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September 28, 2005

Buses in Qatar: Mowasalat

Posted by xtian001 at 09:36 AM

Finally, public transportation will be offered in Doha on October 1st with the use of Mowasalat buses. The rate for a bus ride within Doha would be 2 QR, regardless of the distance and route. Also, the bus would be divided into 2 areas; an area for women and families and an area for men only. I'm not sure though if they also have separate doors for each much like what they have in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A pass would be dispensed by the driver once you pay him as you enter the front door. You can get out using the middle door to make boarding and exiting organized instead of people bumping each other trying to get in/out of 1 door. Buses would arrive at the designated routes/stops every 20 minutes. Those in the Industrial Area and Wakra have to pay 3 rials.

They have even started offering bus services to schools a month back with their new, Aquamarine colored buses. Parents can ask the school to apply for such service to have the buses collect their children at a designated location and time.

This is good news, right? I guess it is good news for bachelors and those who don't have cars. Imagine all the money you'd be saving by paying just 2 rials instead of getting yourself a taxi each time you want to go someplace else.

For parents and children, they now have new buses to take them to their schools instead of those old ones that the school typically provides (you have to pay them a large sum for getting your kid sit in a rickety bus). The bus is air conditioned plus, each child is assigned 1 seat in which it is compulsory to make use of the seatbelt.

I have some issues with the public buses though. Doha is already congested with traffic and I'm sure the service is going to add to this. How about accidents? Will we see more accidents now that you have these humongous buses trying to get in the same lane with you?

I also read that parents have been wanting the buses to drop their children right in front of their doorsteps instead of having the children walk from the designated pick-up point. Also, how are the schools going to respond to parents wanting to have the service as the schools rake in money by offering their own buses for transport?

update: They now say that they're going to start the service on the 23rd of October

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Mowasalat Buses in Qatar

Posted by xtian001 at 09:25 AM

Finally, public transportation will be offered in Doha on October 1st with the use of Mowasalat buses. The rate for a bus ride within Doha would be 2 QR, regardless of the distance and route. Also, the bus would be divided into 2 areas; an area for women and families and an area for men only. I'm not sure though if they also have separate doors for each much like what they have in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A pass would be dispensed by the driver once you pay him as you enter the front door. You can get out using the middle door to make boarding and exiting organized instead of people bumping each other trying to get in/out of 1 door. Buses would arrive at the designated routes/stops every 20 minutes. Those in the Industrial Area and Wakra have to pay 3 rials.

They have even started offering bus services to schools a month back with their new, Aquamarine colored buses. Parents can ask the school to apply for such service to have the buses collect their children at a designated location and time.

This is good news, right? I guess it is good news for bachelors and those who don't have cars. Imagine all the money you'd be saving by paying just 2 rials instead of getting yourself a taxi each time you want to go someplace else.

For parents and children, they now have new buses to take them to their schools instead of those old ones that the school typically provides (you have to pay them a large sum for getting your kid sit in a rickety bus). The bus is air conditioned plus, each child is assigned 1 seat in which it is compulsory to make use of the seatbelt.

I have some issues with the public buses though. Doha is already congested with traffic and I'm sure the service is going to add to this. How about accidents? Will we see more accidents now that you have these humongous buses trying to get in the same lane with you?

I also read that parents have been wanting the buses to drop their children right in front of their doorsteps instead of having the children walk from the designated pick-up point. Also, how are the schools going to respond to parents wanting to have the service as the schools rake in money by offering their own buses for transport?

update: They now say that they're going to start the service on the 23rd of October

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September 27, 2005

Life in Jeddah and Saudi in general

Posted by xtian001 at 07:10 AM
I have a reader who was asking about life as a woman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia  and lifestyle in general, as her husband is being offered a job there. Here was my reponse:
 
Women in Saudi (Jeddah):
Generally, as you've found out, women can not drive and can not work in Saudi. Although you may try applying for a teaching role in expat schools as they are a bit linient. Most of women who work in Saudi are either nurses, doctors, dentists and related to the medical field. So if you're not into the medical field, there's little chance you'll really get work so you have to accept that.you also need to buy and wear an Abaya, the black dress that they wear, everytime you go out. Better to also buy the thing that they put on their head to cover your hair (they're linient about the covering the face) just to be sure so when a Mutawa (religious police) accosts you, you have at least something to show.

Going out by yourself is an option but it might require sometime before you get the guts to do so. First, you have to take a taxi as you can not drive. Unless you really know the driver, I wouldn't suggest it. I myself have been harassed (although that was at 2 in the morning). But I know a couple who were able to find a good taxi driver so they just call him up when the wife needs a ride. And if you do get out by yourself, get used to being stared at. The expat community in Jeddah is not as big as the community in Dhahran/Khobar so local men are "excited" to see expats. It's not that bad though.

Without kids, no outside life, no nightlife, restricted movement (no driving), life would really be a bore for a woman. After visiting all the places that you could visit, you'd find yourself doing mostly nothing. My wife was really complaing when we didn't have a baby yet. But if you have 2 kids, then it's good that you have your day to spend with them, right? I'm sure they're a handful already.

Accomodation is relatively cheap in comparison to Bahrain, Dubai and Qatar. Almost everything is cheap in Saudi I guess.. .from cars, to food, to electronics (cheaper in Dubai though). for 50-60K SR/year, you can live in a pretty decent enclosed villa with swimming pool, gym, tennis courts, etc...Or if you're on a budget, you can get a decent flat/apartment in a building for about 18-30K per month. Don't worry about groceries as it is CHEAP! except for western/imported items. You'd probably be spending about 3-6K SR per month on food and groceries.

School. I'm not too sure about the cost in Saudi as I wasn't yet concerned too much before. In Bahrain, British schools would ask for about 3-4K SR per term (3 terms a year), American schools about 6-10K per year. In Qatar, it's almost the same except much higher for American schools at about 12-15K per term.

So saving is relative on how your lifestyle is going to be....At least this gives you an idea right? But amongst the Middle East countries, if you really want to save a lot of money, Saudi is the place to be.

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September 23, 2005

4700 Rials for a Flat in Qatar

Posted by xtian001 at 10:16 AM
We're currently living in a 2 bedroom flat in the Old Airport Area. We're renting it for 4700QR. It's fairly ok, much bigger than the one we were renting in Bahrain. We were already able to buy most of the furniture through our own funds as our furnishing allowance would only be handed once I get confirmed with work (which I already have the papers signed for by my Manager!). I gave Mavis a budget for the items that we needed for the house so she took care of what items to buy which would fit that budget. We were actually lucky that when we were buying our stuff, shops were having their sale because of the Qatar Summer Festival. We got most of our furniture in Home Center and our applicances in Lulu Hypermarket, Electronics section. The only thing missing is a sofa set, which we ordered from IDdesign and hopefully would be delivered by the 1st week of October. Appliances cost are ok. A bit more expensive than Bahrain or Saudi. Again, nothing can beat Saudi when it comes to cost of products (grocery, food, appliances). I think only Dubai has lower prices when it comes to electronics. One funny incident: We were supposed to pick up a lamp we ordered in Home Center but there were no parking space. So I told Mavis to just pick it up while Xiane and I wait for her in the car. 30 minutes passed as she wasn't yet going out and there there still no parking space. After a while, she did come out, holding 2 big plastic bags full of kitchen items, decors, candles, etc! A man was behind her carrying the lamp in a box. I was just shaking my head as I opened the back of the car to accomodate the items and telling her that I thought we were there to just pick up the lamp.Women. Just leave them alone in a shop and next thing you know, you'll have them carrying half of the items displayed on the shop. Anyway, it was her budget so I really can't complain about it;)

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