Moving to Qatar

Well, we have finally made it to Doha, Qatar. Apologies to those who we haven't been in touch with for a long time - life has been very busy for us since the arrival of Susannah last October. Firstly, our long stay in Australia over the summer, then back to Denmark and the pack-up to move to Qatar.

Leaving Denmark certainly came with mixed feelings. After five years and two kids there, Copenhagen had really started to feel like home and we had made many very close friends. But at the same time we also felt like it was time to move on to new things. And we don't think we could find a much bigger contrast than moving to Doha.

We have been here for nearly two months, the first week in a hotel and since then in a temporary house until our worldly belongs arrive in their 40ft Maersk Sealand shipping container - assuming they survive the thorough scrutiny of the Qatari customs officers. We have "chosen" our permanent house, a very nice place in a compound with lots of trees and greenery. Compound is such a terrible word but basically it is just a gated suburb to keep us expats away from the locals and vice versa. David has been getting into his new job, made much easier by the fact that he knows most of the people there already. Mon has been busy looking after the kids, getting the house set up, and finding some kindy options for Johnathan.

It has been quite a process getting settled in, we all had to be blood typed (including the kids, Johnathan did not enjoy it) and photographed. Then it was blood testing, chest x-rays, fingerprinting (all these only for the adults fortunately) and we were then accepted as residents of Qatar. First priority was the booze license, obtained on the same day as getting residency. One shop, loads of stock, will be going there often!!

And our first impressions of the place ... it is hot, damn hot. It is already creeping into the mid 40's and it is just warming up for summer! The city is booming, construction everywhere, buildings, infrastructure etc. An unfortunate hopefully temporary side effect is terrible traffic, made worse by the generally terrible drivers. Roundabouts everywhere, we are already mastering the local driving style which apparently means never indicating, making unpredictable and irrational lane changes, accelerating to 100kph onto a roundabout and other maneuvres we are yet to truly appreciate.

We hope to keep you updated on what we are up to from time to time here so if you are interested, please save it to your favourites and check in now and then and if you're not then we have obviously bored you already!!

Stay tuned for more news and photos.

Dave, Mon, Johnathan and Susannah.