October 29-30: ✈Travel Day Brisbane to Dubai to Istanbul
Here we go! Those 46 days post Hawaii simply vanished to make way for this very special adventure. It has been many years in the pipeline - this itinerary was cancelled by Oceania and then offered by Regent and thanks to good spotting early by @LoRi we were able to secure a berth. So, here we are, poised for 26 days of decadence enjoying Divine Destinations in and around the Middle East on Regent's Seven Seas Explorer.
Preparations
Glad we had plenty of time in the lead up because it really was a "moveable feast" in relation to entry requirements, visas, medical permissions and covid requirements - with 8 countries on our itinerary, it has been an interesting time to track what's needed and what has suddenly changed.
To be fair though, now that it has actually arrived - nobody gives two hoots about covid and we found ourselves with 4 reams of paperwork that nobody at any of our border crossings wanted any more.
Caught up with @Liz last week after their UAE trip and was feeling a little envious - they needed absolutely ZIP in terms of paperwork for entry to Dubai. I had called the UAE embassy in Australia and had been informed we had to get online, create an account and then complete an application to secure permission to "import banned drugs" (you should see the LIST) and complete a "medical attestation" to support our covid injections. Up until last week we had to provide proof in a number of countries that we had comprehensive travel insurance that included covid cover.
Oh well, you can be sure if we didn't have all this stuff someone would ask - so feeling confident we are covered on every front.
On the ground and in the air
Back to our normal routine for pack-up at home - dropped off the precious orchids to their babysitters (@AuntyGail and @Paul) and then took our @Michael taxi service to the airport. We had completed all the check-in processes online but Emirates were still advising that we had to be there three hours prior to the flight.
Definitely not sure "why" - because, even with stopping off at Travelex to cashup for Turkey, we were effortlessly through and seated for a burger lunch in a mere 20 minutes. Didn't even have to do the pat down for the knee - no beeping in security! The wait was so leisurely, @Mac even had time to complete his "work day" commitments on a positive note and to celebrate his oh so exciting "got the first 5 numbers in the $160 million dollar draw and then got a sixth" this week, made a purchase at the Billabong shop!
Loving our attitude to flying - it's one of those things you can't avoid if you want to travel overseas. Settled into our seats - and were lucky because @Mac didn't have anyone in front of him, I scored a "non recliner" in front of me and our third person in the row just settled in and slept. Filled in the just shy of 14 hours with eating, drinking, a few movies and actually managed a few hours of "close your eyes and convince yourself this is sleep." Had lots of walks and actually did some sprints across the width the cabin while longingly peering up those purple curving, carpeted stairs, wondering what the business class and first class passengers were doing! Maybe if that Powerball had dropped!
As content as we were, definitely glad to exit at 5.10 am local time at Dubai. It coincidentally coincided with the dawn call to prayer and seemed a very fitting welcome to the Middle East. And so many people! So early! It was wall to wall bright lights, noise and the hustle and bustle of a city street - felt like we were arriving at an event! Bags, trolleys, beeping horns of airport transporters, staff making their way around the terminal on motorised scooters, shops and food courts, lifts, travelators and trains.
But extremely well signed. We only had one little hiccup - and we shared that with two "Rugby League Experience" travellers. In trying to find concourse B did a little "down up down" in the lift because the signage only seemed to indicate we were on level A . Anyway, sorted that and kinda felt we had nailed it then because there were very large symbols in blue and yellow for levels D and B, with arrows styled as aircraft pointers so we thought we could just use that as our wayfinder.
We were successful in our search for all the B gates of terminal 3 - although I am not sure why - because after about an hour of people watching we both had a good belly laugh as we realised that the D and B symbol that we were following, with that helpful little pointer, was actually the icon for Dubai airport.
Had 5 hours here - and it liked as if there were many others who had time to kill. There were bodies everywhere - recliners, bed like seats and any patch of carpet. If they weren't in the crush of shopping and eating, they were sprawled out having a snooze. We found a spot for a snooze with our feet up after about two hours and I had no trouble pulling in the zzzzs. Lucky @Mac was awake because "snooze you lose" could have been a "real thing." With 45 minutes to go, everyone abandoned our allocated gate 29 and relocated to gate 20. No announcement - just a change on the board.
Loaded up for the Dubai to Istanbul and this flight was FULL. Our seating partner this time was an Indonesian traveller on a group tour with 46 others - WOW, was definitely a little chaos here are this group organised and changed their seating and filled the cabin with the laughter and chatter. But all settled quickly, and after a 10-minute delay announced by the Captain (we were waiting for "connecting luggage" to be loaded - that was us so take all the time you need) we were off for the final 5 hour leg. )
Barely time to settle in really and were touching down in Istanbul. Love the overhead camera feature of the plane where you can take in a live view of the ground below - makes that last 30 minutes very interesting indeed (that's a SkyNews reference for you @Mac.)
Beautiful new airport at Istanbul and once again, seamless. Show your passport, pick up your bags, stroll through the exit with nothing to declare. Made our way to gate 13 and hooked up with our transport team and were the only two passengers in a 17 seat bus and enjoyed a 55 minute ride to the Intercontinental. Our driver had a smidge of English - but he used a translate APP on his mobile phone, and while deftly navigating that busy traffic flow (was a very special day of celebration of 99 years for Turkey as a republic) - but he was able to strike up an entertaining and informative back and forth conversation with us.
And can you believe it - we were almost to the minute, 30 hours door to door in our "relocation" phase, and who should be standing in the foyer of the Intercontinental to welcome us, but @Richard. Pretty cool actually.
Reunited
Hotel checkin, registration with the welcome team of Regent and then a quick shower and change and a meet up on Level R to take in the stories of @LoRi's first afternoon and to clink those glasses for our first toast of the trip.
@LoRi had arrived before midday and were quick to hit the "icons" of Istanbul and made their way to the old city and joined the absolute throngs of people for a visit to the Blue Mosque, Hagai Sophia, the Basilica Cisterns and the Topkapi Palance. Had great stories to share of their hide and seek adventure at the airport with the transport provider, their lucky find of the guide at the Mosque and then of their experience with the taxi driver on the ride home. Have to mention the "taxi" because apparently there was "misunderstanding" on the price which led to a little bit of "money throwing" by the driver - he "refused" payment and threw the money @LoRi had paid out of the car! What's that about?
Decided to join the throngs outside and find a place for dinner. No particular plans really, just want to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the new city. YOu know I have to mention "smells" - because the big, big, big assault to the senses is the smell of cigarette smoke. EVERYWHERE. Streets and restaurants - definitely pervasive.
And BTW - the Intercontinental is beautiful. Glass spiral staircase is the winner, Fountain in the foyer, glass, marble and gold everywhere. Artwork, flowers, large open spaces. Beautiful. The room is big and comfortable: shower steaming hot, bed expansive and comfortable - all wrapped up in a wonderful view over the Bosporus. We had arrived on a day when the local football team was playing in the stadium just a few blocks away. The chants, cheers and roars kept us entertained and of course the packed stadium only added to the incessant heave of traffic that we could see snaking its way below.
We walked and then we stopped. We turned in a circle and spotted an "indoor outdoor" type of informal restaurant - had a look at some pictures of food - and as we were warmly invited in by one of the staff we thought "why not." Meats, vegetables, sauces and spices - a local beer, a wine, a very non responsible serve of bicardi - a flop back and forward through the menu - and somehow, we cobbled together simple fare, presented with warmth and humour by the staff, that was very tasty and absolutely satisfying as our first dinner.
Only 9 pm local time - but we pulled down the shutters. Declared the innings closed. Know that four very sleepy travellers were very glad to welcome that pillow time.
All aboard tomorrow.
Weather: 17 degrees - warm in day, cool night
Steps: 4 300
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