Day 9 (March 19, 2022): A Last Few Hours of Seychelles and a Taste of Qatar

Argh, that annoying alarm ringtone, repeated and repeated at 6:30AM.  It was just as well, as I had been having a nightmare about a nuclear crisis, no doubt spawned by current events, so the annoying alarm was actually my rescue.  In any event, so began Saturday in equatorial paradise.  We had set the alarm that early so that we could get organized, have breakfast, and enjoy a couple of final hours by the pool before heading to the airport.

Everything was going swimmingly (no pun intended) until, at 11:45, I decided to check the status of our mid-afternoon Air Seychelles puddle-hopper over to Mahe, where we were to catch our Qatar Airways flight to Doha.  To my shock, our flight was cancelled and the earlier flights only had a couple of seats left.  (Air Seychelles only uses 20-seat propeller aircraft, so seats are very limited.). We couldn’t get hold of the airline — seems to be a global airline phenomenon since the pandemic! — so we quickly got our things together and headed off to the airport.

At 12:40PM, we arrived at Praslin’s tiny airport and after some firm negotiating, got the last two seats on an earlier flight.

Once off the ground, it’s a quick 15-minute flight to Mahe’s International Airport.  The Qatar Airways’ check-in opened a bit early, and by 3:30PM, we were checked in, through Customs and security and comfortably situated in a nice business lounge where we not only got some lunch, but also grabbed a shower.  There is very little air conditioning here, so any opportunity to cool down must be taken!

The afternoon passed quickly, and at 6PM, Qatar Airways started its 45-minute boarding process.  We actually pushed back five minutes earlier than our 7PM departure time.

Arrival in Doha was 20 minutes ahead of our planned 11PM arrival.  We cleared customs and hopped in a cab for a quick drive along part of the Corniche and t see some key sights, and then on to our hotel.  We have enough time for a few hours of sleep before heading back to the airport for our 8:30AM flight onwards to Montreal.

Just a note about Covid protocols on this trip. While Seychelles had all the right Covid warnings, signage and protocols, one could not help but feel it was a mile wide and an inch deep.  Everywhere we went, it was easy to spot people either wearing their mask below the nose (or the chin!) or no mask at all.  Our flights between Doha and Seychelles were particularly bad.  Pam and I estimated that at least 40% had their mask beneath their nose.  The guy seated next to us coughed and hacked for the full flight back to Doha tonight, yet he hardly wore his mask and was never instructed by the crew to put it on.  If he doesn’t have Covid, I would be shocked.  And if we don’t catch it from thim as a result of being next to him for five hours, I will be equally shocked.

In any case, good night from Qatar!

Newts, salamanders, geckos… Not sure which critter this is.  But they seem harmless enough!

A few photos of the artistic side of Le Duc de Praslin.  As mentioned in yesterday’s blog entry, the resort is a masterpiece, in terms of art installations.

Driftwood is prominently featured in the resort’s artistic presentations.

The resort’s orchids are spectacular, as well.

On our way to the airport, we passed through UNESCO World Heritage-listed Vallee de Mai, which is one of only two places in the world where the unique coco de mer coconut grows.  (The other place is Curieuse Island, where we visited yesterday.). Time didn’t allow us to stop to do a hike in the park, but these couple of shots from the road through the park give an idea of the foliage.. 

This greets the visitor to Praslin Airport.  Dare I assume to know what you’re thinking?  But it’s not.  It’s a coco de mer coconut, which is unique to Praslin (and to nearby Curieuse Island).

Our 2PM Air Seychelles Canadian-made Twin Otter loading up for an on-time departure.  There goes Pam!

While the Twin Otter features 20 of the airline industry’s tiniest and most-crammed-together seats, it does offer the advantage of flying low and providing wonderful views.  Above, the colourful homes of Grand Anse, just north of the airport runway, provide contrast to the ocean’s turquoise.

Just to soak you in the amazing hues the ocean offers up here, I’m including four coastal shots as we climb up and away from Praslin, a most incredible Seychellois gem:

Another great aspect of the Twin Ottwer is that it is one of a few commercial aircraft that still have an open cockpit post-9-11, providing exciting views out the front of the plane.

Reaching the quiet, cool calm of the Salon Vallee de Mai felt great!

 

Every morning, Qatar Airways’ flight from Doha arrives at 8:30AM.  The crew have an all-day mandatory rest period, during which time the aircraft is towed to a remote stand.  At 4:30PM each day, it is towed back to the terminal building for the outbound 7PM flight back to Doha.  From the Salon Vallee de Mai, it was a thrill to watch the Boeing 787 Dreamliner slowly moving into its position. 

Pam with her Dreamliner!  (And maybe her dream guy, too?!)

Giant tortoises have featured well in our last couple of days here in Seychelles.  So perhaps it is fitting that our last photo from Seychelles features two uber cute stuffed giant tortoise!

And, just because you know by now that airplane food excites me a great deal, I present to you my dinner choice (of three offerings) on the flight to Doha: sweet and sour chicken with noodles. Delish! (Pam chose the beef with mashed potatoes.)

This is the view from the Boeing 787’s front-facing camera, literally a couple of seconds before touchdown at Hamad International Airport in Doha.  Watching it reminded me of a Battlestar Galactica episode from the 1980s, as a fighter ship was about to dock in the mother ship!

The Qatari Royal Family  not only has its own planes, it also has its own… AIRPORT!  Yes, this is the Royal Family’s private air terminal at Hamad International Airport.

Abdullah Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Mosque

The National Museum of Qatar.  (Why the projection of the American flag on its exterior, I have no idea…)

The viewing stand for the Royal Family and other VIPs along the Corniche.

This is the Royal Family’s palace when they are in Doha (and according to the flag’s position, one can assume there are here tonight!).  

There is no end of money being spent on the FIFA World Cup 2022, which Qatar will host this fall.  The metro system has been expanded for the event, and the metro stations are all palatial and grand.  This one is near the cultural centre.

AlKoot Fort

As in Dubai, Doha has some old wooden dhows (fishing boats) along hte Corniche, which seem to try to connect this electric, modern city of wealth to some quaint traditional past.  The skyline of the city core is quite impressive at night.

The Pearl Monument, near Banana Island, along the Corniche.