Resident Premit process complete, and traffic mayhem

At last the residency process is now complete, not bad going considering it only took 1 week from arriving so fair play to the company's government affairs team for all the rushing about, appointments and making it so.

My passport was updated to include the new residency stickers, multi entry/exit visa etc. I also took receipt of my new resident permit/id card.

Now that is in place it makes things a lot easier, e.g. applying for bank accounts, applying for the QP Pass for getting offshore, liquor license and a whole host of other things. Basically you need an Id card for everything. I think they next thing that team are organizing is the transfer of my UK Driving License to a local Qatar Driving License, should happen this week sometime.

Today was also the worst traffic I had seen yet. On the way home from the office, we were about half way home and heading across Al Khaleej Street and everything was basically gridlocked more than usual. Eventually gets to Guest Palace roundabout to find that the transport police had closed the road leading to the underpass and just turning everyone around. Gave up trying to get back towards the apartment so just headed into the town again near work and went to look at more serviced apartments with a colleague to allow the traffic to ease off for a couple of hours. Also grabbed a bite to eat in Applebees American Grill in the City Centre Mall and had a pretty reasonable steak and chips.

Also popped into the Toyota Garage in the Mall to check out prices as my colleague was thinking of finding his own car with his allowance rather than take a company car.

So after the apartment walk and bite to eat, headed back, but the traffic was still mental. Ended up taking a wide berth of the city centre and headed up over the Doha Expressway and then back down the Salwa Road just to keep clear of all the bedlam. No idea why the road was closed, but dare say something will appear on one of the websites.

Tomorrow should also be interesting, heading to the Technology park in another area of town that I have not been to yet, and will also have no navigator. So, if no update in the next week or so, you may need a search party!

Probably end up Waze to the rescue again!

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