Finally got here
hi... everyone...
some of you might remember me... i was posting about moving to Doha 3 to 4 months ago.
Howevery, the trip here kept getting delayed, and since i wasn't sure yet, i didn't push for it to happen.
Anyway, I finally decide to take up the offer for the exploratory trip here. The final interview is tomorrow, sunday. And then it will be up to the company and myself to decide if the deal is going to be worth the while.
So i thot I would post my initial experience in this place.
The company puts me up in Ramada Plaza, the hotel looks nice from the outside, but now sitting in the room, it felt like probably a 4 start hotel back in Singapore, or Malaysia. Not terribly impressive. But I will only be here for 2 days, so it doesn't really matter to me.
The ride from the airport to the hotel was uneventful. I heard a lot about the hellish driving in Doha, but i didn't see it on my way here. It could be due to 2 reasons. Firstly this is a weekend afterall, so traffic on the road bound to be slightly lighter than usual. Secondly, coming from an asian country myself, I could be pretty much used to the kind of traffic that people classified as hellish! lol
There are some compound villa right in front of my room, I have full view of it. They look nice. though a bit quiet. But i suppose i need to check with the company, what kind of accomodation arrangement it would be.
The office is in Westbay, I am hoping to catch a taxi ride there later today, to look at how downtown looks like, and i did saw some pretty nice accomodation there, hopefully the company will be generous enough to provide me something there....
Can't really say much now, coz i haven't been anywhere other than airport and hotel. I am going to check out the breakfast spread next.... Meet a fellow singaporean later today, and my prospective boss said we will try to meet up today as well.
will post more... hope this will be shred some light to those who are in the same shoe as i am, thinking about moving here...
My main concern is my wife. I am not sure if she will be able to get use to here. And also, i am not sure at this point of time, Working experience in Doha is actually a nice big feather on my hat when i had to next prepare my CV.....
Henry
Whatever you eventually decide will be the correct decision. Think about it... and all the best!
henry ... whatever you decide ... good luck.
seen the place.... spoke in detail to a good friend....
at this point of time... i'm leaning away from moving here....
sigh..... hope tomorrow will be better...
good night guys!
where will you be staying is the first question.
here got pros ad cons...lar
if can go hong kong or shanghai....no doubt...just go there...I am sure there's some "snag" at least your wife won't worry...about accommodating to the lifestyle
Henry ... it would be depend how much the company giving you the cash for acommodation allowance, and depend which apartment they going to place you if you taking company acommodation.
if i were you i will take the company to give you the house ... and let them to deal with the hassle connecting water / electric / internet / cable tv and other beaurocracy.
a word of advice ... dont compare this place with singapore ... take it as an experience or challenge living away from your home.
hee hee....
saw 32 replies... got excited... no worries about hijacking...
Well, change of plan... i met the CEO for lunch instead. it was interesting because this is the first time i get to drink beer during an interview.
anyway, the picture painted was that the company is a beautiful place to work. The good thing is, the company is giving me a choice of picking up a company 2 bedroom apartment, or taking cash accomodation allowance. I don't know which is better, i guess i'll need to know where the company accomodation is to decide. Also, we have not touch on other parts of the remuneration package yet.
anyway, the weather is beautiful here now.... And you guys would have known that coming from singapore... this has to mean something!
anyway, got in touch with my friend, and he is going to drive me round town to have a look.
no need to explore west bay today, as the company is sending a driver here to pick me up tomorrow morning.....
further updates...
Henry
PS: the day is seriously beautiful... i wish i am playing golf!
pls do not hijack the thread.
Who is DS. Don't tell me you landed on 9th :)
lol wat a coincidence..... me and DS too......
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
spicemom - really which month. I landed here Sep. 2004.
uhuh, last place we lived in before landing here in doha was KUL. we landed here in 2004......
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
Henry I stayed in Jurong West for 15 years before moving here 3 1/2 years ago :)
I don't know much about Myanmag exept Karin Rebels and blood red RUBYs. :)
oh btw did i also mention that i have lived in myanmar.....lol
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
love thai food yes but have not ventured to consuming them bugs and insects yet tho.....lol
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
Next time try go to Mae Sot near Myanmar border. You can Drive along Mekong River up in the Mountains
Next Time go near the Nana Plaza around 2.00am loads of Thai st. food there including Crispy fried Crickets:)
I Know how the Som Tam taste. My friend used make & sell them in Udon. Udon Thani is 800km from BKK.
not know of places in BKK that well but when we were there each opp we get to eat thai we go all out and each day is a diff menu, the spicier the better. when in phuket for lunch i just go grab some som tam and have it with some fried rice......that was heaven on earth i tell ya........
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
You eat Som Tam. Bloody hot. The best thai soup I had was at Udon Thani. Eating place by the Road. 10 Baht only ;)
basically i love thai food and i cook it too , make it a point to have a thai menu twice amth (som tam, tom kha khai, green curry, crispy fried beef (wat dat dieu >not sure ) are some of my fav's.
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
So you like Tom Yum Kung :)
yes i love clubmed been to the one in Kuantan and also the one in phuket, and i am so into thai cuisine just had it last night at a farewell party it was awesome. nah i am not a white western man sowwy
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
Farang = White Western man / women in Thai
Ang Mo = White western man in cantonese ;)
Stayed in club med before. It is very nice.
wat is that "ang mo"? the only "angs' iknowis 'angpow' and 'ang ku kuih'.....
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
Yes. Kuantan. Yes Salted dry fish. You mest be a Ang Mo :)
i suppose you mean kuantan where there is a club med there?is it salted fish that you meant>me i love their dried squids. i am neither malay nor chinese (am a mixed breed really)>(darn it are we hijacking this thread??
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
No. Singapore and Thailand are my 2nd homes :) I have been to KL, Kuntan, Johor. Played cricket in KL Ovel and Kuntan.
Kuntan dry fish is the Best :) Are you a Malay or Chinese?
thought you were at the irish place, am fr KUL so you fr thailand?
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
Spicemom- I was at stinky Sports Bar;) Which part of M'sia you are from?
hey henry i am fr malaysia
charan i was at the irish hub too last night.....is that where you were?
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
Henry - I was drinking in Ramada last night :)
Hey Spicemon....
thanks for the welcome.
well.. i did thot of bringing my wife.... the company won't pay for her as yet though. They did promise another trip, if things do get further.
I thot of paying our own...but the airfare is really quite expensive... and not worth the price, for 2 days. Plus, she needs to get back to work on monday, and I am jobless now. So we decided that we will not spend the money just yet, until things are firmer.
I do see the growth coming this area, which is why i considered coming in the first place. I am also considering Shanghai as well as Hong Kong... so i need the money here to be really good for me to move here...in all honesty.
where did you come from?
Henry
hi henry, welcome to doha (even if its a short stay for one), gl on the interview btw. doha isnt anywhere like singapore or malaysia , when i make a comparison it reminds me of a 'kampong' but it is growing rapidly. been here since 2004 and seen how fast the city has developed which is a plus point. you should have brought yr wife(unless you did bring her) as i did accompany my DH when he came here for the interview . had to check the place out for myself hehheheeheeh.anyways if she aint here with you take lotsa pics.for us doha isnt too bad really and we aint ready to go home yet still enjoying it here........so gl again on yr interview and make sure yr friend takes you around.....ciao
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
Hi Novita,
Thanks! I got both your emails. Hope your trip back to the UK was nice and fruitful.
Anyway, breakfast didn't come with the room, decided not to spend the money, since the spread is also "nothing to shout about"
Tried calling my friend, but i guess it is too early now, he is probably in bed.
So....came back to my room.... so much for First Impression of Doha! lol
Henry
PS: will continue to write more.. as and when i see more of this place.
Hi Henry yes i remember you and your wife ... i sent you 2PM's ... dont laugh on the first one . I was typing in a hurry since i am going out.