#laagnitantong

Over the years, I’ve had several brief stopovers at Qatar’s Hamad International Airport—most lasting less than four hours, just enough time to stretch my legs before the next flight. But my first extended layover was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Philippine government imposed a cap on arriving passengers. I was held at the airport for 24 hours, provided with complimentary accommodation at the Oryx Hotel and meal vouchers. Despite the generous hospitality, strict health protocols kept me from exploring Doha City. Fast forward to today, I finally got a second chance to experience Doha beyond the terminal walls—a 20-hour stopover on our return from a 14-day tour of Central Asia. This time, I shared the adventure with Anneth and Jea. Anneth and I booked a stay at the Royal Riviera Hotel, while Jea received a free hotel accommodation inside the airport, thanks to an approved transit visa. With time on our side and the city within reach, we made the most of our short...

This has been the well-planned travel the LAAG friends ever had. The trio (Anneth, Crisanto & Jea) agreed to obtain a travel agency, "Wandering Lens" of Singapore, to manage the land arrangements of the our 15-day Central Asia Tour. The 4-country travel, covering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, started on Aug 16 and finished on Aug 31, 2025 via Qatar Airways. Jea flew from Auckland NZ, while Anneth from Singapore, and I from Manila, we met at Qatar to and from Almaty KZ... And thus we extended our travel itinerary maximizing our 20-hour stopover in Doha, Qatar (featured on a separate blog). Kazakhstan It was Nomadia Tours who managed locally our Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan trips. Elaman, the owner of the agency, acted as our driver and tour guide. We spent a total of 4 days in Kazakhstan staying 2 nights at Renion City Hotel in Almaty City and another 2 nights at Aryn House in Saty Village. On Day 1, we had a short city tour covering the following: ✅ vis...