Day 4 Shabbat:(No pictures for this update since it was shabbat)
We woke up to another amazing day with great weather. For Saturday lunch we heated it up before Shabbat came in to defrost and then kept it in the fridge till Saturday morning where we left it out in the sun for a couple hours. Surprisingly, when it came time to eat. The food was actually warm!
From our villa in the morning we saw two turtles. And then later in the day a couple that was snorkeling by our villa said they just saw a massive shark right in front of our villa where the reef ends. So while I got stuck staying with the baby
my wife jumped in and saw a baby shark really close to her and the big fully grown shark in the distance. She got scared and rushed back. By the time I went out to get a look it swam away
. However, I continued snorkeling but as it happens to be that on the day we don’t have a go pro we see an abundance of colorful and stunning fish! We will be going back tomorrow to get some pics though.
If I hadn’t mentioned it earlier they actually provide, like most of these hotels, complimentary snorkeling gear rentals and they are some pretty good equipment.
It was only today that I realized that although I initially thought the snorkeling was lacking compared to the SR. Since I remember the corals being less bleached and more fish life near the villa, that for the WA if you just venture out like another minute from your villa to the end of the reef there is a lot of beautiful fish. I also don’t recall ever seeing a shark or turtles from the SR so as of now it seems the WA is superior in that respect as well. Leaving the SR with not much else...
I did also notice that the butler service at the SR VS the “host” service at the WA is not comparable. Maybe I just landed on a mediocre host but I recall my butler at the SR always checking in on us and sending us fruit bowls. Whereas at the WA unless I WhatsApp my butler she doesn’t really offer anything or checkin. I had to ask for the snorkeling gear and we were never really given a proper tour of the place or anything like that. Not saying it’s necessarily bad service but in comparison to the SR I would say it’s lacking. The host here, when I do reach out, is very responsive and kind so no complaints about bad service.
Besides for that we just chilled most of the day. Took the baby to the kids program to play with the toys and enjoyed the villa.
I have to say the hotel in general seems really busy and more than just 50% occupied. I’ve noticed that at breakfast, kids club, and at other places the hotel is seems pretty full with rarely any open tables.
After shabbat, I tried again to speak to QR to book infant award and was able to finally book it with ease! I think the key is calling at a good time to get the Doha Call center to pick up rather than the India call center. Or, if Florida call center opens back up that should work as well.