How to Book a 40k American AAdvantage Award Ticket to Europe Without Enormous Surcharges

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Brad Christensen

Your palms start to sweat. You get a little knot in your stomach. You are positively exhilarated, but you’re also nervous. No, it’s not love at first sight, it’s finding that 40k American AAdvantage award ticket on dates that work for you… and you’ve never been happier.

Cheap flight to europe

You rush through the booking process, anxious to get the tickets locked down – or on American’s beautiful “on hold” status at the very least.  Then, it happens… like a cold, wet towel, an ugly reality extinguishes your fire – monstrous surcharges push the ancillary costs of each ticket over $400. All of the sudden your hopes and dreams are dashed and you’re left feeling abused… maybe this is like your love life.

Uncheck British Airways

$950 for two tickets to Milan? Gag!  That’s like what you used to pay before you became a WorldWanderluster.  You worked hard for those points – and the hope was that they’d save you some serious money.  Sure these are $1300 tickets, but if we were in the market to actually pay money for tickets, we’d be on Expedia.com, not WorldWanderlusting.com.

Wait, now before you turn on your perma-frown and kick your dog, I want to give you some hope.  There’s a chance we can still make this happen for you.  The problem with what you have so far is that there is an evil villain lurking within your itinerary. It comes in the unlikely form of British Airways.  Yes, that’s right, it’s the mother country’s airline that’s trying to bleed you dry with mega fuel-surcharges.

How to Book a 40k American AAdvantage Award Ticket to Europe Without Enormous Surcharges

Don’t pout and set fire to things, just follow this simple step in your American AAdvantage Award ticket searches to help you book to Europe for incredible value… ready?

  • Uncheck British Airways

Yep.  It’s really that easy.  That’s where the gouging is coming from. Let me show you.  When you first searched for a flight to Milan (or any other European hub for that matter), British Airways flights floated to the top.  Any time you get the 20k each way redemption level, BA flights abound, so the odds are that your flight included at least a leg or two on American’s English partner.

Uncheck british airwaysSure the times are relatively convenient, but what’s not convenient is the severe blow to your wallet – $950 is more than we WorldWanderlusters even pay for an entire vacation, much less for a couple of flights!

Now, just do yourself the favor of unchecking British Airways and it might take away some availability, but it will also take away that shameless affront on your Benjamins. Grant yourself some flexibility in timing your flights and you’ll save more than just a couple bucks.

Booking to EuropeThe result is one that I know you’ll like.  You’ll like it because we are after the same thing – lots of travel for not much money.  That’s why we write this blog and why you read it. I love free travel so much that it’s 12:57am and instead of sleeping, I’m showing you how you can get in on the action, too.

Book AA to Europe

The net cost for this flight is a little over $70 a ticket – that’s a fraction of a fraction of what you’d expect to pay – now that’s WorldWanderlusting! We hope this is helpful and please let us know in the comments if you know of any more tips or tricks.

Now, if you’ve read through this entire post and you now find yourself wondering – How can I get ahold of 40k AA miles and start booking my own trip to Europe?


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Posted in American Airlines, Citi, Europe, Travel Tricks | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Idaho Motorcycle Ride

Posted on July 17, 2013 by wpengine

This weekend was the 2013 Big Awesome Ride (BAR).  We already told you about the 2011 BAR Part 1– Where we visited Missoula, Lake Pend Orielle, and drove into British Columbia.  The 2011 BAR part 2 entailed the trip home which passed us through Banff, the Caniniskus Highway, Waterton, Glacier, Flathead Lake, and home.

This time this was our agenda:

motorlust

Route for the BAR 2013

It would only be a three day ride, which meant that we averaged about 320 miles per day, which is the perfect amount in my book.  Too many miles and you’re exhausted and grumpy, too few miles and you’re not taking full advantage of your time off.

Get Off the Interstate

Toward the end of his time in Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen realizes that it is nice to slow down from time to time.  He sees the value in a place like Radiator Springs as a relaxing place where you can still see life at a slower pace.  More than likely your lives are like mine: busy, busy, busy.  Sometimes I need a “Lightning McQueen moment” and taking a bike trip does just that.

You’ll notice on the map above that we took very little Interstate Highways.  Of the 949 miles we drove, only 24 miles on the Interstate.

We passed through towns like Terreton, Stites, Lowell, and more.  These were small towns that still had good homestyle cooking.  I had some of the best onion rings I’ve ever had at a restaurant in Stites, Idaho.  When we stopped in Leadore we took a quick stroll around town, which didn’t take long as they’ve only got about 5 streets, but we found a beautiful chapel that looked like the one on Guns n’ Roses.

Leadore

Guns n Roses Church

I also had to get some fuel, and used a pump that looked like this:

Fuel

Ancient Gas Pump

Why you need Motorlust

I’m convinced.  Nobody can tell me differently.  Go ahead and try.

There is no better way to experience an area than to do it on a motorcycle.  I promise you that the smells will be more pleasant than those in your car (Especially after eating that fiber bar). You’ll notice the differences in temperature from a burning hot lava field to an irrigated field of waiving grain.  You’ll spend more time admiring the beautiful scenery because conversation isn’t an option.

There is something therapeutic about riding a bike.  It’s good for the soul.  Jamming to some of your favorite tunes as you pass the Sawtooth mountains just makes you feel good about life.  You’ll wish that you could stop around every bend and take a picture, unfortunately you won’t have time for that many stops.  Take a mental note of it all, and smile.

Mountain Pass

Heavenly View

Motorlust Will Bring You Closer to Those That Ride With You

This sounds contradictory because of my statement above regarding less conversation.  Just hear me out.  Sometimes less is more.  At every stop when you fuel up the tank with 2 or 3 gallons take a moment to buy a Red Bull and have a heart to heart with your friend, girlfriend,  or wife.  Talk about the things you love and the goals in life you’re yet to accomplish.

Unless you just got a speeding ticket from the Idaho 5-O, doing 90 on the curves of Lolo Pass, your conversation will be upbeat and your heart will be full.  Take advantage of this time to pour out your heart, because soon enough you’ll be back on the saddle.

Idaho Motorcycle Ride

Look for the next opportunity you can find to enjoy a 3 day weekend trip around your house.  More than likely you haven’t even enjoyed your own state.  Embarassingly this was my first trip to Sun Valley, McCall, and Lolo.  These are places in my own state.  I’ve been blown away at the beauty of the state of Idaho.  Freak.  The worst part of the trip was the first hour out of town and last hour coming home.

Borrow a bike from your father-in-law, or rent one at the local dealership and give it a shot with your friends or your lover.  I promise you won’t regret it.

Posted in How to Wanderlust, Motorcycle, Roadtrips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Attention All Cheapskates

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Brad Christensen

You know who you are…

  • When you fill up your 44oz fountain drink, you suck down the first six ounces and then top ‘er off again before you take it up to the register. You do this every. single. time.
  • You’re not content to buy the practically new bicycle at the garage sale for the $50 it has posted on it.  You offer $30 and don’t even smirk.
  • You’ve participated in the Wal-Mart rental program – where you purchase something you intend only to use for a brief period of time and then shamelessly return it… something like a 42″ TV.

Hi there, kindred spirit.  You and I have a lot in common.  When I was 13 years-old, I bought a board game at Shopko on clearance for $6 and then rode my bike to return it to ZCMI for a $26 in-store credit. I got myself some rear-view sunglasses and a Black Hills gold necklace. (You stop your laughing! It was 1992 and we all know that the early 90s were practically the 80s).

I’ll admit that I did feel a little guilty when I pulled off that dubious stunt.  My ability to see behind me and the shiny chain around my turtle-neck did help me get over it quickly, though.

Today, my exploits are less guilt-evoking and no longer fashion-centered. Because travel is somewhat of an addiction for me, it’s flights and hotel nights that I’m scouting for deals on. What I’m telling you is that you’ve found the right spot if you want to apply that same voracious value vigor that we share when it comes to travel. Sheldon and I are passionate about sharing travel tips – particularly the kind that help people do amazing things for little to nothing.

I’ve already told you how Nicole and I booked two tickets to Italy this fall for $81 a ticket. Somehow that’s just not enough for me and my 1.8 million remaining frequent flyer miles and points are burning a hole in my pocket.  It used to be enough just to have one trip on the horizon.  Now it seems I need two.

Right now I’m weighing a few potential options.  I figured I’d throw them out there and see what any of you might have to say.  Here’s what I’m evaluating and how I’d make it happen:

  1. Cirque de SoleilLas Vegas Getaway: This is the easiest and probably the most likely.  I’d do this trip on Allegiant Air, just like I talked about in this post.  It would be a weekend deal and cost me very little out of pocket with the $440 reimbursement from the Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard that we have already met the spending requirement on.
  2. Guys trip to Cuba: When Nicole sees this, I’m going to be in some trouble, but I’ve just got this hankering to see Cuba before it becomes less intriguing.  If I were to do this, I’d use 35k Delta Miles to get to Cancun or Cozumel and take a cheap flight from there.
  3. American History Tour: Fresh off the Independence Day holiday, I am, of course, again reminded of just what an incredible history we have here in this country. We put together this amazing tour with Starwood Points that makes for a cheap vacation with free hotels. I’d book my flights on Southwest with Rapid Rewards points (for now Chase is still offering the 50k RR points). Honestly, I can’t tell you when I could realistically fit this in, but when has that ever stopped me from wanderlusting?  I’ve been to DC and to some great sites in the Boston area, but Philadelphia continues to escape me.  I can’t allow this to continue.

    American History

    American History Tour

I’m not sure what we’ll wind up doing, but the best part about all this is that I can sit here and daydream of three amazing vacations I could do for less than $200-500 out of pocket! It’s the kind of thing that just makes me smile.

I want you to smile, too.  Comment below and tell us where you’d like to go and we’ll help you make it happen. Also, if you have some clever tightwad stories, I want to hear them, too.

Thanks for wanderlusting with us, cheapskate!

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I never thought I’d go until I was grey haired, retired, and wore penny loafers and tube socks

Posted on July 12, 2013 by wpengine

Myers 1 This is a guest post by John Myers, a freaking awesome friend.  He had such a great time on his vacation to Italy that he wanted to share it with all of you Wanderlusters.

Yet another trip for myself and my WorldWanderlusting wife (great alliteration huh?).  Last year (2012) we dipped out toes in the world of traveling by spending 10 days in Costa Rica using our American Airlines points, fantastic experience! This year we also used our American Airlines points to go to a place where I never thought I’d go until I was grey haired, retired, and wore penny loafers and tube socks.  ITALY, BABY!  My wife and I spent 10 days engrossing ourselves with Pizza, Pesto, GELATO, trains, gondolas, etc!  Using my Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express and Marriot Rewards Card, we were able to score nearly all our nights on the trip with just these two cards, and didn’t even come close to using all the points on them (I still have over 50k points on my Marriott card).  Thus, this trip was SUPER inexpensive given where and what we did!

We departed out of Salt Lake City, UT with our destination in Venice, Italy.  We had quite a few layovers…am I complaining…not at all.  I only paid $100/ticket in taxes for these flights!  Long as usual flight to Europe.  We flew into Dusseldorf, Germany and switched to Air Berlin.  Good service, do not pass up the complimentary chocolate heart they give you at the end of the flight.  My wife scolded me for not getting one so she could enjoy two!

We arrived in Italy on a Saturday afternoon.  Our first few nights were to be spent in the luxurious Sheraton in Padova, Italy (SPG) -just a puddle jump from Venice.  It was a very nice hotel and had a nice shuttle taking you to downtown Padova.  One of the days the driver went out of his way and took us to the train station.  This saved us some feet pain and/or some taxi money.  We spent the first evening in Padova, anybody looking at us would have picked us out as tourists in a heartbeat.  We both walked around with our jaw dropped in pure ah as to where we found ourselves.  And then it hit me…I never even dreamed of being in Italy at this point in my life.  Like most naïve and inexperienced worldwanderlusters, I thought Italy was for the rich, the famous, and the retired.  I WAS IN ITALY!

The next morning we went to Venice; enjoyed St. Mark’s basilica, the Doge’s Palace, Correr Museum, Rialto Bridge, the canals, the food!  We felt like we were in a dream land.  Without fear of sounding corny, Venice seemed enchanting to us.  We couldn’t get enough of the building design, architecture, people and the food.  Everything about it was wonderful.  We stayed fairly late into the night and headed back to Padova.  So tired. Slept so well.

Venice

Romantic Gandola Ride

The next morning we went to the train station with the Cinque Terre as the next destination.  The ticket office there was extremely helpful in finding us the most inexpensive route.  I had done the research to find a cheap route, they found a cheaper route by a few euros.  It was a fairly long train ride, although we really enjoyed train hopping from Padova – Bologna – Parma – La Spezia – Riomaggiore – and finally Vernazza!  We dropped off our luggage at the La Spezia train station so we wouldn’t have to deal with dragging luggage through the Cinque Terra (VERY glad we did this).  All of the Cinque Terra is magical.  While there, Ash just wanted to stay there the entire trip.  We had a room that overlooked the Ligurian Sea in the Mediterranean…amazing (the only room the entire trip that I actually had to spend some of my own hard earned money on).  I ordered the fresh catch of the day and had a traditional Vernazza dish with anchovies…so awesome!  The entire next day was spent visiting the other villages of the Cinque Terra and eating gelato along the way.  Every town has its own character and vibe…all of them were excellent.

Italy couple vacation

John and Ashley watching the sunset over the Cinque Terre

We went back to La Spezia, retrieved our luggage and got back on the train to hit up PISA!  It was later in the evening once we arrived, so we just went straight to our A.C. Hotel (Marriott) and enjoyed the luxurious setting.  It was a nice hotel with a fairly accommodating location.  The staff was INCREDIBLE.  I felt like a king there.  Because we arrived late and were hungry, they went ahead and fixed both of us up with a sandwich even after the kitchen had closed….FOR FREE!  Only free meal of the trip!

The next morning we found ourselves in a beautiful piazza staring at the craziest leaning tower you’ll ever see.  It is really leaning, people!  We also went into the baptistry and cathedral there.  Of course we took the classic pics holding up the tower (my wife tried her best).  We didn’t go anywhere else in Pisa other than a few blocks from the main piazza and felt this was sufficient.  Jumped on the train after that and we rode with some Aussies the whole way to Florence.  They were such good times everywhere chatting with other travelers.  They almost got a huge fine for not getting their train ticket validated.  We always made it a big point to validate the ticket.

Once we arrived in Florence, we took the hotel shuttle at the end of platform 16 and stayed at the Sheraton Hotel in Florence.  This hotel was in major need of updating, but, it was free!  And we got upgraded to a really big room with a walk-in closet and conference table.  Ashley was dying for some McDonald’s as we saw one close to the hotel.  Although, the only access to the McDonald’s is from the freeway…so that’s exactly what we did.  We hiked along the freeway for about a quarter of a mile to get a quarter pounder – or, more appropriately, 2/5 of a kilometer for a 1/10 kilogram burger.

Over the next couple days we saw all of the most amazing things in Florence.  The Duomo was incredible, we hiked to the top of Brunelleschi’s cupola.  This was worth every penny.  The hike up the stairs and lack of fresh air can get pretty claustrophobic, but the view from the top was spectacular.  It drizzled a little bit that morning, but by 11:00am, sunny and warm.  We also checked out the Ponte Vecchio, a really beautiful bridge.  Piazza del Signoria was beautiful, the palace there was amazing.  We totally enjoyed waking around there and viewing works by Titan, Michelangelo, etc.  The Uffizi was incredible!  Botticelli Spring was also an impressive sight.  We also went to the Museo Nazionale del Bargello and saw Donatello’s David, the first reputable nude sculpture, so awesome.  The sculpture of all sculptures was of course, Michelangelo’s David. I can only describe this experience as surreal and spiritual because I felt a rush of emotions as I sat and looked at him.  He was so magnificent, tall, and studly.  I had studied about it in school, and read a few books as well, and none of them could have prepared me for what I felt standing in that atrium and looking at him.  It was wonderful.  Not only was the David incredible, but I was also really moved by a Pieta done by Michelangelo.  The feeling and emotion of Mary holding the crucified Lord in her arms was something I will never forget.

couple in europe

John & Ashley in Pisa

After spending three days in Florence, our trip was concluding.  We rode a bus from the train station to the tiny Florence airport.  We had an overnight layover in Stuttgart Germany.  Used our free category 1-4 hotel with Marriot here.  It was a nice hotel, just an expensive taxi to get there and back.  The next morning, our flights were as follows: Stuttgart – Berlin – Chicago – Salt Lake City – then drive back to Idaho Falls.

In all seriousness, I can’t thank WorldWanderlusting enough for the opportunity they’ve given my wife and me to see places and sights that I never thought I would ever see with my own eyes.  Italy was magical, and my wife and I are so excited for the next adventure.  We’ve already got enough points for the next trip and we think South America or SE Asia are calling our names.

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Posted in Guest Post, How to Wanderlust, Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Best of Niagara Falls USA

Posted on July 10, 2013 by wpengine

Although they’re the highlight, there is much more to Niagara Falls than just the falls.  Save them like you would a delicious dessert.  (I know, we’re teasing you with a food lead-in, but it’s just a metaphor and we’ll save that exciting for another day). It’s the perfect complement to everything else you’ve done that day.  There are so many incredible things to do in the Niagara Falls area and here we’ll cover some of the best activities to give you an unforgettable experience.

Niagara Stop 1: Niagara Countryside

sacred grove

A Beautiful Upstate New York Farm

The heart of upstate New York is agriculture.  Hundreds of years ago some really dedicated people cut down lots of trees, drained swamps, and leveled ground to make some fertile farmland.  Today you’ll start the day watching the lives of these productive people who plant, fertilize, and harvest crops that feed us.  Spend the first part of the day driving off the 90, and stopping at local fruitstands and getting real organic stuff.  The new homes blend in with the ones that have stood there for over a century.

Niagara Stop 2: Lockport Cave

Lockport PA

Lockport Cave & Boat Ride

Make your way to the small town of Lockport, NY.  Here you’ll get an experience similar to that of the Panama Canal. Ok, maybe that is a bit of a stretch, but it will give you a feel for how locks work.  You’ll see more locks in Lockport than you’ll see on the entire Panama Canal.

While you’re there, you do not want to miss the chance to take a tour of a tunnel that was blasted out of pure rock. It was created to divert excess water from the canal and then harnessed to provide mechanical power to three factories above it. They call it Lockport Cave, and the tour is $12 for adults and $7 for children.  It’s about 70 minutes of history, engineering, and entertainment along the way.

Niagara Stop 3: Old Fort Niagara

niagara

Panoramic of Old Fort Niagara

Have you ever visit a historical battle site and wish that for just a day, or even a moment, you could go back in time to see what it would have been like to be firing shots at the enemy?  Here you’ll get a morsel of living history.

Old flag

Flag that flew over Old Fort Niagara

Fort Niagara was built by the French to protect the ingress into their territory by ships moving from Lake Ontario up the Niagara River.  It taken over by the English, and later seized by the Americans.  Today it is a New York State Park. Be sure to see the Original flag that is an enormous 672 square feet.  That is larger than the average one bedroom apartment!  It is one of very few flags that were made before 1812.

The feeling of patriotism in the fort will move you.  It’s awesome to think of the lives of the people who occupied it and their place in history, and they make it interesting with live interpreters who demonstrate what life would have been like – even firing a musket shot. You won’t regret spending $12 to get in.

Niagara Stop 4: Whirlpool Jetboat

Anytime a liability release begins with “If anyone has heart conditions, neck or back problems….you might want to sit in the back rows” means that I’ll want to be up front.  This is exactly what you get when you show up to do a Whirlpool Jetboat tour of the Niagara Canyon.

Class 5 rapid

Hitting the wave!

I’ve previously posted about how much fun this experience is, but it’s something that is always worth revisiting.  The trip up the rapids is what you think will get you wet, but taking the jetboat down the rapids is where you’re guaranteed to get wet soaked drenched ummm.  I can’t seem to come up with a word that best describes the wetness.  Yelling and screaming is allowed, in fact it is encouraged. This has got to be the best of Niagara Falls’ adventure experiences.

The person who is the craziest on the boat is guaranteed to sign themselves up for a helmet cam on the last run down the class 5 rapids.  (This may have been me… twice) It is the most expensive thing being recommended today – at $61 adult and $51 child, but hopefully because you’re worldwanderlusting with us your hotel will be free tonight, so don’t worry about splurging.  Splurge away!

Final Niagara Stop of the Day: Niagara Falls, USA

Best of Niagara

Cap the night with the Best of Niagara

By now you’ve had a delicious dinner, and hopefully you ate salmon at the Red Coach Inn – The Niagara food experience is also amazing, and eating here is a mega-highlight.  Sit on the patio and watch the people stroll by.  The sun will be setting as you finish up and prepare for a romantic stroll through a park that was designed by the same guy who did Central Park and the landscape at the Biltmore.

Regardless of the innumerable amount of tourists, it is easy to block them out as you enjoy the park, the scenery, and the falls.  Grab an ice cream cone and sit on a bench and watch the world go by.  The sheer majesty of the falls will mesmerize you.  Their grandeur will inspire you.  By the time you have to leave for your hotel, you’ll still be wanting for more, but there is always more to do on your next trip to Niagara Falls.

Stay

Brad and I stayed at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Rochester, NY, which was about an hour from the end of the day, but we really enjoyed visiting 0ur experiences as we made the commute.  There is nothing like a free hotel to cap off a wonderful day of your vacation.

Remember that when you have the Club Carlson Visa your last night is free when redeeming the points.  You can stay at the Radisson that we did for two nights and only use 15,000 of your Gold Points.

Posted in Club Carlson, Fun Travel Stories, Living History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Luxury Italian Castles and Villas: Better than cheap, free

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Brad Christensen

I was brought up to dread spending money. While most people report an exhilarating high upon making a purchase, for me, it’s more like getting stabbed. For better or for worse, this is who I am.  And, incidentally, it’s why we have this blog.  You see, I do get an exhilarating high when I travel. The tough part is that for far too many people you can’t do the one without the other.

But, yes, as you know we’re managing exactly that.  On this blog we’ve told about a $574 six-person flight to Colombia, a $10 flight to Honduras, a European vacation for $4000 off, and even how you could get paid $135 for going on a cruise.

Instead of bitterly paying hard-earned money to quench our wanderlust, we spend our easy-earned points… and in this post we’re going to indulge.

The bulk of what we show you is how to stretch your points and maximize their reach, but every once in a while you owe yourself a splurge.  Now, I’m still talking about a point-splurge, mind you.  I’m not telling you to spend money… we’ll just continue to operate under the impression that it’s as painful for you as it is for us to spend money… and keep showing you how to get and spend points instead.

First off, you need to get your hands on Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard.  This has become my new favorite card on the basis of how flexible it is to use for travel purchases – no complicated point systems, just a simple reimbursement of travel expenses, kicked off by $400 large after spending $1000 in the first 3 months. On an ongoing basis, you can accumulate reimbursements at a rate of 2.2% [gasp].

Let’s just say you not only spend the $1000, but you spend a total of $5000 on this card for the first little while you have it. You wind up with a total of $500 in reimbursement availability, and an immediate $50 kickback. That’s $550 to spend however you’d like.

Speaking of what you’d like… wouldn’t you like to stay in a castle?  Isn’t that everyone’s dream? Well, here are some incredible luxury Italian Castles and Villas you could stay at for 2-7 nights in with your $550 from the Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard.  Please keep in mind that you’d need to be sure that the expense is tagged by Barclaycard in the lodging or travel category in order for them to honor reimbursement.  Your best bet may be to book through an online travel agency.

  1. Castello di Petroia Perugia, Umbria: At least 3 nights, including breakfastsItaly Castles
  2. Castelo di Ripa d’Orcia Siena, Tuscany: 2-3 nights depending on which roomItalian Luxury castles
  3. Villa Empoli, Florence, Tuscany: Up to a weekVillas in Italy
  4. Colle Da Vinci, Florence, Tuscany: 3-4 nightsItalian Farmhouses
  5. Mansion in Cetona, Cetona, Tuscany: 4-5 nightsRental house in Cetona

I know, “luxury” and “free” don’t generally go together, but after having a gander at these places and how many nights you can stay for free, you tell me if you’re not convinced.

It is so incredibly exciting to get other people involved in traveling the “free” way.  We are anxious to hear your stories about what you have planned.  If you have something you’re working on, comment below and maybe we can help you make it happen.  If you have already made some memories, we’d love to have you do a guest post for us.

Thanks for always wanderlusting with us!

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Guest WorldWanderluster – Jared and his son travel to Colombia

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Brad Christensen

Since 1994 I’ve  wanted to return to Colombia.  After having lived there for two years I fell in love with the friendly people and their culture. Like many people I always found other things to spend my money on and could not justify spending the “asking rates” on travel to return.  I continued to “lust” of to travel to Colombia and also visiting other places, with my long term goal of retiring and spending the winter months some where in Central or South America.

I heard about the Wanderlusting wizards, the Christensen brothers, through a mutual friend. It sounded great, traveling the world for next to nothing, but could this really be possible and if so how much of a head ache would it be? Well, in less than a year of implementing the Wanderlusting techniques, I’m saying that it is possible and it takes very little work.  I cashed in on part of my credit card points and used them to make my dream come true of returning to a country I loved and even better taking  my 13-year-old son to South America with me. The cool thing is that I spent a lot less money taking both me and my son to Colombia using the WW principles than I would have just going to Colombia by myself and paying for things the traditional way.

Bogota streets

Jared’s son on the cobbled stone streets of Bogota

We started by getting the Chase Marriott card which is an awesome card that gave me 50,000 points after one single purchase and 50,000 points to my wife after her first single purchase. (Temporarily 70k +1 right now with this link: Marriott Rewards® Credit Card). We stayed in a category 3 Marriott Hotel in Bogota for 10,000 points/night, using only 40,000 of our 100K. These rooms usually cost about $250/night. We stayed 4 nights (could have stayed 5 for no additional cost) but did not. We paid about $6/day for some tax that was not covered by the points. I felt it was the least I could do after all it saved me about a $1,000 by using their card. As for the air fare, both my wife and I got the Chase Sapphire Preferred that got us each 40,000 points which was almost enough to get us both to and from Bogota from Salt lake City. I ended up paying about $244 for two round trip tickets.

food in colombia

Lunch Colombian style

Bogota sits over 8,000 ft above sea level, so despite being near the equator, its elevation provides for a temperate climate with day time temperatures in the mid to upper 60’s. We visited several of the tourist sites one being a tram ride to the top of the mountain to see an old cathedral that was built in the 1600’s and providing the best view of the city of 8 million people. Another was the walk through the old part of Bogota called La Candalaria. The narrow cobbled stone streets, buildings that are hundreds of years old and the smell of empanadas in the air, all made for a memorable afternoon.

white sandy beach

The white sandy beaches of Rosario Islands

After visiting friends and seeing the sites in Bogota, we flew to Cartagena.  Cartagena is a coastal city that has a tropical climate and  has beautiful beaches in the area. In my opinion the neatest part of the city is  “la ciudad amurallada”, meaning “the walled city”.  Most all the buildings and houses in this area are in there original form from some 500 hundreds years ago with Spanish colonial architecture. We visited some old fortresses like San Felipe Castle that were constructed in the 1600’s to protect them from pirates as well as some other museums.

Our favorite part of Cartagena was relaxing on the beaches of the beautiful Rosario Islands. We enjoyed a fresh seafood lunch and white sandy beaches. These islands are  a 50 minute speed boat ride away from Cartagena.   Again we visited with some great people here, made new friends and ate some delicious food.

Overall the trip was even better then I had hoped. It did not quench my thirst for travel but on the contrary has increased my lusting desires to travel more of this beautiful place we call Earth.  I want to give a genuine thank you to WorldWanderlusting.com for helping make my dreams be realized, and setting me up to do a whole lot more!

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