Text 19558, 76 rader
Skriven 2014-11-17 19:41:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: Asia 310
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QZ8102 JOG SIN 0725 1045 320 1DE

Tip: don't go into the international departures lounge
until they start announcing the flight with some urgency -
it's boring in there, and the a/c is much worse than in the
public area.

Perfectly okay flight, again impressively poised and
genteel flight attendants.

Even the wonderful Changi gets old during a 10-hour layover,
so we tried to sign up for the free Singapore tour but were
informed that we needed onward boarding passes to validate
our request; so off we went to the transit desk, where we
were informed that there was not going to be a Qatar
representative on duty until 4 pm, so we were stuck bored
and loungeless for a vast amount of time.

Back to the tour desk, where we pleaded our case again in
vain. The SQ people consoled us by saying that the tour was
nothing special.

There's a Hard Rock branded bar in the airport, and as Lilli
was hungry, we repaired there for a burger for her, which
was mediocre, and a Tiger for me, which was outrageous. I
repented and for my second went for an Anchor, which cost
considerably less.

Now I was a little hungry, so we found a place in the
upstairs food court, Kim Chuu, where I ordered beef rendang,
one of the least spicy beef stews I ever had had, despite my
having requested it extra hot. I asked for a dish of hot
peppers, which actually were pretty hot, and I ate them all;
I left a bunch of rather tasteless and tough meat behind.
Tiger beer was a little more than half of what it had cost
at the Hard Rock.

We eventually went back to the tour desk and negotiated with
the guy to accept a copy of our itinerary in lieu of a
boarding pass. Why this hadn't been allowed before and was
now I have no idea. The tour, a Cliff's Notes introduction
to a city that I am after all quite familiar with, indeed
was nothing special. Oh, here's Orchard Road, here's Marina
Bay, here's Little India. They let us off for photo opps at
the Merlion. It was, however, better than nothing. We were
not overglad to be back at the airport (full formalities
again on returning), but finally we dredged up a QR person
who issued invitations to the dnata lounge, which is in fact
pretty decent, with lots of electric outlets, extensive but
not so tasty food offerings, basic booze, and best of all,
blessed showers.

QR 643 SIN DOH 2105 2359 772 2AB

A shortish, pleasant flight. I don't recall being offered
or eating anything, and as we had had enough in the way of
basic booze, we just snoozed in the quite comfy seats.

Again the bus routine, first stop the regular terminal,
second stop the premium terminal.

An 8-hour layover, just on the border of meriting a free
hotel stay. I suppose we could have insisted on one, but
that would have meant immigration and customs and transfers
and 8 hours turning into 5 or 6. Not worth it, and after
relative feasts on steam-table curries and noodles and
things we appropriated reclining chairs in a corner for a
nap. Sadly, our hidey-hole was discovered, and soon the
nearby spots were taken by assorted others who alternately
chatted loudly and laughingly and snored drunkenly.

By the way, they stop pouring wine and booze after midnight,
but Champagne is available 24/7.
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