February 2010 - A Trip with Students to Qatar
I took the Mongolian delegation to the 2010 World Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar. We spent most of our time buried in preparation and debating, but managed to get enough time to explore a strangely-clean souq and take a tour of the harbour on a dhow. We attended a superb outdoor performance of Beethoven's 9th, with the crown prince in attendance. The students had a great time when we drove out into the desert for an evening under the stars (I made a fool of myself surfing down dunes).
My favourite part of the city was the family-centered nature of the wealthy Islamic state. Rapscallions and fairies ran around underfoot everywhere. Single men are not welcome in shopping malls or parks on certain days so mothers feel more safe with their children. Everything seemed designed with children in mind, like the entire city was a schoolyard.
Advice: The Gulf shouldn't be a draw for the backpacking crowd, so if you're going to Doha, you're probably (a) on business, or (b) the sort of person who does everything on business. In any case, try to get out of the city for some testosterone-fueled fun in the desert.
