Winter in Doha

It has been a hectic month of November for me. We are already shorthanded and we are trying to hire additional personnel to help me and my present team on the growing number of client base that we have. Our team is tasked for post-sales support maintenance but we are also helping the pre-sales and implementation teams get their projects going. As such it was too hectic for me to even sit down and type down some of the thoughts that went into my mind the past month and put them into my blog.

While I was waiting for my customer who, as usual, requested me to come ‘first thing in the morning’ – only to find out that I have to wait for him for more than an hour because he has another appointment – I found the time to write in my thoughts for my blog.

As I was opening my laptop, I felt a chill down my back and I immediately checked the setting on the AC that was near me. I realized that the AC system wasn’t even set on cooling. It was just on ‘FAN’ setting. It was due to the weather here that caused the chill on the air blown over by the fan. Yes, it is winter here in Qatar and it is the season I enjoy most here.

Although winter is milder now and has come later compared last year, nevertheless I am really now enjoying the cool mornings and chilly evenings here in Doha. My early morning jogs on weekends and early evening walks are more enjoyable because the sun is not hot on the skin but just soothing warmth after a good run. Also the sun sets early in the afternoon so that 5:00 pm is already dim and a bit chilly. I even bought long sleeved fleece shirts which I wear to keep my arms warm and my body perspiring. I am thinking of buying thermal running gloves because the chill of the early morning breeze makes my hands numb until the sun rises.

There were days that the fog was thick in the morning and made traffic snarl all over the city (as shown on the pictures). Vehicles slowed down to avoid collisions or skids as the dew sets on the paved roads making them slippery.

I love winter time here in Qatar because there is no snow and it is a refreshing chill wind that permeates throughout the season. At the start of the season I also get to enjoy the thousands of migrating birds flying in formation across the blue sky. Most of all, it reminds of my time with my family in Baguio City back home which I think is really our family time together. I am bringing them now here with me to Qatar in January and I hope we get to enjoy together this refreshing season.