Round The World and other travels

A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries

This is: Singapore & Malaysia 2014

Giant teddy bears and Christmas trees
    - it must be a Dream(liner)!

(Link to flight log in side panel)

ABOVE: First-class bus transfer and airside impressions

The aircraft had parked at a remote stand on this occasion, my second visit to Doha's new Hamad International Airport in the month of November, 2014! I had the first-class transfer bus to myself, as the passenger in seat 1A (together with his entourage, presumably) apparently had their own arrangements in place. Security was quick and easy, and soon I was face to face once again with that creepy giant teddy bear.

ABOVE: Doha's vast lounge complex revisited

I easily found the huge Al Mourjan Business Lounge complex that had so impressed me earlier in the month. This time around, it was noticeably quieter. I had a shower as previously, but on this occasion minus the wait. After taking the obligatory photos (left), I found a reasonably quiet spot in which to settle down for a while with a coffee. In due course I made the long walk to Gate D21, located in a part of the airport that was not yet fully operational. There had been a few signs on the inbound flight, but as I waited at the gate for boarding to get underway, it seemed all too clear that I was coming down with some kind of cold, which manifested itself mainly in the form of a non-stop runny nose.

(Link to flight log in side panel)

Thrilled with my first flight on a Boeing 787 'Dreamliner', I stepped it out as I made my way through Singapore Changi's Terminal 3. Of course it wasn't just the newly completed flight that was making me happy. As I once more surveyed the spaces that I was passing through, I found myself thinking, as on previous occasions: This is how all airports should be. This place really works! And so it proved to be. Immigration? Polite and easy. Baggage reclaim? Fast and efficient, and my case (with its 'first class' label) was first out.

ABOVE: The festive season had started early in Singapore

I travelled by MRT to Orchard station, changing trains at Tanah Merah (which I instantly nicknamed 'Guan' ) and City Hall. From there it was an easy matter to find my way to the Hilton, albeit while coping with my luggage in the steamy, equatorial heat. I marvelled at the lavish Christmas decorations that were already in place prior to the end of November. As part of the arrival formalities, I secured a 2pm checkout for the following day and made my way to my fairly plain (and strangely Scandinavian-looking) room. Settling down to sleep around midnight, I was grateful that whatever minor ailment had affected me during my short visit to Doha, it already seemed to be well and truly gone from my system.