The HfP chat thread – Monday 21st December

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Josh says:

21 Dec21 December 18:15

Posting that Gibraltar day trip article is looking even more rocky now…
- Travel Strong says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 18:55
  
  Gibraltar always looks rocky 😏
- Colin MacKinnon says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 19:57
  
  Gives me something to dream about once normality returns.
- Chrisasaurus says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 20:05
  
  Tone deaf, it had to be said :-/
- Sloth says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 20:44
  
  I do struggle with this mentality…just because someone has posted an article on something they have done In the past, and something that wasn’t illegal, doesn’t mean everyone has to rush out and start copying like a lemming. Don’t people have the ability to use their own brains anymore and make their own decisions and be accountable for them…
  - Sloth says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 21:03
    
    It was a travel article on a travel blog. That’s why we are here surely? I’m unlikely to follow what the guy did as I’ve been to Gibraltar on a day trip from Spain 2 years ago. I’m still interested to read it though and didn’t once think I better copy him….
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 21:52
    
    Must have a great view up there.
  - Jake says:
    
    22 Dec22 December 02:31
    
    I’m not big on ‘environmental implications’, but I do think there’s something sad in doing tier point runs, just from a personal dignity point of view. Like the guy from that other points and miles site – ‘I took 20 business class flights’ in two weeks to get BA Gold. Well big clap for him.
Nick_C says:

21 Dec21 December 18:24

I was just googling to find information about the Great Conjunction when somehow I landed on a BBC page that tells me the following:-

“One event wey dey very rare, in fact e dey happun once-in-a-lifetime, go shine for sky on Monday evening December 21- Dat na if weather go allow.

To mark di occasion Google dey celebrate winter solstice and great conjunction today wit ogbonge graphic.

Di two largest planets – Jupiter and Saturn – go merge for wetin dem dey call conjunction, di winter solstice.” etc

Words fail me.

https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-55399350
- N says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 18:27
  
  Why do words fail you?
  
  This is Pidgin English.
  
  It’s a language.
  - Anna says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 18:38
    
    75 million speakers in West Africa.
    Most people don’t realise how fluid language actually is. I’ve been watching a fascinating series about the Amazon and it was really interesting to listen to Spanish speakers in Peru and Bolivia, Portuguese speakers in Brazil, and those in border areas speaking a mixture of both. (There were also indigenous tribes speaking their own languages but I had to rely on subtitles for those!)
  - Peter K says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 18:42
    
    Yes, like it’s like certain Creole tongues.
  - Jake says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 19:41
    
    It’s a ridiculous language. Like Welsh, wid dem beg long stashun name.
- Andrew says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 19:41
  
  There seems to be an infiltration of bigots to this site over recent days. I can only assume the boredom levels of being at home with nothing better to do for so long have finally got to them.
  - Lady London says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 19:48
    
    or maybe people are constantly looking for bigotry and inventing it where they don’t find it
    - Aston100 says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 21:00
      
      Oh there’s definitely bigotry alright.
      I remember all the blind eyes being turned when dear old Shoestring used to spout it before he rightly got banned.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        21 Dec21 December 21:53
        
        Difference might’ve been that he made some real contributions to the site.
      - Josh says:
        
        21 Dec21 December 22:13
        
        He’s probably still among us under a pseudonym, rocking back and forth while crying out “pussycat virus”.
    - mark2 says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 21:26
      
      +1
  - Mouse says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 19:59
    
    Don’t feed the trolls Andrew!
  - Josh says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 20:07
    
    I think half of Britain has morphed into “concerned of Tunbridge Wells”.
    - AndyC says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 23:17
      
      …or even “Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells”…
  - Sandgrounder says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 20:46
    
    This site was a great community for the first few years, but the price of success is that the folk from under the bridge roll in to town. An early 2000s Philip Green would be proud of the number of socks on here these days.
    - Aston100 says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 21:02
      
      I can’t wait for the comments section to be restricted to just on topic points and travel related.
      The number of horrible comments are increasing.
      I’m even starting to see borderline offensive stuff from some of the more active & well known posters recently.
      - Anna says:
        
        21 Dec21 December 21:11
        
        Sorry, I still can’t get my head around the fact that some people think they can dictate what other people can and can’t post on someone else’s website! By all means challenge an offensive post but it’s not your place to censor what appears.
      - Tomb says:
        
        21 Dec21 December 21:23
        
        Well said Anna
      - JACQUELINE says:
        
        22 Dec22 December 14:52
        
        – this is the new world Anna best get used to it…
Adam says:

21 Dec21 December 18:32

Two offers appeared on my IHG offers dashboard today: 2021 Milestone Bonus: Earn 10k points every 10 nights Starts: 01/01/2021 Ends: 31/12/2021 and 2021 Milestone Bonus: Stay 40 nights, earn 20k additional bonus points Starts: 01/01/2021 Ends: 31/12/2021
- Rob says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 18:51
  
  Thanks. Saw this on FT too. Not for me though. Will float it tomorrow.
- Harry T says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 19:33
  
  I have this but it doesn’t seem too attractive considering the utter paucity of open travel destinations and IHG elite benefits.
- Craig says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 20:18
  
  Not showing on mine?
  - Harry T says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 20:27
    
    It’s targeted. I haven’t stayed at an IHG hotel since March, I think.
    - Craig says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 20:29
      
      Ah, I still managed 53 nights this year!
      - Harry T says:
        
        21 Dec21 December 20:48
        
        That might explain it! But no one really knows how these things work. Good effort on the 53 nights. I managed to make Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, although it took some doing…
      - Lyn says:
        
        21 Dec21 December 21:49
        
        Perhaps they are adding the offer gradually? Starting with Spire? My husband is Spire (and only 1 stay this year) and has the offer, while I am Platinum (and no stays) and don’t have it.
- Olly says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 20:43
  
  Not got the UHH offers but like others I have used them a could of times this year so may well have something tho so with it.
  - Olly says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 20:44
    
    *IHG
Olly says:

21 Dec21 December 19:46

@MarkH, w had the wonderful nights last week and were very well looked after although London went into tier three on our last morning so had to take breaks in the room but it was a fantastic experience (even without food and drink evening in the lounge) so I wish you well.
Jonathan says:

21 Dec21 December 20:28

Meanwhile in lockdown the UK was open to all and sundry and still is so we didn’t offend anyone. Shame other countries don’t remember that. International travel I am sure in any future public enquiry will have shown to seeded and perpetuated the misery inflicted on the UK
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 21:56
  
  Well no it wasn’t. Denmark was banned after the Mink fiasco.
  
  People arriving from China were put in hotels to isolate.
  
  People arriving home from Italy were told to self isolate
  
  etc etc.
- memesweeper says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 22:00
  
  There’s no reciprocity in risk taking. Our stance on international arrivals was ludicrous early 2020 IMO.
Aston100 says:

21 Dec21 December 21:07

Hi Mike, I recall you made a borderline Islamaphobic remark earlier (now deleted) and a couple of borderline xenophobic remarks.
I see you’ve now decided to list the full name of that country, just so as to highlight the word ‘islamic’ in it’s name.
You could very well have stated the full name of the UK had your intention been anything other than to continue to be a xenophobic islamaohobe.
Alas, this site seems to be allowing all sorts of offensive people lately, probably because these threads are no longer restricted to just points and travel.
What a shame that it is rapidly turning into the daily mail comments section in here.
- Josh says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 22:10
  
  How would you know what the Daily Mail comments section is like unless you read the Daily Mail website?
  - Mike says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 22:16
    
    They think anything right of Jezza is “far-right”. These are the sorts of persons who consider Macron wonderful when he wants to ban the UK, but a racist when he tries to rid his country of terrorism.
    
    Yet, I was misgendered. Presumptive that “Mike” means I identify as a male person. When Mike could easily be a womxn.
  - Aston100 says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 23:01
    
    Hi Josh, I’ve read your recent posts too, including the ones directed at Cat the other day.
    
    Anyway, yes I do look at the DM comments now and again. It’s useful to keep an eye on what those clowns are moaning about.
    - Josh says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 23:37
      
      I only wish I had so much time to read a publication for which I have so much apparent disdain…
- Mike says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 22:15
  
  I knew this would trigger the usual suspects. How dare I use the countries proper name :D. Do you propose white washing the Islamic Republic of Pakistan by removing “Islamic”. That’s racist.
  
  It’s IslamOphobic not IslamAphobic.
  
  Then I see, Islamahobe, another miss. At least you manage xenophobia than zenophobic!
  
  This place needs to be more like the Grauniad. Comment is free, except when it isn’t…
  - Mike says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 23:16
    
    Be clearer please. This is sounding very Carole Cadwalladr. Where is the Islamophobia and Xenophobia? It’s all typically (deliberately) vague as is the norm with such claims.
    
    It’s a bit like Boris is a racist, but it’s all ‘err’ ‘err’ ‘err’ ‘letterbox’ article reference and along with a triggered red-face.
    
    ‘Have you read the article?’ ‘Err…no’
    
    Or JK Rowling is a “transphobe”. Evidence comes there none.
    
    Again, debate is reduced to this putridity by your sort, not me.
  - Jake says:
    
    22 Dec22 December 04:13
    
    Glad you appreciated it John.
- Anna says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 22:26
  
  Aston100, you have benefited enormously from advice on this site (some of it from me!) but you don’t seem to understand the difference between challenging an offensive comment and possibly slandering the person who makes it. I’m not condoning any of the offensive comments on HFP but you seem to be determined that only comments you approve of should be allowed. Just because you disagree with something doesn’t mean you’re always right! (And don’t bother with the “You’re just as bad if you don’t challenge it” comeback, it’s lazy and predictable).
  - Aston100 says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 22:55
    
    If this site reverted back to discussions about points and miles it would be a better place.
    Just look at how much animosity there is lately since the anything goes approach has been implemented.
  - Chris Heyes says:
    
    22 Dec22 December 00:00
    
    What is an Offensive Comment ? something said that offends ?
    That could be anything ??
    It offend me when anyone says there is a “God” as an atheist
    but i dont go bananas about it in fact i just laugh at them
    - Steve says:
      
      22 Dec22 December 07:41
      
      Whilst factually correct, Mike has definitely fallen foul of the “don’t be a dick” unwritten rule
Paul says:

21 Dec21 December 21:24

I fancy going to Dubai boxing day. Am i right that i can go via abu dhabi and then a taxi as long as i have a negative pcr test for all aged 12 and over?
- Blenz101 says:
  
  21 Dec21 December 21:58
  
  AD is being very cautious and won’t hesitate to close to the U.K. at short notice. The border crossing can also take hours.
  
  If you want DXB and are legally allowed to travel from your tier then I would suggest flying direct.
  - Paul says:
    
    21 Dec21 December 22:02
    
    Hmm will wait 48 hrs and see what happens. Can go direct but 3 times the price at mo. Thanks for the advice.
    - Blenz101 says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 23:10
      
      You may want to consider how you are getting back at AUH as well. Currently need a Covid test to enter AD, will you be looking to find a cab driver on the street willing to take one with you to get you back to the airport?
      
      The border between DXB and AUH was due to be removed on the 24th but seems unlikely to happen now.
      
      If AD does close you would want to make sure your insurance is going to cover a 1 way flight from DXB.
      - Paul says:
        
        21 Dec21 December 23:13
        
        I think cases are stable in UAE so border should open as planned
    - Blenz101 says:
      
      21 Dec21 December 23:33
      
      If I were betting I would say there is almost zero chance of the AD/DXB border being removed as planned on the 24th Dec. It went up within hours and has been a fact of life for months causing a fair amount of hardship for daily commuters.
      
      Oman and KSA the two counties surrounding the UAE have effectively shut borders to prevent to this new strain. As I said before, AD has been ultra cautious and removing the border in a few days time would fly in the face of that.
      
      I would urge you to assume it remains and plan to rent and cross yourself or think about how both you and your driver will both have tests. Border tests are available for families as a walk-in only. If travelling as a bachelor (and your driver) you would need to book unless you both have taken the test in Dubai itself within 96 hours.
Jake says:

21 Dec21 December 21:34

+1. I think Reddit’s more his level