Anne's blog travel 06-07

Saturday December 8th 2006

Had another busy day yesterday with many people in the work room. There are more than 2200 Press journalists and photographers here in Doha covering the games with about double that of broadcasters. So there are people in here constantly and we are all surprised at how busy the Work room remains all day and evening until the wee hours of the morning. At other events we've all done the MPC has been less busy after opening ceremony but here it's been constant.

Which was why I was upset to have to worry about my staff changing when we have now a great team, my shifts are worked out and I know who is reliable and who will show up on time etc. But, anyway, I've sorted all that now and have also made peace with Ala and Maryam so all is good.

I read in the paper last night (when I finally got to it) that the rains we've had have broken a 42 year record for total rain in December in Doha and all this by December 7th. Since 1964, wow, that's the year I was born. Seems like a long time ago.

Yesterday the skies had cleared up but I think there were still patches of rain during the day or night. Now most of it seems gone.

Salwa asks me this morning what she can do to lose her stomach as she has had a child a year ago. And here I am in the help desk showing her how to do crunches for her abs and telling her to go walking on the Corniche and get her husband to buy a treadmill for the months when it becomes too hot. And I realise that what is normal and easy for us in the west is not so easy here for women like her. This is why I suggest walking as this is well accepted. Joining a gym is not something Qatari women will do and the temperatures are far too hot to go outside and do anything for most of the year.

That's all for today.
bye for now