Day 12 (Thursday)
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IT’S A 90KM DRIVE to Doha on a four-lane motorway. We used to have to travel in a convoy, and a wild one at that! The customs used to be located in Doha, and you needed to put your papers in first to get cleared quickly, which meant being at or near the front of the convoy when entering the Doha customs pound. It was an adrenalin-fuelled dash which, when there were a few of us Brits, used to be fun, but very dangerous! Now it’s a pleasant drive, with lots of happy memories.
One of the old convoy pick-up trucks passes me, and I remember how angry they used to get with us Brits because there was no overtaking allowed on the convoy, but we had the fastest trucks! Sometimes they would put convoy cars next to us so we couldn’t overtake, and laughed at us because we still tried.
Driving into Doha we pass a few weighbridge stations, which are only for national trucks, but I see a Turk pulling into one by mistake. We also pass Al-Jazeera’s broadcasting dishes and, just outside Doha’s industrial zone, the US Army camp, which is like a small town. They bombed Iraq from here. We would often see stealth bombers taking off as we drove in the convoy.
We pull into the industrial zone with its massive streets. There are mainly truck companies here, like the Sultan’s East and West Car Showroom (Graham Ball’s place). On arriving at the Sultan’s we pop in to say hello to Trev, Graham’s transport manager, and to Sandu, who basically runs the place. Then we cross the road to get breakfast, which consists of tea and an egg and cheese sandwich. Steve goes with Ismail, Astran’s man in Doha, to tip. I stay at the Sultan’s and relax.
While there, Andy Blundson and Dave Harper (two of Astran’s roundtrippers) pop in. They are waiting to load back from Doha to the Netherlands in a few days. A few more teas and Sandu finds some cold beers. Bless him! All four of us head off to the famous New Capital Hotel. On arriving, we find the whole street across from us is being pulled down. Every time I go there, more and more is being demolished. They seem to be demolishing the whole of the old town and rebuilding it as they go. It’s a massive construction job, all in aid of the 2022 World Cup. All the old haunts we used to visit are gone, or are going, including the New Capital Hotel. Every time I go to Doha I ring to see if the hotel is still open. It’s a shame. They may open another New Capital Hotel, but it will probably cost us three times the price.
That night all four of us go up to the Gentlemen’s Lounge at the Sofitel, which is just around the corner from the New Capital. Good food and a pint is needed by all, and not just one pint either – but it’s £6 a beer! Look out all you football fans because by 2022 it will be about £10 a pint!