Ozichick

I lived in Dubai for 10 years (from 1992) and saw it go from a slow-ish pace to a thriving metropolis! We now have the opportunity to go to Doha, and since not knowing much about it, want to find out more before taking the leap. Must say, I LOVED Dubai when I lived there, but have been told by friends there now that it is incredibly busy. Is there much for kids to do in Doha? (age 7 & 11)

MataHari

Welcome to BE...

Be patient...we have a couple of people living there so your question will get answered no doubt. In the meantime you could do a search, because there have been a few threads on Doha lately, they might give you some idea...

Ozichick

Thanks Been scouring the threads all afternoon and have come across lots of conflicting feelings about living in Doha. Guess a place is what you make it really.

MataHari

yes, you will have to find out for yourself....for everybody who loves it there is someone who doesn't...

gedge

welcome to BE Ozichick
i spent the best years of my childhood in Doha, and absolutely loved it
plenty to do if they like being active, and the schools were good too
mind you this is going back a long time ago
Novita can give you much more up to date info

twinkle-star

have you read littlejimmy's blog???
Have a read .........

littlejimmy

I wouldn't. It'll just confuse you. One minute I hate it, then I love it, then I hate it again. I'm a confusing and confused person living in the Land of Confusion.

MataHari

and what a stupid song that was as well...

novita77

Hi Ozichick... i been here 6 yrs now, and i have 6 yrs old boy. I am not sure about your 11 yrs old, but with my 6 yrs old i am out nearly everyday. Birthday parties, play date, tae kwon do, etc etc.

I suggest you visit local qatar site : www.qatarliving.com Read the posts there and have a feel what is like the life in Qatar.

Doha now like a pig pit ... road works and traffic everywhere. I started to hate it driving here.

School always full ... you are doom if you dont have certain nationality as your passport.

House getting expensive ... make sure your housing is cover by the company (ask for the house not the allowance).

Good luck !

Ozichick

Thanks for the insight. I have been reading your comments littlejimmy and yeh.....mixed up is the word.....you're not bi-polar are you Accomodation is taken care of (West bay?) still finding out about school placements. I think I could have fun anywhere - but am concerned about whats to do for the girls.

laduks

Hi Ozichick!

I don't know much about Doha but this link has a lot of info that you might find useful. All the best.

http://www.justlanded.com/english/qatar

Tootsie Frickensprinkles

Remove lots of outdoor activities, theme parks, animals and culture (that you can get involved in .. well I spose we do have the Doha Players).... add the ME way of doing anything to everything else and you basically have the list.

I dont hugely like Doha, it doesn't really provide what Im looking for in life right now, and I like the outdoors too much. That's not to say there isnt plenty of families there having a just fine time.

West Bay is over the other side of town to our appartment. It's fine, lots of big new villas, I think it looks very desolate but thats just my opinion, you'll be used to it. Nowhere's far from anywhere in Doha, although it takes longer and longer to get there.

Landmark and the City Centre malls will be just fine for everything you need. If you're keen on your branded foods be prepared to triple your food bill.

School places are a real problem. When you get one, most of the education facilities are good.

Ozichick

Doesn't sound like you're too impressed Tootsie! I would have thought with so much coastline that the watersports would be a bit thing. Do you have Carrefore there?

novita77

yes we do ... 2 of them and building the 3rd one.

Tootsie Frickensprinkles

Shopping is great here, as long as you can pay out for everything you want/need you can get almost anything.

There are watersports available .. theres a beach club called Sealine down the coast south of Doha. Oil and tiny jellyfish are not pleasant though. I was looking into more Scuba and its just not that nice. Boating is better from the corniche. In the end, although you can swim on beaches in swimsuits I got tits'd off with being stared at. That went for being in the parks too. We do go down to the dunes, friends have a jeep and we take the baby jeeps to play with, rent bashers and generally tear around a bit for the afternoon. Bit hot now until the autumn.

There's the hotel beachclubs that run round New Doha and down the corniche from the Ritz to the Marriot. They depend on whether you want to spend 4-6k a year on memberships. Also, long wait lists for the better ones. Out in West Bay you'd want the Ritz, Intercontinental, Four Seasons or the Sheraton really.

My opinion's not wholly relavent to your situation though, I'm not married, which made life very difficult for the most part and we dont have kids. After a completely illegal and disastrous employment issue with Qatar Airways I was left unsponsored and unemployed in what seemed like a 45 degree hell hole at the time. Which under the right circumstances, it certainly isnt.

I'm looking to continue my career and Doha doesnt work for me to do that, I just have the wrong career for the country. Like is often said here, when the big things are working you can (or are prepared to put up with) the bug bears.

I took on local work in the end and there are lots of day to day things I like very much, the key to Doha, more so than elsewhere imo is finding friends and socialising which is why it will be quite different for you with kids. Just make sure the money is very good doing "stuff" adds up quickly!