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Buried Treasure: UAE Empty Quarter & Beyond to Huvadhoo Atoll, Maldives UA, EY J, Q2

Buried Treasure: UAE Empty Quarter & Beyond to Huvadhoo Atoll, Maldives UA, EY J, Q2

Old Nov 28, 2012, 9:05 am
  #46  
 
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Originally Posted by worldtraveller73
Cohall - this is a bit of a challenging question.
Thanks very much for your response. I think I'll take your advice and just let them know that we want a villa with an ocean view (but not villa #1!).

Appreciate your help.
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Old Nov 28, 2012, 9:13 am
  #47  
 
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Originally Posted by Cohall
Thanks very much for your response. I think I'll take your advice and just let them know that we want a villa with an ocean view (but not villa #1!).

Appreciate your help.
check out the master thread in the Hyatt forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...thread-38.html

Also I gave specific feedback on pool/island villas with good beach exposure in post #565
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Old Nov 28, 2012, 10:20 am
  #48  
 
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Originally Posted by ma91pmh
check out the master thread in the Hyatt forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...thread-38.html

Also I gave specific feedback on pool/island villas with good beach exposure in post #565
Thanks, ma91pmh. I appreciate the advice from that thread.

Can you now please post part #8 of your trip report so that I can check out the view from villa #19?
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Old Nov 28, 2012, 10:56 am
  #49  
 
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Very fascinating Trip Report, thanks for taking the time and effort to share.

I do have some questions:

You mentioned that it got up to 38 (which equates to about 100F for those in the USA). Was that a dry heat (like much of the western and southwestern USA, especially desert areas) or was it humid and uncomfortable (like much of the eastern USA and Canada)?

Did you feel there was total liberty in taking pictures? Or were there places you were restricted from taking pictures?

What was security like on the flights within the Middle East?

In what way were the roads in the UAE better than Interstates in the USA? What was the speed limit?
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Old Nov 28, 2012, 11:44 am
  #50  
 
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Originally Posted by Cohall
Thanks, ma91pmh. I appreciate the advice from that thread.

Can you now please post part #8 of your trip report so that I can check out the view from villa #19?
Yes sorry, I'm getting there...
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Old Nov 28, 2012, 12:46 pm
  #51  
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Though you may have travelled in Y, J (and even Q), this trip report is totally First Class! In both text and photography, it's one of the nicest I've seen come down the pike in a good while. Thank you! ^^
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Old Nov 28, 2012, 2:01 pm
  #52  
 
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fantastic trip report--your pictures are amazing!!! it's wonderful that you guys got to visit the inhabited island and take in some Maldivian culture. Paradise!!
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Old Nov 29, 2012, 3:41 pm
  #53  
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Originally Posted by Loose Cannon
Very fascinating Trip Report, thanks for taking the time and effort to share.

I do have some questions:

You mentioned that it got up to 38 (which equates to about 100F for those in the USA). Was that a dry heat (like much of the western and southwestern USA, especially desert areas) or was it humid and uncomfortable (like much of the eastern USA and Canada)?
Having just returned back from Qatar myself about a week or so ago, it is a humid heat unfortunately (though when I was there it was about 33C, but that was like bliss for this Aussie stuck in the PNW).

To the OP Fantastic report. Good to see someone else heading off to Qatar.
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Old Nov 29, 2012, 4:57 pm
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AMAZING report! Thanks
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Old Dec 1, 2012, 2:14 pm
  #55  
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Originally Posted by Cohall
Thanks very much for your response. I think I'll take your advice and just let them know that we want a villa with an ocean view (but not villa #1!).

Appreciate your help.
Yes Cohall - I can't think of any bad rooms on this property, except for maybe Villa #1 and the Villa immediately next to the acess to the water villas. This would be based on pedestrian traffic and visibility / privacy reasons.

Originally Posted by ma91pmh
check out the master thread in the Hyatt forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...thread-38.html

Also I gave specific feedback on pool/island villas with good beach exposure in post #565
Originally Posted by Cohall
Thanks, ma91pmh. I appreciate the advice from that thread.

Can you now please post part #8 of your trip report so that I can check out the view from villa #19?
Thanks ma91pmh - I know I'm not the only one who's looking forward to the balance of your Trip Report.

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon
Very fascinating Trip Report, thanks for taking the time and effort to share.

I do have some questions:

You mentioned that it got up to 38 (which equates to about 100F for those in the USA). Was that a dry heat (like much of the western and southwestern USA, especially desert areas) or was it humid and uncomfortable (like much of the eastern USA and Canada)?

Did you feel there was total liberty in taking pictures? Or were there places you were restricted from taking pictures?

What was security like on the flights within the Middle East?

In what way were the roads in the UAE better than Interstates in the USA? What was the speed limit?
Loose Cannon,

In the desert and the UAE, the heat was dry with low humidity. The Maldives was more tropical but I personally found it not to be all too tropical.

I noticed at times on the hotter days in the lounge chair that even in dry heat, you're going to sweat like "no tomorrow" at times. I had waterfalls of persperation coming off me at times in the Maldives. The same applied for some of the days out at the Qsar Al Sarab in the Empty Quarter, UAE.

Indeed it was hotter temperatures in the UAE than my usual Singapore, Bali, Thailand experiences. This is perhaps attributed to less wind in these areas. Having said that - humidity and comfort are often relative things. X found Qatar to be quite humid, whereas I found it bearable. This makes me feel as though it's a relative barometer for comfort.

I was a conservative in taking photographs, preferring for a long lens at times. On the inhabited island, I was encouraged to take as many photographs as possible - which is strange for such a remote place that probably doesn't get a lot of foreign visitors. In Doha, the women didn't seem to mind being in general photographs, despite wearing abbeya's - provided that they were in public places. In the end, I think if you use caution and common sense, you won't be offending anyone.

I didn't notice many air marshalls or security vans guarding the US planes like El Al are reported to have. The additional security at the gate is probably the most inconvenient part. Mind you, I was way in the back cabin so any additional cockpit protection was hidden from my view.

The highways in the UAE are better than the USA interstate highways. They are built for sheer volume and excess. Who needs a 4-6 lane highway in each direction (up to 12 lanes total) between Dubai and Abu Dhabi?? There were frequent speed cameras along most routes but the Arab's didn't seem to pay much attention to them. I am sure that I zipped by a few speed cameras over the posted speed limit, but haven't received any ticket chargebacks through Hertz. The speed limits on the Dubai - Abu Dhabi was 140 km/h (85 mp/h) and on the 2 lane highway to Liwa was 80 km/h (50 mp/h).

Originally Posted by Seat 2A
Though you may have travelled in Y, J (and even Q), this trip report is totally First Class! In both text and photography, it's one of the nicest I've seen come down the pike in a good while. Thank you! ^^
Seat 2A - that's a terrific compliment coming from you !! Thank you for your wonderful support. Travel safe.

Originally Posted by snowymt
fantastic trip report--your pictures are amazing!!! it's wonderful that you guys got to visit the inhabited island and take in some Maldivian culture. Paradise!!
Snowymt, the inhabited island visit was one that was a tremendous value for me. In my humble opinion, anyone can visit a country and stay in a franchised property without getting out to experience life in the country. There are sometimes few opportunities to do so. The inhabited island visits are opportunities where you can get a guide to show you what life is really like on the atolls. It was a neat experience to understand what life would be like living on the atolls. Highly recommended.

Originally Posted by `X'
Having just returned back from Qatar myself about a week or so ago, it is a humid heat unfortunately (though when I was there it was about 33C, but that was like bliss for this Aussie stuck in the PNW).

To the OP Fantastic report. Good to see someone else heading off to Qatar.
Thanks X - Qatar is somewhere that I wouldn't recommend travelling in the middle of summer. October was pleasant, and from checking the weather reports recently, winters are much more mild.

Originally Posted by BostonFlyer1624
AMAZING report! Thanks
Thanks BostonFlyer1624 for your support once again.

Thanks also to those that have private messaged looking for information. This forum is one of the few places where you can get first hand information from those that have experienced it directly. ^^
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Old Dec 3, 2012, 10:45 am
  #56  
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Originally Posted by worldtraveller73
Thanks X - Qatar is somewhere that I wouldn't recommend travelling in the middle of summer. October was pleasant, and from checking the weather reports recently, winters are much more mild.
Yeah I definately wouldn't go during summer. Their winters are more what I am accustomed to back home in Australia during our summer on the East Coast. So it was something I could handle and quite be quite happy with. What was tough was returning to the near freezing levels in Seattle
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Old Dec 4, 2012, 12:31 pm
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AMAZING pics and what a wonderful report! WOW..I am totally jealous
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Old Dec 16, 2012, 1:37 pm
  #58  
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Originally Posted by `X'
Yeah I definately wouldn't go during summer. Their winters are more what I am accustomed to back home in Australia during our summer on the East Coast. So it was something I could handle and quite be quite happy with. What was tough was returning to the near freezing levels in Seattle
Yes X, it was very traumatic returning to the wet weather and greyness that is the Pacific Northwest. If I could afford it, and the time off work, I'd be back to the heat on a yearly basis.

Originally Posted by chicagodesi
AMAZING pics and what a wonderful report! WOW..I am totally jealous
Thanks chicagodesi - it was a pretty awesome experience. I'd highly recommend the visit.
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Old Dec 21, 2012, 5:43 am
  #59  
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Great TR, very detailed and well written ^
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Old Dec 24, 2012, 1:23 pm
  #60  
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Originally Posted by Zol
Great TR, very detailed and well written ^
Thanks for your support Zol!!

I find that the detail really helped me out when I was looking for resorts in the Maldives. Hopefully, this will help someone else out down the line.
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