By Becky Lucas http://www.telegraph.co.uk
A Brit by birth, I’ve lived the expat whirl in New York and Dubai and loved and loathed facets of each. One consistency I noticed in both, however, is the power of public transport, in particular the trains, to shape one’s view of city life.
It’s as though the essence of a place, its cultural quirks and etiquette, are scrunched up and shoved inside the carriages.
Take Dubai’s metro: the UAE show-pony’s regard for order and pristine presentation is summed up by its “no food and drink”law. Even chewing gum is an offence, as one Filipino stranger told me. “You will be fined Dhs100 (£16.50)” he squeaked with urgency, displaying another local trait: expat subordination.
Also in true Dubai style, there is a Gold Class, and all carriages and stations have tip-top air-conditioning. The importance of the Muslim holy day is also displayed by the fact the trains don’t start running until 2pm on Fridays – and have a women-only carriage. More info, gallery
