Every now and then, some cynic asserts that there’s no way that we pay full price for hotels, restaurant meals and activities. It’s far too expensive, they argue, and I’m sure my beleaguered bookkeeper would agree. My small editorial team and I spend an absolutely scandalous amount of money each year in search of the best travel experiences in the world. (All in the line of duty, of course!) If we relied on freebies, we’d be stuck reviewing only the places willing to host us, dramatically reducing the breadth of our coverage.

And how do we keep our identities secret? My team and I have been circling the globe undercover for years, posing as normal Andrew Harper members. We make reservations under our real names, but should an industrious hotel employee do an online search, they won’t find anything incriminating — we’ve made sure of that. We might arrive at a hotel with a spouse, a family member, a friend or just on our own. Each of us takes on false personas; we’re always ready with made-up occupations and reasons why we’re visiting a particular destination. Fortunately, most people are happy to quickly switch the subject to themselves.

It’s great fun, taking on a new identity in a glamorous foreign country. I highly recommend trying it. You might find that it becomes addictive.