Day one

Okay so it has been almost 9 hours since my plane landed in Doha, my new home for the next three years.  First impressions?  Overcast and foggy and very bright!! I had to keep reminding myself that it was like 6 in the morning!!  


Things have gone okay so far.  There are some things that I just have to tell you all about and the first thing is, is that I miss my iPhone!!  I have had to revert back to using a very old Nokia phone which is driving me bonkers because it doesn't have the qwerty keyboard to type messages with.  I really can't remember how I survived using the old fashioned keyboard to write messages.  It is so strange.  The other thing I have noticed about mobile phones is that the iPhone is not widely used here as it is in Australia.  Everyone has an iPhone back home but here, I haven't seen one person pull out an iPhone.  Do they even exist here?  I must go and explore that otherwise I may have to see what other smart phone is out there to use.


The next thing I have noticed is how crazy the driving is.  Yes I had read up on how crazy the drivers are and how many accidents occur.  Thankfully I haven't seen one yet, but I have come across a few cars banged up on the side of the road and have witnessed two near misses, and its only been a couple of hours!  The driver that took me to the hospital was a speed demon and would just drive in the middle of two lanes, yet curse the person in front who was actually driving in the correct lane.  The driver home wasn't much better.  He didn't speed as much but he loved to use the horn and curse people.  I don't think he knew where I was staying as it took him four attempts to get me to the right place!!  No one seems to have any patience whatsoever, so driving my own car may take me a little while yet!! 


On the plus side, I have made a friend at work who has moved to Doha from the UK only 3 weeks ago.  She has invited me out for drinks tonight which I am looking forward to because I need some friends to help me get by.  Even though I am not a drinker, I feel as though I could really use one right now.  Maybe Doha will turn me in to an alcoholic...and an inpatient, erratic driver...oh dear!!


One thing is for sure.  I am glad that I am here on my own.  It was emotionally hard speaking to Zoe on Skype and it didn't help that she just cried along with me for the first 15 minutes or so.  I just hope that the next ten weeks go by quickly so she can come and join me.  


I miss everyone and everything back home.  I haven't had that dreaded feeling of "what am I doing here" and I hope that I don't have to experience it, but I am prepared for the moments when I will hit rock bottom but comforted in knowing that I will have all my family and friends back home to help get me through. 


Love to you all and I will keep you posted on how things are going on the other side of the world!