Its Hot Doha!

For anyone who grew up in the Evansville or Owensboro area in the late 80s, you remember the car commercials for Don Moore.  The ad started with a man floating in a pool saying "Its hot Don!" Another person would then say - "You can say that again".. To which the man in the floaty would say - "Its hot Don!" (The commercial isn't online but here is a youtube parody of it)

As I reflect on my first week in Doha - the term that comes to mind is "Its Hot! Doha!"

The Gulf region is known for having some of the hottest temperatures in the world. Summer temperatures range from a high of 110 to a low of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. With humidity, the temperature feels like 120+ degrees Fahrenheit. 

I knew about the temperature before coming. People who had lived in Qatar before had warned me what is was like - so hot that you cant even cross the street.  Humidity so high that you never have a chance to sweat - your body literally can not cool down. I heard about this and dreaded it. 

I prepared by buying lightweight cotton and linen clothing. I exercised outside in the heat of the Seattle afternoon (which maxed out at 90 degrees) in an attempt to acclimate. But I learned that nothing prepares you for the steam room that is Qatar in summer - unless you spend your time exercising in a steam room. 

The problem with this extreme heat is that you can not go outside. Its hard to exercise outside, hard to even walk between buildings. Even though my office and home are less than 1 mile apart, the heat makes it unsafe to walk between the two. I tried to last week and ended up at home just lying on the cold tile floor for 20 minutes to cool down. 

The best time to go out is either 4-6am in the morning or late at night - neither are an ideal option. I attempted two runs in the early morning last week, only making it 1.5 miles and collapsing into an ice pack at the end. This morning I did a 5 Kilometer walk to explore campus before students arrive. After just 2 km - I was dripping in sweat! At 6am it was already 95 degrees with a real feel of 100! 

Further complicating the heat is the conservative dress code. Shorts and tank tops are very much frowned upon - for men and women. Short sleeves are somewhat acceptable. When I exercise outside, I wear loose fitting long pants. One day when it cools down, I may try leggings but I'm not there yet.

Its so hot that it is nearly impossible to walk around campus - especially in the middle of the day. The campus provides bus shuttles that take us from building to building, and umbrellas when we have to walk through expansive courtyards like the one below. 

The bus stops are outdoors but they are air conditioned - which is an absolute necessity here! During the day, you hide in the bus stop until the bus arrives..then walk slowly (so as not to generate more heat) to the air conditioned bus. 

I'm learning to stay inside during the hottest part of the day (which is basically all day) and accept that I will sweat as a way of life. Thankfully with the interior air conditioning, it is quite comfortable, and water is never very far away. 

I've been told that the weather starts to cool in October and becomes quite pleasant in November- February - sometimes even cold! I look forward to that time. 

In the mean time - Its Hot Doha! (You can say that again!)