Bus No 727 Doha

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On exactly 5:16 am, a white apron shuttle bus belonging to Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) completed its task of transporting all Kuwait Airways flight KU 621 passengers. Qatar Aviation Services itself is the main company which focuses in ground handling at Hamad International Airport (HIA) .

From arrival time, it would take thirty minutes to complete the immigration process, then crossing exit gate and enjoyed fresh situation of Arrivals Meet and Greet Hall.

Arrivals Meet and Greet Hall

Hunting for information about Qatar tourism at information desk, I was silent watching a display in neon box. The pattern which shows that HIA has obtained Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 3. This shows that the airport is able to respond to climate change through energy optimization programs and is successful in collaborating with stakeholders in managing third party emissions.

The time that was too early morning was able to put me to sleep in a chair covered in brown leather and located under a date palm tree which towered over the room.

An hour and a half later, I was shocked. The sun peeked at hall and airport visitors were already busy passing by. I stepped to airport’s east wing to wash and prepared to leave the airport.

Two water bottles which had dried up since last night were now filled. I left front area of toilet which was decorated with a herd of long-horned deer scattered on a side of the hall. Shiny chocolate like a fighter deer.

Contemporary Dutch art, “8 oryxes” represents a herd of deer typical of the Arabian Peninsula.

In the airport’s west wing, I hunted for money changers. A little tricky to find it, a little bit to right from main hall. 144 US Dollars changed to 479 Qatari Riyals, then 70 Riyals were left to buy a 2.5 GB SIM Card with a validity period of 30 days.

Aku menemukan lagi karya seni kontemporer setelah menukar Dollar. Karya tanpa nama sebagai bentuk penghormatan kepada para pekerja pembangun HIA. TaI found another piece of contemporary art after exchanging Dollars. An anonymous work as a form of respect for HIA construction workers. It looked like their signature was etched on that work of art.

Still on west wing, finished in equipping myself with drinking water, SIM Card and some Riyal money sheets, it was time to go to downtown using airport bus number 727. To riding it, I needed a KARWA Smart Card which could be purchased at automatic ticketing machine in waiting room of airport bus terminal.

Departure Hall

If four days earlier I went to downtown using the airport bus, then when I left Doha, I used Doha Metro to HIA. Just wanted to feel the difference. From Casper Hotel, I took a Free Doha Metrolink Shuttle Service. A brown colored pink bus dropped me off at Oqba Ibn Nafie Station. Gliding with Doha Metro, one station later, I arrived at Hamad International Airport T1 Station.

Before passing through airport car park, the HIA Mosque tower became the best view on skybridge route which connected Doha Metro Station and Terminal 1. Then,travelator helped me to relieve my tired calf muscles after five days of exploring hot streets of Doha.

Now I was sitting in check-in counter zone waiting for Philippines Airlines flight number to appear on one of 12 LCD screens on wall. Like waiting for a lottery number, I was happy when the number actually appeared. I rushed to check-in counter PR 685 which seemed quiet.

“Hi, please queue, Sir!” warning from a ground staff who automatically braked my steps. He pointed to a queue of Filipinos starting from an airport pole. They all laughed at me and lowered my face in shame.

After stamping my passport, I went down stairs and found an old dream. It was obvious how cute the Lamp Bear was sitting helplessly stuck to a black lamppost. Every passerby scrambled to immortalize themself with the ill-fated bear. A Bangladeshi finally helped immortalize myself with the bear.

Duty free zone with a Lamp Bear mascot in the middle.

I started looking for gate D3, a gate from which I flew to Manila. Took an escalator and rode skytrain to concourse D. Within 2 minutes, the skytrain dropped me off at a new hall with many forks leading to all gates at councourses D and E. The junction was marked by contemporary art titled “Cosmos” in the center.

Contemporary French art called “Cosmos” which symbolizes the world’s traveling culture.

Finally I arrived at waiting room at gate D3 and waited for Philippines Airlines to arrive to pick me up.

How about Hamad International Airport, how magnificent is it?

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<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Tepat pukul 5:16 pagi, apron shuttle bus putih milik Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) menyelesaikan tugasnya dalam mengangkut semua penumpang Kuwait Airways bernomor terbang KU 621. Qatar Aviatin Services sendiri adalah perusahaan utama yang berfokus pada ground handling di Hamad International Airport (HIA).

Dari ketibaan, perlu waktu tiga puluh menit hingga menyelesaikan proses imigrasi, lalu melintasi exit gate dan menikmati segarnya suasana Arrivals Meet and Greet Hall.

Arrivals Meet and Greet Hall

Berburu informasi tentang pariwisata Qatar di information desk, aku terdiam memperhatikan tampilan di neon box. Dipaparkan pola yang menunjukkan bahwa HIA telah mendapatkan Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 3. Ini menunjukkan bahwa bandara ini mampu merespon perubahan iklim melalui program optimasi energi dan berhasil dalam kolaborasi bersama stakeholders dalam mengelola emisi pihak ketiga.

Waktu yang terlalu pagi mampu menidurkanku si sebuah kursi bercover kulit warna cokelat dan terletak di bawah pohon kurma yang menjulang tinggi di ruangan.

Satu setengah jam kemudian, aku terperanjat. Matahari mengintip ruangan dan pengunjung bandara sudah ramai berlalu-lalang. Pergilah aku ke sayap timur untuk berbasuh dan mempersiapkan diri untuk meninggalkan bandara.

Dua botol minum yang mengering sejak semalam kini terisi. Aku meninggalkan area depan toilet yang dihiasi sekawanan kijang bertanduk panjang yang disebar di sebuah sisi hall. Cokelat mengkilat bak kijang petarung.

Seni kontemporer ala Belanda, “8 oryxes” merepresentasikan kawanan kijang khas Jazirah Arab.

Di sayap barat, aku berburu money changer. Sedikit tricky untuk menemukannya, sedikit masuk ke kanan dari hall utama. 144 Dollar Amerika berganti menjadi 479 Riyal Qatar, lalu tersisih 70 Riyal untuk membeli SIM Card berkuota 2,5 GB dengan masa berlaku 30 hari.

Aku menemukan lagi karya seni kontemporer setelah menukar Dollar. Karya tanpa nama sebagai bentuk penghormatan kepada para pekerja pembangun HIA. Tampak tanda tangan mereka tertoreh pada karya seni ini.

Masih di sayap barat, selesai melengkapi diri dengan air minum, SIM Card dan beberpa lembar Riyal, tiba saatnya menuju ke kota menggunkan airport bus bernomor 727. Untuk menaikinya diperlukan KARWA Smart Card yang bisa dibeli di automatic ticketing machine di ruang tunggu airport bus terminal.

Departure Hall

Jika empat hari sebelumnya aku menuju kota menggunakan airport bus, maka saat meninggalkan Doha, aku menggunakan Doha Metro menuju HIA. Ingin merasakan perbedaan saja. Dari Casper Hotel, aku menaiki Free Doha Metrolink Shuttle Service. Bus warna cokelat berkelir pink itu menurunkanku di Stasiun Oqba Ibn Nafie. Meluncur bersama Doha Metro, berselang satu stasiun, aku sampai di Stasiun Hamad International Airport T1.

Sebelum melewati airport car park, menara HIA Mosque menjadi pemandangan terbaik pada lintasan skybridge yang menghubungkan Stasiun Doha Metro dan Terminal 1. Kemudian, travelator menyelematkan otot betisku yang kelelahan setelah lima hari menelusuri jalanan panas Doha.

Kini aku terduduk di check-in counter zone menunggu nomor penerbangan milik Philippines Airlines muncul di salah satu dari 12 layar LCD yang terpajang di tembok etalase. Bak menunggu nomor lotre, aku girang ketika nomor itu benar-benar muncul. Bergegaslah aku menuju konter check-in PR 685 yang tampak senyap.

“Hi, please queue, Sir!” tegur ground staff yang otomatis mengerem langkahku. Dia menunjuk antrian warga Philippina yang bermula dari sebuah tiang bandara. Mereka semua menertawakanku dan menyungkurkan mukaku dalam rasa malu.

Selesai mengecap passport, aku menuruni tangga dan menemukan impian lama. Tampak jelas lucunya Lamp Bear yang duduk tak berdaya tertancap pada sebuah tiang lampu berwarna hitam. Setiap yang melintas berebut mengabadikan dirinya dengan si beruang naas itu. Seorang Bangladesh akhirnya membantu mengabadikan diri dengan si beruang.

*Duty free zone* bermascot Lamp Bear di tengahnya.

Aku mulai mencari keberadaan gate D3, gerbang dimana aku terbang ke Manila. Menaiki sebuah escalator dan bersambung dengan skytrain menuju concourse D. Dalam 2 menit, skytrain menurunkanku di hall baru dengan banyak percabangan menuju ke seluruh gate di councourse D dan E. Percabangan itu ditandai dengan seni kontemporer bertajuk “Cosmos” di tengahnya.

Seni kontemporer ala Perancis bernama “Cosmos”yang melambangkan budaya *traveling* dunia.

Akhirnya aku sampai di ruang tunggu gate D3 dan menanti Philippines Airlines tiba untuk menjemputku.

Gimana Hamad International Airport, Megah sekali kan?.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->

Tag: Bus No 727 Doha

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