Mabruk! (Congratulations in Arabic) ELG! Glad to help you in your bus trip. In the end, it is discretion that tells you what to go for and what not to.
For those who are still hesitant, just try it once and with someone with you, especially if you are a "corpse" (someone has to carry you in and out of the bus to the morgue) ;-) --just kidding ok. No pun intended again....
As with any city, whether it is in UK, Qatar, or say the US, riding a bus is an adventure. Things can or may or may not happen to you... You just have to be alert and careful.
By the way ELG, the reason why there are alot of men today at the bus station is because it is Friday- first day of the weekend. This is the time when all of the men from the Industrial area travel to Doha to get a weekend trip in the city. This is there only time, I suppose, to actually relax and go around town so to speak. And since they hardly earn much, the best they could do is hang around the city and most of the time while their way in the grassy public parks as there are NO GRASS in the areas where they work. Most of the time, these men are under the heat of the sun or in warehouses working their butts off.
Most of them are misunderstood. I guess that's why they are thought to be "desperate" or "out-to-harass-a-woman-when-they're-out" because they work in environments where there is a lack of scenery or the conditions are just "monotonous". Just imagine working in a warehouse or a plant that is in the middle of the desert and no one is there except another dude with a beard and in the same clothes as you are 5 days a week, for a whole year! ... Gives you a familiar scene doesn't it? (i.e., prison)...
What most people in the city forget is that, although these blokes look like staring "Dirty Old Men", they are actually hard working people who just want to have a chance to be able to help their families back in their home countries. With salaries of only QR 500 or even QR 1,000 - They still take the chance and go to work in such horrid conditions because they know that someday, they may be able to get their families out of their poverty state... sounds like a sad story book ey? But its true.
I do agree, though that there those instances where people get harrassed and get mugged or whatever, but this is not only true in Doha, but in other countries as well... name it.. UK, US, etc. You just have to take care of yourself I guess...
Anyway, stay safe and enjoy the bus rides.
Taxis are fun too. If you have a hard time getting one, just call the cab company. The numbers are there in the cab's body.
Let me know if you need company.. My wife is looking around for one as well because I'm at work on weekdays and she prefers not leaving the flat until I arrive.
Mabruk! (Congratulations in Arabic) ELG! Glad to help you in your bus trip. In the end, it is discretion that tells you what to go for and what not to.
For those who are still hesitant, just try it once and with someone with you, especially if you are a "corpse" (someone has to carry you in and out of the bus to the morgue) ;-) --just kidding ok. No pun intended again....
As with any city, whether it is in UK, Qatar, or say the US, riding a bus is an adventure. Things can or may or may not happen to you... You just have to be alert and careful.
By the way ELG, the reason why there are alot of men today at the bus station is because it is Friday- first day of the weekend. This is the time when all of the men from the Industrial area travel to Doha to get a weekend trip in the city. This is there only time, I suppose, to actually relax and go around town so to speak. And since they hardly earn much, the best they could do is hang around the city and most of the time while their way in the grassy public parks as there are NO GRASS in the areas where they work. Most of the time, these men are under the heat of the sun or in warehouses working their butts off.
Most of them are misunderstood. I guess that's why they are thought to be "desperate" or "out-to-harass-a-woman-when-they're-out" because they work in environments where there is a lack of scenery or the conditions are just "monotonous". Just imagine working in a warehouse or a plant that is in the middle of the desert and no one is there except another dude with a beard and in the same clothes as you are 5 days a week, for a whole year! ... Gives you a familiar scene doesn't it? (i.e., prison)...
What most people in the city forget is that, although these blokes look like staring "Dirty Old Men", they are actually hard working people who just want to have a chance to be able to help their families back in their home countries. With salaries of only QR 500 or even QR 1,000 - They still take the chance and go to work in such horrid conditions because they know that someday, they may be able to get their families out of their poverty state... sounds like a sad story book ey? But its true.
I do agree, though that there those instances where people get harrassed and get mugged or whatever, but this is not only true in Doha, but in other countries as well... name it.. UK, US, etc. You just have to take care of yourself I guess...
Anyway, stay safe and enjoy the bus rides.
Taxis are fun too. If you have a hard time getting one, just call the cab company. The numbers are there in the cab's body.
Let me know if you need company.. My wife is looking around for one as well because I'm at work on weekdays and she prefers not leaving the flat until I arrive.
Cheers..