Sunday, December 24, 2006
Sunday December 24th 2006
Singapore Airport
Well, it will be nice to finally get to destination in Koh Samui. I departed Dubai an hour late around 11pm local time and arrived in Doha at the same local time but an hour later. The following flight was also delayed an hour for a total transit of three hours. I probably managed to sleep a couple of hours but no more on the 7h40 flight to Singapore. My transit is about 6 hours but only 2.5 hours to go now before my flight to Samui. I always liked Singapore airport, one of my favorites but it will be nice to leave it this time. It is a short flight possibly only an hour and a half to Samui.
Met a gentlemen from the UK who was sitting next to me on the short flight from Dubai to Doha. He's lived in the middle east for thirty years and was telling me how Doha was when he came 30 years ago. A fishing village he said. I've been told so many times that things have changed so much in the last five years that it is hard to imagine 30 years ago. He originally came to Doha for a three month contract in 1977 but loved it and told his wife they were moving there. He goes on to tell me about his years in Saudi Arabia over two stints, one of 8 years and one of about 6. Again, he has great stories. He laughes when I tell him about Josee who was making home wine there and he says everyone does it. He's been in Dubai now for 18 months. "Do you like living in Dubai?" I ask. "No, I hate it." he says. He tells me it has no history, nothing cultural, it's just another big shopping mall. He won't be leaving it soon enough and is going to Seoul in March to explore an opportunity to go there. It's rare I meet people like him who have lived abroad for so long and are so open to explore new places and continue to live this life. He must be at least 60 years old. Off to the UK for ten days over Xmas he says. Merry Xmas.
It's strange to be in Doha captive at the airport. It's a small airport and one goes around it very quickly. It's too late to try and call anyone I know there but I test my mobile phone and it still seems to work. That's good news.
Singapore is wet and overcast and 26C outside. Christmas carols and reminders abound in the airport. Maybe it is Xmas after all. It hasn't really hit me yet that I've left the Middle East. Feels like I forgot to say goodbye.
Not sure I'm ready to Thailand either.
It's Xmas Eve at Singapore Airport so Merry Xmas to you all.
Much love from me wherever you are.
Singapore Airport
Well, it will be nice to finally get to destination in Koh Samui. I departed Dubai an hour late around 11pm local time and arrived in Doha at the same local time but an hour later. The following flight was also delayed an hour for a total transit of three hours. I probably managed to sleep a couple of hours but no more on the 7h40 flight to Singapore. My transit is about 6 hours but only 2.5 hours to go now before my flight to Samui. I always liked Singapore airport, one of my favorites but it will be nice to leave it this time. It is a short flight possibly only an hour and a half to Samui.
Met a gentlemen from the UK who was sitting next to me on the short flight from Dubai to Doha. He's lived in the middle east for thirty years and was telling me how Doha was when he came 30 years ago. A fishing village he said. I've been told so many times that things have changed so much in the last five years that it is hard to imagine 30 years ago. He originally came to Doha for a three month contract in 1977 but loved it and told his wife they were moving there. He goes on to tell me about his years in Saudi Arabia over two stints, one of 8 years and one of about 6. Again, he has great stories. He laughes when I tell him about Josee who was making home wine there and he says everyone does it. He's been in Dubai now for 18 months. "Do you like living in Dubai?" I ask. "No, I hate it." he says. He tells me it has no history, nothing cultural, it's just another big shopping mall. He won't be leaving it soon enough and is going to Seoul in March to explore an opportunity to go there. It's rare I meet people like him who have lived abroad for so long and are so open to explore new places and continue to live this life. He must be at least 60 years old. Off to the UK for ten days over Xmas he says. Merry Xmas.
It's strange to be in Doha captive at the airport. It's a small airport and one goes around it very quickly. It's too late to try and call anyone I know there but I test my mobile phone and it still seems to work. That's good news.
Singapore is wet and overcast and 26C outside. Christmas carols and reminders abound in the airport. Maybe it is Xmas after all. It hasn't really hit me yet that I've left the Middle East. Feels like I forgot to say goodbye.
Not sure I'm ready to Thailand either.
It's Xmas Eve at Singapore Airport so Merry Xmas to you all.
Much love from me wherever you are.
# posted by AdeC @ 1:29 AM 
