Day 1 - 31st May 2008, Saturday
After numerous months of working and endless waiting for my 2nd leave entitlement to come, I finally found a suitable date duly approved. From 31st May 2008, not a day to waste I took leave until 9 June (officially 7 days). The children's school was over and they were waiting to sit for test papers of their extra curriculum of the Australia programme. They were both studying in Washington International School since January 2008. It was tough changing school from Malaysia education to International syllabus. Language is a bit problem in the beginning but they were both improving slowly. It was their first summer break in Karachi.
 |
| Greece, here we come! |
We left our apartment at 3.45am in the morning to check-in at the counter, 4.30am. At the immigration, I was told to get my visa renewed as it was 90 days overstay. It did not crossed my mind to get my business visa converted to working visa though the process was already initiated. My mistakes! Had huge issues as the immigration officer was adamant to let us throught until the Qatar Airline officer bring some sense on our behalf. After so much pleading and promises not to repeat in the future, the immigration officer finally allow us to board. It was horrible experience and we were scared to encounter same difficulties in Doha Airport. We departed at 6.20am from Jinnah International Airport, Karachi to Doha. It was a 3 hours journey. At 7.10am local time (9.10am Karachi time), we safely landed in Doha International Airport.
Despite our fear, we transit peacefully in Doha Int. Airport without immigration interrogation. God Bless. We transit for almost 6 hrs. Met few Malaysian and Sudanese family in the prayer hall. At 1.15pm, Doha local time, we depart to and landed at Athens International Airport at 5.50pm local time, again without hassle and ugly scene with immigration. It was a great relieved to be able to get out of the dust and smelly environment of Karachi.
Dorian Inn had provided a pick-up service from the airport to hotel. We sat and relaxed in the nice taxi and a Greek hunk driver. We saw donkeys tarnsported in the lorry, unlike Karachi where people use donkey to lift heavy thing such as steel bars and other means of transportation. Lets not digest on the differences. I'm here to talk about my vacation. After we checked in, Nasrul immediately went up to the top floor for swimming.
When he returned to the room, we went out for dinner. Syahirah encountered a shameful experience with the local boys that made us decided to just ordered pizza and drinks dined in our room.
To be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment