Deep into the souk, the England hotel is a brilliant location.
The beauty of the Souq Al Wakra Hotel is that you actually feel you are somewhere completely different. It is like a mini walled city, you walk through a series of labyrinths to get out to the other side where there is a beach, a promenade lined with coffee shops and restaurants. You can get a camel ride if you want.
And yet the only way you’d know something different is going on is a few security guards dotted around, perched on stools trying to stay awake to keep an eye on their post.
England decided against staying in a tower block in the city and this is a far cry from previous five star hotels in a tournament which have generally got so much security and barriers they look like a prison cell.
The beauty of this place - having visited previously - is that it’s fairly modest, just enough luxury, but you actually get a feel for the Middle East. A sun-drenched courtyard and nice rooms.
The call to prayer, the sand, the sun and a wonderful sense of being far, far away. Why lock the players in a hotel which could be anywhere in the world?
It’s a masterstroke by Gareth Southgate and the Football Association to set up camp here where no-one is bothering them and yet they feel part of a different country.
Just over a mile away is their training ground. The roads are busy but not as hectic as was suggested and you can drive wherever you want to go. It’s never as busy as the North Circular Road on a Friday afternoon.
But the other point is that you wouldn’t know England are staying at Al Wakrah (it’s spelt both with an h and without, rather confusingly), much like you would not really know a World Cup is about to kick off in two or three days’ time.
There are billboards around, work going on to get the whole thing ready from fan zones to buildings and suddenly an impressive stadium will emerge along the skyline as you drive around the city.
But apart from that, there is not yet the usual buzz in a city before the World Cup. Not the usual hype or excitement levels.
There’s been so much controversy - understandably so - because of the human rights issues that have dominated everything rather than the football. Much to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s frustration. He wants people to focus on the football. That is just horribly naive.
The people are so friendly here - so welcoming and I love the Islamic culture and the way it embraces people.
There is a big ex-pat and Indian community here who will be supporting England but there has been so little evidence of travelling fans to date. Cities are normally swarming with fans and I’ve not seen a single set of fans from home yet. Not one. That is incredible.
It’s expensive, it’s been difficult to navigate, there’s a financial crisis going on back home just before Christmas. But when do England kick-off? On Monday.
Honestly, never before have we needed a tournament to start more than this one. The first game cannot come soon enough.
But at least England are submerged in their surroundings - and are feeling at home.
