Real-Time Language Translation Easier Than Ever, Long Line at Global Entry, Turkish Airlines New Destination, A Real Mileage Run, and More

Happy Monday! The last two weeks have been some difficult ones around here with a couple of medical emergencies, hospital stays, and all that goes with that. Fortunately, everything is going better now so we are very thankful for that!

Because of all that last week, the posting last week was on the lighter side. I almost skipped this summary post because of that but there were a few interesting stories (at least I thought they were interesting!) so I thought I would just go ahead and post it anyway! Thanks for reading!

Posts in the title are in italics below

Miles, Points, and Deals

• Great Deal on Bose QuietComfort 20 Earbuds – Great Noise Cancelling Earbuds [Android Version] – These are still available and on sale so if you want some of the best noise cancelling headphones that $149 can buy, check them out!
• Great News! Real-Time Google Translate Now Available on All Android Phones! – This is really great news for anyone that wants to be able to communicate with people in the countries you visit!
• Special Southwest Sale From $42 – $99 for Travel Around the Country – This sale is still ongoing so if you want to check out some great destinations at a discount, check this out!
• All New Kindle Paperwhite: High End Features, More Travel Friendly, and 6 Months of Kindle Unlimited! – Kindles are some of the best pieces of travel tech around! Now, the Kindle Paperwhite is even better than ever. With the 6 months of Kindle Unlimited included, it is like getting this for $70!
• The Longest Line I Have Seen at Global Entry – Is This a Sign of Things to Come? – Yes, this is only one entry point but it was still the longest line I had ever seen for Global Entry (I had really not seen any line before). With so many credit cards offering Global Entry reimbursement, could this be a sign of things to come?
• New Uber Update Makes Communicating With Drivers Even Easier – A new Uber update will make it easier to get in touch with your Uber driver when you only have data connection (common if you are traveling abroad).
• Get 2 Months of Kindle Unlimited for Just $1 – Great Way to Get All the Lonely Planet Guidebooks! – If you don’t already have Kindle Unlimited, this is an awesome way to check it out – a savings of $19 from the regular price.
• New Amex Offers Roundup: Deals on Hotels, Airline, and More – Check out the new Amex Offers that include some nice hotel offers, an offer for Air Canada (20,000 Membership Reward points!), and more!
• Is Hyatt About to Devalue Points+Cash Redemptions? – This looks like it may actually be happening so you may want to secure your Points+Cash reservations sooner rather than later!
• Turkish Airlines To Fly to Newark – Why This is Great News – Newark is the newest destination for Turkish Airlines in the US and this is great news for all Star Alliance travelers.
• See What Happened Inside this Airplane After the Turbulence Hit – This airplane had some serious turbulence that left a huge mess inside the airplane.
• This is a Real Mileage Run – Earn 4,200 Miles for Finishing the Athens Marathon! – Mileage runs are not as big as they used to be (thanks a lot, airlines!), but this could likely be called a real mileage run! If you are running the Athens Marathon, you can earn 4,200 miles for finishing it!
• Use Points to Get World Series Tickets and Special Experiences – If you want to go to the World Series, make sure you count up your Marriott points and prepare to bid!

And that is it! I have been picking up some miles and points lately (Aegean with the Together Account, Amex referrals, shopping portals) in programs that I normally only redeem in for long-haul business class flights. So, planning for something in the future!

On the short-haul side of things, I registered for two marathons in the next few months. Both are marathons that I have run before but I really need to better my times at both events so we shall see! I started the marathon program for one of them today and it went well. I am coming off a half marathon that I felt really good in so hoping I can turn this into a quality marathon!