Qatar is very proud of its modern architecture and beautiful buildings.
But not every corner of Qatar is as advanced...
It was my housekeeper, after seeing my pictures of Qatar, who advised me to photograph this area where many Indian and Pakistani workers live.
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(Updated 7/11/06)
Which of the road do people drive on?
Supposedly on the right, but generally wherever they feel like. (See Driving: Qatar Style for photo!)
Is it safe?
I reckon I experience an average of three hairy incidents per short journey. (Count on a lot more during rush hour). You will get forced off the road by people driving on the wrong side, screech to a halt to avoid people lunging into your right of way into roundabouts, learn to pause a second before going through a green light because of people shooting the lights... in a word, NO!
So, rush hour is bad?
Yes, and they have four, because many people work split shifts.
Can I use my driving licence in Qatar?
You can use your licence for one week only, and then you have to exchange it for a Qatari driving licence. Alternatively, you can use an international licence for 6 months.
Hang on. I can get a tourist or business visa for two weeks, but only use my driving licence for one week. That doesn't make sense!
Welcome to Qatar!
How do I exchange my licence for a Qatari one?
It depends on your nationality.
Most Westerners can change their licence at the Medinat Khalifat Traffic Department without taking a driving test. You will need your passport or ID card, three photos (these can be obtained at the typists’ offices outside the department), original driving licence and your sponsor’s ID. Your sponsor will have to sign/stamp a form, and may also have to provide a letter. You will have to complete a form in Arabic – there are plenty of typists who will do this for five riyals or so.
If you wear glasses, you must be wearing them in the photo, or you will not be allowed to wear them in the eye test.(They don’t allow you to draw the glasses on, either.)
How long do the licences last?
Five years for residents (ten for Qataris). Expired, damaged and lost passports can be renewed on-line at Qatar E-government.
Where are these typists?
Don’t worry; they’ll jump on you as soon as you get out of your vehicle. They’ll also offer to do all the paperwork. You have the eye test, sign a few forms and leave them to do all the running around. Bargain hard, though.
What about other nationalities?
Sorry guys, you need to do a test. Sometimes you can do the test directly; other times they seem to insist you do a driving course. You’ll have to go to the Traffic Department first and get the driving licence application form completed, signed, signed by your sponsor, stamped by your sponsor, stamped by the traffic department, signed by the traffic deparment and so on (you get the picture), and then give it to the driving school.
How much does a driving course cost?
A full course of 50 lessons costs 1,850 riyals ($500) and a half course costs 1,350 riyals ($370). There's also a 40 lesson course for 1,600 riyals ($440). If you've driven before you might get a 12 lesson course for 600 riyals ($160). A driving test currently costs 50 riyals ($15).
What’s the driving test like?
Even though nobody in Qatar can drive, the test is really difficult. Particularly notorious is the Pocket Parking – manoeuvring your car backwards into a small place. You have to do it in one go, although you can take as long as you want. You can also fail if you stall the car. The theory test is quite easy – the examiner points at a sign and you say what it is.
Can I get finance to buy a car?
With ease. Just ask at your bank.
Where can I buy a car?
Loads of places. There are new car dealers and second hand car dealers. Salwa Road has a lot of second hand dealers, and there are car auctions. Also look in the local newspapers, on supermarket walls (Mega Mart always has a good selection) and on Qatar Living.
Buying second hand cars is always dodgy, though.
Yes, but they have some absolutely brilliant garages here which function purely to test your cars for you. The German Auto Mechanics are especially good. They’ll even tell you how much you should pay for the car.
What sort of price am I talking for a second-hand car?
Of course there’s a huge variation in price but think around 15,000 riyals (about four thousand US dollars) for a half decent second hand car. Double that and you should get a really good car. American cars are a lot cheaper than Japanese cars, but parts are more expensive. We're talking about sedans here, though, four wheel drives are quite a lot more expensive.
Four by fours are probably a safe bet in such a dangerous country.
Maybe, but they overturn easily. If you’re buying one second hand, bear in mind it may have had rough use in the desert.
Do I need car insurance?
Yes, but it is very good value. Incredible, really, considering how many accidents there are. There are insurers outside the traffic department. However, if you buy from a dealer he may be able to get you a better price. Incidentally, your insurance is not valid when you drive in the desert.
Is there anything else I need?
All cars need a road permit. Cars older than three years must first pass an annual inspection of road worthiness - (you'll also need this before you can get your car insured). The inspection can be done at Qatar Technical Inspection Unit in the Industrial area (24th street) for 75 riyals (Tel: 460 4029/460 4086). The centre is open from six in the morning to half past five in the afternoon. You’ll need your expiring Estimara. Many garages will put your car through the test for you, repair anything it fails on and then resubmit it. Having done the test take it the vehicle inspection and registration counter next door along with your insurance to obtain your new Estimara. (See Marhaba Information Guide Issue 34 p.270).
In the event of an accident...
Don’t move, even if you are holding up half of Doha. (You can move if it is a minor accident and both parties agree on the details, but most people prefer not to). Call the police. They will come, and make notes and give you a time to be at a police station. You will have to go to this appointment to obtain a police report. Without this report, you can’t get your car fixed.
Traffic offences
Qatar is committed to reducing traffic offences. It’s certainly increasing the number of speed camera – including on new roads with no visible speed limits. To check if you’ve committed a traffic offence, go to Qatar E-government, and enter your registration number and vehicle type. You can also pay your fine here. (Interest is charged on unpaid fines).
Drinking and driving
There is zero tolerance. As there is Sharia law, Muslim offenders will be lashed. If there is a trial involved, you can’t leave the country until the trial is held. This can be months and months. In the meantime, you may lose your job and accommodation ... basically, it’s not worth taking the risk.
Is it easy to rent a car?
Extremely. There are hundreds of car rental places.
Useful Numbers/addresses
Traffic Department
Tel: 4890644
Location: in Madinat Khalifa (North), off Khalifa Street, close to Al Gharrafa flyover.
Driving schools in Doha
Al Rayah Driving School
PO Box 747 Tel: 4877774
Doha Driving Centre
PO Box 9896 Tel: 4792263
Gulf Driving School (close to the airport)
PO Box 15154 Tel: 4652822
United Driving Co
PO Box 15154 Tel: 4681003
Car Insurance
Al Khaleej Insurance P.O. Box 4414151 Tel: 4414151
Car Breakdown Service
Cedars Motor and Trading Service P.O. Box 23323, Doha; Tel. 4500600
Links
See Driving: Qatar Style
See Books on Qatar
Driving in Tehran
As good as new
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Following on from our post on Cheap Hotels in Qatar, we look at the availability of hotel rooms during the Qatar Asian Games.
“It’s gonna be really tough, really tough for the whole of November and December,” said David, Sales Executive at Sofatel Hotel (details below), solemnly, before admitting that yes, they did still have some rooms available.
We were talking about accommodation in the Asian Games. Rumours that there are no rooms left in Doha maybe exaggerated, as I found out when I visited some hotels this morning. Howver, you will have a tough time finding in a room in any top range hotels. Sealine beach resort, for example, is now fully booked from 9th – 15th December despite being in the middle of nowhere. Your best bet will probably be with the smaller and cheaper hotels mentioned in our previous post.
Also expect to pay a lot more than normal. Doha Palace Hotel (details below) normally charge 500 ($140) riyals for a single rooms, and 700 ($190) for a double. However, during November and December they will be charging 1000 ($270) and 1200 ($330) respectively. (They still had rooms availaible). Sofatel refused (very politely) to give me any prices directly.
If you are looking for a hotel room, you may be in competition. I met the first secretary of the Indonesian Embassy at a party recently, and he very gloomily told me that they were having a terrible time finding accommodation. Indonesian residents here, he told me, are even putting up journalists on their living rooms floors. Hopefully, you’ll find somewhere a little more comfortable.
Hotel details:
Doha Palace Hotel Tel: +974 4360101 Fax 4423955
Mercure (everyone calls it Sofatel!) Tel: +974 4462005 Fax: + 974 443 9186
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Search for Qatar hotels on the internet and all the results you get are pricey. Fine if you’re on expenses, but what if you’re on a budget? We got on the phone and tried to find some cheaper places to stay.
Note - future updates will made to the Budget Hotels section of our
All the hotels mentioned here have rooms costing less than QR500 ($140). (Prices may change with demand). Discounts may be available if you or
Doha Youth Hostel
Tel: (974)5867180 (It's probably not worth ringing mid-day).
Fax: (974)4863968
Address: PO Box 9660, Doha, Qatar
Age: despite being a youth hostel they assured us there was no age limit.
Beds: 16 rooms and 56 beds.
Minimum stay: two nights.
Location: Al Lakka.
Price: currently 60 riyals ($15) per night, increasiing to 100 riyals ($25) on the 15/11/06.
Alzahra Hotel
PO Box 1043
Tel: 4321503
Single: QR200 ($55)
Double: QR220 ($60)
Location: “near Regency Hotel”
Rooms: “Too much” claimed the receptionist, and refused to give a number!
Almaha Palace Hotel
PO Box 5330
Tel 4367301
Single: 250 ($70)
Double: 350 ($95)
Location: Al Smakh
Rooms: 64
Qatar International Hotel
PO Box 2572
Tel: 4321761
PO Box 2572
Single: 300 ($80)
Double: 350 ($95)
Location: Wadi Mushereib Street behind Sofatel Hotel
Rooms: 40
New Capital Hotel
PO Box 1003
Tel: 4445445
Single: 350 ($95)
Double: 400 ($110)
Location: Wadi Mushereib Street near Sofatel Hotel
Rooms: 77
Guest Palace Hotel
PO Box 22182
Tel: 4411996
Single: 350 ($95)
Double: 450 ($125)
Location: Al Ghanim Al Ghadim Street, between “Crazy Roundabout” and Sennah Roundabout.
Rooms: 100
Al Muntazah Plaza Hotel
PO Box 9488
Tel 4355677
Fax 4355757
Email: info@almutazahlaza.com
Single room: QR400 ($110)
Double room: QR650 ($180)
Location: Al Muntazah (near KFC)
Rooms: 30
Apartments: 34
Gulf Horizon Hotel
PO Box 22182
Tel: 4432525
Single: 480 ($130)
Double: 580 ($160)
Note: Prices include all tax, service charges, breakfast and airport drop off.
Location: Soukh Al Jaber behind Standard Chartered Bank
Rooms: 76
Note - with the Asian Games coming up, expect prices to go up and availability to go down.
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Qatar Luxury Hotel Guide
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"We’re really spoilt for information in the U.K.," a friend said to me recently. It didn’t sink in straight away, but the more I thought of it the more I realised she was right.
Here are some examples of the total lack of information we have here:
- Tourist information: every time I go to a Qatar government tourist website, my heart lifts in joy as a beautiful flash introduction jumps onto the screen. At last, I think, I have found the website I need. Then I find that all the events advertised took place two years ago. And all this with the Asian Games only 30 days away! (Update 1st November 2006 - the Qatar Tourism Authority website has finally been updated!)
- Which leads onto the internet. Qatar must be fifteen years behind the rest of the world – there’s hardly anything on the web. (The exception being e-government – nice piece of work!)
- Visa information. Okay, it’s there all right, but every book and website has different information.
- Emails. With the total lack of information, you have to contact people directly and ask for it. One problem. No replies. Ever.
- Telephones: ditto. I got four replies out of twelve calls to property companies when researching my recent post on property. You have to ring people on their mobiles – which they’ll answer while driving, of course.
- Road works. Two days ago, as I swung onto C-ring road across a major city intersection, relieved to have made it back across the desert alive (all the dune-bashing nutters were heading back home) I nearly crashed into a barrier shutting off one of the main roads of the city. There was no warning sign. (Just in case you think I'm exaggerating, I returned the next day and made a video of other cars having the same problem).
- Speed signs and speeding. I recently got caught by a speed camera. It was in the desert, on a large empty road with no speed signs and I was doing 90 kilometres per hour (road speeds can go up to 120 here).
- Hospitals. I feel a little unfair here, as the health care is superb! (I know from experience). But the one area they lag behind the U.K. (and they’re ahead of them in others (food springs to mind (not that it’s hard to beat the U.K. in that area))) is keeping the patient informed.
- Work. Recently a lady friend had a job interview – but she didn’t know what for, what the wages were or what the position was – or even the name of the company! She drove all over the city looking for the place where she was to be interviewed, only to be driven back to the building opposite her apartment. And did she find out about the job from her prospective employers? No, she found out from the one interviewee who knew the details (and who in turn had found out from a friend in the company).
- Work. I only found out my wife wasn’t coming with me to Qatar when I went to pick up the plane tickets.
- Law. Can you believe the only company in the country allowed to sell alcohol claimed not to know anything about the laws regarding alcohol?
- Banks. When you leave the country you have to go through a long and lengthy process to cancel your bank account and credit card. What your bank (well, HSBC, anyway) doesn’t tell you is that they freeze your account for 30 days in the process, as my friend found out the day before he was due to go on holiday.
So next time you see a poster in the U.K. telling you the correct way to make a cup of tea safely – don’t complain. Better one extreme than the other.
Qatar Visitor bookshop.
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Intersection Video
Background: A major Doha highway was recently and suddenly cut off. No warning signs (that I saw) were placed on the road leading up to the traffic lights.
The guy in the red jeep looks especially confused! At least it wasn't dark - I nearly crashed into this barrer the night before I took this video.
See a video on YouTube of traffic chaos in Doha Qatar
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Driving in Qatar
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Qtel has just posted profit growth of 33%. (See
Gulf Times story). Customers of the monopoly may not be as happy as its shareholders.
Qtel is expensive. ADSL starts at 200 riyals (over $50) a month. Installation costs a fortune. International rates are outrageous.
Qtel quote: “International calls at a price you can afford”. Presumably addressed to Bill Gates.
Qtel’s service should be excellent at the prices it charges. Yet the internet is slow and sometimes stops, its staff are unhelpful and crossed lines seem to be a daily occurrence. Bills are frequently wrong, and virtually impossible to get sorted.
Qtel is that strangest of things – a telephone company you have to visit in person if you want to get anything done. In fact, it sometimes seems to have more offices then telephones. And those offices are a giggle. They have a reception desk (i.e. your first queue of the day) to hand out application forms that could go in a rack, and give the same information, day in and day out, that could on a notice or in a leaflet.
And, when you finally get your telephone line, can you have ADSL? No, no, no! You have to wait two weeks. Which means that one engineer will visit your house to put in a phone socket, then two weeks later another engineer will visit to take out that socket, and put in an internet and phone socket. Self-install is, of course, unheard of – or rather, un-thought of.
In fact, Qtel looks suspiciously like a job creation and patronage scheme. The last people it appears to care about are its customers, despite the torrent of customer-friendly PR puff that comes out of it. This was really brought home to me while waiting outside a Qtel office. Although it was officially opening time, they were having a PR shoot inside. To avoid looking at the irate people tapping on the glass doors, all the staff turned their backs on the customers and looked inwards.
Qtel loves to boast about its rising profits. However, while it’s not hard to make money when there is no competition, it is hard to please your customers. But why should they care – they’re a monopoly!
Don’t get us wrong. We’re very fond of Qatar, and are impressed with many of the changes this forward-looking and moderate government has been making. But we still hate Qtel!
Also see Qtel incurs customers’ ire on Eid
Update (7/11/06) - the Emir has today abolished Qtels monopoly over the telecommunications sector. Hooray! See: Emir quashes Qtel monopoly.
Also See:
Qtel and Telephones in Qatar: Practical Information
Mobile Phones in Qatar
Another Qtel rant
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Qatar Doha Qtel internet
Also see: No new permits at the QDC!
Laws
Qatar is a place where people, including Muslims, can legally buy alcohol and then be taken to court for drinking it. Earlier this year an Egyptian man had some beers on a plane on the way here to try and forget the toothache he had. After checking in at his hotel he got a taxi and asked the driver to take him to a dental clinic. Instead, the driver took him to the police station and he ended up receiving lashes for being inebriated. When the sentence was passed, he wept (source: Gulf Times).
I wanted to clarify the laws regarding alcohol. Yet when I rang the Qatar Distribution Company, the only legal distributor of alcohol in the country, they claimed not to know the laws regarding alcohol. However, Qatar Law states that drunken behaviour in public or driving under the influence of alcohol is an offence punished by imprisonment, a fine or both (www.qatarlaw.com). As Sharia law is practised for Muslims, the punishment for Muslims may include lashing.
Where to buy alcohol in Doha
The only licensed shop you can buy alcohol at is the Qatar Distribution Company. To do so you need an alcohol permit, which can be obtained at the centre. Unfortunately, you can’t enter the shop without an alcohol permit, and you can only get an alcohol permit in the shop. You can also buy alcohol from hotels, which are (wait for it) supplied by the Qatar Distribution Company.
Requirements
To obtain an alcohol permit you need a letter from your employer written in English. This must be signed and stamped by an authorised person in your company and be addressed to the Qatar Distribution Company. It must state the applicant’s position, basic salary (must be above 4000 riyals or 1100 dollars, and the letter must use the word basic), state if an accommodation entitlement is received or if the applicant receives free accommodation and whether the applicant is married. The applicant must also provide their ID/passport and residence permit (photocopies are acceptable) and a 1000 riyal (275 dollar) returnable deposit. You also have to complete an application form, and state your religion. All completed forms must be in backwards gothic Sanskrit script size 12 ¾ and with triple spacing, and should be aesthetically pleasing. (Actually, I just made up the last condition.)
Contact
Tel: 4699412/4699413/4687547
Address: PO Box 9483, Doha, Qatar
Unfortunately, their website seems to have disappeared.
Opening Hours
Permit Office Sun – Thu 8.00 a.m. – 7.30 p.m.
Sat 10.30 a.m. – 7.30 pm
Shop Sat – Thu 10.30 a.m. – 7.30 p.m.
Directions
Drive along C-ring road from the airport. You will come to “Ramada junction” – traffic light signals with the Ramada hotel on your right. Turn left onto Salwa Road. Drive over the fly-over and along Salwa road. Eventually you will come to a roundabout with a sign pointing towards the whole markets. Take the third exit off the roundabout. Drive along the road (whole market street), going straight ahead at the roundabout by the markets, for several kilometres. Eventually you will come to a building with black railings. Turn left straight after the railings, and just before the Qatar Technical College. Follow the road round and you will come to the Qatar Distribution Company. Yes, it’s hidden away in a backwards corner of Doha, but once inside the shop is cool, roomy and very well laid out and the staff are very helpful.
Resident's guide to Qatar
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“Up,up,” shouted the men at us, forcing a camel to its knees and gesturing at its back. The camel didn’t seem very pleased, baring its teeth and making a rather impolite noise (at least it didn’t spit), but one of our number was brave (or stupid) enough to get on its back.
The Camel Racing Track
We were at the camel racing track, located in the middle of the Qatar desert. (Don’t let this put you off – nothing is very far away in Qatar!) Although the racing season is still a few weeks away, nobody seemed to mind us photographing and videoing the camels and generally sticking our noses around. We even drove onto the road that follows the track round, chasing, photographing and videoing the running camels and exchanging waves with their riders.
We had a fantastic afternoon wandering around the camel track, and wondered if we could have poked around so freely if there had been a race on. The people we met couldn’t have been more friendly, and were happy to be photographed and to answer our questions, even waving us into compounds to look around – and have a ride!
The Camels
All the 
camels we saw were dromedaries, which have only one hump. Fully grown, these camels can measure more than 7 foot (from its toes to the top of its hump) and weigh 1,600 pounds. It’s clear that they are built for speed, because despite their great weight they are tall and slim with long slender legs. We were rather nervous to start with, but overall we were amazed at how calm and placid they seemed. (I wouldn’t want to be left alone in a dark room with one, mind.)
Speed
The camels we saw, although they weren’t actually racing, seemed to have an understated speed about them. They didn’t actually seem that fast, but by the time you’ve stopped the car and brought up your camera to photograph them they are half a mile away. I have seen reports that they can travel at up to 40mph – a fact I intend to try and verify next time I am following them on the track.
Training camels
We noticed that the larger camels had smaller ones attached them to by ropes. Further researched revealed that these were younger camels (13-16 months) attached to older beasts to steady them. They also have to learn to wear the Al Khidam (rope), and the Al Shidad (saddle). The training period is short, lasting for between one and three months, and some already had robot jockeys attached. (More on robot jockeys on the next post on camels).
(See http://www.zipzak.com/ for more information.)
The camel market
We wanted to find out how much camels cost in Qatar. A search on the internet produced no results, necessitating a trip to the camel market. (As if we needed an excuse!)
We wandered roun
d looking for people to talk to – never hard to find in Qatar. A Sudanese man was happy to take a break in feeding his camels (I’m not sure if his camels were quite so pleased), and he told us the prices of camels we randomly pointed out. Two large ones were priced at 5,000 riyals (US$1400) each – these were 15 years old. To the left were some smaller camels, year olds, and these cost 3,200 riyals (US$900) each. These ones were for eating. A fast racing camel, he told us, would cost between 2 and 3 million riyals (US$550,000 – US$800,000 dollars), but the most expensive ones available on the market cost a mere 30,000 riyals (US$8000). We toyed with the idea of setting up a camel stable, but decided we didn’t have enough room in our apartments.
Information
- We have been told that camel racing will take place on the December 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24 th from 5.30 - 9.30 a.m. and from 1.30 - 4.30 p.m. Last time we were given wrong information, so who knows?
-You can ring the track on 487 2028, but if there is an answer you will be having more luck than us. The person who answers may not speak English.
- Even out of the racing season, both the market and the track are worth visiting. In both places, we found people extremely friendly and eager to show off their beasts. (I’m sure we would have been given tea if it hadn’t been Ramadan!)
Also see:
Camel Racing
See a video of camels at the Shahhinaya camel racing track in Qatar on YouTube here
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Basic information which will be of use to anyone considering coming to Qatar.
Electrical System The electrical system is the same as in Britain, with the same kind of plugs (240 volts, plugs with three square pins). American devices cannot be used in Qatar (although laptop computers, shavers and other devices designed for travel usually adjust their voltage automatically).
Safety Crime is almost non-existent in Qatar, although it does seem to be on the rise, and the police are honest. Qatar has suffered only one terrorist attack, and feels very safe.
Money The local currency is the Qatari riyal (QR) which is fixed to the dollar at a rate of $1= QR3.64. This is theoretically divided into 100 dirhams, although in practice only 25 and 50 dirham coins are available. There is sometimes a shortage of these coins, so expect to be given change in the form of chocolate or chewing gum.
There are no currency controls, and money can be freely taken in or out of the country.
There is a comprehensive and reliable network of cash machines (ATMs), and they are connected to international networks. They are free to use, although your bank may charge.
Credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted, although travellers cheques might be less necessary here than other places because of the very low crime rate.
Major credit cards are widely accepted.
Driving Cars drive on the right in Qatar. Visitors can drive for one week using driving licences from their country. Hire cars are widely available.
Transport Buses are available. They are modern and air-conditioned. They are used mostly by (male) immigrant workers, as most Qataris and ex-pat professionals have cars.
There are modern and cheap (and honest) taxis (Tel: 458 8888). Until recently it was extremely difficult to get a taxi; this has now changed, and you can usually hail a cab in a few minutes. Another alternative is to use ‘limousine’ services. These are effectively unmetered upmarket cabs. They cannot be hailed from the street.
Emergency Number The emergency number is 999 for all services.
Telephones and Internet The international dialling code is +974. There is only one phone company and calls to and from Qatar are very expensive. It may be very expensive to use a foreign mobile phone here. Check with your operator. It is possible to get a pay-as-you-go phone here relatively cheaply, and you only need your passport to get one. You will find more information at www.qtel.com.qa Qtel.
Internet It is easy to find an internet cafe and they are cheap to use. The internet is censored for pornography, but not for politics.
Language English is almost universally used in Qatar. Indeed, as most shop assistants and taxi drivers are not Arab and cannot speak Arabic, the locals need to use English.
Clothing Clothing should be modest, but the required level of modesty is often exaggerated. Covering heads is definitely not required; low cut dresses are probably pushing it a bit too far. A more conservative attire may be required at work.
Weather It can hit 50ºC in Qatar in the summer, and it can also be extremely humid. The weather is much more pleasant during the spring and autumn, and a light jacket will be necessary during the winter.
Weekends and working hours The weekends are Friday and Saturday. On Friday morning all the shops are closed except for a few in the large shopping malls. Saturday shop opening hours are normal.
Shops are frequently open from early in the morning until late in the evening, although many of those outside the shopping malls close in the afternoon.
Working hours are approximately 7.30am-1.00pm, and then 3.00pm-7.00pm, although government departments usually work only in the mornings.
Food and Restaurants There is a huge variety of restaurants with cuisine from all over the world. All the main international fast food restaurants are present. Vegetarians are well catered for in Indian restaurants, although their choices may be limited in other restaurants.
Tipping Tips are necessary but are very much appreciated in taxis and restaurants.
Time Qatar is three hours ahead of GMT. The time is the same throughout the year.
Television and Radio There are two local television stations: QTV1 in Arabic and one in QTV2 in English. On the radio, QBS broadcasts in English and French on 1233AM / 102.6FM
Also see:
Qatar Travel
Residents Guide
Buy Books on Qatar from Amazon UK
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On the night before Eid El-Fitri, the holiday that celebrates the end of a month of fasting, all is calm. Maybe not suprising, as half the country seems to have left the country on holiday. Still, the phones were jammed and internet access impossible as the mostly expat population rang home to say "Eid Mubarrak" (Happy Eid).
Culture and Religion in Qatar
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www.scootersdirectuk.com - exporting scooters and mobility equipment to the Middle East
