Exploring Doha and return to Mumbai - Day 4 - 18 August 2014

I had a few more QAR still on the travel card and little incentive to step out for. I requested for a four-hour delayed checkout and was informed that 2 pm is the best they could accommodate. I was planning to leave the hotel by 4 pm, but now plans may have to change. Anyway, with the first half of the day to kill, I took the Gold and Green lines to the Mall of Qatar. Thus, I travelled on all three Metro lines in Doha - Red, Gold and Green. In fact, I used all modes of public transport - Metro, Tram, Bus and Uber - in the city. 

The metro train timings are very generous. Between Saturday and Wednesday, they ply between 0530 and 1159 hours, while on Thursday the metro is available for an hour longer till 1 am. On Friday services are available between 1400 and 0100 hours. While the stations are big and exceptionally well-maintained, passengers totally disregard public announcements inside the train and on the platforms to let passengers getting down to do so before boarding the train.

The metro is not crowded at all to warrant the undisciplined boarding that shocked me. There are checkers at every exit and entry point of the train access gates to ensure that malpractices are avoided and also be of assistance in case any need arose. On one of my journeys, I found a lady train checking staff checking the travel card of every passenger. With heightened security some trains even had police guards in them as a matter of abundant precaution.

The Mall of Qatar is the last station on the Green Line. The metro station is connected to the largest mall in Qatar via a bridge. While taking the bridge from the metro station one can see the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, one of the host stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The stadium is adjacent to the Mall of Qatar.

The mall has a footprint of 465,000 sqm on three floors of absolutely jaw dropping shopping experience. The central glass dome is eight floors high. There were a couple of incidents of fire breaking out during its construction. Fortunately, there were no casualties on both the occasions.

The Oasis, a 30-metre-high atrium, landscaped with tree-like supports and planted beds is the identifying feature of the Mall. The atrium is fringed by numerous cares and restaurants. The centre of the Oasis features the MOQ Live, a professional theatre which hosts live entertainment shows on a 360-degree multi-lift rotating stage. The stage is surrounded by dancing and water fountains.

The Mall offers unmatched shopping experience with year-round promotions, top-notch recreation activities, and remarkable leisure options. The Mall of Qatar boasts retail stores and dining, as well as recreation and leisure experiences for the entire family. All the big names of retails as well as a huge Carrefour outlet draw shoppers and visitors alike.

It was time to return to the hotel to complete the checkout. I had a couple of hours for a light snooze, a bath and final packing. I waited in the hotel lobby for an hour after checking out during when I mulled the option of taking a cab to Msheireb metro station or walking it to Souq Waqif and take the metro from thereon.

It was still hot when I decided to walk to the National Museum metro station, which was against the direction of the sun and, hence, more bearable. It was still tough lugging the baggage and walking nearly a km to the metro station. But, once inside, it was comfortable. In less than 45 I reached the Hamad Doha International Airport, taking the Gold and Red lines. What I was most please about was that I did not waste any money on the travel card, the ride to the airport consumed the final 2 QAR on it.

While waiting to check-in, I met Dileep from Malappuram who was going home on annual leave. His company helped me tide over the time we had on our hands. After immigration and security check we went to explore the Orchard, a green oasis within the airport. The indoor tropical garden is intended to provide a stress-free travel experience, a place to relax, rejuvenate and recharge. It is part of the airport expansion plan that also saw the commissioning of new lounges, too.

Thanks to Dileep I solved a riddle that had plagued me during the trip, that of renting a car in Qatar. He confirmed from a friend, who is part of an off roading club in Doha, that one can obtain a temporary driving permit from the Traffic Police by paying a small fee of around 25 QAR. That mystery solved the trip to the 59th country was well and truly over. I also learnt that the fine for jumping a red light is up to 6000 QAR and can even lead to impoundment of the vehicle and cancellation of license.

At the time of check-in, I asked the Akasa counter clerk if I could get an aisle seat. She said that the entire aircraft would have just 18 passengers and, therefore, I could pretty much sit anywhere I liked! In fact, Dileep told me that in one of his earlier flights, there were only three passengers on board. Don't know how they make ends meet. Naturally, the flight took off before schedule and landed in Mumbai ahead of time at 2.40 am, thereby drawing curtains on my visit to the 59th country.