Thanks for the frienship

A special thanks to those who made such a difference in my life during my stay in Doha - Laurie & Nicki, Dave & Pat, Chris & Diana, Laisean, KC, Chris & Mark, my colleagues, Faye, the BOSS, Mohamed, and not forgetting the office lads Ahli, Jibhan, Basantha, and countless others who I have met in the course of work, or through friends.

It has been a pleasure knowing all of you, and hope to see you some time, somewhere in the not too distant future!

Cares & hugs...till we meet again, Mart

Eat, Work, Play - Parting Words

Dear Friends,

As I head towards the finishing line, I take a moment to trot down amnesia lane...so, before I say farewell to all my comrades, some thoughts (certainly not the last ones) to share with my fans and followers.

Eat, Work, Play:

Eat - I quite enjoyed the communal makan (eating) sessions. Food always taste better and goes down well when you have good friends to share it with. From the rather posh (W Hotel, Inter Continental) to fast food cum food court fare (Sushi Minto, Butcher's Grill, Applebee's, TGIFs, Bhukari, Marmara, Turkey Central, etc.), there's a meal for everyone. But of all the foods that Doha has to offer, and being Asian (and loving all things hot & spicy), I have to make special mention of a few places that kept my palette going. My top 10 favourites are:

1. Thai Snack (great one meal dish off the menu but too much MSG)

2. Sentral (big Friday hit in an area I like to describe as the "war zone")

3. Restaurant Jarkarta (recently opened, and has good take-aways of tempe, Indonesian snacks, etc. The Bakso is very good)!

4. Wok & Walk (I thank my colleague for finding this gem of a szechuan place, opp. the Qatar National Library @Sana R/A, and the cook is CHINESE!!!)

5. Asian Noodles (more upmarket, in City Centre. The char kway teow is quite good).

6. Taste of Asia (a hot & stuffy cafe near the airport where you can get your "fix" for roti canai and curry)

7. Lagenda cafe (good malaysian fare @Holiday Villa, aka the "Titanic"). Good cuppa teh tarik!

8. Chopstix (also @the Titanic; good selection of chinese fare and the cook is a Malaysian)

9. Beijing Restaurant (just opposite Ramada Hotel. Really good roast duck)

10. Chowking (mix of Filipino and Chinese; food is reasonably priced and the crispy chicken is finger lickin' good).

Work - .......hmmmmm......I have some nice colleagues.........hmmmm.....................but seriously, working conditions are reasonable. You start early (730am) and finish off by the afternoon (330pm), and during the Ramadhan season, working hours are shorter with most government offices closing at about noon, or in my case, at about 130pm. Workers with families find that they get to spend much more quality time with their spouses and their children, which may not be the case in Singapore. I think the kids here have a better and all-rounded childhood experience as they are not so pressurised by school work, or under the strain of peer pressure. Then, there's the leave days which is 37 days for me, not counting another 10 public holidays. The salary package is quite attractive and to top it off, it's TAX FREE! Working in Doha is good. While I've laid bare all things nice and sweet, what about the downside of working in Doha? Well, for starters, you have to have loads of patience; the patience to deal with all things that don't quite move as smoothly as you would like them to perform. You have to expect the unexpected and not assume that you will have certain things completed, delivered, or in working order. Why else would you hear people say "Inshallah"? Some things are bound to go wrong. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and laugh it off. It's best not to lose your marbles over such incredulous situations. Working in a company that's like a united nations post can be quite colourful, but at the same time quite clique-ish. My colleague likes to refer to them as the "mafia", where two or more of the same nationality bond together. My colleagues have varied backgrounds and experiences, particularly my arab colleagues who are a good source to providing insights and wisdom into the teachings of the Quran, and of sharing their stories of their homeland, their culture, their philosophy. I shall miss them very much as some of them have been quite inspiring to work with.

Play - my favourite topic, after eating! :0)

We work 8 hours a day, five out of seven, and sitting down in front of the computer screen, in a room with no windows....well, it just sucks the living daylight out of you! To de-stress, the gym and the swim pool are my main outlets of letting off steam. When friends plan an activity, we get out to catch a movie, go for a walk, or do whatever we need to do to get our hearts pumping, perform some mental gymnastics or just plain staying sane. We have to make good use of the 5-6 months of good weather before the heat gets the better of everyone.

Friends have asked: "...are you sad leaving Doha?"

Most certainly! When I look at my photo albums, and read earlier postings in my blog, I can say I have done so many wonderful and adventurous things. Together, we chat about our lives, loves, hopes, dreams, aspirations, be it over a meal, a snack, an ice cream or a coffee. Yes, we also talk about the weather, whether in Doha, Manchester or in Singapore! It's been an amazing journey, and although I leave Doha to return home (no doubt, very happy), I shall be missing the people who have made a great difference in my life. I am truly blessed to have met them all in Doha, and they shall ever remain close to my heart.

So, many cares to all who have followed me on my Qatar sojourn that has lasted for a year and a half, and as the Islamic greeting goes:


“Peace be upon you” - As-Salaamu ‘Alaykoum السلام عليكم

Till we meet again, Mart

Away, away...from Doha

I used to think that Bangkok was a good place to start to fly anywhere else in the world for cheap...this still holds true, but if you go by distance, Doha is actually a good base to start from to access middle eastern and european connections. Fares are certainly not cheap, particularly during the high travel season starting from April (Easter), then about late June to August/September (before the start of Ramadhan, 1st eid (Al Fitr) and 2nd eid (Al Adha) and from November, December, and into the new year.

Personally, my 37-days of leave entitlement (when I tell my friends this, it draws envious reactions) allows me to travel out anywhere. But I am such a home-girl; I always choose to return to my crowded little island and spend quality time with my family and friends, and of course, with my favourite pets, whether they be mine or home to others. So I make at least two trips home. Considering that it gets too hot to spend any time outdoors in the summer in Doha or any place else in the Middle East, I would rather be home bringing my mum out, chatting with my friends in the East Coast, going about my exercise routine either by myself or in the company other sweaty bodies, and enjoying my comfort foods of fish porridge, bak chor mee or whatever my tastebud desires.

But I return to Doha... only to leave this place for good. And before I make that exit, I thought I would make a visit or two to other regions of the GCC.

So with my little rucksack, I went on a one-day excursion with some friends to Bahrain, and a solo trip to Dubai.

Bahrain is a charming little gulf state, with a few sights to offer to visitors. In and around the town centre, drop in at the Bahrain National Museum for a bit of history lesson. Then continue on your journey around the old part of town and make your way for something local at the central market where you'll find a good selection local produce of meats, fish, dates, and assortment of fruits and vegetables. Not too far from the town centre, you can also visit the Qala'at al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort). For a lebanese lunch and a McDonald's softee ice-cream, drive out to the King Fahd Causeway which will take you to the border of Saudi Arabia. Beyond the city limits, make your way to the Bahrain F1 International circuit and the wildlife sanctuary. Drive back into town, and spend your time in one of the large malls, and dine at one of the fancy restaurants and end the evening lounging at one of the cafes to people watch.

By contrast, Dubai is a different gulf state all together, where everything is on a grand scale -biggest malls (Dubai Mall where there's also the largest aquarium ever built in a shopping mall), tallest buildings (Burj Khalifa), grandest hotels (the 7* Burj Al Arab), the tallest flag pole and one oversized national flag; the largest man-made island (The Palms and the World), the tallest minaret (the Grand Jumeirah Mosque), indoor ski resort (Mall of the Emirates)...but all that glitters in this glamourous city is not gold as the powers that be try to find their way out of a colossal debt. As I make my way around the city, I see people on the move, very crowded malls, people spending money, long cab queues, families of all nationalities congregating at the parks, traders loading the dhows with varied goods and appliances, busy souks and people from all walks of like on the abras crossing the creek from dawn to dusk. Doesn't feel like there's a credit crunch...then again, I'm just your solo weekend tourist-warrior enjoying the sights and sounds of Dubai...sitting on a BIG BUS.

Till next time...

About World Cup and Turtles

Footie virus has spread all across Doha, and turtles have landed at Fuwarit beach!

Let's talk about soccer first. While Singaporeans were fuming over the subscription prices they had to fork-out to watch the once in every four year live matches, many in Doha were content to just pay S$140. There were no boycotts and/or petitions going around the desert. Everyone just got on with life, and we were all about it - I think I've seen more WC fixtures being printed off the laserjet than my agreements! Tea boys, colleagues were happy to relive glorious goal moments and recant flops and guffaws of goalies strikers and midfielders. People were keen to head home early to catch the last few minutes of a game, or stay in on a Friday-Saturday evening at home to watch with family and friends. Bars, food courts, restaurants got in on the action as well, setting up screens of all sizes to draw the crowds. I am quite enjoying it, this seasonal footie flu, of sharing the joy of a goal being scored, or the sadness of my two Mancunians neighbours when England exited from the WC. Sigh.

In the midst of this soccer frenzy, baby turtles were making their way out of the desert-beach @Fuwarit. Managed by Qatar University Environmental Studies Centre, Mr. Shafeek, the guardian over these hawksbill baby turtles, was pleased to let us have an up close and very personal encounter with these sea creatures. No bigger than the palm of my hand, I held one which was all too eager to break free and head...towards the light. I've swam with turtles in Tioman, I've seen mummy turtles lay their eggs on Christmas Day in Sri Lanka, and now, I can proudly proclaim that I've held one in my hand!

If you can’t make it to Fuwarit beach, then check out the satellite tracked turtles in the Gulf at http://www.gulfturtles.com/

Click on Satellite Tracking, then Track the Turtles to see the list of Gulf Turtles. The following are Qatari turtles: Q (adopted by CNA-Q students), 53010, 53011, 53013, and 53015.

Till next time, Mart

How to make friends...and keep them

I know I am off my schedule for this blog submission, but I had a mental block over the weekend. I knew my topic would be about friendship-relationships, but I just could not find the words to express myself. Then on Monday early morning, sieving through my emails, I received an email from my colleague. “You are cordially invited to a BBQ with my family…” – this was quite a surprise; an invite from a Qatari. I could not decline, as he gave me no option to refuse. Frankly, invitations like these from a native Q is rare. The Q social web is not accessible to outsiders. I have not heard anyone lay claim to a friendly infiltration into Q hospitality. I was rather fortunate.

So how/what was the experience like? Noting the prime address/location, I expected to visit a mansion- or palace-like house, and yes, it was at least a double bungalow! But I did not score quite well on my other assumptions and it all vanished when I was greeted by my colleague dressed down in shorts, Ts and flip-flops, holding in his hand a can of beverage of the spirits kind! What a contrast, as I would normally see him at the office in his traditional arab robe and tuk.

I was quite humbled by the whole experience, of meeting his wife, son and relations, their warmth and sincerity, openness, sharing a simple Arabic BBQ dinner with foreigners, light-hearted banter under an exceptionally and unusually cool summer's evening. This was a picture-perfect setting.

In between servings of yummilicious grilled chicken, homemade hummus, fattoush and other Arabic fare, my colleague shared with me his work philosophy, and his thoughts about people. "...they are assets, yani...but we must treat them well...and what they want to feel...is encouragement...if we don’t manage relations well, they will leave…”. Although he was saying this in the context of work relations, I felt that it held true in any kind of relationship one would chance upon. The friendships I have formed in Doha have been encouraging, and I treasure them very much. Even though I am somewhat sad to leave Qatar, and unable to manage the friendship closely (ie. staying on and bonding together regularly), I take heart knowing that some time, some day, somewhere, in a not so distant future, we would cross paths, and write a new history.

Till next time, Mart

Entertaining Doha...Part 2

During the winter months in Qatar, locals and expats spend long hours outdoors, enjoying the cool air. It's really nice and you can get quite a lot of things done, recreationally speaking. So from late-ish October till about late March, Doha comes alive with sporting events galore, people enjoying picnics at the beach or on the lawn by the Corniche, camping, catching a camel race, dune trailing, etc. It's also a great time to spend lounging at open air cafes and restaurants. Souq Waqif is a great people watch area in the late afternoon till late night.

Alas, tis summer, and the air is hot and heavy, with temperatures racing towards the 50deg.C mark! Many will take refuge indoors, away from the sweltering summer heat. But life still goes on, and I would still busy myself to find something to do, albeit an indoor activity. Doha doesn't find you, you find it! You just have to make the effort to find it, then get out and do it.

There are things to do in Doha *surprise* aside from shopping and eating. Friends are a good source of finding things to do in town. And having the company of friends to do it with is twice the fun!

Take my recent excursion to Villagio's newest attraction GONDOLANIA - an indoor theme park to cater to kids of all ages. There's a 4-D cinema (that extra 1D lets you feel the thrill and excitement of the movie, including a water-spritz in the face), roller-coaster ride, ten-pin bowling and other usual arcade/fair-like games. But the main attraction for me is the indoor go-cart circuit! For 10-minutes, you buckle up for a good dose of adrenalin-rush, whizzing round a 250m track, being the Schumi, Weber or Hamilton in the bucket seat. You tackle tight corners, controlling the wheels with two foot pedals - one for brakes and the other for acceleration. The air is filled with the revving sound of go-cart engines and the smell of burnt rubber. At the end of it, it's just very happy faces having gone out for a spin on the fast-track.

So, to sum-up, Doha isn't all that boring, well, at least for 5-6 months of the year, but admittedly, you do have to have a circle of friends who take the effort to look up for happenings in and around Qatar, who bother to plan outings, arrange gatherings and include little ol' me in such sessions. Call it "group therapy", as it has surely kept me sane and alive!


Till next time, Mart

Entertaining Doha...Part 1

Sunday to Thursday - in the office grinding away. Come Friday and Saturday, and it's PRISON BREAK! :)
What to do IN Doha? I have to don my thinking cap and think for sometime, particularly during summer months (late March, beginning of April). If you want to plan an excursion outdoors in the summer, you either have to plan it very very early in the morning, or late-ish in the afternoon, just before sunset. In any case, most activities will take place indoors.
There are three over-populated malls in Doha - City Centre, Landmark, and Villagio. So, with a population of 1678568 (1274013 males/ 4044555 females), you can imagine how busy these malls are. Single men have a harder time getting into the malls, and you have very alert security guards policing entrances, making sure only "Families" make their way in. I was told by a friend that some enterprising single ladies will "hire" themselves out to bachelors - these "instant" families are in within the minute, and the affair ends when they are out of sight of the guards. Such family tales do come true in Doha.
I LOVE MOVIES, so die, die I must make my way to the cinema to catch up on the latest - Doha has it all - 2D, 3D, IMAX. I can't really complain BUT, catching a movie in Doha has its ups and downs; downside, you don't get to watch the full content of the movie. Sure, there are ratings, but hey, this is Qatar, so expect some scenes (amorous or not) to be snipped away leaving you in the director's chair to "imagine" the censored bits. More often than not, you get to hear Lady Gaga "singing" in the background, or a couple, just seated a few seats from you, narrating the entire film in Arabic, or four teenage boys deciding that it's far better to play musical chairs in the cinema without parental supervision. Now, that's what I call entertainment!

Stay tuned, folks...I'll be back...

Till next time, M