Days 1 and 2 - Arrival
Day 3 - Dubai
Day 4 - Dubai to Doha
Day 5 - Doha
Day 6 - Doha
Day 7 - Departure
Dubai and Doha
Doha is definitely a city that is just beginning to emerge. Talking to some expats who'd spent most of the last decade in Doha confirmed our initial impression: not much to do here. Maybe in a few years, but not quite yet. We wandered across the street to the very high-end The Gate Mall, found a collection of foreign shops and restaurants, and rejected the idea of paying a ridiculous amount at Jones the Grocer or the coffee shop in the mall.
Back to City Center Mall, where we unfortunately found the nice food court only after we'd eaten again in the ghetto one. Similar restaurants in both at least, so we didn't miss too much as far as food goes.
Then time to pack up and off to the airport, where a single lounge (Qatar Airways' Oryx Lounge) takes care of most airlines' elite passengers with enough status to get in. Rather decent considering how heavily used it was, but definitely looking forward to the opening of the new Hamad International Airport (IACO: OTTH) in the near future.
Another short 45 minute flight on a United 777-200 to DXB, a little bit of time hanging out in the (somewhat nicer) Lufthansa Senator Lounge as opposed to the previous two lounges (Oryx and previously the Marhaba Lounge in DXB), and then, with a fresh flight crew and cabin crew, back through another secondary screening (one of many on this trip!) and onto the same 777 we were just on for the return to IAD.