Doha and Flight to US

The pool has been a unique experience for us.  Taken from the club lounge is the picture of the 'covered' women and girls swimming.

After CJ's evening swim at the Crowne Plaza, we sat and enjoyed the beautiful evening to the sound of departing airplanes.

 

 

The Qatar experience was much better than 'bait and switch' Emirates.

 

We are taking advantage of a special Qatar Airlines program where if you have a long layover, they will pay for a hotel.  We're booked into the Marriott Marquis in Doha City Center.

 

We get an upgraded room thanks to CJ's life in Marriott's.  The Doha skyline is colorful at night.

 

 

The next morning a 15 hour flight delivers us back to Atlanta and the end to this years Australian trip.

Packing, Final Biking, and the Barossa

It's quite an ordeal packing for the return trip after a two-month stay. Last year we didn't keep records.  We do better this year.  Somehow after purchasing far less wine this year, we'll be storing 3 cases instead of the 2.5 last year.  Many thanks to the Hahns for storing it for us.

We have recorded all that we will store in the Man Cave until next year.  Thanks to the Mullins for the gracious use of a corner of the Man Cave and allowing the addition of a bicycle this year.

During the packing ordeal, CJ manages one last long bike trek down the Mike Turtur Bikeway to Glenelg at the ocean.

 

 

His final bike ride is to deposit the bike at the Mullins home in North Adelaide. Although not a long trek, to him it's like an mountain top finish.  There is a climb up Memorial Drive to a bike trail climb to the parklands adjacent to their house.  His legs give out less than a 100 feet from the house.

Our last movie of the visit is Green Book. We highly recommend it.

We are off to the Barossa for two days in The Crossing, the cottage at Langmeil Winery. It is a two-day stay with a special wine tour and tasting event. It is also a final decompression event following the stress of packing.

There is a small restored two bedroom cottage on the property with a private backyard and pool. The cottage has everything you need for entertaining, relaxing and drinking. The water is cold. Perhaps you can hear the other three laughing.

 

The first evening's dinner is at FermentAsian, a Vietnamese restaurant with excellent food and a outrageously long wine list.

 

 

 

 

Neil is the brekkie master and mans the grill to begin the day.

The special wine event conducted by Jonathan lasts over three hours and consists of a history of wine in Australia and the Barossa, a tour of the vineyard and the 176-year old vines, and a tasting of their top wines.

 

The second afternoon we have lunch by the pool.  Neil joins CJ for a cold dip.

 

The second evening we dine in on waygu steaks and good cabernets followed by whatever we open.

We pass by the Barossa Farmers Market for brekkie.

Later Bronwyn and Neil drive us to the Barossa overlook which is the place they've located the Barossa Sculpture Gardens.

 

Back in Adelaide, we lunch at a new place, New Nordic, Carol works her magic on the final packing, we change our phones from a daily plan to a 365 day plan to keep them active during our long absence.

 

Dinner is four orders of fish and chips at the Queen's Head Hotel.

Singapore Return Trip

At the Adelaide airport, we get a nasty surprise.  Spoiler alert for American's traveling within Asia. There is a 40kg per person TOTAL baggage allowance, not the usual 2 or 3 30kg bag allowance like you have travelling to and from North America. That little lesson cost us $800.  The good news is that Emirates didn't enforce it on the way TO Australia.

The Crowne Plaza is located in the airport.  It's an open air hotel with water features everywhere.  Walking though the hotel, one feels they are constantly walking causeways.

We have a mixed Asian and fruit breakfast in the club lounge.

 

We spend a relaxing day at the pool. The patio door from our room opens onto the pool deck.

 

 

It is the Chinese New Year period and we celebrate with them at lunch.  There is a Chinese restaurant in the hotel.  It's one of three or four in Singapore with the chain having a Michelin star. Some ninety to hundred people in the place.  We are the only two that are not Asian.  Food is excellent.

 

 

 

Back to the pool in the afternoon and early evening.

We spend happy hour in the club lounge. Food is marginal, drinks are drinkable; barely. CJ enjoys an evening dip.  Off in the morning for the flight to Doha.

Final Big Bash with Neil

CJ is the third person in line at the Oval's north member's gate. He's able to remain in the shade passing a quick hour with his new cricket mate, Peter.

Peter is the second and CJ the third into the Bodyline Bar.  We've managed excellent comfortable seats.  Neil shows up shortly after we arrive.

For the better part of the evening it's a great match.  That is, until one of the Heat batsmen goes on a tear and ruins the evening for us home fans.

Nonetheless, Neil and CJ have a great evening at the cricket.  The usual suspects (Peter, Tomo, Stevo and Wendy show to see him off).