Funny Stories/Rumors from Qatar

rayyz
By rayyz

Love it or Hate it, you've got to live with it. Qatar is such and it is the place where we all have ended up looking for better careers and prosperity.

Whether you have been living here for a very long time or arrived recently. I am sure you would have experienced anecdotes/stories/rumors or heard them from your friends that were amusing or laugh out loud.

Screwups happen everywhere, but in this place, it seems they happen quite a lot. So guys put down your versions (only the funny ones) and let everyone have a good time reading it / spreading it further to our next generation. LOL

To get it going, here's one story that I know of, wonder if its true or not?
Doha International Airport's runway is apparently the longest in the Gulf or Middleeast. Wanna know how did that happen?
The measurements were given to some arab guy in feet and they ended up making it in METERS! :-)

Cheers!

By rayyz• 9 May 2007 07:48
Rating: 4/5
rayyz

This happened in Jeddah Airport in Saudi Arabia

One Indian passenger named Anantharaman Subbaraman arrived at Jeddah

airport.

He ended up waiting for his visa for about 2 hrs for the authorities to call his name...

Finally, he got wild and went to the Saudi authorities and shouted why they haven't called his name yet.

They retaliated & claimed that they have been calling him for the last hour and a half ......... and were wondering why he hadn't responded!

The reason was made clear when the Saudi immigration officer announced his name again on the microphone as : 'Anotherman Superman'

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400 QL Points!!!

Yay! Way to go Ray!

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www.e4u.name.qa

By anonymous• 8 May 2007 09:26
anonymous

There is news that 1 May will be declared a public holiday from next year onwards to honour the labour force contributing to the growth of the country' economy.

By anonymous• 8 May 2007 09:24
anonymous

A trade union with participation of all work force whether local or expat. Sounds good?

By dweller• 7 May 2007 21:40
dweller

He also has to have the rear view mirror at 70% to horizontal

By digital• 7 May 2007 20:54
digital

Is it true that if you dont have couple of bank loans plus 3 mobile fones and a land cruser .. the govt will take his Qatari passport away and deport him??

By dweller• 7 May 2007 19:38
dweller

I think you will find that a trade union of sorts already exists and has done for some years. It's for nationals only

By Cnidaria• 7 May 2007 15:39
Cnidaria

Palm tree (or one tree) island.

I heard they wanted the worlds biggest water fountain on it and cleared it got the contractor in who as for the geotech work, which of course hadnt been done. So it was done and the contractor said, sorry but not possible....... no matter how much money.....

Any other stories?

By anonymous• 7 May 2007 15:29
anonymous

Soon there will be trade unions in Qatar in compling with FTA.

By anonymous• 7 May 2007 15:20
anonymous

"Mafi Bomb" ---ROFL

The loudest I laughed on QL.

By mirash• 7 May 2007 11:34
mirash

For your kind information, They are going to renovate the palm tree island with a new look.

Mirash

By jaelee• 7 May 2007 07:19
jaelee

This is a rumour we heard a few months back. The real reason that Palm Tree Island was cleared was to make way for a new bridge/road over the Bay. This is to help alleviate traffic congestion on the Corniche. I thought what a load of rubbish, but then for no reason Al Bandaar Restaurants were all cleared too. Ummm .... maybe???

Dweller, "mafi bomb" ... what a ripper :-)

Also, don't forget folks Ikea is coming!! :-)

By anonymous• 6 May 2007 22:09
anonymous

Not Always true

By burnout• 16 Apr 2007 11:21
burnout

Dweller,

I had heard there was an emergency landing site here for the shuttle. But that was way before coming here to Qatar and since never made the connection.

Maybe if we stay long enough we will be able to see the space shuttle land here too. :) I'd like to watch that.

"mafi bomb" made me laugh aloud too. :D

I guess it was not armed as you say it was a training flight.

Did they recover it? or should I take a better look at the vitrines of the hotels next time for the "artifact".

Thanks for the info.

Burnout.

Beware! :)

By burnout• 16 Apr 2007 11:04
burnout

Pothole research,

It IS built on the sea?! not even marshland?

Ain't it cheaper to build on land? or the big Qatari families cant decide on who's ground the project will be built on?

jealousy perhaps?

I am surprised the Ras Laffan Industrial City is on land then.

or is it? :P

Burnout.

Beware! :)

By dweller• 15 Apr 2007 22:15
Rating: 4/5
dweller

I think you will find that the airport was designed in kilometres and built in miles. It is also an emergency landing strip for the space shuttle.

BA threatened to sue the airport when one of their 747s sucked recently laid tarmac into the engine. For a number of years after that, BA didn't fly to Doha.

In the first Gulf war, and on a Wednesday evening training flight, one of the Qatari pilots reported in from the range that he had "mafi bomb". He definitely had it when he left the base. It was supected that the "bomb" fell off between the Marriot end of the runway and the Sheraton Hotel.

By anonymous• 15 Apr 2007 12:43
anonymous

Burnout - I am surprised Qatar did not build the airport on the sea Japanese style.

I'm surprised you're not yet aware that New Doha International Airport (NDIA) is exactly that. One of the largest sea reclamation / dredging projects in the world.

By DaRuDe• 15 Apr 2007 11:26
DaRuDe

The Event which was recently held in Qatar Knows as the Asian Games was not a successful one i can say that becuase Our Firm was the Main Sponosor. You can also see that no visitors came from the GUlf just few countable rest all were media here from diff part of the world. They organised it perfectly well thats for sure.

By DaRuDe• 15 Apr 2007 11:22
Rating: 4/5
DaRuDe

I heard that the one who are single in Doha male or female they will leave Doha and leave out i mean out of the City Skirt so the families can live freely with out any fear. Ladies will live close to the City where as male will leave around like Wakra or Shahniya or near the olympic village or some thing like that. So wonder how ist gona be like females living in one area all together and male in one area. Fears of Gayism and Lesboism :P

By qatexpat• 15 Apr 2007 10:59
Rating: 2/5
qatexpat

We are also hearing that they are going to do away with the sponsorship change rules, not totally though, but afer a stiuplated number of years with one sponsor you can change without any hassle.....

If that rule comes into practice, we can expect a major realignment of workforce in Qatar and eventually higher salary levels in the non-oil & gas sector.

By telljax• 15 Apr 2007 10:54
telljax

dat very soon they r gonna do away wid da exit permit rule as it is a violation of basic human rights

By Gypsy• 15 Apr 2007 10:49
Gypsy

I heard that the people who owned Palm Tree Island didn't know that it was going to be torn down till the next day when they drove by.

I feel your scorn and I accept it-Jon Stewart

By qatexpat• 15 Apr 2007 10:47
Rating: 2/5
qatexpat

Until a few years back, when the press was more strictly controlled in Qatar, the rumour mills had a wonderful time. Most of the rumours were called reports by "Lungi Times" as the source of the rumours were mostly Malayalee teaboys working in various government departments...

By burnout• 15 Apr 2007 10:22
burnout

hmm.. lets keep the discussion away from the chicken and on the runway please.

thank you.

Burnout.

Beware! :)

By burnout• 15 Apr 2007 10:18
burnout

I am surprised Qatar did not build the airport on the sea Japanese style.

Burnout.

Beware! :)

By burnout• 15 Apr 2007 10:05
burnout

4569, ...

4570, ...

4571, ...

4571.5, ...

4571.6, ...

4571.7, ...

4571.8, ...

4571.9, ...

4571.95, ...

!

4572 !!!

!

4573

with the speed of the road construction works in doha

I wouldnt bet on having the airstrip lengthened on time either.

Burnout.

Beware! :)

By burnout• 15 Apr 2007 09:59
burnout

You will only have to count longer while overshooting the runway. :D

Burnout.

Beware! :)

By rayyz• 15 Apr 2007 09:16
rayyz

I think we're deviating here from the subject. The runway thing was just for the starters, am glad not too many found the funny side of it.

This thread is not to talk about aircrafts and other serious dicussions.

Here's another one for you :

During my school days, which is like 15/16 years back. When Qatar was more strict like Saudi Arabia and deperation levels of bachelors was real real high. We fell off laughing when a guy in our class mentioned of a Pathan (or was it an Egyptian) having sex with a chicken out of desperation. The poor chicken couldn't withstand the 'manly' intercourse and succumbed to the pain.

-----------------------------------------

300 QL Points!!!

Yay! Way to go Ray!

-----------------------------------------

www.e4u.name.qa

By anonymous• 15 Apr 2007 09:09
anonymous

As I read in a newspaper the British Airways company wants one of their Boeing 747 to be used in DOH.

There was a famous rumor in April 2000. It seems that it was truth.

By rayyz• 15 Apr 2007 08:59
rayyz

Thanks for exact measurements to the last centimeter. Now I won't have to sweat even if the Boeing 747-400 I'd be travelling next overshoots the runway :)

-----------------------------------------

300 QL Points!!!

Yay! Way to go Ray!

-----------------------------------------

www.e4u.name.qa

By anonymous• 15 Apr 2007 08:49
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

"Doha International Airport's runway is apparently the longest in the Gulf or Middleeast. Wanna know how did that happen?

The measurements were given to some arab guy in feet and they ended up making it in METERS! :-)"

Doha International (OTBD) has a runway length of 4572 meters. If this was 4572 feet instead, 747-400's would not be able to use this strip. Why? A fully loaded 747 jumbo needs atleast 11500 feet at sea level (and 24C) for safe operations.

Add to that additional distances for rejected take-offs, safe roll-outs and end run-offs you'll come up with a figure of around 13000 ft. Gulf helicopters operates on the northern end of this strip, so that may explain the additional 2000 feet, making OTBD a very generous 15000 ft.

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