Dubai Metro / Dubai Taxi

The next day we just moved around Meena Bazar purchasing dresses for Mehr and few souvenirs as gifts for family and friends. Then we went to the nearby metro station, near Burjuman Mall as we decided to have an experience of travelling through the Dubai’s Metro. On 9 September 2009, Dubai inaugurated its metro network, becoming the first urban metro network in the Gulf's Arab states. All trains and stations are air conditioned with platform edge doors to make this possible. We booked our tickets to Mall of Emirates station. The stations were meticulously clean and tidy. From the ground floor one can use the conveyer staircase or elevator which takes to the level of the metro station. A glass wall with sliding doors separates the tracks from platform for safety and security. When the metro train arrives, the glass-doors and the train doors open automatically and simultaneously. As the commuters enter the train, after few seconds both the doors close following an announcement: ‘Please stand clear of the door’. The entire metro system runs automatically as there is neither a driver (motorman) nor a guard on the metro train. We had lunch at one of the restaurants of the Mall of Emirates and returned to Burjuman Mall station again. Did hear that Dubai’s metro is world class and its really true.

We checked out of the hotel at around 4pm and took a cab/ taxi from our hotel to the airport. On the way, while Jeet talked to the driver and we came to know that taxis in Dubai are owned by the government. There are five companies under government. The top most part of the cab/ taxi has a colour….the five companies have five colours…red, blue(own by an Indian and Arabic), green, yellow and orange. Thus we come to know to which company the cab belongs to by the colour.

We had our flight to New Delhi late at night, so had to wait a long time at the airport. Mehr made lot of friends but it was very boring for me. We wait'd at Terminal1, and I checked out the few shops that were there to pass my time.

Our vacation in Dubai is a memorable one. I love’d Dubai and will surely go back again. With a perfect winter climate, top class hotels, superb facilities for a variety of sports and leisure activities and excellent shopping, Dubai has something to offer everyone. Moreover, the emirate is friendly, safe and virtually crime-free. What more can a traveller ask for???