POCYLINE KARANI was in Qatar recently for a tour of the popular Emirate, which has in the last 40 years made a significant impact on the global tourist, sporting and economic scenes.
As the Qatar Airways Airbus A320 lost attitude in preparation to what turned out to be a perfect landing, I got my first glimpse of one of the most popular destinations in the Middle East — Qatar.
At exactly 1,500 ft above ground level, I took in the magnificent and breathtaking panoramic view of Doha City. Golden colourful features dotted the grounds below. The town glittered and twinkled before disappearing into the horizon.
Doha City by night as seen from Grand Regency Hotel.
I was not sure what to expect of Qatar, the pearl of Arabian Gulf. Measuring approximately 160 km from North to South and 80km wide from East to West, it is apparently smaller than Kenya’s Tsavo National Park,. 
Upon disembarking, I was struck by the awesome sight of the clouds that were illuminated an orange hue from the city lights below. It was a sight to behold!
The humid temperatures outside the plane’s cabin did nothing to prepare us for the eventual soaring of up to 39 degrees centigrade the following day.
Nomadic Bedouins
The drive out of the airport in heavy traffic took some time but offered a sort of night drive through the city around the sky-crapping buildings. It was almost impossible to believe that hardly 20 years ago, the nomadic Bedouin roamed this Qatari peninsula with their horses, camels and families while the resident population earned a meagre living fishing, pearl-diving and creating valuable purple dye from shellfish.
"You can only equate this dramatic development to an overnight transformation," said Raj Amrit, our tour guide. "Imagine a modest desert land that was relatively tranquil 40 years ago. Fast forward to 2009 and Qatar has transformed itself into a thriving state that is making a significant impact on the Gulf community."
Qatar is a peninsula jutting into the Persian Gulf to the north of Saudi Arabia, East of Bahrain and West of the Emirates. Iran lies across the Gulf to the northeast with the Arab Emirates just a short distance away to the southeast, separated from Qatar by a small Saudi Arabian land (corridor). The writer at Khor Al Adaid. 
It is a land without any lake or river but bottles the sweetest waters drawn from the Gulf Persian sea and sanitised for domestic and industrial use.
Dune bashing
Progressive in outlook, cosmopolitan in attitude and alive with a wealth of sights, sounds and experiences, Doha is a place whose independent spirit makes it a destination of endless variety. Its evolution is spectacular — from a bare, barren and dreary desert to the now bustling cosmopolitan city in constant expansion and transformation.
Qatar’s capital city Doha now boasts of world-class shopping complexes, golf greens and sporting facilities, making it one of the most popular Middle East destinations. The bustle and vitality of culture and its heritage attracts visitors from all around the globe.
My most exhilarating experience was sand dune bashing, commonly referred to as desert safaris. To get to the breathtaking site, we drove 80km away from Doha city to Khor Al Aidaid where I was stunned by the crescent-shaped sand dunes regarded as the country’s finest treasure and prime tourism asset.
Dune bashing is an elating ride up and down sand dunes at near death speeds. It sent my heart palpitating to my mouth. The highly skilled drivers deftly manoeuvred the 4x4 vehicles through rippling sand dunes. The more daring can get onto large trays and turn them into impromptu sand sledges to skid through the dunes at breakneck speeds.
Tales abound of the desert singing in strange, low-pitched sounds. The tales drew great explorers to the Gulf who discovered the natural phenomenon is a result of the friction between the wind and the thin layers of sand flowing down the leeward side of a dune.
The Corniche seawall is another attraction that offers majestic views of the city. It is also a great place to think, relax and view. Snaking seven kilometres along the waterfront, this exotic stretch attracts businesspeople who desire a quick getaway from work. Young lovers and tourists too, come here to enjoy the Arabian Gulf sea breeze.
A car plunges down the crescent-shaped sand dunes.
The picturesque palm tree-lined Corniche abounds with rolling green lawns, banks of flowers and a medley of old and new buildings. Behind it is the Ras Abu Abboud flyover and the Sheraton Doha Hotel and Resort that architecturally designed like a pyramid. 
Islamic architecture
Off the Corniche seawall stands yet another architectural wonder — the Museum of Islamic Art that is on a man-made island. The museum holds some of the world’s rarest and most valuable Islamic objects and artefacts.
Its outer facade is very modernistic and futuristic owing to its massive geometric forms and monochromatic tones. The building changed my stereotypical image as it was not what I expected in relation to Islamic architecture.
In line with the hugely popular artificial luxury islands that Dubai pioneeed, Doha’s pearl shaped island is a must see. Christened ‘The Pearl’, the massive Riviera-style man-made island is in an exclusive environment in Doha and features buildings with unique architectural designs.
The hugely ambitious project covers 32km of the coastline and has created 985 acres of reclaimed land. The first homes were opened up for sale at the end of 2008. The whole project is scheduled for completion next year and will see 40,000 houses built as well as leisure facilities.
Pearlesque names are crafted from an intriguing mix of Italian, French, Spanish and Arabic influences and sums up the charm of the old world while capturing the spirit of the new. The island’s name was inspired by Qatar’s cultural heritage of pearls and pearling.
For hundreds of years, pearling was one of two major income-earning activities in Qatar, the other being fishing. Pearling, which apparently put Qatar in the world map way back in 2000 BC, involves fishing for the best oysters. Natural pearls were valued for their beauty and scarcity.
Wining and dining options are varied. The city is awash with restaurants and hotels offering a wide variety of culinary experiences mostly from traditional Middle East cuisines.
Smoking of shisha, which comes in different flavours including apple, strawberry and even chocolate, is considered a perfect complement to the local foods.
It would be a crime to leave Qatar without visiting its souqs (markets) that vend various goods including perfumes, incense and gold. A visit to the newly restored Souq Waqif is a journey into the past, from its winding alleys, contrasting sun and shade on traditional stone and gypsum buildings, Arabian musicians playing Arabian medleys and henna painting done at the speed of light. All these are reminiscent of a beautiful heritage of an erstwhile era. This is the place to spend your evening.
A visit to the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence, which is rated the world’s largest indoor sports facility, revealed modern architecture and facilities, which have contributed to the academy’s international reputation.
Another memorable stop was the Equestrian Club, which exhibits the love and interest of local people towards preserving and conserving their wildlife.