Caching with chauffeur/taxi?

[sandstonegirl]

Hiya guys,

 

I'll soon be moving to Qatar for work, temporarily. I'm not a confident driver and the traffic in Doha sounds like hell from what I hear. I now wonder if I should get a chauffeur and/or take taxis instead of renting or buying a car. Though: how to cache then? Has anyone ever cached by taxi or similar means? The driver would of course be a muggle and I'm afraid he'd harm the cache or see it as something potentially dangerous. Any advice?

 

Also, does anyone have any general advice on transport? My allowance would be enough for a small rental car but I guess I won't be allowed to cross the border to SA (no worries, hubby will visit a few times). Buying a car is probably too expensive. Do taxis or chauffeurs cross the border? I guess if not I'll be stuck in a tiny hot country for a while

Edited June 8, 2009 by sandstonegirl

[+Desert Trekker]

Not sure what the caches and driving is like in Qatar, but I do know that you will not be allowed to go to SA. Getting a visa for there is not trivial. Visiting Bahrain & the UAE is easy but you'll need to fly there.

[sandstonegirl]

Not sure what the caches and driving is like in Qatar, but I do know that you will not be allowed to go to SA. Getting a visa for there is not trivial. Visiting Bahrain & the UAE is easy but you'll need to fly there.

 

Hmm.. I know that colleagues went by car to Oman, but they usually stayed longer in Doha and thus had their own vehicles. We'd love to do that as well even though border formalities and visa are not easy.

[+Carbon Hunter]

Hi SSG

Cincol would be best to help

 

Certainly there are a good few urban caches in Doha - but a rented car or using your hubbies car on w/e is best to get to the oput of town caches.

 

I've done a number with cincol and a saloon car would work with many - but the 4x4 will get you to the fun caches

[sandstonegirl]

Hi SSG

Cincol would be best to help

 

Certainly there are a good few urban caches in Doha - but a rented car or using your hubbies car on w/e is best to get to the oput of town caches.

 

I've done a number with cincol and a saloon car would work with many - but the 4x4 will get you to the fun caches

 

I haven't looked around here yet and don't know Cincol. Will this thread lure him out of hiding or should I send him a pm?

 

My hubby is not working in Qatar. He's offshore in Europe but if I like working here and he also likes Qatar from his visits he might ask for a transfer and we'd stay here more permanently and might eventually buy a car. But that's still almost a year from now. So I thought about renting one for now or hiring a driver/using taxis.

 

So I guess it's the rental/driver/taxi option for now and, as there aren't that many caches in total I should hire a 4x4 once in a while. How far can you go with a saloon? I know the inland lake is out of bounds but what about the rest of the countryside?

[+cincol]

Firstly, as a woman alone you will NOT be able to enter Saudi Arabia - period! Women may not drive in SA and neither may they be in a vehicle with a male who is not family or husband.

 

Secondly, how long is "temporarily" and when will your residence commence? Rental cars are not expensive and driving in Doha is no different to New York or Chicago or London for that matter. A bit more aggressive perhaps but that's all.

 

Thirdly, feel free to PM me about caching sprees in Qatar. There are a number of cachers who would be more than happy to have you tag along over weekends.

[sandstonegirl]

Firstly, as a woman alone you will NOT be able to enter Saudi Arabia - period! Women may not drive in SA and neither may they be in a vehicle with a male who is not family or husband.

 

Secondly, how long is "temporarily" and when will your residence commence? Rental cars are not expensive and driving in Doha is no different to New York or Chicago or London for that matter. A bit more aggressive perhaps but that's all.

 

Thirdly, feel free to PM me about caching sprees in Qatar. There are a number of cachers who would be more than happy to have you tag along over weekends.

 

Ah!

1. I know, and I also know about covering up. That's why I'd only do such thing when my husband visits.

2. planned are 10 months for now and I'll come over somewhere in August. Yiha, heat! Never driven in any big city fortunately, or unfortunately in this case.

3. cool! I'll drop you a pm once I'm there and bored

[+cincol]

Pity about your timing. Mid-August is the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan and not a good time to arrive from a number of aspects as working hours are severely reduced and eating, drinking, smoking, etc in public during daylight hours are forbidden. I hope that your husband's employer has their ducks in a row so that the necessary documentation can be processed for you during this period. Added to that it is still high summer as well.

[sandstonegirl]

Pity about your timing. Mid-August is the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan and not a good time to arrive from a number of aspects as working hours are severely reduced and eating, drinking, smoking, etc in public during daylight hours are forbidden. I hope that your husband's employer has their ducks in a row so that the necessary documentation can be processed for you during this period. Added to that it is still high summer as well.

 

I know, bad luck on Ramadan and on temperature. HR has all the stuff they need to apply for my visa so that's something at least.

 

I just had a look through a lot of caches a bit off the roads, and it really looks like I'd need a 4x4 for many of those. Shame. Do you happen to have an idea what a small 4x4 rental might cost? Doesn't need to be a pajero or a huge pickup, but just a small car with decent ground clearance and strong enough 4WD? (Fiat Panda 4x4 Um.. great for steep Greek mountains but no idea how such baby would perform in sand) I think I should get a car anyway, even though I don't like driving in cities. But I suppose it's better than waiting for taxis at least twice per day.