Dubai Metro on Australia Day 2013

For a city girl with no wheels I sure do get from A to B in a flash and by jove, in comfort and a certain amount of urban style. You see, I am classed as what is known in the census statistics as a commuter.

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/6.3; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/6.3; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

Its how I get about in this adopted city of mine, for Dubai operates a rapid transit metro railway system for us urban dwellers. The Dubai Metro runs at a clip (every 6 minutes, actually) and caters for high capacity loads.

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/5; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/5; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

Best bit (apart from its extreme cleanliness, comfortable, spacious seats and – wait for it – a dedicated ladies-only carriage) is that its designed above street level; away from traffic, flowing between the city’s skyscrapers…

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/8; 1/6400sec; ISO-2500

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/8; 1/6400sec; ISO-2500

The Dubai Metro tranverses the city along what is known as a grade-separated junction or interchange, in contrast with an intersection. Its a method of aligning a junction of two or more surface transport axes at different heights (grades) so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other…

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/5; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/5; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

Which means when I commute on the metro, I fly high above cars and trucks, pedetrians and buses. The Dubai Metro bounds along driverless and fully automated on elevated viaducts above street level granting me this future-is-now vista…

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/5.6; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/5.6; 1/6400sec; ISO-1600

And here comes Metro Stop Number 25, otherwise known as “Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall”…

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/8; 1/6400sec; ISO-3200

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/8; 1/6400sec; ISO-3200

And so on this Australia Day, 2013, I commute merrily along Dubai’s Metro, hopping on a Marina Station, hopping off at Emirates Towers, proud to do my bit in reducing the Arabian Peninsula’s terribly carbon-heavy footprint. My feet are my chariots, as they say.

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/5.6; 1/6400sec; ISO-3200

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/5.6; 1/6400sec; ISO-3200

At 47 miles (75 kilometers) Guinness World Records has declared Dubai Metro as the world’s longest fully automated metro network. Ceremonially inaugurated at 9:09:09 PM on 9 September 2009, by our dashing leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, this Aussie in Dubai shall keep the commuting dream alive by hopping on and hopping off daily. See you on the metro!

Dubai Metro on 26th January "Australia Day": f/9; 1/6400sec; ISO-3200

Dubai Metro on 26th January “Australia Day”: f/9; 1/6400sec; ISO-3200

Leave a Reply