Shipping household items-time frame
I live on the west coast. We should be heading out of here roundabout Nov. 1. What is the time frame in which I might expect our household goods to arrive? I have heard various opinions which make me despair or live in optimistic hope. What is your experience?
Our company is giving us a fully furnished villa in Alfardan Gardens and a bunch of settling-in money. The impression of the relo guy is that we will go straight from the airport to our new villa(no hotel stay indicated). On the other hand, the only guys on the ground now have been in hotels for months waiting for phase 5 to open up this week or something. This is a brand new operation in Qatar, so they are still figuring it out themselves(Note: company is not flaky, this is simply a new venue for them, they have estab. expatriates all over the globe). The guy who is telling us stuff has only been in other middle east countries and still thinks you all are using dial up in Qatar.
Should I pack with the expectation of using any of the household goods in any forseeable future or just plan on buying anything I use regularly from the get go? Is there any hope in hell that my company is so efficient that we will get our stuff in a week or two? I can't get any info from shipping companies unless I tell them a bunch of stuff that will result in sales calls which would be pointless-our company will send the movers and I won't see the bill.
It's not the company dorking around, it's the Ministry of Interior here. They have been on limited hours during Ramadan, had 3 days holiday last week for Eid and probably most of them didn't show up for work for the other 2 days.
Someone once told me that the MOI only processes X number of visas per day - and that target probably goes down during Ramadan/Eid.
Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"
Cool, sounds like the NJ/NY bug equivalent. I can live with that. I don't like bugs in cupboards(lived in NYC), so I am planning on bringing my plastic containers.
If this whole thing falls through I am going to be so disappointed. He is in the security phase now, but already has military clearance because of his reserve duty. They are dorking around for all that they claim to want him 'yesterday'.
Roxanne and Paula-you two rock. Thanks for all your help.
I have the occasional trail of ants. Spray works effectively.
Mandi
The only bugs I've seen are the beetles that we call "palm beetles". . not sure if that's their real name or not. They look like coffee beans and they simply crawl inside and die.
My daughter is glad to hear about the lizards since we are leaving her dog with grandma and she has been harassing me about a pet ever since:)
I've lived in the GCC for 10 years. Are there bugs? Yes. But the only cockroaches I've ever seen in any of my accomodation were brought in by my cats for entertainment purposes (crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside) so all I ever saw was the odd carcass.
Most compounds and apartment blocks have a monthly spraying for pests. In my accomodation, I only allow them to spray the drains because of my cats. So far, so good. Take your trash out regularly to the outside dumpster and keep your kitchen clean (you may want to keep things like flour, rice, cereals, etc. in a plastic container rather than the original packaging) you'll be fine.
Split ACs commonly have this problem (old or new) because they're not installed properly - keep on top of the technician if you do have a problem (and don't put any furniture underneath them) and you should be able to avoid or prevent it from happening.
The only other house critters I've had are the GCC equivalent of a gecko. They're really cute and they eat bugs - they are also a source of entertainment for my cats but they are rarely caught. They can startle you when they move but they are not a hazard and will help get rid of any unwanted creepy crawlies.
Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"
Thanks for the warning. Even the new villas in 5 have this problem? Or is it just a common issue with the split AC?
Anything else to watch for? Much trouble with bugs, for example(fraid to ask!)
If your split ACs piddle then the drainage system is at the wrong angle a competent AC tech should be able to fix it quickly (however, competency is rather thin on the ground here unfortunately).
Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"
That was Christmas 2006, freeziing cold as well. It scrubbed up okay, and as they go Al Fardan are pretty good - watch out for those split a/c units piddling down the walls though!
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"There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out". - Richard Dawkins
Taliesin-Yikes! Ours is supposed to be fully furnished. How do you like it other than the mess-now that you are moved in? Was it recent?
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I will be checking with the HR guy, but so far, he doesn't seem to know a lot about Qatar-he has never been there. I don't know what kind of arrangement they have in Qatar, but the first perm Qatar employees for the company just moved in this last weekend, I think. They were in hotels for weeks/months before hand, so their regular HH goods would have had a chance to catch up with them. Ours will be somewhat behind.
The HR guy doesn't know that there is high speed internet in Qatar. The organization in the company is very together on this end, it is the Doha end that needs some refining since it is the first time Boeing has had people there (from what HR guy said). Still trying to ask the questions of the people who should have the answers.
When we moved into a semi-furnished Al Fardan villa it was thick with dust including boot-prints all over the kitchen units!
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"There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out". - Richard Dawkins
Check the power cord on the computer it should say something like 100 - 240v which means it will work at 110 (North America) and 220v (Europe and the GCC and much of the rest of the world). I've never seen a switch on a PC but maybe on some they do have it. Check your manuals.
All I've ever needed is an adapter for the plug so that I could plug it into the outlet here.
Fully furnished can mean all appliances (including a toaster!) and furniture plus kitchen utensils, basic pots and pans and dishes and linens. Or it could mean the appliances and furniture but you have to go out and buy the rest. Is it possible to check with hubby's HR liason here to clarify that point?
Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"
Your UK appliances will be fine, moppet :) You may need to change the plug or purchase an (inexpensive) plug adapter - but they'll be fine.
Does the voltage issue apply to UK appliance also?
Thanks everyone. I am trying to figure out where a switch is that would change my computer to the other volt thing. It is a laptop/Gateway. Do I need to unscrew a panel or something?
I really appreciate all the advice, we are figuring out how to bring everything necessary, but we are still waiting on some more specifics about the new place in Alfardan Gardens(5). Not sure how fully furnished they are, and if every company has the same "milk in the fridge and sheets on the bed" experience for employees as some do-is it AlFardan or is it the company that makes it homey? Will find out!
recently and that which came by air was very quick - 2-3 weeks is all that is necessary. So, yes, such a thing can be coordinated. By boat? Another story entirely - we were packed at the end of June & we won't have our bigger stuff until next week! Of course, some of that was Ramadan delay, but do not send anything by surface if you cannot be without it for 8-12 weeks.
However, if you're fully furnished and at least semi-decorated, you should be okay. Also, if the company gives you incentives like extra money for fewer pounds - take it. It's easier in the long run. Ship as much by air as possible.
If it's a specialty electronic thing that you really don't want to be without, send it & buy the transformer - specialty Western-style items cost much more here than they would at home. However, I completely concur with the advice on the everyday stuff - your mixer, blender, toaster, whatever stuff - just buy it here. Most later model US computers can be automatically switched for voltage, so if you want to bring your PC do so (just make sure you switch the voltage before turning it on!) But buy a printer here - it will work much better.
The one thing I wish I'd sent more of in the air shipment? My children's toys! They are the ones who have been getting restless waiting!
Good luck to you!
I am encouraged to know there will likely be the basics upon arrival for survival(coffeemaker/sheets). I love shopping when I have the money, but can't imagine the jet leg of 24 hours in the air and heading out to the mall immediately! You guys are all pretty awesome-a couple of QL ladies have been amazingly generous with information and I am more than appreciative. I didn't even know there was a thingy to adjust for our north american DVD's! (thanks for that!).
I don't actually KNOW anyone there yet(in person), but I can't wait to meet you all.
Thanks,
Shelly (PS, I found out that there is a way to figure out transit time without giving out info, but the info about the set up at alfardan answers an important part of the question that mere transit time could not have)
Our company gives us money for each lb. we don't ship. If all the rest of this holds true, there is a lot of inspiration to pack lightly:)
Ship as little as possible, both the above posts are sound advice. You should like Alfardan as well have several friends who live there.
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A wise young crackpot knows no fear - Ian Dury.
The EARLIEST you can get your stuff is 6 weeks. check to see if you get soft goods at your Alfardan home. We did go from the airport straight to our Alfardan 1 villa which was stocked with sheets, towels, coffee maker, pots, pans and even milk in the fridge.
Electrical appliances (iron, kettle, mixer, etc.) buy them here. The voltage is 220 and even if you use a step down transformer the life the appliances is shortened and the amount of $$ spent to bring them is not worth it.
If you are thinking electronics, TV DVD etc. Again not worth it - Note: DVD players are not set up to play North American DVDs (they sell the European formatted disks here) that said, when you buy the DVD player ask the fellow in the shop to reset the code so that it can play both formats.
Unless your goods are coming airfreight I think anything less than 6 weeks is overly optimistic. Probably closer to 8 - 10 weeks, check with your freight forwarder, perhaps he can arrange something better for a price. Is there anyone here who has made a move similar to yours that could give you first hand advice?
Appliances are relatively cheap - and you can always sell them on when you do (or give them away depending on your preference).
Hope that helps.
Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"