I feel the need to document my experience of the first 9 days of war in Doha Qatar although I struggle with how to do that. I don’t want to dwell on that time period as it causes me immense anxiety. What I have decided to do, is record each day that passed with visual representations of what I saw from my hotel room windows and on the ground. And also, an example of what was crossing my social media feed each and every day. I may briefly describe my feelings, what I was hearing and anything else that is relevant. This is a long one.
Setting the Scene
My visit to Doha was scheduled to be three weeks long. I was over two weeks into that visit when the war began. I still had six days to go until my original scheduled flight was due to depart. Enjoying those first two weeks immensely, it came as a huge shock when that initial tonal alert rang across the nation on all of our phones on February 28, 2026.
Day 1 Feb 28, 2026
At 12:17 a message landed on my phone screen, in Arabic, accompanied by the almost universally recognized screeching noise. Not knowing what it said, I quickly took a screen shot and looked it up using Google Translate. Not two minutes later another came through.
I had just been out for a long walk, mailed my postcards, picked up some groceries and was on my way back to the hotel. I no sooner arrived and began to hear what I thought were bombs. This is what began to cross my social media by 15:12 that day. And at 23:35 I was still hearing ‘bombs’ and have audio recordings standing at my open hotel window. I now know these were incoming ballistic and other missiles being intercepted over the city of Doha.
Day 2 Mar 1, 2026
A completely sleepless night having very little information and feeling very scared. Posts informing us of the dangers of shrapnel falling began. At 7:35am another long audio recording on my phone, of missiles being intercepted over the city. Standing at the window I see birds flying chaotically from every rooftop. At 8:20 the first alert came across the phone and now they are in Arabic and English.
After waiting for two hours, I went out in search of food at 10:03. I was scared to be outside, but had no other option than to gather what I could from the closest shop. My hotel told me of one little place only two minutes down the street so that is where I went to procure some food for the next few days.
Assuming I might not be able to leave the hotel again, I purchased what I thought might hold me over. The only bare shelf in the little store was the yogurt, everything else was well stocked. Yes, I could technically have used a food order app to deliver food, but the thought of putting someone else’s life at risk was reprehensible to me.
An example of what the news feeds were sending across social media to keep everyone informed this day. It was very important and became increasingly so, to make sure one only depended on reliable sources for information. The Doha airport had closed by this point.
Day 3 Mar 2, 2026
Today the Qatari Government really begins to let the people know that they have everything under control. After the first two days of feeling really frightened and having very little information, I commend the government offices for sending out social media posts. These were to the point, and confirmed that there would be no shortage of water or food, and that the military was fully capable of protecting the country.
At 8:22am the first alert crosses the phone. It’s always frightening to hear these; the audible tone alone triggers a PTSD response for me. Its been quiet now for a couple of hours so I decide to go for a walk early afternoon. I need to escape the confines of the hotel room. I head down to the corniche to look at the boats. As I am there, the skies light up with booming sounds and I high tail it back to the hotel for the remainder of the day.
I have registered now with the Canadian Government in case there is any assistance they can provide. These are an example of the emails they have sent. I hear nothing again from them for days.
Day 4 Mar 3, 2026
I am due to fly in two days and have just had an email from FlyDubai that my flight has been affected. The only option they give me is to phone them to make a change. I go down to the hotel front desk and they let me use their phone for the long-distance call to Dubai. After 10 minutes of being on hold, the hotel makes me hang up the call because it is costing them money.
My only option now is to head out and find an open SIM card shop, so I can get a physical SIM card that has a local phone number. My eSIM does not provide this, a definite downside to eSIM’s in general. I take the metro across town to the nearest place and its closed. There is however a small kiosk in the next station. Phone number procured, I head back.
Mid morning and the loudest booms yet ring out across the city. I am terrified and searching for any news. Turns out the Qatari fighter jets have shot down two Iranian jets near the city.
Qatari tourism has now let it be known that they will cover the cost of any tourist who is stranded in the country, paying for their hotel extensions and food consisting of three meals per day. This provides me with such comfort knowing I won’t have to worry about this if I cannot check out and leave on March 5.
Day 5 Mar 4, 2026
I spend the day making phone calls, attempting to get through to my airline. I manage to bump my departure day forward by two days, now scheduled to leave on the 7th. It’s really tough trying to figure out what my plan should be. I have only myself here and must consider all of my options, very limited ones I admit.
These are the types of messages were are seeing on this day. Loud bangs still lighting up the air, enough to make the hotel windows shake and my hair reverberate as I stand at the open window looking out on the streets below. Today I begin to see the streets become busier and parking lots fill up again. It appears people are adapting to the ‘new normal’ and trying to go about their days.
Day 6 Mar 5, 2026
The day I had been hoping beyond hope for the Doha airport to be open, and it is not. I head down to the hotel front desk and checkout and check back in for the start of my extended stay. I am allowed to begin eating at the hotel restaurant as of lunch time. I head down at 12:30 and this is the meal of the day at the buffet.
My hotel is actually full, of tour groups. From the languages they are speaking and from a few questions, I learn they are Russians and Uzbeks, all different groups. I have not heard another English speaker in my hotel.
It is on this day we get the first ‘elevated alert’ telling us to stay away from windows. This adds an extra level of terror. I head to my bathroom and close myself inside, it’s the only place in my room without windows. Having no idea what is coming and it turns out nothing happens and I creep out after 25 minutes to sit in a corner of my room for another half hour. Still nothing. And then another alert, but a ‘stand down’ the threat has been eliminated. The first of this kind and a welcome one.
As I’m watching TikTok to try and entertain my brain and distract it, I see myself! One of my Instagram posts has been put on and there I am. A strange sight and feeling.
Day 7 Mar 6, 2026
The airport is still closed. This is my largest focus at the moment, if it could open then I could get out. The Qatari government continues to send out posts reconfirming to its citizens and visitors that they are doing everything under their power to make sure we are safe. It’s absolutely commendable how this country has protected and cared for everyone.
The British Government sends out information across social media and their posts are actually very helpful. While they cannot tell people it’s safe to leave across the land border, they provide a full page of local companies and their contact information in case anyone is wanting a reliable entity to explore this option. Still nothing from the Canadian Gov.
I do in fact contact two of these companies from the British list. One is a bus that doesn’t respond for two days, and the other company is 365 Adventures who do respond. I’ve been given their name from a few local expats who have been reassuring me and helping me in any way they can through Instagram DM’s. The cost 365 Adventures is quoting is $1,500 USD to get from Doha to Riyadh in Saudi. Extortionate and not a price I can pay.
Continued Missiles Inbound
And of course, every day and night, there continues to be alerts and missile interceptions heard in the sky. The Airforce has begun to shoot these missiles down over the water now so there is far less debris landing in the city. Each elevated alert though, sends fear through the brain and body and the nervous system is a complete wreck. All nights any attempt at sleep is interrupted with booms, bangs and alerts. The brain has adapted though, and I no longer get out of the bed to look out the windows when this happens.
A note, my hotel is almost completely empty now. Every country who had large groups here has managed to get them out. I remain with literally a handful of other people. The restaurant is empty when I go down to eat.
Day 8 Mar 7, 2026
The day I was supposed to fly has now come and of course I have received another email saying the flight is cancelled and I need to contact them by phone. I make the calls and they tell me that no flights will be leaving Doha until March 13th at the earliest. So, I go ahead and change my dates for that, feeling crushed. Even though Dubai has managed to get a few flights out now and talks about creating a fly corridor, the Doha airport remains completely closed.
And finally, something comes across my socials feed from the Canadian Gov! Not via email but by chance I see this. It provides an email address that I can message to ask for assistance to get out! Of course, I fire off said email right away and have a feeling of hope that there is at least another avenue that might open up for me.
Good News Day 8
This is the day everything changes for me. A few hours after sending that email to the SOS system, I receive one back asking for more detailed info. Specifics such as passport info, and all that jazz. A few hours after that I receive an email, late evening now, with a bold line in bright yellow at the top, stating to not share this information with anyone. It says they have a seat for me on a bus departing the city tomorrow morning. They cannot provide any further details. I begin to pack in preparation for a departure.
Around 11pm, I receive a phone call from a woman at the Doha embassy, calling to confirm details and inform me verbally that I have a seat on the bus. She cannot provide a departure time or place, but says to keep checking my email through the night for that information.
Day 9 Mar 8, 2026
At 1:38am I receive an email and I am provided a departure time of 6:30am this day, and a location, to leave Doha and travel to Riyadh by land.
Halleluiah.
