Welcome to The Morning Shave. We read a ton of travel articles each day for our personal research and to share the best travel tips and tricks with you. Here are the articles for Tuesday, February 25, 2020, that we think you should read.
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The Morning Shave
6 Reasons You’re Losing The Miles and Points Game. – Ashish breaks it down to some very simple reasons. I think we’re all guilty of these behaviors at one point or another. The main thing to remember is that, if you mess up, it’s ok. You’re human. Figure out where you went wrong and put safeguards in place to protect yourself from making the same mistake again. If you want to hear more from Ashish, listen to my podcast interview with him about the best things to do in Mumbai, India.
The Water on These Airlines Is so Bad You Shouldn’t Even Wash Your Hands With It, Study Finds. – Ok, you know things are bad when your hands are dirtier AFTER you’ve washed them. This is just disgusting and the airlines need to correct this problem. Sanitary environments need to be a priority to avoid spreading infectious diseases, like coronavirus.
Why You Should Stop Trying to Travel ‘Like a Local’. – I went into this article thinking I would take the opposite view. But the author makes some good points. You shouldn’t miss out on once-in-a-lifetime attractions or events simply because it is a “touristy” thing to do and locals would never do it. It makes sense to have a blended experience… hit the main highlights (even if they are only done by tourists) and then blend into the local culture to try something new. This is the major thinking behind my podcast, We Travel There. If you are going to do the popular tourist attractions, I want my guests to share how to save money and/or time so that you can explore even more and build a connection with the city like you couldn’t have before.
Lesser-known Southwest booking trick (ideal if you have the Companion Pass). – I’ve had the Southwest Companion Pass every year since 2007. It is one of the best airline benefits around, even if Southwest doesn’t offer Business or First Class seating and service. Our family has saved tens of thousands of dollars over the years with this benefit. This is a good trick to know so you can book your Southwest Companion Pass tickets, even if you don’t have enough points in your own account.
New Advocate Working to Ensure Kids Sit With Parents, Even in Basic Economy. – Whether you have kids or not, one rule we should all agree on is that young kids should sit with their parents while flying. Kids get scared, have to use the restroom, or need help eating and drinking and those responsibilities should not be forced upon a random stranger. Some people argue that parents should pay extra to reserve seats if it means that much to them. Trust me, parenting is expensive enough, but money shouldn’t be the reason. Compassion and common sense are reason enough. If you don’t agree, think of this situation… who is better suited to stop a young child from crying or misbehaving on a plane? A parent or a random stranger? Enough said.
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The water quality story has been making the rounds since last year and what no one has explained is if water really is that bad, how is it that dozens of people aren’t getting sick on every flight? If the problem was anywhere near as bad as purported, it would be an epidemic, and would certainly be widely reported.
I don’t drink tea or coffee, but I would imagine that the heating process kills most germs. I have noticed that more and more airlines pour from big bottles of water as they make the rounds. Not sure if that is efficiency, hygiene, or both. The problem is probably overstated, with the “worst” offender still probably within acceptable boundaries.
I choose to drink beer or wine while flying… purely for safety reasons. HAHA
Tequila: isn’t just for breakfast anymore!
When you wake up at noon overlooking the beach, is it really still considered breakfast? HAHA