The International Association of Public Transport (UITP), conference was recently held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition centre during 10th to 14th April 2011. This was in conjunction with the 59th World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai inaugurated the congress.  The five-day conference saw over 2,000 delegates attending the UITP, which was made up of representatives from 37 countries.

The many modes of Dubai’s transportation were discussed and elaborated on, to provide detailed plans of innovative ideas that will meet the needs of this rapidly expanding Emirate.   The government announced its vision to extend the current rail network from its current 75km to a massive 250km. This included extending the Metro lines and providing more tramways, all of which will be completed by the end of 2019.

This is part of a ten year vision of Dubai that has evaluated the increase in population due to natural ways of life and the popularity of the Emirate state. The evaluation revealed that population figures are forecast to increase to over 5m residents, from its current level of 1.2m by the year 2020. Obviously the amount of traffic on the road is expected to increase for the same reasons.

One of the main aims for the extension of the current rail network is, to connect Dubai’s two international airports together through the Metro network. It is not known yet which one of Dubai’s Metro lines will link the two airports by rail, but this will happen once the feasibility studies have been fully explored. It was also mentioned at this point that construction is underway on the Metro green line which will be operational towards the end of 2011.

The plans announced briefly mean that the Metro will increase to a length of 318km. The planned network of a tram service is expected to be 270km in length.  The bus network will increase its network by providing 90 new routes, increasing the coverage of the service to 2500km with a total of 2000 vehicles.

The water based transport service currently operated, will be defined and provided with five new routes and 57 water buses and water taxis, which will be able to cope with the rapidly increasing numbers of passengers.  There are also plans to modernise and increase the current road taxi service.  The cost of this modernisation and increase is expected to be over $10billion.

Dubai’s most recent transport initiative is the futuristic Super bus, that will travel between Abu Dhabi and Dubai at 250kmh over super track made of concrete roads.

The all electronic bus will create no traffic fumes and is extremely environmentally friendly, and at 15meters long and 2.5meters wide, the lightweight vehicle will make a normally long journey both quicker and more comfy than current means, the journey should take just 30 minutes, compared to the normal 90-120 minutes.

Made of light composites such as aluminium, carbon fibre, fibreglass and polycarbonate, this vehicle will weigh a fairly light 9.5tons, in comparison to the usual buses operated on this route to Abu Dhabi and has a capacity of just 23 passengers.  The super bus looks more like a futuristic stretched limousine than a bus.

There is a new beach club called Joya that is due to open on May 6th on the resort of Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa. Taking place on Friday nights the beach club will spread itself across land and sea with an exclusive floating VIP area. DIVAZ the A signature boat which is docked in the resorts own marina, will be stocked with food and drinks. DIVAZ is where all of the top people of Dubai will be found, and will be ideal for party goers with its vast lounge space, a well stocked bar and for the VIP “VIP’s” a superior private VIP room.

On the rooftop of the club JOYA is the Horizon Lounge, where the gulf breeze will cool you down during the warm nights, whilst sipping your drinks and listening to the music played by a regular line up of renowned world class DJ’s.

If you are looking to stay inside the club, the Infinity Lounge is available to serve you with refreshing designer cocktails in air conditioned surroundings, or simply soak up the falling sun whilst enjoying the music and drinks whilst relaxing outside on the plush lounges.

By day JOYA is the ideal place to gather on the resorts 800m private beach which is as clinically clean as can be. Guests will be seen wearing glamorous, designer swimwear in the upscale cabanas, shisha lounge and massage spots. The beach and water activities are a plenty, which ensures that the glamorous club is not only the best local beach club but also a designer eating area with five star eating, as well as upmarket barbecues.

You will notice and be able to recognise who the VIP guests are, with limousines turning up to drop the party goers off, or for the most extravagant visitor that wishes to make a grand entrance, sea parking spaces are available to accept boats and yachts.

That Dubai Site Editors have been invited to view and attend the opening, which we have accepted and will be providing a full and Tried and Tested review on the Jebel Ali experience.

With the ever increasing rise in the cost of gold, Dubai is amongst the few elite countries in the world that is wealthy enough to have the gold dispensing ATM machines installed.

Thomas Geissler, a German entrepreneur began testing the cash-for-gold machines in Germany two years ago in 2009, and has marketed these machines at worldwide locations that are affluent enough to support the sales of gold. Thomas Geissler decided that for a machine to dispense gold, the machine had to look the part by being coated in gold leaf itself. This was needed to add to the feel of the purchase, and make the machines look and feel exclusive.

The price of gold is constantly monitored online by a computer program inside the machines. The machines program was designed to monitor and show the latest gold price every 10 minutes. The price is based and determined on a combination of the latest gold price index, in New York and London, with a small premium attached to the bottom line price.

There are approximately 50 of these machines around the world, and the Galeries Lafayette inside the Dubai Mall, was the first location in Dubai to have one of these gold dispensing machines installed. The first piece of gold was dispensed here during a launch party on February 11, 2011.

The security surrounding these machines is, as you would imagine, very tight with a number of constantly monitored security cameras, both inside and outside of the machine. The machine is armed with various security measures, including anti-money laundering software.

Dispensing 99.9% pure gold 24 karat gold ingots and coins, the gold memorabilia are emblazoned with a unique logo signifying the location of where you buy them and encased in a presentation box. The gold is supplied by a swizz banker, of which there are up to 320 pieces of gold in each machine, equating to about $150,000 in gold and cash, hence the level of security needed.

Such is the demand for this unique concept and opportunity to buy a piece of merchandised gold, the machine had to be replenished twice weekly shortly after its launch. For the infrequent purchaser, a one off purchase is nothing to worry about. However for buying a large bulk amount of gold, you must produce and scan your id to deter money laundering.

For added value all the gold sold from these machines comes with a money back guarantee, if for any reason that you are not happy with your purchase.

The smallest nugget of gold weighs 2.5 grams and cost Dh470 on the launch date of February 11 2011, whilst the largest piece of gold sold at the time was a one ounce coin, at a cost of Dh5,540 on the same day. In 2010 the price of gold rose 26%, so if you did want to sell your souvenir you wouldn’t have to wait long to get your money back, with interest.

The perfect and ultimate gold ATM location in Dubai, where you are able to purchase a souvenir to remind you of your visit, is at the Burj Khalifa. Both at the entrance to the towering skyscraper, and from the “At the Top” viewing platform, way up on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa.

This will possibly be the most successful location in the Middle East, to have the ATM located. We would imagine that almost everyone who visits the high level viewing platform, would be insistent on buying a memento from here to signify there visit to the highest building in the world.

With the ever increasing rise in the cost of gold, some would say that the price of gold is rising as high as the tower, some would say “sky high” which is quite apt. Your purchase from this location would make most perfect present and keepsake, although you possibly wouldn’t want to sell your keepsake, even if your investment climbs higher and higher in price.

Other Dubai locations that now have these machines are:

Atlantis the Palm Hotel

Ski Dubai

InterContinental Dubai Festival City