Author: Ice Machine
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Hilton Honors Surpass: Zero to 200k Points in Two Weeks
Often the best time to acquire a new credit card is when you have a large amount of purchasing to do in that card’s specialty categories. If that spending happens to line up with an offer for an elevated sign-up bonus, that’s even better. So when American Express announced an offer of 130,000 points plus…
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A Quick and Dirty Guide to Hong Kong Food
Hong Kong cuisine can definitely be a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated. After almost a month of eating out here 2-3 times a day I’m just now starting to wrap my head around it. At least, I think I have it down enough to let a reader know what to expect if they’re about to…
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Gear Guide: Five Travel Items You Don’t Need (Until You Do)
After 9 months of full time nomadic living I’ve found my packing list has been pretty spot on. All my travel gear so far fits easily into two carry-on bags with room to spare. But there have been a few things I saw fit to pick up along the way. A baton style umbrella, for…
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Review of the Ramada Harbor View Hong Kong: Hotel Intel
When you visit Hong Kong as an American Wyndham’s hotels present a compelling proposition when you’re searching online, particularly if you’re on a budget. Their three hotels in Hong Kong can routinely be had for under $70 USD per night, and are often even less on Expedia. I’ve seen them for as little as $45.…
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Review of the Cup Noodles Museum in Hong Kong
I love instant noodles. Whether it’s after a long watch on a ship at sea or for lunch in a hotel room there’s nothing better than having a hot meal ready in two minutes with no effort. A little garlic and a liberal amount of hot sauce and you’ve got a gourmet delicacy. So when…
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Review of the Chocolate Hills tour in the Philippines
On a recent trip to Bohol Islands in the Philippines I had to take the opportunity for touring the Chocolate Hills. I’m extremely happy I did… mostly because the beaches at Panglao Island are not that great and spending a full four days there is honestly a bit much. Having a full day tour to…
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Review of the Holiday Inn Express Mong Kok: Hotel Intel
If you’re looking for a Hong Kong hotel and you want to stick with a US brand to earn or redeem points Holiday Inn Express Mong Kok is a pretty strong contender for most travelers. Whether you want to stay at one of two HI locations on the Kowloon Peninsula or in the heart of…
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The Ten Best Travel (and Food) TV Shows on YouTube
As someone who’s living in hotels and spending the bulk of my time overseas I watch a ton of TV shows on YouTube. US Streaming subscriptions don’t work overseas. This can be worked-around with the use of a VPN. But I’m often either watching local TV or out of the hotel room doing other things.…
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Review of Bishop Lei International House Hong Kong: Hotel Intel
There are hundreds of hotels in Hong Kong to choose from in all areas of the city. However if you specifically want to stay in the Mid-Levels section of Hong Kong Island the choices are narrowed down very quickly. Probably the best of those options is Bishop Lei International House. The other choices are Garden…
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Doing Laundry While Traveling: A Complete Guide
When I decided to give up my apartment and begin living in hotels full time I knew there were going to be two aspects of daily life that could be difficult or inconvenient: Eating without a kitchen and doing laundry while traveling. On balance it hasn’t been that tricky at all. But it can sometimes…