My first experience with credit card points/miles

[STAG]

Great Barrier Reef, here I come

Thanks to CapitalOne Miles!

 

[mbryson]

That's some flights! Cool trip for sure

 

[TurboMinivan]

Great Barrier Reef, here I come

I had to comment, because I was perusing Wikipedia and came upon this remark:

"In November 2014, Google launched Google Underwater Street View in 3D of the Great Barrier Reef."

Wait... what??? So I followed the link to the relevant news story:

Google launches the 3D map of ‘Great Barrier Reef’ that becomes the first in the world. The tech giant teamed up with Australian researchers Catlin Seaview Survey to create database that enables people to take virtual diving into one of the world’s underwater heritage site.

The application will also cover the latest condition of the coral reefs to compare its state after threats like cyclones or global warming. The images were taken afrom aling the coastline of Queensland using special camera.

"The camera used for the survey is something that was specifically designed for this project," Catlin Seaview Survey executive director Richard Vevers said to ABC Online.


"It allows us to take full 360 [degree] images every three seconds as we're travelling along reef environments."

The images can be acccessed through ‘Google Maps’ to give chance for people everywhere in the world to enjoy the natural wonder of the Great Barrier Reef.

"They can go jump in the water, go on a virtual dive and see how different the reef is along the 2300 kilometres," Mr Vevers said.

Google Spokesman Shane Treeves explained how to access the app.

"All you have to do is drag your peg man and you can swim virtually underwater from your own home to explore 360 degree images of these locations," Shane said.

The Catlin seaview Survey also claimed that the project is important to support the monitoring and conservation efforts for the coral reefs.

I didn't know this was a thing.

 

[mesha]

My wife and I both opened up Alaska airlines cards this past year. Got enough miles to get 4 of us to Alaska for free. Pretty sweet. I don’t think I will give up my Cabela’s card for business purchases. I like that I can get guns and nice optics with points. Sure, I could do that with cash back, but I wouldn’t. I would buy something lame like gas.

 

[N-Smooth]

I told myself when I started in the AMEX ecosystem that points were strictly for fun experiences. Last year the wife and I went to Orlando for my 40th and stayed in a sweet hotel on points. This year we’re going to NYC and staying in a boujee hotel for her 40th. All on points, again. It really makes it easier for us to not feel guilty about going on a trip sans kids. That’s a dumb phenomenon anyways but it happens.
Then she is using some more to take my 11 y/o to Orlando. I actually pushed back on that one and said points are for us only but we don’t have any other trips planned so using the points is typically the smart move.

 

[Cody]

Our flights, hotels, and rental car for our 10 day trip to Europe to see the Swizzle and drink beer was all funded by Amex points.