Thanks q-4ever. This is very helpful.

So what things did expats take that they wish they hadn't?

I'm not thinking about shipping any cans of beans, which I'm sure everyone is relieved to hear. I had heard that nice bedlinens are an item that some expats wished they had sent (and books of course).

How is the availibility of Arabic books in Doha?

What about paying bills? Do you expats pay local utility etc. bills using non-Qatari credit cards, or is it better to pay from local Qatar bank accounts? [this is my wife's big question o' the day]