Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
This is: Spring Fever 2008
Manama-na (de DOH-BAH-DOH-BAH)
I got up nice and early and visited the Executive Lounge for the last time to have some breakfast. It was nice to do so before the lounge got busy, but equally a bit sad that it was my final visit to such an excellent and well-run facility. I then finished packing, checked out and caught a taxi to the airport. The traffic was worryingly heavy at first, but thankfully this eased once we moved out of the beach / marina area. I soon found the Qatar Airways check-in zone, completed all the necessary formalities and made my way to the lounge to pass the time. I decided to proceed to the gate about 45 minutes prior to the departure time, based on a vague memory that flights tend to board nice and early in this part of the world. Sure enough, this proved to be correct.
(Link to flight log in side panel)
There were a few nice surprises
waiting for me at DOH, an airport that was going to become familiar
to me over the next couple of days. The first was that a separate
and luxurious transfer bus was provided for the exclusive use of the
First Class passengers on board QR101. It contained exactly 12
armchair-style seats, corresponding to the number of seats on board,
with provision for hand luggage adjacent to each seat. Then came an
announcement that anyone transferring to another QR flight in either
First or Business Class should NOT get off at the main terminal, but
should let the driver know. I was the only one in this category and
was taken instead to the brand new Premium Terminal. One word :
WOW!!!!!!! This is a truly top-notch facility and the First Class
lounge there is stunning. I really would have liked to take some
decent pictures, but it was rather well patronised and I couldn't
see a way of doing so without invading people's privacy. They only
had one type of alcoholic drink on display, but as that was
Champers, who's complaining?
All too soon, it was time to board the First Class transfer bus for my follow-on flight to Bahrain Manama.
(Link to flight log in side panel)
Formalities at BAH were easy enough and a ten-minute taxi ride had me at the InterContinental Regency. I was directed to the Club Lounge for check-in. I returned to the lounge at 6pm to enjoy the Happy Hour offerings before having dinner at the Bistro restaurant on the Mezzanine floor. I tried to arrange a tour for the following morning, but didn't like the way discussions were going and decided simply to leave open the option of relaxing by the pool.