed can hotspot off iPhones also now.

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Cash advance trick in Thailand does not work, they charge 200 THB on top of transaction anyway. It just appears on card statement. Still best way is change cash or local bank account, beside taking taxi to nearest Citi branch..

@ggiampieri I don?t know about the rest of the country but the last couple of times I?ve visited Bangkok I haven?t used cash at all. Pretty much every place I went took cards, Alipay or Line / Rabbit.

7eleven has 300 minimum for card, and not all the food/coffee places accept epayments. Not a big deal just hate the rip-off

Family Mart has no minimum for card payments via Rabbit / Line. For sure having cash can be useful but it?s a lot easier than it used to be to go cashless.

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Hello! Are there any updated travel-hacks for accommodation, I just checked the article regarding the Hilton points and signed up but I see that the regular prices are around 40.000 points/night not 5000, and doing the math with some hotels it is cheaper to pay with money then with points. Am I missing something, are there also any better choices?

It depends on the country/city and hotel. When I was in LA it didn't make sense to purchase points and use them, if you are somewhere cheaper however like Asia you should be able to find places at the lower end of the scale.

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Hiya- I am a UK citizen and am traveling to the USA for 88 days. What?s the best travel insurance I can get?

@lauren http://Safetywing.com is not bad

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Be wary of cheap travel insurance companies like SafetyWise or World Nomads, cheap, but lots of horror stories about people not getting claims approved. You get what you pay for.

SafetyWing is alright if you understand the limitations. Tokio Marine, the insurance provider they use, is Japan?s largest and a Mitsubishi company.

Does anyone know anyone who's actually made a claim with SafetyWing? I currently use them, but claims with almost all travel insurance companies that I've used have always been a struggle.

I claimed for a flight delay last summer. I emailed them the boarding pass scans, hotel receipt, Uber emails and the letter from the airline showing the new booking info. They took a month and a half to process the claim but paid. I?m not sure if that?s standard practice with SafetyWing / Tokio Marine but they sent me a paper cheque in the mail. For those who don?t have US bank accounts with mobile deposit, this could be a major hassle.

@simon Nice to know. That seems strange to get a paper cheque, I do wonder if that's the norm. At least they paid though, which is positive.

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EU is about to implement similar on-line pre-screening procedure as US and Canada for visa-free countries: https://112.international/ukraine-top-news/7-for-visa-free-travel-eu-changes-entry-rules-47566.html

Hi @simon , I actually spoke to the co-founder of Safety Wing today in person and mentioned the paper cheque thing. She said that this can happen if a bank account number can't be verified or if there is another error from the user side or the Safety Wing side. They're aware of this issue and working on a solution so paper cheques are not sent in the future but they haven't resolved the issue yet.

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Thanks for the update! I guess in my case the error was with Safety Wing as the account details I provided are normal US account and routing numbers.

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Anyone changing their travel plans due to the Corona Virus? I'm still actively travelling between Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam/Malaysia full-time but am thinking of limiting time in Airports. Anyone have any thoughts or precautions they're taking?

I?ve not changed my plans but I?m extra careful about not touching my face, washing my hands often, avoiding large crowds etc. I also wear a facemask when flying, maybe not necessary but why not. My main concern is about being quarantined. I will thus avoid flying to / through China until this is over.

I'm doing the same. Being quarantined could happen in any country if this keeps progressing, which is a scary thought. I also don't like the idea of getting the normal flu or a high temperature then getting put in a hospital for 2 weeks under quarantine. I think staying put as much as possible is the best option but this could go on for 6-12 months. I think some of the China travel bans are until the end of April and could extend if it gets out of control. Only time will tell, hopefully it doesn't get too crazy.

I will avoid going to China or places where there are lots of Chinese or many people who come and go from China. I avoid touching my face too, and wash hands often. Won?t travel for the moment and wait to see how this develops.

So it's working as intended...

Anyone visited the Philippines? What's the best way to get a usable internet access? My mobile and AirBnB Internet are the worst I've ever had.

I'm in Cebu

I'm in Manila, try both globe and smart sim cards to see what works better in your area, sign a lease and get pldt fibr or find a airbnb with fibr, go to a cafe with good internet or a coworking place. It still sucks but can be usable. I can't really stream movies in the evening except netflix and youtube with local servers.

the sim cards in general suck and are only reliable for whatsapp fb instagram text msging

Thanks Mike

I'm actually staying here only 2 weeks so I can't get fiber and my current Bnb is using a prepaid. The only Coworking in Cebu city is permanently closed and I'm having a hard time sending this message from a coffeeshop in Ayala Mall

Seems like Cebu City isn't the best place to get productive..

cebu sucks imho, I walked around the outside cafe part of the mall with my filipina wife and it was filled with all these old sexpats who were trying to pick her up like she was a hooker. bgc is a bit more civilized

the only good thing about cebu is the pork, much better than manila meat. Go to CnT Lechon in the mall or Carcar which is a bit out of town. House of Lechon sucks. I like Zubuchon, Rico's is ok.

movenpick mactan isn't bad if you want to get out of the shit

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Alright, i feel pretty much the same here. Time to move then :slightly_smiling_face:

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I?ve been using http://www.onward.flights the last 3 flights I had to board?. such a dream? just casually knocked up a fake onward ticket right there at the counter when they asked me if I had one haha :sunglasses:

Thanks for sharing! How do you find flights that connect at your destination?

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This is genius, bro!

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https://newsroom.airasia.com/news/2020/2/29/eng-aaunlimitedpass Unlimited flights around Asia for the next one year :star-struck: Need to buy through Malaysia in the next 3 days

*Only available for Malaysia-based AirAsia BIG members?*

*What is AirAsia Unlimited Pass?* AirAsia Unlimited Pass allows you to redeem unlimited point-to-point long haul AirAsia X flights*. *flights over 4 hours and only with the carrier code D7 (AirAsia X) and XJ (Thai AirAsia X), excluding flights to Singapore, Denpasar (Bali) and Jeddah. Pass is a bundle that guests can purchase which allows them to redeem unlimited long haul AirAsia flights until 14 February 2021.

You can?t use the pass for flight bookings exceeding 14 days prior to departure.

Anyone have a link that shows all the destinations and perhaps an interactive map where you can click on a location and it shows you all eligible destinations outside of 4 hours?

@burrup.lambert It?s valid for all Air Asia X flights to Japan, China, Korea, Australia and India. Do note that it only covers the airfare, not the taxes. For example, for a flight from KL to Sydney the taxes are a little under 50 USD. For a flight from KL to Tokyo, the taxes are a little under 20 USD. It?s a great deal, assuming the virus doesn?t too severely impact air travel in the region for the next year, and that you can stomach a long-haul flight on Air Asia.

I see some Manila to Barcelona round trip biz class Etihad and Qatar airlines for $1500 lately

and Boracay Henann resorts are currently $80-$100 a night, hardly any Chinese and Koreans right now

@mikeseo There is also the awesome deal with Saudia that has been available for a few weeks now from ATH to MNL, KUL, SIN and CGK. There is availability until the end of 2020.

wow! Do you know any tricks if I'm not starting in ATH? $800 ATH to MNL roundtrip $1700 MNL to ATH roundtrip $500 ATH to MNL one way $1200 MNL to ATH one way

@mikeseo if you are starting in Europe, a cheap regional flight to ATH would do the trick. If you are starting from further afield, using miles to get to ATH will likely be your best option.

I would be starting in MNL

Just an FYI for you guys and your friends who are traveling around! Singapore has now banned people who have been to northern Italy in the past 14 days from entering OR TRANSITING in SIN. "As of 23:59 on 4 March 2020, if you've travelled to mainland China in the past 14 days or hold a PRC passport; or have travelled to Iran, South Korea or northern Italy in the past 14 days, you won't be permitted to transit or enter Singapore."

@gun It's not only Singapore, dozens of countries currently have similar restrictions in place. http://infopages.traveldoc.aero/Information/Coronavirus

Argentina is open if anyone is interested :wink:.

For those who are interested, here?s the WHO report written by the international team sent to China.

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Anyone want to give me the short and sweet version?

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@burrup.lambert In short, infection at home / through close contact with infected family members and friends is responsible for around 78-85% of cases in China. It?s transmitted via droplets / fomites (either on surfaces or by having someone sneeze / cough next to you). The best way to prevent infection is by maintaining impeccable personal hygiene and by never touching your face. The risk of death is very low in those with no pre-existing conditions when quality healthcare is available (under 1%).

so it's less of a concern than flu...

@nemanja.mirkovicru87 It?s more dangerous than the flu if you get infected but you are a lot less likely to get infected in the first place. It?s a major concern for the economy and global travel, however..

I'll agree that the panic is more dangerous than virus threat. Global economy is long overdue for recession so this is what's gonna tip it over the edge.

Interesting about the travel restrictions, at the moment it looks like restrictions if you have been to China / Iran / Korea / Italy... but that could rapidly expand over the next one week

Just tested out this app yeSIM which you can buy data through your eSIM in your iPhone when traveling and rates aren?t stupidly horrid, so quite convenient actually compared to finding a local SIM shop. Plus you can pay with bitcoin :sunglasses: Referral code gets you ?3 credit: SDCS479 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yesim/id1458505230

For people who have performed an Amex Global Transfer to the US, what original Amex card did you use in your 'home' country and what did you apply for and receive in the US? Amex Green HK to Amex Platinum US for example. I just realised Argentina is on the Global Transfer list so I'm going to apply for a card here instead of using my HK card, will make payments a bit easier + there are local perks I can use. Then later on transfer using Global Transfer to get a US Platinum. My question is what are the income requirements for the Platinum US and does it matter what card you used to build the credit history on in your home country? Amex Argentina has monthly income requirements listed for each card on their website but on the Amex US website I can't see any income requirements? Can I used an Argentina Green card and switch to a US Platinum card without issues? And when you do the transfer do you have to provide proof of income for the new US card?

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@burrup.lambert You can use any card, I used a no annual fee card in HK to transfer to a US card and know several people who did the same. In fact, you do not even need a card in Australia, you can apply directly using your Australian credit history. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/?category=all

Click on "Apply Now" for the card you want, then select the "I don't have a credit history in the US, but have had a credit card or loan in the UK, India, Mexico, Canada or Australia. (If you have a Social Security Number, please enter it below.)" box.

Interesting. Thanks, though I think I will give it a miss. I've had CC's in Australia for years but in the last few years I applied for an Australian Amex and was denied each time without explanation. I am sure at least one time was due to incorrect credit history details (address mismatch) and so were the other times. Pretty sure I'll have better luck building credit history in a new country then doing the transfer! The issue is still outstanding, I never bothered to fix it. The credit history is good, it's just my details. I think each credit reporting agency has a different address for me, old drivers licence number etc, from moving States so many times. I'll get the Green card here in Argentina and do the transfer. Any comment on the income requirement and going from Green to US Platinum, proof of income etc? Or should I go Green to US Gold and work my up to Platinum?

I've never heard of any bank asking for a proof of income in the US / Canada. Sometimes a bank may ask for access to your tax filings (you sign a form and they can then get your returns from the IRS / CRA) but only during reviews (usually triggered by excessive spending in relation to the income you entered when you applied or if the spending is in "unusual" categories, for example if you spend 10000+ at grocery shops every month).

Awesome, thanks. I've posted this link before but I'll do it for other people > https://www.valuepenguin.com/credit-cards/countries-where-amex-platinum-card-most-and-least-extravagant Does anyone else have a 'portfolio' of Amex cards in different countries for different perks? The Argentinian Platinum is the same cost basically as the US Platinum, you earn MR points at the same rate, 1 USD = 1 point (the Amex uses the official rate though), and you can transfer the points to airlines like Emirates, Iberia, Delta etc. There are also other perks which you can get with out bank cards like 25% off groceries. I think it's an interesting idea that I haven't seen discussed anywhere.

@burrup.lambert The issue with the non-US AmEx is, as far as I know, that they all have forex fees.

As for the Platinum card, it's nice but many of the benefits are useless unless you regularly visit the US.

The Green card is my favorite at the moment. The annual fee is 150$, there are no forex fees and you get 3 MR points per $ spent in the travel category (flights, hotels, transit, taxi, trains etc) and the restaurant category. There is no geo-restrictions for those benefits either, unlike some of the other cards that only pay bonus points on domestic spend. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/green/

Yes, the no FX fee for US Amex's is great! That's a real benefit. The greatest perk for me for the Platinum card is the lounge access. Do you have a Platinum for lounge access? Is it a US Platinum or another country? Currently I have a European Platinum that I keep mainly for lounge access.

I use the Hilton card for lounge access (unlimited priority pass). I spend 100-150 nights in Hilton hotels every year so it?s the perfect card for me (I get a ton of bonus points for Hilton spend).

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Hi ! Which cards do you recommend for accumulating miles with the Revolut trick?

The AEON JAL card works perfectly with Revolut, all top ups are processed as regular purchases. You have to use Curve (the debit version) in order to eliminate forex fees. JAL miles can be redeemed for flights on oneworld carriers as well as Emirates, Air France and a few other partners.

For reference, the AEON JAL is issued in HK

Perfect. Thanks. Any tip for staying in HK around 6 months a year? Hilton? Airbnb? With a budget of 1000 to 2000 usd a month for apartment/hotel

That's a pretty low budget for living in Hong Kong

Curve is not a different card, right? Its just when you spend Debit on the AEON JAL card?

regardless, I found Hotel Jen pretty reasonable (they're part of the Shangri-la group) at about $80-90 USD a night... could probably get it cheaper if you told them you intended on staying long-term..

It?s a UK debit card that you can use to make purchases, with any credit card as a funding source (kinda like PayPal). Because it?s a debit card, you can use it to top up Revolut without any fees.

Good tip. Thanks

AirBnB wasn't overly reasonable last time I checked.... there is http://HmLet.com, but they're not that cheap either...

Many 3 and 4 stars hotels on agoda offering prices from 40 to 70 usd a night for the next months. But might go back up in a few months

Good point. I never paid too much attention to those, as had a bad experience years ago with some of those more "local" hotels. But you probably couldn't go too wrong. It'll also depend on where you want to be based....

There?s some pretty good deals right now. With the mandatory quarantine I guess occupancy must be close to zero at most hotels.

Very true.

And prices were low last year too, with all the protests...

Can I use the Curve card to spend in USD or EUR with my HSBC HK HKDs ? HSBC HK charges 2.5% for spending in a different currency than HKD

Yes, it?s a great way to get around forex fees. It also make nearly all cards Apple Pay / Google Pay compatible.

Thanks

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The IDC Platinum is horrible, will try to switch to the US version. Customer service is almost non-existent, runs on island time. It?s terrible, also there are less benefits like FX fees

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Looking for deep covid 19 discounts for flight, hotels and other travel related items?

@fish I?ve seen a lot of good deals but with travel restrictions it?s hard to take advantage of them. I?ve bought some hotel points and vouchers though, those should be easier to use.

I'm forcing my way through to Zanzibar where I'm hopping to have a nice setup until Europe clears out. What would be a good place to start looking for those credits/vouchers?

Look for places that are desperate for tourism revenue, like Bali and Thailand. Many hotels / resorts there sell vouchers a 20-50% discount.

Any good alternatives for Google-Fi when traveling internationally? (I'm trying to avoid Google products where I can)

China Mobile HK has a plan comparable to Fi: https://www.hk.chinamobile.com/en/corporate_information/Service_Plans/Supreme_Series/SupremeGlobal_ServicePlan.html Three UK has free roaming in approximately 70 countries. There?s also a number of carriers that offer roaming packages that you can purchase as an add-on.

Thanks @simon, the China Mobile plan looks interesting!

is there a way to get fi as a non-us citizen?

Yes. Get it sent to a US friend. Get them to activate the sim, then post it you. Annoying, but works.

Also both @alexbadaoui1 & @jason I have another thread on Airalo E-Sims. Has some limitations but I currently prefer it over Google Fi. I used to be Google Fi, I?m now Airalo. Use the search feature to find the thread :blush:

Hey guys, does anyone have recommendations for portable wifi routers for Europe? Ideally looking for something that works in Greece, Italy, and Spain. Any experience or suggestions appreciated.

You mean a wifi router you plug into an existing internet connection or one with a sim card inbuilt?

For the former I'm using a GL iNet GL-AR750S with ProtonVPN

I mean one that you insert a sim card into like the Vodafone 4g mifi r218 or something similar.

Used a 50 USD Huawei LTE router for years and works like a charm. Runs for +10 hours per day and can be used as a repeater.

@felix how do you get unlimited internet?

I didn?t. We had with China Mobile 20 something GB which were sufficient while travelling

Is there any country in Europe which doesn't require wearing masks outside & relatively easy to enter if you're already in Europe? (Besides Sweden) I was checking Malta, but apparently they just installed the outside mask wearing rule, I'm not sure if in Croatia, in some smaller cities they might not control masks. In the city I'm in, they closed gyms again, and looks like we're heading towards another lockdown, so I'm ready to gtfo next week.

I'm currently in Slovenia. They just passed the rule this week. Although I'm in a smaller town (1 hr away from Ljubljana). People on the street seem to wear it, although not every person. I rarely see police here. This week I'm heading to The Netherlands. There it is currently not mandatory INDOOR by law yet, but strongly advised. I think the law needs to pass the parlement etc. and likely will be enforced by December 1. https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2020/10/02/wearing-of-face-masks-strongly-advised But OUTDOOR I don't think that's the case. And personally I find it unnecessary given there are laws already in place to keep the min. distance + max. 4 people when you 'undertake' some activity.

The only tricky part is getting there, e.g. now traveling from Slovenia, through Austria, Germany by car. I likely have to keep some proof handy that it's a necessary travel AND that I'm on transit (and not staying in Austria or Germany).

No masks outside here in Latvia & Estonia. At the moment in Latvia masks are required inside for shops.

I?m currently in England, here masks are mandatory indoors but not outdoors. Pubs, restaurants etc are open but only until 10pm. They are currently moving to a tier system with the worse affected regions being placed in a soft lockdown.

Where?

What do you use it for? Why is it useful?

Poland

Poland does require masks since a few days and it is on the highway to lockdown (do not recommend, I'm running away soon to be honest). However in Greece the order for wearing masks is off for almost as long due to relatively stabilized situation.

Not Europe, but I'm currently in Brazil and it's about as "normal" as possible. People at bars, restaurants, beaches and tourism running at reduced capacity along. People do wear masks but they do not enforce it unless inside supermarkets and other shops generally.

Lithuania/Latvia

I was in Manila until Sept, it was fucking retarded there. Like wear a plastic face shield over your face mask. Wear 3 layers of face masks. Spray alcohol on your gloves. 14 day quarantine home if you test negative, gov quarantine if you test positive. Guards enforcing the stupidity everywhere. Long lines and many businesses closed. Covid pumped in the news every minute. 70% of people scared. Now I'm in Tokyo and it's 95% normal. No news media statistics with daily covid infection counts. 50% of people wear masks when walking outside, 98% of people wear masks inside buildings but it's very subtle and unenforced. Everything open. Nobody visibly scared.

Mexico, Oaxaca coast, small village... They started to enforce mask outside this weekend. Police stops people and cars passing middle of the village, selling them KN95 masks for 20MXN ($0.95). Until now, it was only in town.

Unlimited domestic elite flight card for Thailand Bangkok Airways https://simpleflying.com/bangkok-airways-unlimited-flights/amp/

Are there any tips or tricks/hacks for getting an easy APEC card?

It depends on your nationality. For Australians it seems pretty difficult, https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/business-travel-card/australian-citizens

Canadians and Americans can get the card by first signing up for US Global Entry and then applying for it.

HK, interestingly, issues the card to permanent residents (no need to be a citizen).

In any cases, the card is super useful as it waves visa-requirements in most Asia-Pac countries + a few in the Americas (and often allows for longer stays vs tourist entries). It also allows you to bypass regular immigration lanes at major airports.

For example, APEC cardholders can stay 90 days in Thailand, 60 days in the Philippines etc

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing!

I think it?s possible to travel even now with the APEC card, right?

@felix Yes, many of the member countries remain open to business travellers (using an APEC card or business visa).

Yes, that?s what I saw as well. Was reading up on it yesterday. Looks like the easiest for Westerners to get the card to become a HK PR

it?s only available for citizens of the respective countries in SEA and EA

@felix It?s also available to citizens of many of the American countries with a Pacific coast (Canada, US, Mexico, Peru, Chile etc).

ah ok. Thank you!

I'm an APEC card holder, and it's the best $150 I spend every few years. No issues, no questions (even when I've been pushing things in terms of the days I was staying). Easy access to China (where I used to do a lot of work) and Hong Kong too. I'm currently in Singapore and I've been looking at getting an EP (employment pass) here, but it's becoming a bit of a PITA, so thinking of heading to Seoul for a bit (as they're open to APEC holders still).

Hey guys, I remember someone mentioned being able to move between European countries and not overstay the Schengen 90 day entry cap. Just wondering if anyone remembers the source or who referenced this? Maybe it was @simon?

I think it was @simon and he was referring to your passport country have specific agreements with individual countries regarding how long you can stay on a tourist visa. For e.g. for Australia https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/the-basics/schengen#bilateral

Thanks @burrup.lambert!

Anyone currently in Indonesia and using Google Fi? I heard there is a new ridiculous law where they make you pay a 40% tax (based on the value of your phone) in order to use a local Sim. I'm wondering if I can just stay on Google Fi which does have international data or if they will block my Sim from accessing their network.

Is an eSim an option for you (assuming you have a compatible phone) ? -> https://www.airalo.com/indonesia-esim

@toby I?ve used Fi in Bali multiple times without issues. It?s a bit slower than a local SIM (as your traffic is routed through the US) but not in an unusable kind of way.

Thanks Simon. Sounds like the routing would also mean that we can bypass this new law they came up with!

Thanks Michael! I'll probabaly get Google Fi and airalo and compare the two. Thanks for the great recommendation :)

I use this one myself and I buy it for all my clients as a welcome gift too: https://amzn.to/3n20zYN I like it because you can insert a Sim and use it as a hotspot, it can be used to extend your airbnb wifi but it also has 10hrs battery life as an external charger for your phone

I use this one myself and I buy it for all my clients as a welcome gift too: https://amzn.to/3n20zYN I like it because you can insert a Sim and use it as a hotspot, it can be used to extend your airbnb wifi if it doesn't reach to the area you want to work, but it also has 10hrs battery life as an external charger for your phone on the go

@toby can you confirm if this is a legitimate workaround?

This is a huge Bali hack!

:flag-ca: Does anyone have experience with how to get into Canada at the moment as non-Canadian? @simon Esp. a Visa consultant or someone who might be able to help with the process? Also any idea on how long the process might take? Application, and then a 2 week quarantine? I have an ex-gf there who is open to helping me with the 'partner of a Canadian' route, but I'm not sure how much proof would need to be required or how stringent they are checking. We haven't been living together for the past year, but we did the year before that, but no shared bank accounts or pictures on facebook or anything. We have extensive private photos that's about it.

@gun For unmarried couples / non-common law couples (relationship that aren?t officially documented, essentially), there is a requirement to apply in advance for an exemption. You can learn more about the process here (there?s no need to hire a visa consultant, it?s a simple process): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/visitors/immediate-family.html#extended You will need to stay in the country for at least 15 days to make use of the exemption and will need a plan to quarantine (you can quarantine in a private home, hotel etc and can take a domestic flight / transit to get to your destination). Do note that the quarantine rules vary from province to province. BC, for example, allows for walks and outdoor exercise but Ontario does not. If your point of entry is Calgary, you aren?t required to quarantine as Alberta has moved to a multi-test approach instead (they test you at the airport, you quarantine until you get your result within 24h and are then free to do what you want except for going to crowed places, get tested again a few days later and if still negative, are now free to go to crowed places). You have to pre-register at (if not registered, you?ll have to quarantine): https://www.alberta.ca/international-border-pilot-project.aspx Ah and from Jan 7th a negative PCR test will be required to board any Canada-bound flight (talk about closing the stable door after all the horses have already left).

Thanks my man, and great memory on Calgary

@gun yep works 100% it's a massive hack. You don't get a phone number so if you need to receive OTPs for GoJek / Grab /Tokopedia you can get one from Ding Tone for a couple bucks a year or you keep your home phone number / move it to a prepaid contract. Are you in Bali right now?

Thanks for the Ding Tone hack. I have previously been using a Singapore number for Gojek as it also works. A good hack is to move your home/local number also over to an E-sim so you can have them both on at once. In Australia the cheapest option with E-Sim is Vodafone @ $40/yr

@toby I have just installed Dingtone and it looks like Indonesian numbers are not in there? Am I missing something?

@994kaloyan

@gun yeah you can use a US number to get the OTP. I just use it because it allows me to go completely without regular phone contract back home

Huh. didn't know that cool thanks. From. memory there was something that needed an indo number only, although I can't remember what it was

Also then @toby check out Google Voice. You can get a free US number by using a regular @gmail.com email address, and it receives both texts and calls that come through to the Google Voice App. This is what I use for this purpose :thumbsup:

Dope! Thanks so much @gun

Is there something better than Google Fi for traveling?

I need hotspot internet 100GB+/month everywhere I go

google fi is great for having a single number to receive calls and texts, but not great for data outside of the US - they'll give it to you, but the rates are really high. Fi is best for occasional usage when not on Wifi. I have a dual sim phone, and I use the second sim slot for data with a local sim, and the primary for calls and text with a google fi sim.

Local SIM as @umesh.desai pointed out or, if your phone supports it, an E-SIM from a service like https://www.airalo.com/

Free Mobile (France) : 25 Go per month in 65 countries for 19 ?/month

Can you share the link ? :smile:

i only see these

OMG that?s the one on the right ?

Will they shut you down if you use it mostly outside of France?

Yes the one on the right

From my experience and what I hear, if you go to France from time to time it works :wink:

Has anybody travelled to Spain from a "third country" recently? I have read the rules on one of the govt. websites, googled etc, and I am still very confused. I want to travel to Spain next month, but I am currently in Ukraine (which is considered a "third country", as I understand it) - but I am unsure if I am allowed to. I guess I could travel to my native home country of Denmark (which I am always allowed to do), then from there to Spain, but I dont want to - if I dont have to. I have EU residence and EU passport. And I can easily produce a "business reason" invite from one of my friends in Spain, if that helps me.

Only Spanish Nationals or non Spanish nationals who are registered residents are permitted to enter Spain at the moment without restrictions. This (below) applies for 3rd Country non residents

Being in possession of a valid passport or travel document The document must be valid for al least three months following the projected exit from the territory of the Members States, and must have been issued within the last ten years. Citizens from any State of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein only need a valid national identity document or passport. Citizens of Ireland will need a passport as the country is not a member of the Schengen Area. In the event of a minor travelling with a national identity document, the latter must be accompanied by parental authorization. Being in possession of a valid visa This is required of nationals of third countries included on the list of countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders, unless in possession of a valid residence permit or a valid long-term visa issued by another Member State. Foreigners holding a valid residence permit or a long-term visa issued by another Schengen State may travel through the territory of the other Schengen States for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period, provided that they are in possession of a valid passport or travel document, that they justify the purpose and conditions of their intended stay, substantiate having sufficient means to support themselves for the duration of their intended stay in Spain, and that they can prove they are not threat to public health, public order, national security, or international relations of Spain or of other States with which Spain has an agreement to this end. Furthermore, they must not to appear on the national list of alerts [for refusal of entry] of the Member State in question. At any event, entry may be refused (even with a valid passport and/or visa) at police checks in the following cases: - Journeys undertaken for the purposes of tourism or for private reasons In these cases, the presentation of any of the following documents may be required: 1. A supporting document from the establishment providing accommodation or a letter of invitation from a private individual if the foreigner concerned is staying in their home, issued by the Police Station corresponding to their place of residence. IMPORTANT: Under no circumstances shall the letter of invitation replace the foreigner's accreditation of all other entry requirements. 2. Confirmation of the booking of an organised trip, indicating the itinerary. 3. A return or round-trip ticket. In order to accredit economic means, the provisions of Order PRE/1282/2007, of 10 May, on economic means, will be taken into account, which foreigners will need to accredit to be able to come into Spain. The amount to be accredited must reach a daily sum of 10% of the gross minimum wage set at 950 euros pursuant to Royal Decree 23/2020, of 4 February, establishing the minimum wage for 2020, which has been extended to 2021 - Journeys of a professional, political, scientific, sporting or religious nature or undertaken for other reasons The presentation of any of the following documents may be required: 1. Invitation from a company or an institution to take part in meetings, conferences, etc., of a commercial, industrial or similar nature. 2. Document proving the existence of commercial, industrial relations, etc. 3. Entry tickets to trade fairs, congresses, conventions, etc. 4. Invitations, tickets, bookings or programmes indicating, as far as possible, the name of the host organisation and the duration of the stay, or any other document indicating the purpose of the visit.

I traveled from Colombia to Madrid last week. They did an antigen test in the airport, and then I was free to go after this. You?re also supposed to be in isolation the following 10 days. I didn?t have any business reasons or anything like that.

@paul_inkpen The reason it is confusing it that I am an EU citizen, asking to travel from a third country. It is unclear to me, which rules then applies to me. I know as an EU citizen it is no problem travelling inside EU to Spain right now - you just need a PCR test and filling in some forms/app. It is also clear that if I was a 3rd country national, the above rules would apply to me. What is confusing is that I kind of fall somewhere in between, it seems...

If I just travel via my home EU country to Spain, everything is probably fine. I just want to avoid that, because it means more time, cost and hassle.

I recently had the hassle of traveling from the UK via Germany to Spain and the biggest issue for me was getting a 48h PCR test done as Germany only accepts those tests whether Germany is the end destination or you are transiting. UK and Spain have 72h PCR expectations. That is also something to consider

The only issue I understand is if the 3rd Country you are traveling from is on a red list where quarantine would be necessary.

Or in the case of UK, Brazil and South Africa denied

Residents of the following countries are also currently permitted entry to Spain: Andorra Australia China Hong Kong (SAR China) Macao (SAR China) Monaco New Zealand Rwanda San Marino Singapore South Korea Thailand Vatican City

How are they checking "residency"? Or do they just assume if you enter on one of those passports you are living there?

All EU citizens who are resident in Spain have a green residency card to confirm their residency. 3rd Country nationals have a photo ID TIE Card to prove residency rights in Spain.

I'm referring to people who are residents of one of these countries, not Spain.

I can speak as a resident of Andorra. Ain't nobody checking.

I assume flights are different but by road, it all seems to be strongly denounced in the media but reality is very different.

Trust me, what the media says right now has very little parity with reality, on all levels

Many times I?ve arrived in a country to see what I read in the media to have little relation to what?s happening on the ground

Do they have a process for authenticating PCR tests anywhere in the EU? When I entered Panama this weekend I paid $1000 for my family to get PCR tests done (4x $250, US prices), but another guy I know literally just printed a fake template off the internet and edited it to have his name and the people checking didn't blink, all they did was compare the name on the passport to the name on the PCR test page and wave him in.

I don?t think they do, at least not for non-EU issued test results. That is why many countries are now requiring testing upon arrival (there is too much fraud, especially from certain countries).

I crossed like 10 borders during the last year, in the ones where a test was needed, the checking procedures were very informal, not even printing it, just in the flight check in show the test in the phone, could have been easily be done with word....

But if you get caught you might be imprisoned. Not so smart to fake it.

You could be or be made responsible for spreading the virus and killing people....and get imprisoned.

Indeed, there?s no good excuse for faking a test result. It?s just surprising how easy it seems to be, you?d think there would be more secure systems in place by now

The EU could not hit water if it fell out of a boat... Of course there is no proper, secure system in place. :smile:

I confirm as well any secure system is actually in place. I have my Swiss negative PCR test done in January, I could easily change the date and use it whenever I need, I wouldn?t be surprised people are currently doing this.

i made mine in germany, and there was a QR code printed on it to verify it online on their site, but nobody checked it when i traveled to cyprus 2 weeks ago, and i also know a few friends who faked theirs

Does anyone have any experience with Panama? Is it really the haven that some marketing professionals would have you think?

I'm here in Panama now applying for residency, but have only been here for a few days, so far it's nice.

@ben659 might be a good person to ask, he's been here longer.

Specifically thinking of the Playa Caracol area.

@paul_inkpen Depends what you?re looking for?

Thinking of buying a Condo

In the Caracol area

There are property tax exemptions for your first property

And if you income comes from abroad they?ll turn a blind eye, pretty much

Comes down to if you like the lifestyle

But there?s a lot of corruption, it?s Latin America after all

@ben659 what are the rules about the property tax exemption, I didn't hear about that?

any limits on it?

I won?t be living there just having a condo rented out for vacations

@jason Best to speak to a realtor, but I believe it?s a friendly country for property taxes

Heard about exactly the same for a close friend. Spend 5 minutes on Canva to produce a fake PCR test result and he entered Portugal (from Mexico) without any problems at all. Continued to Germany, same story

I couldn't live there myself

Hey @gun @toby. You guys still in Bali? I?ll be back in a few months and am trying to get my data/phone setup sorted and curious what setup is working best for you guys? I used to just buy a local sim but that?s not an option anymore. The ideal setup would be everything e-sim and apps, but it?s proving a little tricky being from the UK. Appreciate your thoughts.

Also, what?s the coverage like with Airalo? I?m thinking about grabbing one of their plans?

Hey @osiris! I'm still here and have been using Airalo for the past 6 months. I've had some small issues like no connection for half a day but overall a good experience. It's decently fast and I don't have to go to any stores to recharge my credit. However, you should still be able to get a local sim without problems. My wife has an iPhone 12 so we didn't get the phone unlocked at the airport. Instead we went to phone/electronics shop in Berawa (across from Banh Mi & Beans). They took a photo of us holding our passport and phone and then unlocked our phone without any fee and set up a local sim. I'm pretty sure this IMEI issues is more a money trap than anything and isn't actually being enforced.

Hey @toby Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Yeah, I reckon i?ll give Airalo a try first then as I can?t be arsed with going to any shops :joy:

Also, are you using your home number for go-jek or one from Dingtone?

And, did your wife buy the iPhone 12 in Bali or bring it in? Curious about this whole tax on imported phones thing.

I feel ya! That's reason I'm still paying for it as well :+1: I'm using dingtone for the most part but sometimes my number from back home. It works fine for Grab but not so well for GoJek (they'll ask for your phone contract to verify the number). I have a shitty old phone with a local sim and I entered that number into GoJek. The iPhone was bought in Germany. We didn't pay import tax on it. They don't ask for it unless you want your IMEI unlocked which is imho a scam because you can get the IMEI unlocked at a local phone shop without paying the tax.

Perfect. Thanks for that.

I think i?ll use Airalo for data to start with and then figure out a number for go-jek when I get there. Does it have to be a local number for Go-Jek, or can you use an international number? I can?t remember what I did before.

Thanks for the heads up on the IMEI airport stuff. I?m planning on buying a new iphone in September, just before my flight, so was curious about the tax sotuation when I arrive in Bali.

Anyway, up for grabbing a coffee and talking business stuff when I return?

Is there a way to obtain a Tax ID in Panama on a tourist visa? In some countries it's possible, but I'd need it in Panama.

1 grand per PCR tests? Unfathomable!!!! When I pay $20 for it, even when it feels like a rip off. No process for authenticating them. Especially when a test is from country A, country B can't verify with 100% certanty. A person who verifies them relives on a stamp on it and the fact that it's printed out.

@a10 I doubt it, even getting one as a resident is tricky

@osiris yeah ping me when you're here!

:+1:

Can anyone recommend a PAYG e-sim provider in the UK? From my research, I?ve only found ones offering e-sim as a monthly contract.

If I'm an EU citizen but my spouse is not, what are the limits on her moving in/out of the EU, if I wanted to remain in the EU year round would that require us to establish residency?

@jason, what citizenship does she have? This can impact your options. For instance, many EU states have bilateral agreements that supersede Schengen that can allow for 180 days. Also, many Schengen countries have ?national visas? that can extend under certain circumstances. Basically, wherever you want to spend time, you should check out what the process is to get a Type D national visa in that country.

She's holds Russian / US passports.

not heard of a Type D visa, I will look that up!

Not sure if applicable but would this be an option? https://www.expatincroatia.com/digital-nomad-visa-croatia/

If that works perhaps that allows her to travel around in Europe? Although Croatia is not Schengen.

I guess the alternative is to offer the :ring:

Diamond-ring NFTs in the future? :thinking_face:

oh, we're already married.. I just wanted to avoid any issues traveling, like her staying in any EU state for longer than a US citizen is allowed, etc..

Ah my comment was more aimed at, the option for her to take on a EU passport as a spouse.

Anyone got a great worldwide sim for unlimited data everywhere? Sick of always buying new SIM cards :joy:

Its very simple process in most EU countries (easier in your native country usually) start reading here : https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/family-residence-rights/non-eu-wife-husband-children/index_en.htm

I (non-EU citizen) was able to obtain a 5 year residency permit with little fuss. You will need a local address, proof of income and insurance.

@lauren I use Google Fi, it works everywhere and provides unlimited data (slows down after 22GB monthly). As an added bonus, you get a US phone number and always a US IP (useful to access US-only services).

@simon - how do you get Google Fi as a Canadian?

@russ7 There is no residency restrictions but you need a US address to receive the SIM card and must activate it in the US (or a friend / family member there can do it for you)

Great, thanks

@simon does google fi cancel the service if you dont spend enough time in the US?

I?ve been using it abroad for nearly four years without issues, I usually visit the US 2-3 times per year. I?ve seen posts from people who had their data shut down but most seemed to have used the service for a long time in the same country (I move around constantly).

gotcha. Thanks

I got Google Fi ~3 years ago from a friend in the US and never went back to the US since. I?ve been using it in the same city in Canada since March last year and didn?t get my service cancelled. I?m not a huge data customer tho, I don?t know if it made the difference.

thanks @gabriel.courtemanche

I tried to setup Google Fi with my iPhone and the website suggests me to use eSIM, so no address required maybe? I will try :D

Thank you for sharing guys! Looks like Google Fi works with an eSim as well. https://support.google.com/fi/answer/9823429?hl=en Would make it the perfect travel SIM card with data for me.

Simon, how is your data speed when you travel. I saw many ?traditional? eSim provider have poor data speed and most often it?s better to simply get a local sim card.

Would be curious if that works for you! Please keep us updated.

@felix Because of the way roaming works, your traffic is always routed through your home carrier?s network no matter where you are. In this case, that is t-mobile in the US. This has an impact on speed but it?s minimal, the main impact is on latency. Kinda like when using a VPN. In my experience, Fi is perfectly fine for day to day stuff including video calls but the latency can be noticeable especially in Asia.

Great! Thank you for the feedback.

@felix I gave up because I can?t download Fi App in my App store country. Too much work to only test, next to a travel I will put more effort :joy:

Anyone of you knows a country where they hand out free vaccines to tourists that can be flown to from Thailand?

@taylorwalkerllc US and UK.

If you have US Visa, that's an option

You could also get it in Dubai if you qualify for the Remote Work visa

In USA they are giving vaccines for free, you just need to show up. But depends where you fly from(previous 14 days)

Thats what I am planning to do actually

If you fly from Europe(most countries) you must spend 14 days in another country before entering, people go to Mexico/Costa Rica/Panama.

If you got Arizona they?ll give you a free joint and gummy when you get vaccinated

France = Free vaccine too

Is it a single dose vaccine in the USA?

Jansen, one dose only.

Very nice

where would one get a vaccine to cure the consequences of a covid vaccine?

that's like trying to solve your problem by receiving a kick in your parts when you've received a kick in your parts

@simon - so is google fi data only or can call text or receive call and text?

You can receive calls and texts, it?s a full fledged mvno.

:+1:

Is it possible to fly to Hongkong at the moment from Thailand as a normal tourist?

https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html tl;dr: no.

Thanks bro

Thanks for sharing! Was just searching for it.

@felix it was briefly available then the policy changed: https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/tourists-visiting-abu-dhabi-are-not-eligible-for-coronavirus-vaccine-1.1248236

Seems like it was never meant for tourists, worked though and everyone also got their second jab. Now it?s only for people on expired visas, so apparently intended for former or new residents for whom some bureaucratic processes is taking longer than usual.

interesting.

Thank you for sharing! The UAE indeed makes very rapid changes.

THAILAND question: how is the situation over there (let?s say Bangkok, Chiang Mai) in the past 2-3 weeks?

From what my friends in Bangkok tell me, it's really bad. Complete lockdown, no fun, and the locals are in a panic

Accurate. They are having their worst wave at the moment. It's much more under control in the South but Bangkok is being hit hard with over 1 in 5 people testing positive last week

I left Bangkok by train 5 days ago to the North East, there is rumor of lockdown in Bangkok start 1st Aug until 30 sep, people currently falling and dying in the street same as what we saw in China when covid started. All hopitals are full, they send the covid positive locals in other provinces hopitals using trains as well. Flights within Thailand are canceled, seems only international flights are allowed, public transport bus and vans are stopped in Bangkok. I also have strong concern about flooding and earthquake very high risk in coming weeks and months in Bangkok. Every businesses are closed except supermarket and protestations grow. No idea about Chang Mai.

If anyone here want to leave Bangkok, try using trains, they will stop on 2nd August.

What makes you think there's a high risk of an earthquake in Bangkok?

Doesn't sound good at all

It's currently happening all over the world, especially all around Thailand, and Bangkok is over a seismic line, with a huge underground water basin, the region is like a floating island, if the ground get flooded or breaks in worse scenario, some area could fall. There were 4 earthquakes last 2 weeks: 3 at Kanchanaburi, 1 at SingBuri 2 days ago. They both happened on both seismic lines passing through Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchassima: means that the ground is definitely moving.

https://www.volcanoesandearthquakes.com/map/Thailand# https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242156305_Need_for_density-dependent_flow_and_transport_modeling_of_horizontal_seawater_and_vertical_saltwater_intrusion_in_the_Bangkok-multilayered_aquifers_system#pf2 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590056021000220

Yikes, that sounds bad. Thank you for the update @arommelaere My Wife and I are planning to fly to Phuket at the beginning of September. But reading about this 'shitstorm' makes us reconsider.

@yaron.been if you're planning to come to Thailand to set up a home base and live then I think it's fine. (Depending on the area you're looking to set up in) But for a holiday or short term trip under 12 months then it's probably not a good idea unless things get dramatically better.

Thanks @benjamin We're thinking of coming for long term. Getting a bit tired from Nomading.

New small eartquake on 29 july felt even in sukhumvit

I was reading the Austria borders covid control, these are the rules. ```Vaccine Certificate The following vaccines (including mix-and-match vaccines) are recognised: BioNtech/Pfizer, AstraZeneca (Covishield), Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinovac, and Sinopharm. (Please be aware that this only applies to entering the country. Sinovac/Sinopharm are not valid for entering hotels, restaurants etc. within Austria.) or Proof of Past Infection You can enter Austria for 180 days after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Proof of antibodies is valid for 90 days from the test date.``` If I understood correctly, if my jab is from Sinovac I can?t enter anywhere, ok, but in this case I can take an antibodies test and enter anywhere? If this is correct, this rule makes no sense

Any tip on virtual Mailbox in Los Angeles? I am flying in and would like to do some online shopping, so that stuff will wait for me when I arrive. I found this: https://www.snapmailbox.com but they need notarized form 1583, which I wont be able to supply before I land and wont have time to do once there :disappointed: thx

@gastan Form 1583 is required by all virtual address services providers, for personal accounts. You could sign up for a business account or have the mail sent to your hotel (they?ll hold it for you if you include the reservation number in the address, I do that all the time). Alternatively, if you are shopping on Amazon you can have your parcels sent to an Amazon locker.

@lvasc I imagine it?s because they require the EU green pass for restaurants and such (but are fine with any proof of vaccination at the border).

@gastan you can use http://notarycam.com

@jase thx.

As EU citizen not residing in EU(with no health insurance), what is an travel insurance option for traveling to USA (most health care expensive and litigious cuntry) ? It seems most run of the mill insurances just plan on dump you back to your health care country and be done with you. Any suggestions for real insurance?

@gastan Do you need the insurance on an ongoing basis or just for this trip? The plans I know of usually usually come with 1 year contracts (full on expat health insurance plans).

The shorter plans usually piggyback on public health care in your home country

ic. Yeah, just one this one trip (30days). I am staying i Mexico right now and we pay all out of pocket (dentist, eye doctor) and it's all pretty cheap, no 'need' for full on insurance (no kids)

but thanks, please send full on contracts and maybe if u have some accident cover deals, or something like that? We are just worries, because US of A is infamous for expensive stuff...

Allianz Worldwide Care, Integra Global, William Russell, Cigna Global are the main players in the expat insurance field

@simon regarding the health insurance, can you please share how you got that nice discount from Integra? Have you signed up on some kind of a newsletter or sth?

@sidaitov have you requested a quote from them? You can play around with the options to get a lower price (higher deductible, annual payment etc).