http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Middle East , Qatar en-us Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:03:10 BST Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:03:10 BST Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas TravelersI look out on the white dunes a poorer poorer man from this point in Qatar. I must admonish in advance that my sleep schedule since leaving Japan and even before to be perfectly honest has been less circadian rhythmic and more circadian 'atonal uncoordinated deaf child doing the macarena' I bet there's a youtube video of that but I swear I just made that http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-296484.html I'm deeply opposed to thumb twiddling in airports. But what can you do with three hours in Doha Lots as it turns out. We met camels saw the sunset over the Dhow Harbour and walked the Corniche where local lads had parked up their cars and turned up the Arabic pop full volume. There was a very fitting crescent moon once it got dark and a hot foreign breeze. All of this was much better th http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-285803.html Doha is truly fascinating in all facets of Islamic religion culture surroundings incredible wealth and people. This is all obvious as soon as I left the airport although I was exhausted after 4 long flights from Canada I was kept awake by the excitement of the new environment. The 40C heat was bearable due to low humidity although I am now a fan of siestas after getting up at the crack of da http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-276900.html We enjoyed a Dune Bashing trip near the Sealine along with a dessert style overnite camping right on the ocean. Much of Qatar's oil and natural gas wealth is visible in Doha which is the economical centre of Qatar. Doha is home to the headquarters of the country's largest oil and gas companies. Like the nearby city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates Doha's economy is moving away from its dep http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-275950.html Flight en route from Manchester to Ho Chi Minh City. We stayed at the SAS Radisson at Manchester Airport on Saturday evening avoiding a very early drive from Shropshire. We had a soso meal with Jen sending her fish back of course and middling service that meant free coffee and liquors and some of the cost written of. We'd have rather paid full price for what could have been a perfect dinner... http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-244896.html The sevenhour flight aboard the Qatar Airlines Airbus went surprisingly quickly. Leaving behind the frost and cold of England Angela and I arrived at Doha International straight into the scorching heat of the desert. The temperature was easily hitting the middle thirties. Welcome to winter in the Middle EastClare Jackson Angelarsquos old neighbour who now lived in Qatar as a teacher at an E http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-220212.html After a couple of car bookings went missing I found myself in Doha airport sans wheels and since I know my way round the the slums of Calcutta better than the average taxi driver knows his way round Doha I resorted to Hassan Baghazal Trading Est. Rent a Car Division.On the phone I spoke to someone who's name sounded like Mr. Lovely but I assumed that a combination of telephone and backgroun http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-215188.html Sternzeit 0.17.92 Den ersten Teil der Anreise haben wir hinter uns. Wir sind planmaessig in Doha gelandet und muessen uns 6 Stunden bis zum Anschlussflug totschlagen. Das Essen hier auf dem Flughafen ist ein kleiner Vorgeschmack auf das was uns ev. erwarten koennte denn nicht einmal die Pommes haben so geschmeckt wie sie ausgesehen haben. Das schreit eigentlich nach einem Schnapserl doc http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-215027.html If you didn't know already I'll provide a quick update on my recent activities. I packed in my job having decided I'd regret not travelling before settling down those who've known me for a while know I've been considering this for far too long before actually deciding to do it. I handed my notice at the end of April rented my house by the end of July finished work at the end of August and set http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-211087.html I'm sorry sir the only car we have left is a big one sir said Maylene the girl behind the Hertz desk at Doha International Airport. How much for the day I asked. 300 Riyals sir she told me. I'll take it please I said handing over my credit card passport and driving licence. I'm not really that interested in cars with less than one gearbox but I thought having a Chevy Caprice or a Dodg http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-197341.html Leaving the Maldives was hard enough. Arriving into Qatar pronounced lsquocutterrsquo for a ten hour layover on our way to South Africa bordered on torture. The desert nothingness that revealed itself on our descent wasnrsquot exactly what I would call ldquowelcomingrdquo nor was the 44 degree C 110 degree F heat blast that overwhelmed us as we deplaned. Having psyched ourselves http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-169193.html Only 9 hours of the voyage left have had 2 hours of sleep and going strong Things have gone eventually pretty smoothly so far. Qatar Airways is just magnifique I so recommend them it's pure luxury Even for the economicclass travelers which is cool. And the staff is super polite and the food is fantastic. So first time ever am actually looking forward to get back to the plane. Also the ai http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-164761.html Qatar Road TripnbspMiddle East raquonbspQatar By Sal GavApril 29th 2007Sal Gav NewnhamThis weekend was a DOOZIE You should SEE what this country has to offer Words simply cannot describe the variety beauty and excitement of the landscape of Qatar... http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/blog-153392.html A Glimpse of the Middle East March 2931 2007 It would be impossible to imagine a greater study in contrast than our experience in beautiful but impoverished Lesotho and our short stay in Doha capital city of Qatar one of the richest countries in the world. An 8 hour flight can indeed take you to a whole other world. We flew Qatar Air from Johannesberg SA to Doha and even as the bus made i http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-149184.html UntitledAdam TaylorOk i've stated my journey for vietnam and left london at 15.30 this morning. My connection is in doha to then continue on to saigon. I read quite a few bad blogs about doha airport and their airlines but so far ive been pretty impressed. I do have a 7 hour wait for my next flight though which is bit of killer but i booked the oryx lounge which is alrite as you can sleep on a sof http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-144531.html Qatar...donde diablos queda Qatar Qatar es uno de los paises mas pequenos de medio oriente al lado derecho de Arabia Saudita es un pais muy rico por el petroleo y por gas natural al igual que por ser sede de la cadena noticiosa AlJazeera. Cuenta con 4 millones de habitantes pero mas de la mitad son immigrantes de India y Filipinas que vienen a hacer los trabajos de construccion de los grandes http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-139277.html Yesterday afternoon I visited Al Jazeera news rooms where Pia works. Given my job in PR I found it hugely interesting as were the conversations with Pia and her journalist colleagues such ambitious and high energy people even if the Al Jazeera English language centre looked pretty much the same than CNN and CNBC in London. In the evening two nights of hardly any sleep just became too much for http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-130485.html My trip has started As per normal the last days were mad and particularly leaving work happened in quite a rush. Goodbyes with all my lovely friends and colleagues were quite hard must say you really made me feel special during those last London days. I arrived in Doha Qatar at 6 yesterday morning. My friend Pia lives here so I'm staying here for a couple of days with her. I took a taxi f http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-130028.html Hi allWell this is just a quick update as to what I have been doing. Mmmmm . . . nothing. This is my second job since the last posting and it has all been pretty stock standard. Vessel positioning and diver tracking etc etc.I am currently in a place called Ra's Laffan in Qatar. It is a port that doesn't let you in or out. Excuse me you say well it's true. It is a very very restrictive place. A http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/blog-126928.html After getting back to Dubai I flew straight over to Doha in Qatar where the client company put me up in the Marriot a much nicer hotel than the Royal Crown Hotel Irsquove got no idea where they got the idea itrsquos ldquoRoyalrdquo. So I was stoked to be lounging in luxury. After attending a couple of meetings we were flew out by Gulf Helicopters to the Mersk platform ASEC imaginativ http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-125325.html Happy New YearChristmas came went here are some pics of the few days we spent with David Brenda Naomi Newnham...We had so much fun finally being tourists here in Doha. Took the fam to our favourite Indian restaurant Chingari ate arabic food at Balhambar on the corniche headed into the desert for an arabian adventure full of sanddunes camels arabic tea and enjoyed Christmas day in http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-121773.html I wasn't sure how long it would take to get my work done at the undisclosed location so I didn't book a return until Friday evening. That means that today was a free day in Doha. I took advantage of the spare time to sleep in but I'm over the jet lag thing apparently. I was out of bed by 800. Oh well at least I'll get to suffer when I get back home on Saturday.I went out and decided to hea http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-112883.html Well my work is done at the undisclosed location that is not a US Air Force base. l have to say it's a bit disorienting to spend so much time on a military base I mean secret place that is in full expansion mode and then to return to a boomtown in the Middle East that is also in full expansion mode but in a very different way.I have to say that Doha is a pretty mellow place. Maybe it's becaus http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-112823.html Arrival in Doha was very uneventful. The plane ride was great and I got to watch Psycho for the very first time. I got picked up on schedule and had the whole day to relax while I waited for my pass. I did check out the Souqs which were cool but didn't offer a huge selection of tourist stuff. As far as a middle eastern place it's very relaxing here. Doha appears to be a bit of a boom town wi http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-112284.html Well I have sat on my suitcase to close it ... partied my little heart out the last few days ... and am well and truly ready to board my flight in a few hours.Have heard some nightmare stories about flights out of here in the last few days so let us hope that things go well for me at the airport as I don't fancy spending Christmas in either Doha Bahrain or Singapore. Although some funny stori http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-111781.html Like Burbank California Doha's City Center is a mall. Everything's airconditioned and everyone drives large unnaturally clean cars. The comparison might end there. I learned that Thobe is the word for the men's traditional dress. Abaya is the women's. Service staff is imported and may speak English better than Arabic.I made it to town without much ado but with increased kindness towar http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-110831.html Some good some bad ... some very very ugly. But gives you a good idea what I have been up to http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-109526.html