Day 1-2 The Ghost City of Doha

Day 1/2 The Ghost City of Doha

You’d think that now we’re both retired we’d be ready with plenty of time to spare. But Wednesday morning sees us finalising phones, mowing the lawn and packing my bag. Still, with 5 minutes to spare, I declare packed and ready.

The train to Sydney is easy, the check-in counter gives us a taste of things to come as the group ahead of us attempt to bargain down the cost of their excess luggage, then on to the plane. A Qatar Airbus A380 has tasty food and comfy seats and we both sleep better than we ever have.

We arrive at Doha at 4:50am. There are only three of us going through passport control and 5 bags on the carousel. The place is quiet and empty. After going in and out of the terminal a couple of times we finally find our pickup and head into our hotel, the Jouri. The streets are quiet and so is our hotel.

The National Museum, built to resemble a desert rose is just down the street and Karen wants some sunrise photos so we’re out for an early morning walk. There’s no one around, no people, no cars, no buses. Ghost city.

It’s Ramadan and so, not knowing what our food options will be later in the day we. grab breakfast at the hotel. 

Feeling awake it’s time to visit the National Museum. The galleries are cavernous depicting Qatar’s natural history, its people, its early economy centred on the pearl industry and its later riches since the discovery of oil.  We could spend hours here but head back to the hotel for an afternoon sleep and swim.

We decide to visit the Sports City museum tonight, not open till 8pm because of Ramadan, and plan our journey to coincide with that. A little research and we find that the Metro rivals our Gold Opal cards back home and we can buy a day pass for $2.40.  Bargain transport and at 5:30 we jump on board to get to ABs BBQ restaurant. After basically not eating since breakfast we’re looking forward to this recommended Bbq buffet on our way to the museum. It’s a 15 minute walk from the station, we seem to be the only ones out, and we arrive, only to find it’s booked for a private function. 

So, another 15 minutes back to the Metro and on to Sport City, there’s sure to be somewhere to eat there. But Sport City is a huge sports park and all we can find is Doha street food, Chipsy, a caravan in the deserted carpark selling hot chips and popcorn chicken. 

We find a seat on the edge of the carpark with a front row view of what’s claimed to be the world’s largest advertising screen, a tall led tower, while we wait, in the dark, the only ones here, for the museum to open.

It’s fascinating with an F1 exhibition, including F1 and rally car simulators, lots of fun, and many interactive physical or sports challenges to engage us with the history of different sports. An olympics exhibition includes Cathy Freeman and we spot a Sydney olympics torch. The whole place is designed to encourage people to get physical, but by the time we get to the activation zone we’re cooked. Maybe next time. 

A ride home on the metro, still deserted, then time to get ready for an early start tomorrow, a change of clothes and pack our bags but, no spare trousers??? Must be here somewhere, maybe in Karen’s bag, not there either?? It seems like the “we’re ready” declaration was a tad early and my extra pants and shorts are packed and waiting, somewhere in the bedroom at home.

Nothing to be done about it now, it’s a good thing we brought the credit card!!