PM Commute

The pride of Dubai: 165-story Burj Dubai, seen through tinted glass from the top deck of the 98E bus.

It's 6 pm now and I'm on the commute back home, leaving Jafliya station and heading underground to my favorite, Bur Juman station. I won't be getting off there, however. It's back to Rashidiya and then my drive back to Ajman.

I struggled with the bus in the morning but am now getting the hang of it. Wojhati, that online route planner with the Arabic name is becoming more user friendly to me. So, with a feeling of accomplishment I got the bus from work on time and on the right route, got a lot of photos enroute and happily topped up my Nol card when I reached the station.

From office door, a brief walk to the bus stop, a few minutes wait for the bus, a 10 minute ride, then off the bus and into the station terminal in a couple hundred meters--all like clockwork. Finally!

Burj Dubai seen from ground level.

The Financial Center metro station.

Once on the train I crowded in the front car with a few other passengers, all wielding cameras or mobile phones and getting snaps of metro rail, buildings that line either side and approaching stations and trains. It's day 4 or 5 of the metro and the buzz is still in the air. I don't know how long we will all be allowed to take photos at will of station, trains, the cabins and our fellow passengers, but it is fun while it lasts.

Up the escalator of the station foot bridge.

The foot bridge across Sheikh Zayed Rd.

There isn't any evidence of rush hour commuting yet as even at this time it is easy to find a seat, although most are taken. The mix of passengers includes the various nationality types who populate the city. Most are men aged 20-40, probably the largest demographic grouping in the city. But there are some women, couples and the odd family. Most of the men appear to be working class or professionals. I see the occasional dishdasha and abaya as well.

Passengers wait on the platform for their train.

View of the track through the towers of SZR.

Over the intercom is a continuing string of BGM--actually a modern sounding, upbeat little melody that repeats every 9 seconds. Announcements are in Arabic then English. Well, I'm just exiting the underground portion of the route with two stations to go to my stop.

A fellow passenger takes in the views.

From the front car it resembles a rollercoaster.

I'll try to get in a couple more pictures.