Hello Doha
It's a six hour flight from Amsterdam to Doha. Extremely do-able, especially as we are allowed to fly economy comfort; which is nothing like business class, but it does mean that you get a little more leg room. The flight going out is every day except Saturday and departs at 10.30 am (10.10am in the winter). The return flight goes at one minute to (in the winter, one minute past-) midnight which is a killer, but we'll talk about that some other time.
Seeing as it's Sunday and the fact that my work-life balance needs a little tweaking, I didn't work on the airplane. When I don't work, I have a little routine, but I went off on a slight tangent today as a. I was sat next to my colleague and b. I was tired. I have a G&T to begin with and a glass of water and put on a film (= relax). Then with lunch (chicken curry or vegetarian pasta - it's been the same for the last three years (!!), only the deserts change occassionally) I have a bottle of white wine (not a whole bottle you understand, just one of those mini-plane versions). Today I deviated and ordered another bottle after lunch (I'm blaming the company I kept), whereas normally I would have coffee and a liquer. Sometimes I manage to watch three films during the trip, I was just short of one this trip. I fell asleep twice (on the night flight back, I'll not be able to sleep a wink - go figure!) Later, they come round with drinks and either a pizza slice (just about edible) or a warm brownie (minging) and I always have a diet coke to rehydrate :-) - I didn't bother with the pizza today.
As it's Ramadan, the hotel is dry. Everywhere is dry! Except my friend's house, I'll be going there later this week. I've just spent a long while unpacking (some of the eighty kilos I brought) and ordered a chicken biryani and a fresh orange. I'm meeting a colleague I don't really know for breakfast at seven, so I'm planning on an early night. The guy I know well who was on the flight with me has gone straight to the vessel for a 12 hour journey to a ship in the North Field on which our system is due to be demobilised from later this week.
I've always avoided Ramadan before as very little happens, there are no bars open (= boring evenings), plus it's extremely hot just now. It couldn't be avoided this time due to the residency permit application, but I've started to read more about it and I'm trying to get my head around local cultures and beliefs. Don't get me wrong, I'm as aethist as they come (or agnostic depending on my mood), but I'm of the opinion that as long as people practise their religion in a peaceful manner without forcing it on other individuals and it brings them hope, comfort or whatever, then it's fine by me. Check out Mr Q. on Ramadan on YouTube. I know Muslims receive a lot of bad press back in Europe and for many reasons that's understandable, but there are a lot of peaceful Muslims too. I'm a live and let live kinda chick.
Seeing as it's Sunday and the fact that my work-life balance needs a little tweaking, I didn't work on the airplane. When I don't work, I have a little routine, but I went off on a slight tangent today as a. I was sat next to my colleague and b. I was tired. I have a G&T to begin with and a glass of water and put on a film (= relax). Then with lunch (chicken curry or vegetarian pasta - it's been the same for the last three years (!!), only the deserts change occassionally) I have a bottle of white wine (not a whole bottle you understand, just one of those mini-plane versions). Today I deviated and ordered another bottle after lunch (I'm blaming the company I kept), whereas normally I would have coffee and a liquer. Sometimes I manage to watch three films during the trip, I was just short of one this trip. I fell asleep twice (on the night flight back, I'll not be able to sleep a wink - go figure!) Later, they come round with drinks and either a pizza slice (just about edible) or a warm brownie (minging) and I always have a diet coke to rehydrate :-) - I didn't bother with the pizza today.
As it's Ramadan, the hotel is dry. Everywhere is dry! Except my friend's house, I'll be going there later this week. I've just spent a long while unpacking (some of the eighty kilos I brought) and ordered a chicken biryani and a fresh orange. I'm meeting a colleague I don't really know for breakfast at seven, so I'm planning on an early night. The guy I know well who was on the flight with me has gone straight to the vessel for a 12 hour journey to a ship in the North Field on which our system is due to be demobilised from later this week.
I've always avoided Ramadan before as very little happens, there are no bars open (= boring evenings), plus it's extremely hot just now. It couldn't be avoided this time due to the residency permit application, but I've started to read more about it and I'm trying to get my head around local cultures and beliefs. Don't get me wrong, I'm as aethist as they come (or agnostic depending on my mood), but I'm of the opinion that as long as people practise their religion in a peaceful manner without forcing it on other individuals and it brings them hope, comfort or whatever, then it's fine by me. Check out Mr Q. on Ramadan on YouTube. I know Muslims receive a lot of bad press back in Europe and for many reasons that's understandable, but there are a lot of peaceful Muslims too. I'm a live and let live kinda chick.
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