Away From Home: Sandstorm in Doha

This morning as I reached the Site for work, the weather seems to be pleasant. With a cool morning breeze, the steel stairs going up to the second level of our site office was drenched with morning dew. I took a long deep breath of fresh air before I enter one of the two entrances to the second floor of the site office.

As I walk through the hallway and passing by the pantry, the tea boy greeted me with a good morning. He is quick to serve me a hot coffee which is perfect just for the cool morning. I enjoy a cup of coffee every morning as I make a quick run through of the online news and into my email inbox. The air is still cool and the coffee aroma had just conditioned me for the long day ahead.

By half past ten in the morning, our office was starting to smell like dust. By eleven in the morning, the natural light coming in from the window and the glazing of the door entrance had turned rusty hue. The hallway had turned dimmer.

By this time, I am having a little bit of difficulty in breathing because of the stuffiness of the air and the smell of dust. I am beginning to choke and begin to cough heavy due to this unpleasant and irritating dusty air.

I stepped out to the hallway and was surprised that I cannot see our adjacent building which you can normally see in the clear day.

It then occurred to me that I am experiencing the worst sandstorm I’ve ever had since I came to Qatar one year and 4 months ago,

This, the sandstorm, has continued till now as I am posting about it into my blog.

I wish this sandstorm just goes away.