Chestnuts roasting on an open fire (somewhere)

We've just returned from the gym. An innocent enough sentence - I think you'll agree - but in reality this is BIG news. For one - it's unique - we (Jacky, Jade, me) have never been into a gym and exercised at the same time. In fact I think it's the first time I've ever exercised in a gym. Jacky and Jade think it's a mid-life crisis and maybe it is but I always feel better about myself when I'm fit and healthy. I've now been to the gym three times (exercise bike for 10 mins, warm-ups, then 15 mins of treadmill walking and running is the beginning regime) and in the last few months before leaving NZ I cut all chocolate, chips, nuts and cream from my diet. My only vice remains Coca-Cola. And I feel a lot better for ending the fat Elvis period.

Some random thoughts of Doha - this place is a giant construction zone. I've never seen so many cranes in my life. Either a building is being constructed, has recently been constructed or is being demolished to make way for something new to be constructed. Roads are in the same format. The infrastructure of modern technology is being laid all over the city and can be fairly disruptive.

This is an area of the city center with pretty much every building having a crane attached to it.

This was taken just around the corner from where we live - very typical scene this with new building and construction site in the same view.

Finally a picture of where we live - our bedroom window is open on the top right-hand corner of the photo (the 7th floor).

Driving is a pretty fraught business here - it's the reverse of NZ/UK in terms of which side of the road they drive on so that makes even being a pedestrian a challenge. They go fast and change lanes when the whim takes them.

The working week also takes some adjusting to - Friday everything stops as that's the Islamic sabbath. Saturday is also a day off and the working week starts on Sunday. It can be a little disorientating trying to figure out days and dates but after a bit it becomes the norm.

Jacky and I went for a walk to the corniche yesterday (Thursday was a day off because of Qatar national day) - only a thirty minute walk. We had a look around the fishing boats and the people fishing in the gulf (WOOAH - The PERSIAN GULF!!!! Yes it's dawning on me that we're not at the bottom of the world these days). Here are some pics of our outing.

We stopped by this model of a fishing boat and pretty soon a group of Indian tourists came over to take our photo! While they were at it I gave them my camera to capture the moment for us as well (I'm the one in the snazzy Qatari flag cap - cool eh).

Inshallah, in the next posting - some images from Qatar's national day celebrations and our Christmas in Doha. Till then As salam alaykum, alaykum as salam.

Love and peace - Wozza