The four hour time difference between NZ and Singapore was just about forgotten as we rose at 7:30am, in time for another excellent breakfast. Our total bill for (4) evening meals plus a coffee and tea on arrival, was a very modest $67. Check out was easy enough, so all in all, a hotel worth stopping at should we need another stay in Singapore. By the end of July, we will have visited Singapore no less than 4 times within 12 months.
The cab to the airport was a reasonable $15.50 and check in once again was trouble free and fast. We managed a coffee at ‘Spinellis’ of San Francisco at the airport before boarding the Singapore Airlines flight to Dubai. The airport really is spectacular and we went outside to the rooftop “Sunflower Garden” for a while, but it was too warm. A massage for Paula was considered but we passed on that.
An A330-300 this time. We would have to say that overall, the Air NZ entertainment system is superior but the seven and a half hour flight wasn’t too bad. Immigration at Dubai was painfully slow with the old fashioned queue per desk, so with one lady passenger being shuttled backwards and forwards between various officials, taking 15 minutes, it took just an hour to process our queue, whilst the other queues moved so much faster. The officials needed photos and also eye scans for many of those in the queue and all in all, neither a friendly nor an efficient welcome. Such a contrast to Singapore where the friendliness was so welcome.
Our paperwork had us down to call at a car rental company as we had paid for a driver to the hotel, but the rental company had no knowledge of it. They did ring for us and we merely had to proceed to the exit and a driver was waiting with our name on a board. A slight miscommunication between the travel wholesaler in NZ and Dubai it seems.
We had booked into the Four Points Sheraton Dubai and we were told we had an “upgraded room” which turned out to be labelled for “Starwood Preferred Guests”. As I am already in their scheme anyway, I mentioned it to the receptionist who asked for my number – which I supplied later, but the basket of fresh fruit as promised by the porter never arrived, so maybe we just didn’t tip him enough.
The room proved to be excellent but for one rather strange feature. Between the bedroom and bathroom, was a large clear glass window, with the venetian blind on the OUTSIDE! We couldn’t quite work out that logic at all.
It was almost dark but we elected to walk the 500m to the large shopping centre that I may well have misspelled – “Burjuman”. Boy it was steamy outside, but the shopping centre was of course air-conditioned and open until about 10pm. An Indian curry hit the spot for me, but I think it was from a chain outlet that is also in the NZ shopping malls! We paid with a $20US note and received 10AED as change.
Early bed again as it was another 4 hour time difference, putting us 8 hours behind NZ. Only one full day in Dubai to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment