Normally when I travel, I tend to plan quite ahead of the vacation just so that the research is comprehensive. This time, a weekend that got enlarged because of the Independence Day on Thursday, the 15th, with an available casual leave opened up the thought of an international tour at the very last moment; in fact, only at the start of this week. Thus, this trip is one of the most impulsive I have undertaken so far.
I had planned to tour four of the Middle Eastern countries during the past Ramadan. I had cried off then as I was told that most of the attractions and eating places would be closed in deference to the religious customs and traditions. Now, Qatar looked the most obvious option for a short holiday of four days for two reasons, reasonable airfare and easy visa. After exploring various options, thanks to Rajiv Shah of Network Tours and Travels, I settled for the Akasa Air round trip flights between Mumbai and Doha. The flight timings were such that I would get four full days in Doha.
Rajiv Shah also got me authentic information on the visa process. One can either apply from the Discover Qatar website separately for a Hayya Entry Visa for 100 QAR (a Qatari Riyal is worth nearly Rs. 23) or book a hotel from a list provided in the website, which automatically generated a free Visa On Arrival. I chose the latter because I found the hotel rates cheaper in the website and also avoided the hassle of waiting for a visa; I didn't check how long a Hayya Entry Visa would take, though.
With the flight and accommodation done, and Rajiv helping me with the Overseas Medical Insurance as he always does, it was time to pack. A cursory check of the weather I could expect in Doha turned up the warning, "Excessive Heat". One of the first items that went into the suitcase were a hat and a cap with a neckpiece too.
I didn't get enough authentic information over the internet on whether I can rent a car in Doha with an Indian Driving Licence. An enquiry on Facebook turned up encouraging and not so encouraging information, which I intend to check out on arrival in Doha. However, I found that most of the attractions could be taken leisurely on foot from the Plaza Inn Hotel or by using the extensive network of public transport such as the metro train, tram and bus.
The metro trains are said to be top class and the best driverless ones in the world. It is cheap too. One doesn't necessarily have to buy a day pass to explore the city; the fare for an entire day of unlimited travel is capped at QAR 6 (about Rs. 140). The non-transferable, widely available, travel card costs QAR 10 and can be topped up easily as per requirement.
While researching for the places to visit in Doha I came across so many that I felt that I could have done better justice with a couple of days more. To tailor the itinerary for the four days I had, I left out the adventure sports, theme parks and limited the forays into Malls. I made an exception with the Mall of Qatar, the largest in the country, and the Venetian themed Villagio Mall as they are icons of the city.
The shape of the peninsular Arabian country, Qatar, reminded me of Taiwan, though the latter is three times the size of the former in size. Qatar has only one land border, with Saudi Arabia to its South. The rest of the country is surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The capital city of Qatar is Doha and is its Doha is largest city too; over 80% of the nation’s population reside in Doha and its suburbs. It is also the economic centre of the country.
The Gulf of Bahrain separates Bahrain and Qatar. The population of Qatar is estimated at 2.8 million - only 315,000 are Qatari citizens - with 49% Arabs and almost 44% South Asian (Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Sri Lankan). 65% profess Islam while 15% are Hindus and 14% Christian by religion. It has the fourth highest per capita income (by purchasing power parity) in the world at $114,00.
The Qatari flag has two colours, white and maroon; the Qatari flag is the only national flag in the world where the width is twice its height. The nine serrations on the flag indicate the 9 erstwhile Emirs, seven of which now form the UAE. The others are the independent countries of Bahrain and Qatar.
The country gained independence from Britain on 3 September 1971. Qatar has been a hereditary monarchy ruled by the House of Thani. The founder of Qatar, Mohammad bin Thani, signed an agreement with British in 1868 recognising the separate status of Qatar. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire Qatar became a British protectorate. The present Emir is Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, the eight since the House of Thani started ruling Qatar from 1825.
Qatari law prohibits the formation of political bodies and trade unions. It has stringent rules on public display of affection, consumption of liquor, cohabitation, dress code, etc. Flogging and stoning are legal punishments in Qatar. Blasphemy and proselytizing can earn stiff prison sentences.
Qatar has been an outlier in Middle Eastern politics. It has strong ties with France, China, Iran and Turkey and is thought to support a number of Islamist movements in the Middle East. Bilateral relations with other Middle Eastern countries have been strained because of this leading to what is referred to as the New Arab Cold War.
Though many controversies surrounded Qatar hosting the 2022 Football World Cup, the meticulous manner in which the entire tournament was conducted and the innovative infrastructure that sprung up in the country put to bed most of them. 32 countries competing in 62 matches set up the spectacle of the first WC ever to be held in the Middle East, that Argentina won.
Al Jazeera is a news channel operating 24/7 and is partly funded by the Qatar government. It is the first global English news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East. It is known for its in-depth reporting in conflict zones. It has faced criticism of being an anti-American platform. Most recently, Al Jazeera was shut down in Israel and its equipment seized on national security grounds.
First impressions
The Akasa flight that had taken off from Mumbai more than an hour behind schedule landed in Doha 20 minutes late. Even though many counters were open for immigration, the queues moved slowly as the officers took their own sweet time to process each passenger. Moreover, some of them were even downright rude with them. When I reached the counter, I was asked to go and get a stamp on my Discover Qatar print out!
There are no instructions anywhere and it was a waste of time. Moreover, the desks of Hayya and Discover Qatar are tucked away in a niche of the Immigration Hall, where one cannot even see it. The biometric exercise, for some strange reason is also time consuming. The officers just seemed disinterested and lazy. Despite the time taken at the immigration, the baggage hadn't arrived, and it again took its own time getting deposited on the carousel. First impressions - be ready for laziness and slow coach activity.
At the currency exchange counter, I was told there would be a 20 QAR fee for the exchange. When I told them that it was extortionist, the lady blandly told me, "This is Qatar". Indeed, it sunk in. However, the experience at the Oreedoo Sim card kiosk was different. An Indian origin salesperson serviced his customers so fast that the Videocon kiosk right next to it remained without any customers.
A decent walk away, within the airport complex, is the Metro Terminal. I purchased a Travel Card and found my way to the well-lit and spacious metro station. The headway of trains is quite good. The rake was neat and clean with regular announcements. I changed f om the Red line to the Gold line at Msheireb station without any hassle and got to the Souq Waqif metro station. I exited as I had researched and took a while to adjust to the heat and humidity. I started sweating profusely and took the 900 meter walk leisurely.
Once I reached the hotel, the check-in was done smoothly and I was shown into my room. It was already 10 pm in Doha. I was hungry as my Akasa flight was a 'No Meal' one. The hotel staff directed me the metromart convenience store close to the hotel. I picked up milk, burger buns, grapes and beef mortadella olive. After a dinner of burger buns, mortadella and coffee it was time to rest the weary limbs after a long day.
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