Days 1-2 (March 11-12, 2022): And March Break 2022 Begins!

Two years ago today, the World Health Organization declared that the world was in a state of pandemic.  And, of course, struck by the uncertainty, we all kinda panicked.  We were supposed to have left the following day for a long-anticipated trip to Qatar and Seychelles, but after hearing the WHO press conference and despite our bags being packed, we cancelled our trip - as did countless of other 2020 March Breakers.  Thinking Covid would be under control eventually, we rebooked for March 2021.  Then August 2021.  And finally, March 2022.

Well today, at last, when our friends Lorna and Jim picked us up at 3PM to go to Halifax Stanfield, the trip was finally “on”!  Mind you, given all the previous cancellations, we kept our excitement very guarded.  

After a relaxing late lunch in the Maple Leaf Lounge, we headed to the gate.  The plane - a new Canadian-made Airbus 220 - was packed, but it offered a wonderful ride to Montreal.  

Because we are traveling on two separate tickets (that is, Air Canada, Halifax-Montreal-Halifax and Qatar Airways, Montreal-Doha-Seychelles-Doha-Montreal), we had to collect our bags upon arrival in Montreal and recheck-in with Qatar Airways.  However, Air Canada took 45 minutes to deliver our bags, taking us harrowingly close to missing the Qatar cutoff.  In the end, it all worked out, and we joined the masses in the international section of Montreal Airport for our flight to Doha.  By the sheer number of travellers, it was clear that international travel has rebounded and that international flights are running near capacity.

Our Qatar boarding process was efficient, but we left after 10PM — over an hour late, due to the heavy snow and the need for a major de-icing regime.  The flight was sold out, but it was smooth and comfortable.  We enjoyed two excellent meals, slept a few hours, and landed in Doha right on time, at 5:15PM.  Within an hour of landing, we had deplaned, cleared customs and cabbed it to a hotel near the start of Doha’s ‘Corniche”.  (Every Middle Eastern city on the water has a corniche — a long, wide boulevard and promenade running along the water.)

We ordered room service, slept a couple of hours, showered, and left for the airport at midnight for our 2:20AM flight to Seychelles.  And that’s where we will pick things up on tomorrow’s entry. 

Our Airbus 220 to Montreal, about to land in Halifax.

About to board our first ever Airbus 220!

After two years of sparse activity at Halifax Stanfield, the tarmac was alive with March Break activity today.  

Could this trip REALLY be happening?

Our snow-covered Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300 being loaded up in Montreal.

Stepping onto our first Qatar Airways flight.  Qatar has won the World’s Best Airline award five years running.

As boarding progressed, the snow kept coming down - leading us to wonder if the flight might be cancelled.  But a major de-icing cleaned everything off and we were just an hour late departing.

Starting the journey to Qatar!  An 11-hour non-stop flight, and not a single empty seat onboard.

90 minutes into the flight, dinner was served.  While it wasn’t served on fine china or anything, it was the first time we were given three entree choices in Economy Class.  And the food was exceptionally well prepared.

Three hours before landing, breakfast was served — again, three choices!  We took the frittata. 

That was our flight path:  trans-Atlantic, then we crossed the Mediterranean Sea and came over the Arabian Peninsula through Egypt.

The bone-dry, hilly terrain of Egypt.

The Strait of Suez, which is off the Red Sea.

As we started our descent into Doha, the brown haze was thick.  It seemed to be the residue of a sandstorm.

We couldn’t help marvel how easy (compared to Canada) road-building must be here:  pancake-flat terrain, no rock - it must make building highways cheap and easy.

The $17 billion new Hammad International Airport in Doha.

No trouble to tell we’re in the Middle East!

With the FIFA World Cup coming to Doha this November, the advertisements are everywhere.

With summer temps hitting 55C, shaded car-parks are commonplace here.

You immediately sense wealth everywhere you look in Doha.  Take these colourful street lamps lining the highway.

To give you an idea of the way the desert provides the foundation for this country, just look at this Google maps photo of Doha. You would think it was a photo of a Canadian city after a snowstorm. But in fact, what you may mistake for snow, is sand.


And there are constant reminders of who is in charge here!  Above the hotel reception desk, you see High Highness the Father Emir.

And his son, the Emir of the State of Qatar.

The hotel gift shop’s souvenir collection ONLY sported items with the royal family’s images.