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Dubai and Asia

By Chris Short

Sunday January 29th 2023 I headed to Newcastle to catch EK36 to Dubai. This was my first trip flying out of Newcastle Airport. Straight through check in and security a doodle, maybe that's because only a few flights were departing at dinner time. A6-EGO whisked us across to Dubai quite a busy flight but with no issues we arrived around 0015 Dubai time. We could not have gone to a more secluded remote stand at the far end of the Airport. A bus whisked us off to the terminal and went through security like a breeze. I'm always impressed with the Airport, everything just seems to work. After a 20 minute zig zag through the crowd control for the taxi, we were in and on our way for a 4 days stay at the now well known Hilton Garden Inn. I first stayed here back in 2019 when it was not that well known for spotters. Greeted with a smile we checked in and through my contacts at the Hotel was allocated room 603. There are 7 floors but the ones on the 7th were taken. The room is a double room but it can accomodate a fold up bed for a price. Rooms you require are 01 02 and 03. The 5th floor is the lowest you need after that you're in trouble. One thing we found out is that the air conditioning in the room can react with your window with the temperature outside and it could steam up your window, I was having issues seeing stuff at the airport but managed. The next day I had a word with the Hotel Rep and I was given room 701. The next few days the window was much better and with the Air Con we could see much better. The Hotel has a rooftop pool open from 7am to 7pm. Two guys (Lifeguards) gave us no issues and always greeted each morning with a wave and a smile. For most of the day we were the only people up there but I noticed looking towards Sharjah the SMOG and for most of the time it was very difficult to see anything lifting or landing there. But it did clear a few days and I could get stuck into my Air Arabia fleet. I think it's been said on many other reports, that this hobby is not known in Dubai and taking photos at the Airport is not recommended. Have a bit of courtesy and look after yourself, don't hang your camera over the edge of the pool area, keep stuff in your bag and hopefully you won't get a visit, I did notice that the security camera that was on the wall to the steps of the pool has gone. Plug points are there but sadly they don't work so bring a battery pack with you. I just used my mobile to keep a tab on things. There is a fitness centre just below the pool area that has a water dispenser. So keep your bottles and just fill them up from there.

Going onto food, the breakfast is what you would normally see in that part of the world, no bacon, black pudding or pork sausages. I found it ok to help me towards dinner time but the evening meals were fantastic and quite a reasonable price. Over the road of the hotel you once were able to get hot food but sadly not anymore but do stock things like crisps and chocolate like a mini mart. You can get anything there tee-shirts down to stationary. It's worth going in just to see what you find. To the right coming out of the hotel on the far side near the traffic lights is a corner shop that does chicken and meat samosas and chicken wraps for a few pounds as well as cold drinks; another mini shop is just to the right of the hotel for milk etc and snacks. Don't forget if you do get a taxi make sure the metre is on. We had no issues and found the taxi drivers pleasant to talk to.

After having spent a good productive 4 days in Dubai it was time to move onto the next location Thailand and both Bangkok Airports.

We left the Hotel early as we were on EK372 for a departure at 0930. We left at 1004 on board A380 A6-EOK again for a full flight but I managed an upgrade to Business my first time in snob class and I loved it. 5hrs 34 minutes we touched down in BKK. Took about 1 hour from landing to getting out of the airport in a private car to our next hotel the Siam which was once called the Grand Come Inn. I last stayed here back in Nov 2015. So much has changed for the better, the hotel has had a complete makeover and feels quite modern. I made a booking for a suite room and was not disappointed. Room 432 was allocated and was superb, a bit like the Renaissance hotel at Heathrow the whole Airport is in front of you. There are 6 floors and if you make a booking there is an option for an Airport facing room. Again the breakfast is not for us Europeans but you make what you want with it and I found it again like Dubai, does you till dinner time, where a 7 minute walk finds you a 7-11 shop full of goodies and sandwiches to help you through till the evening. Once again I ate in the hotel and found the food good but having to wait 20-25 minutes for your food was not good and that's with few people in the restaurant. There is a kettle in the room so all you have to buy is some milk and I bring my own tea bags. Plenty of plug points but I always bring a small extension lead.

The building work is for a 3rd runway and a new international terminal is built and is already ready but was not open when I was there. The windows do not open so your photos are not as good.

Whilst in Bangkok a day was taken out at Don Mueang Airport. There is a taxi service within the Hotel Siam for private transport so I made a few enquiries 900Bht = £21 bargain. At 9am I was in the car on my way to a pre arranged pick up time of 4pm. I did a little homework and if I got there at 10am I could leave around 1530 without missing much new as they started to repeat after time. Went upstairs to the viewing area to find a chain across the walkway - disaster, was shut and no signs of it opening. After going into headless chicken mode, and thinking I would be outside in 34c I began to look around and only 100 yards I found a Cafe and around a corner tables and a view of the runway. Phew thank god for that. So that was it buying a drink now and again I set my stall out for my time there. Still a busy Airport with lots of Air Asia, Nok Air and other visitors which included Spring Airlines from China. Before long it was time to pack up and after only waiting 3 extra minutes my ride turned up and I was back on my way to the hotel. I could not find anyone to see if the closure of the viewing deck was permanent or just a one off. Before I flew out I read it hasn't been open since Covid hit and the air conditioning was turned off.

After 4 days in Bangkok it was time again to move on to a country I have never visited, Vietnam. My fleet list for there was quite bare so I was hoping to get quite a lot of the Vietnam fleet. This time we flew with Vietnam Airlines on one of the 787s. It's quite crazy they use widebodies on some of these flights and internally again they use 787 and even A350s. We boarded VN-A871 for our short hop to Hanoi arriving at 1510. Not good visibility was bad, lots of mist and wet. Yuk. I had done some digging and found a new hotel people had not talked about on the Plane Spotting Hotels website and other sites.

I saw this hotel and after looking at Trip Advisor and seeing photos I emailed the hotel and was assured they had Airport views. I booked a family room and in the photos you could see one end of the terminal and the approach. The Hotel is called the Paragon and it's a gem of a place. http://paragonnoibai.com/

It's down a narrow side street and your first impression is holy sh!t where are you taking me. See photo.

After checking in with broken English I went up to my room. Wow what a room, brilliant lots of space, a balcony, a big bathroom, kettle, fridge the lot. What more do you need and even a shop right next door again where you could buy next to anything you need. Now can I see the planes? On a good day yes it is second to none for views but whilst I was there they were coming out of the mist at around 400 feet. Not good at all for photos but there are a few shots enclosed. The Hotel has 5 floors you will need to be on the 4th or 5th to see an approach. On the top is a pool area which again on a good day will give you superb shots. For your hobby this is the place to stay by far. It's a hidden gem. The only downside is breakfast but the evening meals for may I add for pennines is well worth it. By the way you won't get 1 cleaning lady I had six in at the same time little darlins they are. On a footnote almost all the guests I saw were Americans or Europeans. Check it on Trip Advisor for some great write ups.

My stay in Hanoi at the Paragon was at an end and the next stop was a blast down the country to Ho Chi Minh City. I said my goodbyes to the staff and the lady next door who runs her shop and got on the free taxi to the Airport a painless trip through passport as I had upgraded to Business as I was expecting my first trip on an Airbus A350 to be greeted at check in by the words "operated by a 787". Holy hell noooo.....AN-A868 greeted me. That's where the fun started. After a while I saw lots of staff on the other side of the business class and found out a poor Canadian had lost her passport. Yes she had walked no more than 40 yards and it was nowhere to be seen. After 35 minutes of frantic searching nothing so the Captain entered the scene and in 5 minutes herself and her husband were off the plane. We departed some 45 minutes late. After being wined and dined we arrived in sweltering Ho Chi Minh City. As it was an internal flight we were off the plane baggage in hand 10 minutes after we landed.

Outside chaos I mean chaos just people cars bikes buses everywhere but I had been told by the Ibis Hotel where to meet the rep and there he was waiting. For 5 minutes we were in a blinged up mini bus for a short ride to the hotel. The place is complete uncontrollable chaos that actually works. I kid you not, it's fun to watch between planes on the road network. How the hell I never saw anyone knocked off their bikes or car prangs I will never know. I was disappointed that with 15 floors I got floor 4. It seems floors 14 and 15 are apartment rooms so beware book one of them and all will be fine. With those you will be able to see over the terminals onto the airfield. On the roof is a pool and a bar and it's where I spent most of my time. It opens early till they kick you off around midnight. With my room depending which way they were arriving or departing, it's all I could see. The bar does not open on the roof till about 4.30pm snacks are available and are pretty good but DON'T HAVE THE STEAK I'm in dispute over the horrendous poor quality other people complained too. Burgers are OK. Club sandwiches are a must as well as the nachos. Soft drinks and food is actually pretty good you certainly get more for your £££ over in Asia as a whole. Breakfast is actually not bad with plenty to choose from as well as a Starbucks in the hotel itself. 7/11 shops and street vendors all around so you won't go hungry at all. Here is the link to the hotel https://all.accor.com/hotel/9468/index.en.shtml

As with all Ibis Hotels the rooms are pretty small for 2 sharing it will be a tight squeeze. My room 425 was a double. All rooms in the 23 24 25 range should give you good views the higher the better.

We spent a few hours at one of the rooftop coffee shops located all around the airfield. They are cracking little places and for you keen photographers they are a must. Link

Above is the link to the one I went to. Fantastic place views great and the milk shakes are amazing at around £1. The guy will even hire you a pair of binoculars for a hour for around 30pence! Here are a set of photos of my stay.

Well after 2 weeks away it all came to an end. We left for Darlington via Dubai and Newcastle. This trip was amazing and flying most of the legs Business class (all but one) just put the icing on the cake. Hope you enjoyed my little blog and hope it might help you on your trips maybe. As always you can contact me about my trip and others via my email napierman55@gmail.com.

My other trips in the past have been LAX, SAN FRANCISCO, SEATTLE, VANCOUVER, BONE YARDS OF ARIZONA AND MOHAVE. VEGAS, plus the east coast seaboard of the USA.

Till the next time !