This is the End

Many moons ago The Doors recorded a song entitled "This is the End." Kind of a sad number:

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes…again

I was reminded of this song very recently, yesterday in fact. As we were approaching the end of Spring Break we considered that we had not really gone and done anything over the break. Instead we'd busied ourselves with homework and walks with the dogs, throwing in a complete veg day as well — because after all, one day may be vegetables and should really get some practice. Anyone who has ever planted a garden knows that Spring is the right time to plant vegetables too, so with the season upon us and the break here we planted ourselves for a day. Then the desire to uproot and migrate struck and out the door we went.

Now, Qatar is just starting to heat up. Supposedly it hit 32℃ yesterday (that's 90℉, but I'm beginning to like Celsius because it doesn't sound as bad.) I'm pretty convinced it was a bit hotter than that though, especially once we got out into the interior of Qatar where there's no ocean breeze, or any breeze for that matter. Mind you, we made it home intact, including the dogs who were ecstatic at the prospect of a third day off the reservation. Almost all of us made it home. This is where "the end" comes into play.

Our plan was to do the grand tour of Qatar, which is more or less like doing the

grand tour of a really big parking lot, only with camels. We left Doha and drove north toward Al Ruwais (not the one in the UAE) which is pretty much a nowhere town on the northern tip of the peninsula. It's a straight shot up Al Shamal Road from where we live and skirts the coastline, kind of, until it runs into the Persian Gulf. Well, not quite into the Gulf but close enough. Then we drove down the back side of Qatar to Dukhan, a town that would hardly be a blip on the map without Qatar Petroleum's establishment there. Then back from Dukhan to Doha, passing by one of our favorite haunts at Al-Shehanniya where they race camels.

Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? After all, the Jeep just came back from having the A/C repaired and it was pumping nice cold air. All set to go with plenty of water, some food, sunscreen, appropriate beach attire for a dip into the Gulf, camping chairs, and our dogs. Made it all the way to Dukhan, pretty much without any problems. Then the fun started as we left Dukhan and headed home. Now mind you there really isn't much between Dukhan and Doha except a highway and lots of sand, rocks and dirt. Partway back all of a sudden the temperature gauge went sky high and soon thereafter we started hearing a rattle from the engine and bluish smoke trailed behind us.

Not good.

Knowing a bit about automobiles, and knowing that this one was getting older anyway — and having my wife's expertise on old automobiles dying suddenly and with great commotion easy to tap —I put two and two together and detected the sound of a rod knocking. I know enough to know that a knocking engine rod is more or less its death rattle. Couple that with being stuck in the middle of nowhere we decided to limp home. After all, what else were we going to do with 50km to go, two dogs and a vehicle that was doing its best to win an academy award for best performance in a death scene? We made it back to Doha and, amazingly with oil pressure dropping faster than Congressional approval ratings, the thing gave all it had and got us to within about 2km of home before the thud of a thrown rod announced the arrival of its last moments.

We shoved the vehicle off of the road and into a parking space, and I set off on the walk to retrieve the rescue vehicle — our ever-faithful Land Rover that just refuses to die. Back to that fateful corner where the Jeep gave up the ghost I drove, retrieving my wife, our dogs, and all of the belongings we had in the Jeep. A few moments later we were happily in the air conditioning of our villa replenishing the lost fluids from the heat and pondering what could have gone so horribly wrong with the Jeep. I have to admit though that I wasn't particularly attached to it and really won't miss it much. The main thing now is to find someone who wants it for its parts or its metal.

Either way, this is the end.