The night the bombs fell in Qatar
I am not sure what moved fastest – the bombs, my fingers or heartbeat. The bombing of the US Air Force base in Qatar feels surreal now, less than 24 hours later. But last night it was in-your-face, shudderingly real. And I mean that literally, as the ground shook, reverberating with each large boom, as […]
South Africans in Qatar – ons gaan nou braai
We may live in swish surrounds, earn good money and feel oh-so-safe in Qatar, but our hearts still yearn for South Africa. I know I am not alone. With some 6 500 Saffers living the ex-pat life here in Doha, I know I am far from the only one missing the bush, braai fires, family, […]
Gorgeous Georgia an ideal holiday destination for South Africans
Georgia is visa-friendly. It is also affordable; scenically beautiful, safe, and offers visitors a wonderful mix of cultures, thanks to its location in the mountainous crossroads of Europe and Asia. The food is fabulous and the wine, too. Oh, and did I mention rugby? In short, Georgia is an ideal holiday destination for South Africans. […]
Spoilt for choice with sport in Qatar
A tiny desert country rich in oil and gas and populated by those who wear long flowing robes may not traditionally be viewed as a sporting nation … but boy, are we spoilt for choice when it comes to sport in Qatar. Football, tennis, Formula 1, Moto GP, aquatics, athletics, padel, equestrian shows and everything […]
The cats of Qatar, aka Catar
With two to three times more cats than humans in Qatar, the Catar reference is hardly surprising. Cats are everywhere – living it up in luxurious villas, scrounging for survival on the city’s streets or, of late, parking off on my balcony. Cats are synonymous with Qatar. The picture postcard shots of the swanky Doha […]
10 weird and wonderful things about Qatar – part 2
If you are coming to Qatar, expect a country of contrasts, all of which make it a weird and wonderful place to visit. Did you know, for example, that Qatar does not have any forests, but intends to have planted 10 million trees by 2030? (They planted a quick million in the run-up to the […]
10 weird and wonderful things about Qatar
Qatar is a weird but wonderful place full of unforgettable experiences.
A Qatar desert experience with a difference
A dune-bashing, camel-riding sojourn, inclusive of a night spent under the stars, complete with Arabic hospitality and good food in the desert, is high on the list of every visitor to Qatar. It had been high on mine. I’d seen the alluring sun-soaked, deserted desert photographs, read the enthusiastic feedback of visitors and researched the […]
The rhythm of Ramadan in Qatar
Doha, Qatar, has its own rhythm of life. While this rise-eat-school-work-eat-relax-pray-sleep routine is generally dependent on your own culture, work and family circumstances in the Middle East, it is collectively shoehorned into a new beat during Ramadan. Yes, the holiest month of Islam, dictates a different rhythm. It does so for Muslims around the world, […]
What to see and do in Qatar?
Let’s go or linadhhab, as they say in Arabic, and make the most of our limited time and finances to see and do what we can during our stay in Doha, Qatar. For us, as ex-pat residents, it’s a year or three, but as a visitor, it will be far shorter. And, possibly, if you […]