1,460 Arabian Nights

So here I am. Back to you after a prolonged and suspicious silence. I bet some of you might have thought I got bored of blogging. Some might have assumed I got fed up with the strange comments and emails I tend to receive. But really...I just was busy relocating to Doha.

Yes. Doha. As in Qatar. Before you ask, my recent articles for Qatar airways have absolutely nothing to do with the move. My father shocked me recently, when I tried to explain to him just how spooky the coincidence was. My husband got headhunted for a contract in Qatar for four years and we decided to go for it. In the meantime, i received an email asking me to write an article for Oryx magazine. The two events happened almost at the same time, however were not connected. My father, being more Azeri than I ever remember him to be, decided it was naive of him ( and me) to assume those two events had nothing to do with each other.

Come on, he said. Things don't happen like that!

I was confused. what on earth was he talking about?

" They must have known your husband was getting a job in Doha, so they said oh, his wife is from Baku...let's ask her to write an article for us." he explained.

I was so shocked I had to call him. Clearly, something got lost in (electronic) translation.

"Papa", I said. "Who's they? They as in Qatar Airways launched direct flights Baku-Doha from February 12. That is why they wanted to do a piece on Baku as a new destination. They who Husband now works for are a different business, nothing to do with the airports, airlines or skies. Do you think, perhaps, that my husband and his job are SO important for Qatar that, having found out his wife was Azeri, they decided to open new flights to Baku? For my personal convenience? "

Fortunately, he laughed at that thought. I was worried he was getting demented. Old age isn't pretty, you know. Happens to all of us.

Anyway. The job offer came somewhat unexpectedly and very fast, and the company wanted him here, in Doha, ASAP. and so, from the end of November we only spent a few weeks getting everything ready, and on the 1st of January, Husband started a new job. The rest of us joined him here in the following two weeks.

In the meantime, I had the deadline for the Oryx magazine again, this time for the big piece on Baku for February issue, to tie in with the new direct Baku-Doha flights. The ones they had to open now that I live in Doha, you see?

And so, I have been awfully busy. I also had to wait to get my broadband so I could sit down and write this posting properly.

I am quite excited about this exotic move. And of course, from the blog point of view, things will change. This blog will now reflect the move from Baku to London and then to Doha. And I hope it means it will be more interesting. If somewhat adjusted to the circumstances, if you know what I mean. I have to be more polite and probably not swear too much. I will censor my own bizarre sense of humour, but otherwise....hoping to keep you entertained.

Oh, and I hear it is pretty cold in Baku right now. I am sorry. Hehehehe.


PS The pretty picture of Souq Waqif would look a lot better if I could only figure out how to stretch it to fill the whole heading space. Sadly, I failed. This will just have to do for now.