We slept through Geneva - after signing the contract I met C at the hotel and our "nap" turned into sleeping through to the next AM. Geneva looked very pretty - from the two cab rides we took through it. Hopefully we get to go back one day and get a proper look.
The flight to Doha involved $500+ in excess baggage fees (for 9kg over) but the actual flight itself was fine. We landed on the tarmac and had to take a bus to the terminal, which meant we got to feel the heat right away. It was like walking right into a dry furnace. The heat seems to radiate from everywhere - it is all around you and the fine sticky layer that coats your skin appears instantly.
The bus was air conditioned (of course) and we got through customs with no problems (whew). They processed a tourist visa for C right there and they barely looked at mine.
Then I had to go to the bathroom.
I followed a nicely dressed Arabic lady in and she had two small girls and a newborn baby (only a few months old). In the washroom, she turned and said something in Arabic and then handed me her baby.
Despite our language barrier, I gathered that she had to take the girls to the washroom and help them and needed someone to hold the baby. She handed it to me and I took it. Trust me, all the stories ran through my mind - that she would leave me with the baby, that the kids would steal my purse while my hands were full, etc. But, when someone hands you a baby there isn't much you can do other than take it. She did take the girls into the stall but my fears were calmed when she didn't lock the door and kept looking out to make sure that everything was ok and that I was still there. And in the end, all was fine. I gave the baby back and got to use the facilities in the end.
I take great pleasure in casually mentioning to my impatient husband, "so that lady just gave me her baby..."
Random!
There was a driver there and we got to hotel and checked in and landed...the driver told me I would be picked up at 8:00am the next morning...
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