A Trip to Qatar

[D_Epler]

Well I know some of you folks probably think I dropped off the face of the earth, and from the look of things outside my room it feels that way!!!

Back in May I started a new job supporting the military out at MacDill AFB, and part of the job was deploying to the Persian Gulf!

WELL Friday around 11 a.m. I started a long series of flights (Tampa-Chicago-London-Bahrain-Qatar) that ended with me in Qatar.

Talk about a long trip!!! Anyway, I'm going to be over here for three months or so and just wanted to say hello to folks here on the BT3 site.

I know I haven't posted, or even read much on here lately...ever since I bought a motorcycle most of my free time was spent riding and no time on woodworking.

Hopefully after a couple trips out here I can get some bills paid off and maybe even some extra $$ saved up to buy a bigger house. Well actually I don't need a bigger house, just a place with a MUCH bigger garage/shop area!!

18 x 20 is kinda small for a jointer, planer, bandsaw, Unisaw, cyclone DC, AND TWO MOTORCYCLES (oh, did I mention the wife got one too??)

SO, here I sit in the desert wondering what the heck I got myself into!!
At least my dorm room (8 ft wide) has Wireless Internet (WiFi) even IF the latrines are down the hallway!

Now if only I could find the building I'm supposed to be working in, or find my new bosses phone number

Take care....
Dave

[cabinetman]

Dave

Did you have to leave the U.S. to say hi to us? Too bad you couldn't bring your bike with you, or did you? So, how's life in the desert? Any entertainment there? They got a Hooters there?

Cool about your wife riding too. My wife #2 was a second seater for a long time and she wanted her own. I got tired of her beating on my back. So, at the time I had a couple of cafe bikes, and the GL 1000. I put her up front on a KZ1000. I sat behind. Kinda scary at first. I wished our first few street trips an ambulance would follow, but no luck. Fortunately she did great. It was a little tall for her even with the stepped seat. She was about 5' tall and about 105 lbs. So, for one Christmas, I surprised her with a new Kaw 750 LTD. Perfect for her.

Our first trip together was to Daytona for bike week. On our way home she wanted to swap bikes. She got on my full dress Gold wing, and I rode the 750. We got lotsa looks. Here's this tiny girl on the big bike and the big guy on the tiny bike. It was funny, you had to see that.

Anyway, try to enjoy the trip, and stay in touch.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

Dave,

Take care of yourself over there and keep in touch. Don't miss the bike and the family too much.

[Tom Slick]

Are you "Doing the 'Deid"? I was at Al Udeid AB, Qatar back in 2004 at about this time of year. you are catching the end of the "hot season", it's only 110*f during the day, LOL. When I was there it was nothing but a tent city, cadillacs (if you were lucky) and harvest falcons (YUCK!).

Take care, don't get too bored, and make sure to use all of your ration card!

Thank you for your service!!

[andrew.r.w]

I went to Qatar for a job interview with QGPC (got the offer, turned it down) and I really liked the place. 25-knot wind, 45° C, and so friendly! I would have taken the job but they couldn't explain the vacation policy. It was almost as if they were hiding something, so I said no.

I have long regretted not going there. It was a magical place in many ways. I had 3 days. I wish I'd ridden a camel.

[lrogers]

Wow, that's some commute! TRY to stay cool.

[crokett]

Glad to hear from ya - I was wondering where you went.

[D_Epler]

I'm actually at Camp As Sayliyah and it isn't TOO bad here.

WE don't live in tents, we have a converted warehouse that has rooms inside it - rooms that are COLD, like 67 degrees F. Cold enuff to make a server room jealous!

We have a Chili's, Orange Julius, DQ (shared space with the OJ), Subway (meat looks/tastes "different"), and an Olympic-sized pool.

Still the menu's of Chili's and Subway along with the Oasis Club will get kinda old after a few months. But there's also the BX/PX to buy food from...I'll survive.

They now have me working 1800-0600 (6pm-6am) so it's gonna be interesting. The bad part about that shift is that I won't be able to go to the Top-Off Club to have a drink - they'll always be closed when I'm off work Good thing I'm not a big drinker, but they also have USO entertainment there which was nice the first nite or two I was here...Karaoke nite wasn't as good

Well you folks be careful over there - those table saws, band saws, and jointers are dangerous

Dave in Doha

[Tom Slick]

That must be at the Army "R&R" base that is "near" Al Udeid? you also just got there in time for Ramadan so you can't really do much off-base during the day or on your day off.

I agree, they have the "same" stuff we do in the states but it is certainly different. we had pizza hut that served something that looked like pizza.

what is the daytime temperature?

[D_Epler]

Tom,
Yeah that would be the place. It's not too bad of an R & R base I guess - sure beats living in a tent out in the desert someplace.