love this song too

one of my favorite songs

sealine beach resort in messaid

yesterday afternoon, we took a 2 hour ride from al khor to messaid, southern part of qatar, where sea line beach resort is.  it was our first day of holiday due to the mideast occassion EID. 

from al khor, we met our colleagues at wakhra, around 15 mins drive to messaid, and we followed them to sealine.  upon seeing most of the pinoys from wakhra, i suddenly felt guilty or sorry for not taking along our people in al khor camp.  i know they would have love to come to this beach reasort and unwind from all the work they have been doing. i think i will set-up a day for them to go on an outing.

back to sealine, although being such a big place, it was still so crowded, most are indians by the way.  we have to drive up all the way to the farthest location our vehicle can go to.  at the end of the coastline was this mountain of sand which ordinary cars cannot treck. so, we have to settle in a small area between too many indians.

after setting our things, first we walked, hiked could be a better term, up the big sand dune and at the top we could see these 4x4, mostly toyota land cruisers, and they were really drifting.  you could hear those big engines roar from the distance and you can really feel the excitement the drivers are feeling.  i sure wish someday i can do those things down there. it was almost 6pm so we decided to hit the beach.  better start there while we can still see the water.

the waters of qatar is very different from pinas.  even with the strong winds, still the water was luke warm.  come to think of it, it felt better swimming in this kind of water.  although it was very salty and it really hurts the eyes.

getting in the water was ok.  the beach had a very fine sand where you almost cannot see any sign of solid rock that might hurt your foot if your barefoot.  the sea flooring was the same.  its as if the whole place was covered with sand only, but it was not white.

comparing with the beaches in al khor, messaid was far better.  it was really a place where you can have fun in the water, go up and enjoy the sand dune (if you have 4x4 or ATB), camp for the night and have barbeque. it was really a nice place and i think i'd be back there another time....

Thank you.....

Well, after a few days of training and 1 failed exam, finally I got it.  My driver's license. Thank you very much.

It really feels good having passed that test and finally getting my license.  I was really praying hard from the day I again started to train upto the time I got out of the car on that testing day.

The L-parking did go smooth for me, although I was asked to do it twice just like the first test I had.  But now, the officer signalled me that he was rather sleeping and didn't see me do the parking so I had to go up the ramp again.

It was a bit complicated that time, getting out of the L-park.  During the training, everybody was instructed to look at the big post as the mark to follow when making that full left turn.  During the exam, I noticed the big post was moved from its original location which made most of the examinees fail.  Luckily, I noticed it before I got into the ramp.

I was very nervous after finishing the parking test though I have a hunch that I aced that part of the test.  And when the announcement came, for those who passed the first test, I felt even more uptight because I was expecting to be called in the middle part of the announcement, but instead I was called in last.  Well it sure was relieving to hear my name.

So the road test begins.  I think we were less than 20 inside the bus. I got to sit at the back because of being called in last.  And one by one, examinees would go down the bus and drive the car in front. Funny thing is, it wasn't so bad being the last.  While everybody else was asked to pull over and stop so that the next examinee can take the wheel, being the last driver, I was just asked to drive the car back to the school and not do the things other examinee have done. It seems, if your last, you'll be graded only on how you drive and not on so many other things.  I was really very lucky.

Well that was 2days ago, I passed my driving test.  This morning, I went to the school again and got my driver's license card.  I get to drive from the school back to work and around Ras Laffan city, even if I still don't have my own car.  I just hope everybody in our office is right.  Their saying I will get my car, for sure, next week.  I already have filed a request for it and my project manager approved it already.

I am just thinking, where can I bring this car for a joyride.  It will surely be fun and relaxing to go someplace far from our workplace....

my driving test

Last thursday, I took my driving test and sadly, I failed.  Really, I don't know why I failed that test.  I have been driving more than half of my life and I could proudly say I have learned or come to know almost everything there is to know about driving. But still, I failed.

Well, again I have to wait until the 9th when I will go back to the driving school and get my schedule for a retake.  They said I will be taking a 2day course again before  the retake.  I hope I can do better this next time.

It would really be good to have my own car here.  Last saturday, I had no choice but to come home late to finish something in the office.  But since I had no car, it took us longer than we expected to come home for our pick-up came too late.  With my own car, I'm sure that wouldn't have happen.

Also, I've been wanting to roam around Qatar, or atleast the nearby cities here in Al Khor.  It would definitely be fun to go to the corniche and walk along the beach till the sun goes down.  Of course it would be much fun with someone...hehehe.

I sure wish I pass my retake. I know my car is just waiting for me there at our office in Doha.  It sure would ba a waste if I cannot get it.

it's friday again....

12:45 am....yes, it's past midnight and again it's friday.  i really should be sleeping now but, i don't know, maybe because tomorrow is a rest day and i can't seem to find the time to sleep yet.  well, as for my people, tomorrow is still a working day for them.  i can't blame them, there isn't anything to do back at their camps anyways.  might as well go to work and have some more overtime hours. but for me, even if i report for work tomorrow, my pay will still be the same and so i'd rather stay at home and wait for my kids to go online and chat with them.

i'm kind of excited also, this day being a friday, because it means my driving exam is nearing. i'm scheduled to take it this sunday. i just hope everything works out fine and i pass the exams so i can have my license and eventually my car. back at doha office, they say, my car is waiting for me. maybe if i have my own car, i can get around qatar and see the beautiful places here.

4th day of driving lessons...

yes, it's been 4 sessions already and i have been driving around al khor city since the second day of my training.

now what i've noticed about the way they teach their students is, they are not into defensive driving like that in the philippines. here, they teach you about who's on the right of way road and, it somehow amuses me. one time, i was driving through a crossroad where i was on the right of way road when i noticed a big truck coming from the other road. my instinct tells me to slow down and check my brakes but instead, the instructor told me i have the right of way and the truck should be the one to slow down and stop. i, he tells me, should go straight and not slow down. really now, it was very different.

another incident when i was in a roundabout, qatar do have alot of these roundabouts, i saw a very fast toyota camry coming towards the roundabout and again my instinct told me to slow down and step on the brakes but again this instructor instructed me not to slow down and brake but instead to speed up more cause i am in the right of way. always, he said, roundabouts have the right of way and i should not mind the incoming vehicles.

well, i guess i will have to follow it for now since i still need to take the driving test for me to have a license.

today the clerk in the office told me, after i finished my lessons for the day, to bring my receipt for the driving test. maybe he'll be scheduling me for the upcoming test. i just hope it will be this thursday. they conduct the test every tuesday, thursday and sunday. and would you believe it starts 5:00 in the morning.

i just hope i do good in the exams and pass the test in just one take. what they're telling me is, it's very hard to pass the driving test and usually everyone fails.