|
Turkey 2011 | |
| Home | Family | Friends | Leisure | Links |
If you are reading this there is no need for the usual warnings - you already know what is in store . . . or do you?
|
The Undiscovered Country
With the Middle East in Flux the Syrian Passage is critical and ‘No Return’ this year and SD adding to the chaos by dropping Kathy. Talk about getting things the wrong way round, but from history, getting the right guidance from QF will be harder than pissing into the wind and less sanitary!
Saturday 18 June 12 days to go if
keep to plan. Look for the diary file and fail. Wherever it is, it has been
hidden well!
Sunday 19 June Tick
Monday 20 June Aku asks for
paperwork and I take it up so it is ready for Tuesday morning.
Tuesday 21 June Tock
Wednesday 22 June
Count 10 10 pm Aku brings
truck back with export plates to USA. Settle up. Charges 810, which seems
very reasonable since I still remember the time down in Doha trying to sort
out the vehicle when we arrived, so pass over 1000. Ten day countdown.
Thursday 23 June
Count 9 What to do. With
an advisory and two invigilations, the first after ten, best to see what the
‘Office’ are prepared to do . . . with an incentive! Answer is nothing in
any workable time scale. Also, for reasons noted regards Government
Departments and Doha, do not want to go round in those degenerative circles.
Contact Mohammed for assist and it is given freely. Back in time for
the duties and supported by Bengt and Kathy to keep a lid on the scenario.
Amanda takes over so know things have a fair chance. Try to get some
things sorted, but with interruption and jumpy about the visa, settling is
not easy. Run around with
the Specials. Early start asked for and would have been given if they had
all been together, but they could not organise themselves. Once the time
came round get details for what to do from Mohammed. Claudine also comes for
the duration and I use the time to also print some of the large amount that
takes me well beyond three that I need ready for sorting out. Boys on the jump
after half an hour, but Claudine chiveys them to the full hour. Very nicely
done. Once I am done I
go back to Fiore for a drink before heading back into Doha and the Office.
This time, even though they note July 13 as the date, I note I only need
them to get it to the embassy and give me the visa number. According to
Mohammed’s instructions that and the assist will allow me t have the visad
passport back on Sunday with a shot at taking it in to the required people
at QF. One thing at a time though. Also need to get
the shipping side of things on the move now. Just on the
outskirts of Al Khor and Amanda calls. Drink? Yes, even though I had been
thinking of getting some coke. While away some time with Irene, Bruce and
then Kathy and Curt. Weave off about 20:00 and back at
Fiore set to sorting out a few things in prep for Friday and jobs for
Saturday before the roller coaster of Sunday and potential QF chase. Syria is bubbling
furiously so the woods are far from clearing - in some senses getting
thicker! Time, as ever, will tell the full version and that should be known
to the players within two weeks. First tomorrow .
. . .
Friday 24 June
Count 8 Time drags by
real slow. So just have to occupy myself with some report writing! By time
done only left with the Physics ones which are postponed for tomorrow. Book signing.
Amanda picks me up about 1630 for session at the Pearl. Only Saad and Ahmed
there. The others have been pulled away out of the country for one reason or
another. Once done go to a
Noodle Restaurant as a treat by Amanda and while away some time before
heading back to watch ‘Green Lantern’. However that took more setting up
than first thought and I ended up drifting off on at least two occasions.
Finish by midnight though and manage to make Fiore before falling asleep. Once there
however, ended up waking up! Sod’s law inaction. Finally joined the land of
pixie dust about 0100.
Saturday 25 June
Count 7 Up about 0900 and
get down to sorting out the MP3 files. Spend most of the day sorting them
apart from a couple of hours when I head of up to the Seik Faisal Museum to
drop of the picture disc. Nobody about there. Would have been a nice time to
visit. Once back a spot
of shopping and money change as well as final visit to the cleaners with a
large batch of shirts. Sayed contacts me
about the visa application number. That is forwarded to Mohammed’s contact,
but I get no response from him. See what the morning brings. Transfer big
table and Sofa to Moustafa. He also has the Omani cushions and the black
lamp. After six Bruce comes over for the smaller computer table which brings
the amount of stuff down notably. There are still a few odds and ends
though, most notably the big bottles. Looks like they will not find a home. Various
currencies are considered and overviewed ready for the third and final bits
purchase before I lose my ID card since I need ID to change money! Also need to sort
out shippers and have that on the move by the end of the week. Coming up for
seven and the reports need to be attended to.
Sunday 26 June
Count 6 Mohammed from QF
to check Fiore. Need to sort a time with him for this. Still cannot find
the car pass. Saudi Embassy and
Mohammed’s contact, Faisal. No guideline on time or locations so will head
for the Embassy about nine. Actually make contact about ten and take off
post haste to get down to the Embassy. Once there warmly treated by Faisal
who has to pass me over to Talal since he needs to find my passport. Had I
held on to it, it would have made matters infinity easier, so once again
common sense did not prevail when I had the opportunity to use it! I decide
to head back to the office and try find out where the passport is since it
does not seem to be where it was thought to be. Only problem
there was that while the office was open when I passed it, by the time I
park and get back to the office they are shut! Eventually get
through to Sayed who relays the number and name of the agent who took the
passports then head back to the Embassy with fifteen minutes before they
close. After a brief wait Faisal appears with the passport and to say I was
relieved would be an understatement. Two out of five now sorted. On coming out of
the Embassy get greeted by Abdulrahman Al Wehaibi and Mohammed Al Rumaihi. Paperwork to QF
if Saudi visa sorted - Need information from Hend. Now can head off
up to QF and hand in my passport to Shafqat Ali Farooqi. He says to contact
him 1330 on Tuesday on 66779773, by which time it should, hopefully, be
ready. Coming up for
1400 and now very much calmer, but not calm enough to stay in Doha, I head
back to Al Khor to see about shippers. As it turns out the first thing is
not all international shippers ship to all point international and therefore
to the UK. Many only do bulk. One thing is for sure it will be more
expensive than it needs to be. Get a subway once
back and try to relax with that while watching “Even the Rain”, but am on
edge for some unknown reason that I cannot settle to. Odd since I should be
somewhat more relaxed now. About eight on
line with Irene on Messenger only to find that it is the 26th and
it was Jen’s birthday YESTERDAY! This is taking being out of sync rather too
far! Try to make amends by ringing her immediately on the normal phone. Closing on nine and now at a loose end as to what to do! Finding it difficult to settle! Maybe I should cut the coffee and have some wine.
Monday 27 June
Export Count 5: QF Day
1 Tick. Last effective
Day in school since it seems there will be a pre-emptive dispersal tomorrow.
So make my round to say goodbyes to one and all relevant. The odd gap to be
filled in the last odd days. Chance to go
swimming, but the water level is not at all interesting. Tock
Tuesday 28 June
Export Count 4: QF Day
2
George gives his e.mail details.
Hopkinsg4”gmail.com Late start to the
day with attempts to get in touch with ‘Rightway’ removal – not easy. During
the day they tell me that they do not do D2D in the UK. In the interim
contact a couple of other places and settle on a very helpful Gigi at E2E.
Over the course of the day find that the UK end is high price. Suspect it is
not just the UK side, but more likely the high cost of fuel and taxes that
drive up the real cost. However, look into seeing if Irene wants to do
anything on that front and she teams up with Stewart to make a mini trip /
assist out of the job, so will send her the money and let her take it. There
will be some ‘round about’ at custom, but that will be in English –
assumedly. About eleven head
off into Doha to get some of the jobs cleared there. First Doha
Insurance where I manage to skirt most, but not all of the building traffic.
Once there the ‘orange’ card is out of the window because the truck is not
now registered in Qatar. Well! So it will be insurance at each border
assumedly! From there to the
Booze shop to get the 1000 QAR refund and again routed to skirt the traffic
as much as possible. Even when done there come out right rather then left
and a short overland to join the queue back! Free of the
roundabout and head for the North Road link and Carrefour to waste a bit of
time before ringing Shafqat about the passport. It is ready so . . . go and
get it. Stage three of four, but now able to leave even if rest is not
sorted in time.. Then on the road
back to Al Khor inform Hend and she asks if I got an SEP. A whatsy what?
Single Exit Permit, it appears MAY be needed. What? Oh well, go for it and
see what gives. Back at Fiore and
time to gather some wits before sorting out for the jaunt to the Island.
Nice and warm with the water at 32º. Free and clear with lots of fish and
even several barracuda lingering in the water off the small rock cluster. I
leave then well alone. They and sharks look right through you; talk about
making you feel naked! Not looking to make them as nervous as myself so keep
close to the islets. Once done, and
only took an hour since dubious about using the underwater camera, head back
and tidy up to head out to Amanda’s with the big bottles. Either that or
they get thrown. Meal at the Palace Garden Restaurant. Fun and Games with what was and was not on the menu, but good food and reasonably priced. Back to Amanda’s after for a couple of beers before beating back to Fiore and some pottering about. Head off to bed
for about ten thirty somewhat bored and hyper at the same time! Do not stay
awake long strangely enough.
Wednesday 29 June
Export Count 3: QF Day
3 Up at four for a
coffee then back to sleep. Slow start after
that getting up at the lazy hour of nine. First contact Gigi from E2E and
note that UK end will be dealt with by my sister collecting the items. Then
confirm time and mode of payment. Boxes incoming, not that many are needed,
but the paintings will get wooden boxed in Doha after being bubble wrapped.
Wing and a prayer time. Then time to do
the rounds. First off to Dentist to smooth the way! Then pick up the shirts
from the cleaner. Next the bank and their two stage system gets me mixed up
again! End up having t o slink round the back! However, ATM coughed up and
that allowed me to go to Money Exchange after the visit to the bank to get
the residual currency bits and pieces. Next job is to
top up the phone credit to above 200 QAR. The actual figure is a ‘Suck it
and See’ exercise! Which brings me to the Chemist and Eltroxin where I am
given 100 mg
tablets and my error is not noted till I get home. Debate exchanging them,
but decide to stay with the set up and use on alternate days or even mix the
arrangement with the fifties. Also get some supplies of plasters and eye
solution. Next stop food
and get a ‘foot long’ - Oregano and Spicy Italian. Drop by school
and touch base with Kathy, Khulood, Hend
and the guard, but miss out on George. Still got tomorrow. Finally close the
circle and get back to Fiore where it is time to sort out, tidy up and catch
up. Swimming at 1530. Eat at Pearl
about 1830 and repair to finish off the Effies at Amanda’s. With farewells
to Kathy, Curt and Amanda in case do not see them tomorrow. Back at Fiore and
it is like being a cat on a hot tin roof – just cannot settle and wanting to
be off.
Thursday 30 June
Export Count 2: QF Day
4 E2E for about 10.
Will need to guide them in. Payment settled
at QAR . Spend a large
part of the evening packing and repacking the truck, squeezing as much as
possible into it. However, several things could not fit, eg lamp to name but
one. Such is the way it goes. In view of the
‘doubt’ about the insurance attempt to leave before midnight goes well awry,
however by just about 0200 we, the truck and myself and all the gear I can
carry are on the way. |