I believe I can fly!

When I first came into the UAE back in December 1995 - I remember landing at the verdant Abu Dhabi airport where I joined my husband of two months who worked there - driving back into the city, one thing that truly astonished was the lush greenery, the decorative palms swaying in lonely splendour at regular distances from one another, the resplendent pergolas on both sides of the road and the beautifully sun-shiny weather with dappled blue skies and puffy white clouds...a perfect welcome - and add to that the long winding roads that just about upped the ante with regard to 'going for a drive'.

Yes, you may well put it down to the nostalgic memories of a young bride, but those were the days when one could actually see the roads and enjoy the drive - fewer cars and certainly more well-mannered drivers, less road rage and a general sense of etiquette and well-being that made everything so much more civilized, if you get my meaning!

Fast forward 21 years and today such visitations are most definitely consigned to the sands of time. Life has come full circle and even if taking long drives are one's thing, the lack of time and energy post work, the terrifying stories of traffic woes and challenges with juggling the daily logjam of one's life, render such an activity - undertaken just for pleasure - a sheer luxury! Driving anywhere in the UAE is now dreadful, to quote some of my family and friends who refuse to do it more than absolutely needed - they will also give you a litany of complaints about why it can be just too hazardous to one's health and peace of mind!

As a non-driver in Dubai (oh yes, I have heard the shocked gasps and dealt with the raised eyebrows, as people listening to me immediately pipe up about how on earth someone in the media industry has actually managed to survive without what they consider a basic survival skill in this concrete metropolis. Of course I have had to weather some horrendous experiences waiting about in the middle of the desert back in the days when public transport was a myth at best, but that is a story for another day!) - so, as a non driver in Dubai - heavily reliant on the public transport system in the city - and it has lately considerably improved with a plethora of options - from the ubiquitous Dubai Metro, to the Dubai Taxi, Dubai Tram, RTA's Dubai Bus and even water taxis that have beautifully complemented the age-old abras and dhows as scenic conveyance across the Creek - I am pleasantly excited to hear about any advances in this space.

The most recent story is of the flying taxi that Airbus has said it is looking at introducing at some point over the next decade - connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai, to give people some reprieve in beating the daily grind. We also hear of some fascinating developments like the hyperloop that will ostensibly enable people to do the Abu Dhabi - Fujairah journey in just 15 minutes. Truly fabulous....cannot wait! Given the surge in population and motorists this might be a great way to go...good job, UAE, in thinking out of the box and making the impossible possible! You inspire me to get up and get going everyday! It is true that great cities inspire great stories....I truly believe that with a wind like Dubai beneath my wings, flying should be no challenge at all!

Flying city taxis
http://www.thenational.ae/business/aviation/dubai-to-abu-dhabi-in-a-flying-taxi-airbus-looks-to-revolutionise-the-daily-commute