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Not Your Average Gal

Not Your Average Gal

Copywriter. Content Creator. Constant Sassypants.

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Travel

How I Found 3 Dresses That Fit My Chest: Hoi An, Vietnam Tailoring

May 13, 2018 By Caroline Peterson

After a brief 3 days in Hong Kong and a whirlwind 4 days in chaotic Hanoi, Vietnam, we headed down the coast of Vietnam to the beautiful coastal town of Danang. We parked our tushes in Danang instead of Hoi An because we had Hyatt points to burn, so we took one for the team and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort-it was a steal at 12,000 points a night.

We knew we wanted to go to Hoi An and since the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort offered shuttles to town and back, we swam during the day and headed to Hoi An in the late afternoons to get fitted for some tailor-made clothes. It wasn’t ideal being a shuttle-ride-away from Hoi An, but with views like this, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

The Secret of Hoi An, Vietnam—Tailoring!

I first heard about the wonders of tailoring in Hoi An from That Backpacker and kept it on my travel bucket list for years to come. When the hubster said he was interested in getting some clothes made, it sealed the deal on whether or not we’d be going during our 2-week adventure in Asia.

Hoi An is a beautifully preserved UNESCO World Heritage 15th century city with both French influence, from it’s tumultuous colonization, as well as extraordinary Vietnamese heritage. What I didn’t realize was the tailoring came into play because Hoi An was once a major port on the silk route and served as a trading post. The tailoring tradition continues today where tailors produce beautiful quality clothes for relatively cheap prices compared to what we’d get back home.

Hoi An Vietnam Tailoring

How to Choose a Tailor Shop in Hoi An

Where to begin when choosing a tailor in Hoi An? Until you get there, you truly don’t realize how many tailor shops there are in a seemingly tiny town! They line every single street, with the more expensive ones closer to the main drag of hotels and shops by the Thu Bôn River.

Hoi An Vietnam Tailoring

The hubster narrowed our choices down to about 5 tailors based simply on TripAdvisor reviews. Prior to arriving, I suggest doing the same, as well as looking on Pinterest for bloggers who have their own experiences with tailors in Hoi An. I also asked a couple travel buddies I knew who gave me a few recommendations. You could spend hours and hours looking at reviews to see what’s best, but just do what we did and narrow it down to a few and then visit them!

We went into two different shops before settling on one. What turned us off from the others were the lack of styles already tailored on mannequins in the shop itself. It was mainly just all fabrics and books of pictures of what styles they could do. If you’re sales-person-averse like I am, just know you’re going to feel pressured somewhat, it just depends on your threshold. So just go with what you value when heading into the stores, for me it was having friendly service and some sense of control about how the clothes would turn out.

The Tailor Shop we Chose

Hoi An Vietnam Tailoring
Phong Cách Thòi Trang – Hoi An Tailor Shop

We immediately felt at ease by the kindness of Hanh and Linh when walking into Phong Cách Thòi Trang tailor shop. They had plenty of styles available for us to take a look and and an extensive collection of fabrics. While the hubster was basically getting a new wardrobe, I just casually walked around and Linh showed me plenty of fabrics once she saw that I was drawn to blue. She was very patient as I told her we were basically just getting clothes for my husband, but as I saw women coming in and out getting fitted for really nice dresses, I thought I’d give it a go too. I’m so glad I did!

Hoi An Vietnam Tailoring

Since I currently live in Florida and the hubster is in Michigan, we needed different weights of fabric. He got a thick winter coat, I got a lightly lined blazer. It was perfect. I would absolutely recommend Phong Cách Thòi Trang if you’re in Hoi An, Vietnam. The shop was professional, kind and definitely a memory I’ll never forget.

Another cool part? This shop keeps your measurements on file, so if you want something made again, you just need to reach out and describe what you like. I actually reached out via email to thank them afterwards and they responded very quickly, so I imagine the process would be just as nice as it was in the store. Hoi An Vietnam Tailoring

How the Tailoring Process Works

First, you need to give yourself at least 3 days in Hoi An to have a proper fitting. I’m sure tailors will offer to do it for less time, for a fee, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are okay doing any alterations at home.

One the first day, you’ll choose the style and fabrics you want. Depending on the tailor, they should have the fabric in the store, so you can look and feel it. I wouldn’t recommend just going with something without seeing it. Literally words get lost in translation and I’m also a hopeless control freak.  Then they will measure you every which way, which is always awesome when you stand a foot taller than most locals and even with 6 years as a Floridian under your belt, you still somehow manage look like a drowned rat, drenched in sweat.

The second day, you’ll come back and try everything on. Nearly all my pieces needed to be altered just a smidge, which was great because how often do we go into stores and just deal with the sleeves being too long or the buttons screaming for dear life over your bust area? Just me?

On the last day, you’ll head back, try everything on again and either give them the thumbs up or ask for other small alterations. All of the hubster’s clothing and mine, except for one dress, were all set and ready to go. Shockingly, after my first round of alterations, my orange dress was a little big in the boobs. (Pigs immediately started flying outside.) She saw what I was seeing, took it off me and did the alterations right there! Now, I’m sure if we had another day in Hoi An she would have told us to come back the next day, but she knew we were leaving on a flight in the morning and quickly accommodated that. How cool, right?

What we Got

Caroline got:

  • 2 mid-length dresses
  • 1 long dress
  • 1 blazer

Husband got:

  • 4 long sleeved shirts
  • 3 short sleeved shirts
  • 2 winter coats
  • 1 pair of pants
  • The ability to never say I buy too much again.

What it Cost

We paid $400 in total for everything. Every. thing. She gave me a discount on my dresses after she saw how much the hubster was buying. As I mentioned above, I only thought I’d take a look and see if I liked anything, I didn’t know if I would buy. But, she was very kind and good at her job.

Was it Worth it?

For me, yes. I have a hard time finding clothes that fit in the right places. I can’t tell you how many times I have to size up so it fits over my tig ol’ bitties and then I’m swimming in a shirt or dress. I’m also all torso, so finding blazers or trendy bomber jackets is nearly impossible without it looking like a tube top. So basically, what I’m saying is, this experience was ideal for my disproportionate, T-Rex-with-huge-boobs body.

Plus, we got to wear our new gear in Las Vegas when we saw the one and only, Elton John.

What do you think? Would you ever get your clothes tailored in a foreign country?

Filed Under: Vietnam

My 2018 Travel Gear & Essentials

April 15, 2018 By Caroline Peterson

Not Your Average Gal participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This is of no extra cost to you. It only helps me keep Not Your Average Gal running.

I get asked a lot about what type of gear I use when traveling. Over the years, through many countries, and often trial and error, I've found my groove with knowing what works best. This list shows what I've currently got in my travel arsenal.

Bags

The nitty gritty. “What luggage do you use?” This is the question I’m most asked by readers, along with, “How do you maintain such natural beauty?” My best advice is, yes, invest a few extra bills in your luggage, especially if you regularly check your bags. Do you need to drop thousands, heck no! With the exception of the Lo & Songs OG bag, all of these cost less than $150 and have paid out that investment time and time again, as you’ll see.

Kenneth Cole Reaction Pack Of All Trades

This is my newest purchase and what a deal on Amazon! It has so many compartments and well placed pockets that it carried all my gadgets for our most recent trip to Asia. I will be using this again and again. And I carry a lot – see below.

Lo & Sons OG bag

Lo and Sons Army Green Gold OG Bag

Haven’t heard of Lo & Sons? Well, let me introduce you to your new bag best friend. It has been my go-to laptop carry-all, carry-on bag for years. In fact, I used to use it for work too, when I had to commute into the office everyday. Plus, they have the best customer service. While I was in Korea, the clasp that held my strap, snapped off. I contacted them after I got home and explained what happened. They asked me to take a picture, apologized profusely and then sent me a brand new bag! Holla!

Travelpro Maxlite 4 International Carry-On Spinner Suitcase

Ladies and gents, this is it. I've had the Travelpro Maxlite 4 International Carry-On Spinner Suitcase for nearly 3 years and it has been to 13 countries and on countless domestic flights. It is international dimensions, which is important when trying to avoid checked baggage fees. It is one inch smaller than domestic dimensions, so it will fit in smaller regional international overhead bins. Plus, that means I can't take as much and therefore it will pass the weight test. A lot people don't know that there are such strict rules, but let me tell ya', they will test you – check out the story in the Bangkok section here. The Travelpro Maxlite 4 International Carry-On Spinner Suitcase has held up beautifully and I'm hoping to get more years out of it. PSST—IT’S ON SALE NOW ON AMAZON! Boo-yah. 

Knomo Luggage Women’s Hanover Briefcase

I love, love, love this Knomo laptop briefcase. It’s slim and stylish and makes me look more put together than my leggings would indicate. Now that I’m working remotely a lot, this doubles as my laptop case and purse, with pockets for everything. Out of all my bags, this one hands down, gets the most compliments.

Electronics

Cheers to a successful trip to Asia using my SkyRoam (see below).

Gadgets galore. Since I was a kid, I’ve always traveled with a camera. Back when they did that weird thing where you couldn’t see the picture after you took it and had to wait 2 days to have that odd thing called film printed. Can you imagine?! With a camera, comes all the gear, plus items I've found super helpful in keeping me connected and charged. All of these items, especially the Sony Alpha a6000 are sure bets when it comes to travel gear.

Portable Charger

The hubster bought this for us years ago and it has been awesome. One charge will keep us connected for nearly a week before we need to charge it again. We’ve had good luck with the Anker brand and ours has 2 USB ports, so both of us can charge our phones at the same time, while on the go.

Sony Alpha a6000

I made the leap to a mirrorless camera right before my trip to Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. It was honestly one of the best decisions I could have made in terms of travel gear. Mirrorless cameras are so much lighter compared to their DSLR big brothers. Plus, if you're into photography and don't use the automatic option much, mirrorless cameras let you actually see your shot all set up, with the settings you've chosen before you hit capture. The Sony Alpha a6000 is incredible in low light; it's great for amateurs like me. I've taken so many fantastic pictures with the Sony Alpha A6000 that I've even enlarged a few and framed them to hang on our walls.

GoPro

I bought this puppy from a friend and it has captured some of the best (and funniest) videos of our adventures. I either clip it on my backpack or bike, throw it on a selfie-stick and walk around or just leave it propped up on a table to capture the sunrise. If I were to do it differently now, I would buy the GoPros that have the display on the back (featured here), which is something all GoPros have now. While I pretty darn good with a camera, sometimes the shot isn't set up exactly the way I'd prefer, and the display would help with that. A GoPro is essential if you want to capture some of the best footage of your travels.

Gear Ties

For organized, type-A people like myself, these have proven to be lifesavers. The gear ties act as twist ties for all my electronic cords. It keeps all of them tidy and easy to unravel; which is key when you don't have a Phd is in quantum physics to figure out how to slyly take apart your headphones without getting in a tizzy. Or so I’ve heard…

Travel Outlet Adaptor

I've probably had 4 outlet adaptors in all my travels and this is easily the best. It's compact, has 2 USB ports and can adjust to any world outlet, all using one device. You may still need to use a converter for your devices in conjunction with this adaptor, but most of mine are Apple products which typically convert the voltage automatically. 

Belkin Surge Protector and Charger Power Strip

You know when you get to a hotel room and there are approximately 2 outlets in the entire room (neither of which are close to the bed)? That's when this sucker comes in handy. The Belkin Surge Protector and Charger Power Strip has 3 outlets and 2 USB ports, which easily gives me the ability to charge everything all at once. Plus, the plug head rotates so you can squeeze it into any weird location.

SkyRoam Wi-Fi HotSpot

Tired of paying for packages or roaming charges with your phone carrier when traveling abroad? Let me introduce you to this little gadget I love so much called, the Skyroam. We have AT&T, which offers a $10/day international pass with unlimited data or a $40 Passport for 30 days with 256 MB data. Both are nice, with one caveat; you aren't covered in some countries or you're traveling for more than a few days and will easily burn through 256 MB. The SkyRoam works in over 100 countries for unlimited data and you can connect up to 5 devices. The best part? It's only freakin' $9 for 24 hours. It was integral for us while roaming the packed streets of Hanoi, Vietnam or climbing temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The investment has already paid for itself and will do so more in future travels. Get $20 off when you use this link.

Essentials

These are the things I never would have thought of as travel essentials, but now that I’ve used them, I will never, ever travel without them. You hear that? These are the game changers, ladies and gents. Be sure to add some to you travel arsenal.

eBags Packing Cubes

The key to taking only a carry-on for two week trips? PACKING CUBES! These have been integral to my packing prowess, where I can whip out the Tetris skills with the best of them. There are other packing cubes on the market, but these have been my standby for years. You can squeeze so much into these suckers, you'll be amazed at how much space is saved with eBags Packing Cubes. They come in a variety of sizes – I suggest getting a the variety pack and seeing which size you like best and then buying one pack of that particular size.

eBags Pack-it-Flat Toiletry Kit

Honestly? This is probably the best toiletry bag I've ever owned. No joke. Once all packed up, it slips right on into the top of my carry on and can slide in the front pocket. This slim guy packs a punch too, you will be surprised at how much can fit in it! I have it for probably 5 years and it hasn't shown any sign of wear and tear. If there's one thing you should buy on this list, this is it.

Passport Holder

Tired of fiddling with your license, passport, boarding pass, Global Entry card and whole traveling life? Get a passport holder!  This makes me appear to be a travel ninja – handing my passport or license to gate agents and TSA, all while maintaining my travel docs right in the same holder. It may seem simple, but this is something I never, ever travel without, even domestically, because we never know what may happen while out of town with the current administration and state of affairs. Am I right?

Laundry Detergent

Remember how I mentioned I can pack for two weeks in one carry-on? I don't carry two weeks with of underwears (yes, plural) with me and aside from wearing them inside out or paying astronomical hotel laundry fees, there aren't many options. Cue Lucky Fiji Power Sheets. Instead of packing liquid or powder detergent packs, these detergent sheets lay flat and you only need to take a couple. They easily dissolve in the washer and your undies now smell like roses, as they always should. I recommend these over any other brand or the liquid and powder variety.

PIN ME!

The Best Travel Gear & Essentials. #traveltips #packingtips #travelgear #notyouraveragegal
The Best Travel Gear & Essentials. #traveltips #packingtips #travelgear #notyouraveragegal
The Best Travel Gear & Essentials. #traveltips #packingtips #travelgear #notyouraveragegal

All of these items I’ve personally used and would recommend again and again. Do you have any of these? What's in your travel arsenal?

Filed Under: Travel Prep

Oh, Yes We Did. How We Spent Two Weeks in Asia for Less than $650-including Flights in Business Class

March 27, 2018 By Caroline Peterson

What’s the first thing your little fingers start typing when planning a trip? How to get there, where to stay and how freakin’ much is it gonna cost me? Well aren’t you lucky you landed here today.

I’m going to show you exactly how the hubster and I flew to Asia—in business class—and stayed in fancy-schmancy hotels—that often left us feeling a few tax brackets below the rest of the population—all for under $650. 2 weeks. 2 people. Less than $650.

Why do I care, Not Your Average Gal?

Because travel is more accessible than you believe and it’s something I wholeheartedly think changes your world perspective—for the better.

Ready to dive in? Let’s go!

I’ve organized this little lesson according to our itinerary, so you can see how it all adds up in the end.

Flying to Hong Kong

ORD-HKG
Cathay Pacific, Business Class
140,000 American miles
$11.20 taxes

Since we live in separate states, very often when we leave for international trips, we fly to connect in the same airport, enjoy some bubbly and then jet off to paradise. Did that sound obnoxious? Good.

We redeemed 140,000 American Airline miles to use on their partner, Cathay Pacific, for our long-haul flight to Hong Kong. It also included my flight to Chicago in First Class on American. I have some American Airline miles through credit card sign-up bonuses. Additionally, I transferred 51,000 SPG points to my American account, which gave me a 20% transfer bonus, for a total of 61,000 transferred points. SPG is Starwood Preferred Guest, the mothership company for hotels like Westin, the W and Sheraton.

Staying in Hong Kong

Intercontinental Hong Kong
2 nights
60,000 IHG points
1 Free Night Certificate

Intercontinental Hong Kong Habour View Room

The last time I stayed in Hong Kong, I spent 3 nights at the Intercontinental Hong Kong and knew I wanted to show the hubster what killer views it had of Victoria Habour. I redeemed one of my free night certificates I have by being an IHG Rewards Club Select credit card holder. The hubster used points from his 80,000 point sign-up bonus that he got when I encouraged him to apply for the IHG Rewards Club Select credit card last year, when we originally booked our flights for this trip.

Conrad Hong Kong
2 nights
132,000 Hilton Honors Points

Conrad Hong Kong Peak View

While I enjoyed staying on the Kowloon side, I knew I wanted to explore more of Hong Kong Island itself, so we booked 2 nights at the Conrad Hong Kong for 132,000 Hilton Honors points. I’ve built up quite a stash by primarily staying in Hilton brands, like on our trip to London last year, utilizing the sign-up bonus with the American Express Hilton card (formerly Citi Hilton) and making sure I book stays when bonuses are going on. For instance, I got double the points for our 4 night stay in London because I booked during a time when that promotion was going on. That helped with booking on points for this stay. What’s awesome about having the card is you’re automatically given Hilton Gold status which gains you access to the Executive Lounges in Asia. Free bubbly, wine, beer and good eats with a view!

Flying to Hanoi, Vietnam

HKG-HAN
Cathay Dragon, Economy
9,000 British Airways Avios
$65.18 taxes

747 Fan-girl Heaven

You don’t think it’s all bubbly and business class all the time, do you? We’re totally fine booking cheap flights in economy and traveling light so we don’t need to pay for checked luggage. I utilized British Airways amazing award travel chart for 4,500 Avios for flights that are less than 650 miles (excluding flights to/from North America). Because Cathay is a partner of British Airways, it was super easy to book through BA online. Wham. Bam. Thank ya’ British ma’am.

Staying in Hanoi, Vietnam

Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi
3 nights
30,000 Hilton Honors Points

Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi
View from our balcony

It was hard to pass up using our stash of Hilton Honors points for only 10,000 points a night. Basically, our entire stay in Hanoi wouldn’t even cover half the cost of one night of our stay in the Conrad Hong Kong. We had hoped with my Hilton Gold status we would have been upgraded to the suites, but there weren’t any available and we did have a nice balcony view that others didn’t. The hotel manager did provide a nice tip though, he said when booking at a Hilton Garden Inn online, make a note of your room preference because status isn’t necessarily recognized automatically at Hilton Garden Inns (since the rooms are typically the same).

Flying to Da Nang, Vietnam

JetStar, Economy
$133.12

It was a super quick and super cheap flight into Da Nang from Hanoi. Remember, these costs are for two people. So the individual ticket price is less than $67. This is when it makes much more sense to use cash than points. Discount carriers are plentiful in Asia (and Europe) and this flight fit perfectly in our itinerary. Plus, we played the middle seat game and scored by having no one book the seat between us in the front row.

Staying in Da Nang, Vietnam

Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa
3 nights
24,000 Ultimate Rewards points transferred to World of Hyatt points
1 Free Night Award

Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa: Da Nang Resort Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa: Da Nang Resort

Oh how I wished we could have stayed one more night in this glorious resort! I transferred 24,000 points from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Hyatt for 2 nights of our stay and utilized a free night award at the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa.

A majority of points earned are by using our Chase Sapphire and Chase Freedom cards. The points earned with Chase are Ultimate Rewards points and can be transferred 1:1 to many travel partners. We pay for nearly everything with these cards, utilizing their bonus categories. See my tips below on how to maximize. Then, because I have the Chase Hyatt credit card, I get 1 free night each year, which I utilized for this stay. It may not have been the best redemption because it costs “so few” points to stay here as compared to other Hyatt resorts. For instance, our regular stays at the the Hyatt Zilara Resort are 25,000 points/night. But, we don’t anticipate traveling a ton this year while I build my business, so I say, USE AWAY!

Flying to Siem Reap, Cambodia

DAD-HAN-REP
Vietnam Airlines, Economy
45,000 Delta SkyMiles
$62.40 taxes

The hubster and I have been “saving” our SkyMiles for quite a long time and honestly, they are getting impossible to redeem for a good value, as many travel hackers will tell you. The last time we redeemed SkyMiles was on our flight to Seoul, South Korea in the upper deck of their now retired 747. *Let’s pour one for the Queen of the Skies* We could have dropped close to $400 each to fly into Siem Reap, but we thought it was a good opportunity to use those SkyMiles. Plus, with my Delta Gold Medallion status, I get free lounge access on international flights, so we I did enjoy some bubbly.

Staying in Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Amazing Residence
2 nights
$76.80

The Amazing Residence Siem Reap Cambodia The Amazing Residence Siem Reap Cambodia

Our main goal was to see and explore Angkor Wat again, so we just were looking for a nice, clean place to lay our heads. We saw The Amazing Residence had a pool and were sold. You really can’t beat the rate and it was in a central part of town. Plus, their employees were so gosh dang friendly. It certainly made our stay.

Flying to the United States

REP-BKK
Bangkok Airways, Economy
$197.20

Siem Reap International Plaza Premium Lounge

If you do nothing in life except get the Citi Prestige Mastercard, you’ll be one happy camper when flying out of Siem Reap. With Citi Prestige, you are automatically given a Priority Pass Select membership which gives you lounge access in many airports. We really enjoyed Siem Reap International Airport’s Plaza Premium Lounge—it was easily my Top 5 of lounges I’ve been in.

We flew on Bangkok Airways, which is known as the “boutique airline” of Thailand. It was perfectly nice, except the flight attendant at check-in eye-balled my luggage that I was carrying-on and asked me to put it in the dreaded carry-on bag size tester on display. I knew it would fit because my bag not only fits domestic standards, but international as well. Meaning, I lose 1 inch of space each time I fly, just for moments like this when they want to test my travel prowess. I took my slim toiletries bag out of my luggage (which I keep in the front), put it in my backpack and watched that puppy slide right into the display. Passed with flying colors.

“Take that,” an immature world traveler thought to herself.

BKK-ICN-JFK
Asiana, Business Class
160,000 Ultimate Rewards Points transferred to United
$94.32 taxes

Business Class Asiana Airlines

From there, we had an 8-hour layover in Bangkok and had we not been so darn exhausted from hauling our butts around 3 countries, we would have left the airport to explore Bangkok again. But, instead we ate mango sticky rice and waited for check-in to open before we busted it to the lounge for bubbly. Are you sensing a trend?

We transferred 160,000 Ultimate Rewards points that we earned using our Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Freedom cards to United. United is a partner of Asiana and you can book directly on United.com if you find availability. The transfer usually happens immediately, so you can book right when they hit your account. I always recommend Asiana Business Class, it may not be as fancy-schmancy as some redemptions, but the hard product and customer service are always consistent and friendly.

Bottom Line

To give you an idea of how much a trip like this would cost, I’ve placed the approximate retail costs of each flight and hotel next to what we actually paid. Since I didn’t look at the actual prices the day I booked, the retail costs are a general average based on a basic search and other travel bloggers findings. Your mileage may vary, but it gives you a pretty dang good idea.

Travel for 2 Persons Approximate Retail Cost Paid
Cathay Pacific Business Class $8,500.00 $11.20
Intercontinental Hong Kong $600.00 $0.00
Conrad Hong Kong $950.00 $0.00
Cathay Dragon Economy $65.18 $65.18
Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi $200.00 $0.00
JetStar Economy $133.12 $133.12
Hyatt Regency Da Nang Vietnam $675.00 $0.00
Vietnam Airlines, Economy $62.40 $62.40
The Amazing Residence, Siem Reap $76.80 $76.80
Bangkok Airways, Economy $197.20 $197.20
Asiana Business Class $6,000.00 $94.32
Total $17,459.70 $640.22

Not bad, eh?

Award Travel Tips

  • Pay for everything with your miles-points earning credit card. Every-thing. Then pay off your balance at the end of the month. (Duh.)
  • Don’t immediately scoff at how many points we redeemed for this trip as something you could never possible spend in order to earn the points. You will be shocked at how quickly you earn points, especially with bonus categories.
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you 2X points on all travel and dining. Chase Freedom gives you 5x the points for different categories each quarter. This quarter is grocery stores. Score!  
  • Having a lot of credit cards does not decrease your credit score.  Not paying them on time and carrying high balances does!
  • Sign up for hotel credit cards. Very often, they give you status and Free Reward Night Certificates for a nominal annual fee.
  • Have a trip or travel focus in mind. For the hubster and me, we like long-haul flights where we can lay down and sleep on our way to Asia. So we know the Chase Ultimate Rewards program is our sweet spot. But if you’re into family vacations to Disney, you may concentrate your spending on an airline credit card that allows you to redeem points to fly the fam for free.
  • You can see my favorite Miles and Points Programs here. I will be doing an updated post soon to show you what has or hasn’t changed for how we utilize award travel.

Please note: As many of you know, the hubster and I live 1400 miles apart temporarily. This total does not include our positioning flights because most (sane) couples live in the same state. I felt it would misrepresent the costs for a majority of people if it were included. But, in full disclosure and for your nosey information: We paid $331.90 in total for all of our positioning flights.

Traveling and seeing the world is possible. It simply depends on whether or not you make it a priority. Do you need to fly business class or stay at fancy hotels? Heck no! But when you can do it for free, we see the value in it. Our preferences and priorities have certainly changed over time and yours may be totally different. However you want to roll, just know that traveling tens of thousands of miles is away is something you can (and should) do.

What do you think? How did we do?

More Miles & Points Posts:

My Favorite Programs for Earning Miles and Points

The Basics of Earning Miles and Points

Hotels: How I Stayed in Fancy Hotels for 10 Nights for Under $400

Total Costs: Travel to Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong

Airfare: How I Flew in Business Class to Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong for Under $100

Filed Under: Cambodia, Hong Kong, Travel Hacking, Vietnam

Sneak Peek: Two Weeks, One Carry-on and a Full Itinerary

March 8, 2018 By Caroline Peterson

I’m back from the other side of the world!

Real talk: My mind and body are still 12 hours ahead. *cue the espresso*

It’s incredible what 2 straight weeks with your long-distance significant other can do for your heart and sanity. It was the most amount of time we’ve spent together in nearly 2 years. Let that sink in for a bit. And we only argued once while hiking Dragon’s Back Mountain in Hong Kong. After a 3 hour hike turned into 5. After my old foot injury started acting up. After it was balls hot. After we hadn’t eaten in 5 hours. And WE SURVIVED.

We did this trip a bit differently, not having each day planned out other than, “This sounds cool. Let’s do this.” But, man, it was pretty jam-packed from start to finish—and it was great!

Did I mention we paid less than $500 for hotels and flights and we flew business class there and back? Be patient, my little grasshoppers. I’ll show you in due time how we did it.

Here’s a small sneak peak of our itinerary to get your mouths watering before I blog about each city and country.

Flights

Business Class Asiana Airlines

On the way there, we flew Cathay Pacific from Chicago in business class on our 15 hour flight to Hong Kong. I had two 3-course meals, got to lay down to sleep and watched the Oscary-worthy, The Emjoji Movie. On our way home, we flew Asiana Airlines from Bangkok with a layover in Seoul, and then onto our 13 hour flight into New York. This time, I ate another two 3-course meals, laid down to sleep and watched real Oscar-worthy movies, The Darkest Hour and Dunkirk—which I highly recommend watching together in one night if you can.

Hong Kong

Intercontinental Hong Kong

We stayed 4 nights, splitting our stay between the Intercontinental Hong Kong and the Conrad Hong Kong. Both were spectacular. We explored Kowloon, ate enough Dim Sum to feed an army and, like I mentioned above, did a longer than expected hike of Dragon’s Back. Our last night we did a food tour with WithLocals and weaved our way in and out of local markets and restaurants. Oh yeah, this was after the hike too. I believe I had close to 30K steps that day. Feet, on fire!

Vietnam

Hanoi

Bahn Mi

We landed in Hanoi early in the morning after a quick flight from Hong Kong. We spent 3 nights at the Hilton Garden Inn, which is only a 15 minute walk from the Old Quarter, where all the fun stuff happens. Hanoi is a game of frogger—don’t look, just cross the street and the scooters will adjust their path around you. It took me 2 days to accept that I wasn’t going to die. We did a historical tour with HanoiKids and a street food tour with Intrepid. Can we talk about my newfound love of Banh Mi and Vietnamese coffee? (Sorry Cuba, Vietnam stole my coffee-loving heart.) Don’t worry, I’ll be diving into this perfect sandwich and coffee in further blogs.

Da Nang

Hyatt Regency Resort Danang

After an hour-ish flight from Hanoi, we landed in Central Vietnam in a coastal city called Da Nang. It was the prefect respite for us from the wonderful chaos of Hanoi. We stayed for 3 nights at the Hyatt Regency Resort Danang and honestly, we probably should have stayed another full night. It was glorious! Each day we’d take the shuttle into Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage city, to sample some local food (Cao Lau!) and get clothes made. YES! Hoi An is known for their tailoring. I bought 3 dresses and the hubster bought an entire new wardrobe. Keep your eyes peeled for an entire blog post dedicated to that experience.

Cambodia

Angkor Wat Siem Reap Cambodia

We booked our flight to Cambodia using whatever Delta SkyMiles we had left, which took us back through Hanoi and landed us in Siem Reap about an hour and a half later. It was great use of our miles and we barely lost any time to traveling. Cambodia will forever hold a special place in my heart because it was the first country we explored in Southeast Asia 4 years ago. We specifically came back to Siem Reap for 2 nights to further explore Angkor Wat, the largest religious complex in the world. We used the same thoughtful and generous tour guide, Tep Nat, who took us to quiet, off the beaten path temples that we would have never discovered on our own. If you want to feel like Indiana Jones, be sure to look for my next posts about exploring Angkor Wat.


Those 2 weeks were just what the doctor ordered. (Ha. Pun intended. Dr. Hubster.) I’m incredibly grateful to be able to travel the world and let little nooks of my heart and mind be forever changed by the cultures and people I meet.

What are you most excited to read about on Not Your Average Gal?

Filed Under: Cambodia, Hong Kong, Vietnam

London Reminded Me of Who I Am

January 18, 2018 By Caroline Peterson

How do you leave a place that has been so integral to who you are as a women, as a wife, as a friend, as a contributing member of society? The simple answer is, you don't. Much like your first love, it's hard to forget the place that seeped into your heart and carved out a niche in your mind.

For me, that's London.

As we left Paddington Station on the day of our arrival this past late-November, we made our way towards my place of solace, Hyde Park. I found myself overcome with a wide-range of emotions. I was back. I was home. So much had changed. So much has stayed the same.

Reasons Why I Love London

During our time exploring the nooks and crannies of my old stomping grounds, I quickly fell back into the London pace of things: hopping on and off the tube, standing on the right, walking on the left, looking to the right before crossing a road, grabbing a proper ale and queueing like a pro.

I breathed in diversity. I reveled in the arts. I soaked in the history. I was surrounded by multiple languages.

I spent time meeting up with friends who were impactful during integral times in my life.

I was home.

It has been over a decade since I lived in London interning at a human rights organization. At 22, I was a charismatic, ambitious, go-getter with hopes of traveling and making a meaningful impact in the world.

I’m still that 22-year-old. Just a bit older and sadly, more jaded.

It was hard to swallow the knot of regret that filled my throat as I remembered some dreams that have yet to come to fruition; thinking of the time that’s gone by as time lost. I got emotional walking down the streets in Brixton where I used to walk each day on my way to work. So much had changed, including me. But, even in those reflective moments, I still deeply recognized and more importantly, identified with those goals I still have.

I was in London with the love of my life enjoying watching him fall in love with the city I used to call home. It’s something that’s hard to describe, seeing your forever pal take a genuine interest in something you keep close to your heart.

On our last night in London, we sat by the Thames talking about our dreams, our future. Sharing the realities of our current long-distance marriage, the hardships of his medical residency and where we hoped those sacrifices would take us in 5 years. As the glow of the outside heater cast a yellow light on the hubster’s face, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly lucky. To share this vulnerable moment with him, to have his partnership by my side.

I may not physically be that 22-year-old anymore, but I was quickly put on notice that the same kind-hearted, compassionate, curious, creative, hard-working gal still resides in there. She may have diverted from the path for a bit, but those dreams and desires still hold true.

Now is the time to take a leap of faith in the same spirit a 22-year-old did when moving to a foreign country. Why not do it and see where it takes me? The greatest stories and life lessons of my existence have begun that way.

London was just what I needed to remind me what’s important. To remind me of what fulfills me. To remind me of the values I still posses. To remind me…of me.

From the bottom of this old(er) gal’s heart, thank you, London. You were, and forever will be, just what I needed.

Filed Under: England

My Travel Plans for 2018

January 7, 2018 By Caroline Peterson

I’m often asked, “So, where ya’ off to next?” or “Hey world, traveler. Where’s the next destination?” or “Jesus. Do you ever stay in the country?”

Haters gonna hate. 

This year is starting off like most, with future travel plans mostly solidified or at the very least set in motion. But there’s a twist, because we don’t have anything set on the docket after May. Blasphemy! Read on to find out (sorta) why.

January – Key West, FL

Hubster was here in Fort Lauderdale for a brief time after Christmas and then me and the gals hit the road down to Key West. We stayed at the Sheraton Suites Key West, right near Smathers Beach and rang in the new year on Duval street downtown. Overall it was a great, well-needed getaway with my close friends.

I’ll be honest, I was shocked at how bad The Keys were between Key Largo and Key West. For those of you unfamiliar, The Keys are a string of tropical islands stretching 120 miles below the Florida peninsula, starting with Key Largo and ending in Key West; 43 keys are connected via bridges all the way down to Key West. The Keys are quite literally still recovering from Hurricane Irma and it broke my heart. How could I live in the same state and not know this? How did it fall off the media radar so quickly? Please keep The Keys and Puerto Rico in your mind when making any donations in 2018. I know we certainly contributed with our tourist dollars in Key West.

 

February – Hong Kong

Victoria Peak Hong Kong

As I mentioned last year in My 2017 Travel Plans, we were hoping to string together 2 weeks of vacation to head back to Southeast Asia in 2018. Mission accomplished.

We booked these flights last year, all on miles and points, all in business class, landing in Hong Kong and departing from Bangkok. Up until last month, that was all that we had planned. Ha! My original intent was to go directly to Myanmar via a cheap regional airline once we got to Asia. But the human rights atrocities that are happening to the Rohingya Muslims sealed the deal on my conscience not letting that happen.

As some of you may remember, we had originally planned to go to Myanmar back in 2015, but the entire trip was canceled. I mentioned then that it broke my heart that I wouldn’t get see the temples in Bagan, Myanmar. I guess they will still have to wait.

So we start our adventure in Hong Kong, which I’m so excited to show the hubster. I went there alone in 2015 and knew the first night I was there that he’d love it. We’re staying at both The Intercontinental in Kowloon and also the Conrad on the main island. Both were booked using points. I love travel hacking!

See how little I paid for my last trip to Hong Kong here: How I Stayed in Fancy Hotels for 10 Nights for under $400

Also, can we talk about all the dumplings and pork buns I’m going to eat?!

 

March – Hanoi, Vietnam; ? & Bangkok, Thailand

From Hong Kong, we fly into Hanoi, Vietnam and stay at the Hilton Garden Inn near the Old Quarter for 3 nights. Yup, you guessed it, both the flight and hotel were all booked on points again. So far, this trip has only cost us a few booking fees and taxes. Yeah, buddy!

See how I little I paid for all my flights in Business Class here: Airfare: How I Flew In Business Class To Australia, New Zealand And Hong Kong For Under $100

After Hanoi, we may go to Halong Bay. We may go down to Hoi An. We may take a flight to Cambodia and explore the country we love so much a little more. We know we want some beach time and are looking at beaches in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

Who knows where the next stop is?! That’s part of the adventure!

We depart from Bangkok really late at night, so we may stay the night before in Bangkok to see the city that I have a love/hate relationship with. Oh and to also be able to sing, “One Night in Bangkok” the entire time.

Because I’m 13 years old.

 

April – Las Vegas, NV

Just like last year, I’m heading to Vegas for my nugget niece’s birthday. She’s turning the big 0-4 this year. Oh. And. THE HUBSTER BOUGHT ME ELTON JOHN TICKETS FOR CHRISTMAS! So, I’ll be doing that. Yup. I’ll be heading there to see that man with my man. Yup. Just a little excited.

 

May & Beyond – ?

Reasons Why I Love London
Italian Gardens in Hyde Park // I’ve take the same photo since I was 17.

As I alluded to in my end of the year post, there’s a big announcement coming. (Nope, not pregnant, dbags.) It’s still something quite life changing. In fact, it will determine if I’m traveling a whole-heck-of-a-lot more after May or sticking close Fort Lauderdale. So, I can’t totally make travel plans as of yet.

Stay tuned.

Now share with me – what are your travel plans in 2018!

Filed Under: Asia, Travel, Travel Hacking, Travel Prep

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