I was about to book flights to Lisbon, Portugal in July when I found out that my passport expired a few months ago =( I filled out an application and sent it to the US Department of State around July 20th, received an answer on August 31st that I had filled it out incorrectly, had to resubmit it, and finally got an email last week that my passport is being shipped to me and should arrive on October 5th…finally!!!

During that time, flights to Lisbon from SFO got more expensive (from $330 to $505), so I was searching on google flights for other places, and I’m now VERY interested in going to Japan. Flights are around $469 nonstop from SJC for the colder months in Feb/Mar, though some flights are getting more expensive and might now be $575 (wah!). I get this way in which I do lots of research and get really into looking at where to go and what sites to experience. It’s a little much…should try to taper down since I haven’t even received the passport yet…

…but it seems like a sure thing that we will be traveling…cuz I got the hubby to get a new credit card which includes Priority Pass airport lounge access. I haven’t entered a lounge since the pandemic, and they say that international lounges are soooo much better than their American counterparts. The card he applied for is the Capital One VentureX card that has a $395 annual fee, $4k spend, 75,000 points, $300 travel credit, and lounge access. The more I look at this card, I feel like I would actually want to get it at some point and (gasp) KEEP it (so that I have priority pass access forever haha) If renewed, they also have a 10,000 point anniversary bonus (like $100), so with the $300 travel credit and the $100 bonus, it pays for the annual fee every year…for now. Lounge life!