No rules!

I have been in Doha for almost a week now and all I can say is that I have yet to get myself organized because I have been organizing my Dad’s life. His office was moved while he was away so that is where we started, and then today I finished up helping update the inventory for 295 horses – that was a headache! It has been an interesting, and very fast week. Even though I have been back to Doha since we initially left it still seems so strange to me. Nothing is the same, all the roads are extremely confusing but the skyline really is amazing. I remember when there was nothing, and now it looks like NYC or London. Nothing is really complete though. Construction is everywhere of course – it wouldn’t be Qatar without construction.

I hate to be a person that complains but I haven’t gotten a full night of sleep since I have been here. There are some stray cats that decide to have a meowing contest that ends up in a screeching fight at around 3 am every morning and then of course at 5.30 in the morning the Call to Prayer happens and to be blunt the guy at the Mosque next to my Dad’s house has a horrible voice. It is like he is in completion with the cats! This is Doha though, mosques blasting 5 times a day, and a serious stray cat problem!

In the past week I have seen so many old faces, mostly from the Race Club and it is funny to see how little things have changed in the “race world.” Some people don’t recognize me and I do not understand this because I think that I look pretty much the same. I think it is the blonde hair that brings them to realization of who I am in the end. I trait that always seems to amaze people in the Middle East. When I was younger my fathers boss had a body guard that changed my name to Sara, because Catie was not a good name, and referred to my hair as golden (he was not the only one). Oh how I wish for my extremely light blonde hair back. Wouldn’t it be nice not to age?

It takes time getting used to being 8 hours ahead of every in the US. As I end my day everyone else is just starting theirs. I am so grateful for technology like WhatsApp, and FaceTime because I don’t feel like I have left some days when I get to chat with the people I care about even if it is for a short overlap.

I will leave you with the “no rules” story. A comment I hear on average 25 times when I am in the car with my Dad. There are no rules on these roads. Roundabouts = now those are scary! Turning left from the far right lane = totally legal. It is like everyone is driving like Cher from Clueless... they “totally paused.” Or how about we are driving back from the farm and I look over into the Landcruiser next to us and the 4 year old is holding the wheel, not the father. Safe right? As my father keeps on saying “there are no rules!” Speed limits are not followed; blinkers are never used, and be careful of the cars on every side of you because you never know which way they will be going. If I end up staying here for a while it will be an interesting experience driving on these roads!