有看過湯姆克魯斯「不可能的任務4：鬼影行動」的朋友，一定對阿湯哥在電影中冒著生命危險攀爬哈里發塔那驚險刺激的一幕幕感到印象深刻。是的~阿湯哥在電影裡頭，帶著強力手套攀爬的正是沒多久前取代世界最高大樓-「台北101（509.2公尺）」地位的當今世界最高大樓-「哈里發塔（828公尺）」。
Those who have seen Mission Impossible 4：Ghost Protocol should be very much impressed by the thrilling scenes in which Tom Cruise risks his life to scale Burj Kahlifa. Yes. In the movie, what Tom climbs with a pair of super adhesive gloves is no other than the world’s tallest building-Burj Kahlifa. Not long ago, Burj Kahlifa (828m) just surpassed Taipei 101(509.2m) in height, thereafter took over its position as the world’s tallest building.
哈里發塔（Burj Khalifa，又譯哈利法塔），正式啟用前原名為杜拜塔（Burj Dubai），是位於阿拉伯聯合大公國杜拜境內的摩天大樓，為當前世界第一高樓，樓層總數169層，造價達15億美元。於2004年9月21日開始動工，最後於2010年1月4日正式完工啟用，總共使用了約5年的時間建成。它著名的At the Top觀景台位於124樓，是凡造訪哈里發塔的遊客們都想上來體驗站在世界最高大樓那種「居高臨下」快感的絕佳所在。
Burj Khalifa, also known as Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the tallest building in the modern world. The building has 169 stories and was built at the cost of $1.5 USD. Having been constructed since 21 September 2004 and completed on 1 October 2009, Burj Khalifa underwent a 5-year construction process and officially opened on 4 January 2010. Its famous At the Top observation deck is on 124 story, the best spot offering visitors an amazing “overlooking high in the air” experience.
俺早就對哈里發塔趨之若鶩，期待有朝一日可以親自一探究竟，並且在人生的旅程向親朋好友分享自己親自曾造訪這「世界之最」的殊榮。再加上看了不可能的任務4的推波助瀾下，我更堅定自己一定要找時間登上塔頂，和朋友們分享站在世界最高塔上的喜悅。
Before I paid a visit to Burj Khalifa, I had been long dying to explore it someday in person and hoping to share with my family and friends the honor of taking in the building awarded with the “world’s record”. The movie-Mission Impossible 4 actually added to my determination of setting aside some time to reach to top of the building and share the joyfulness of standing on the top of the tallest building in the world.
這一次總算讓我換到了四天的杜拜班，說什麼我也要利用這難得的機會上塔。還好中東正處溫和的冬天，外頭雖然艷陽高照，但攝氏三十幾度的溫度還算溫和~如果是夏天來，外頭少說要四十度以上，熱死了誰想出去！聽說要上到哈里發塔那名為「At the Top」的觀景台，最好提前在網上訂票，因為可以享有75%的折扣，不然現場排的票可貴得嚇人。我事先做好功課，果然~如果透過網路上訂票，成人只要125AED（阿聯酋的貨幣），約台幣不到一千一百元；而如果現場排隊買票，則要價400AEDà哇靠，上塔頂去繞一圈，看一看，拍個照就要花掉三千四百元左右台幣耶~吃人呀！還是網上購票划算，但要選擇日期以及時間。於是乎，飛杜拜的前一天，我在網上訂了到杜拜後隔天早上九點半上塔的票。
I was so lucky to have swapped in a 4-day Dubai flight and would definitely take advantage of this short layover in Dubai to carry out my dream. Thanks to the moderate winter time in the Middle East, where the outdoor temperature is around 30 something degrees centigrade, much milder when compared to the “boiling hot” temperature above 40 degrees in summer. I’d heard that booking the ticket for the “At the Top” observation deck would be a better idea because you could get a 75% discount. If you chose to walk in, it would cost you an arm and a leg. I looked into the ticket information beforehand and found out that booking on the Internet only cost $125AED (Dirham currency) equal to about $1, 100 NT ($36 USD), while walk-in ticket would charge you $400AED. Holy shit~just getting up to the observation deck for a short period of hang-around and taking a few pictures costs you around $3400NT ($117 USD). What a rip-off! Of course I would stick to the on-line booking because it’s a much better deal but you have to pick the date and time in advance. So, before I departed for Dubai, I had reserved a ticket for the admission to At the Top for the next morning after my arrival.
*.rip-off俺翻成「吃人呀」，當然明顯地指票價超貴的驚嘆語，意指「敲竹槓」的意思，非並真的吃人喔！
從我房間向外看,世界最高塔就在不遠處 The tallest building in the world is not far away when viewed from my hotel room
上網購票和關於哈里發塔的官網：http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/
（別忘了將收據列印出來，或者存到任何行動裝置，因為到入口售票處時要給工作人員看，另外還要出示有大頭照的任何ID，如：身份証或護照等。）
Website about Burj Khalifa and ticket information: http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/
p.s. Don’t forget to print out the receipt or have it stored in any portable device, for it needs to be shown to the ticket counter. Moreover, bring along any ID with your portrait on it)
早上一大早就起床了。吃完早餐，背著相機就獨自出發到哈里發塔去。到哈里發塔我選擇搭捷運（上一次來杜拜時捷運還沒蓋好），從飯店附近的捷運站搭紅線到「Burj Khalifa站」只要一站就到了，買來回票才6AED（台幣約50元）。不過，到了Burj Khalifa站後要到哈里發塔可沒那麼輕鬆；你得走大概20分鐘的空橋到杜拜購物商城（Dubai Mall），然後再依指示花個5-10分鐘走到底下樓層的觀景台入口處；所以，從捷運站走到觀景台入口處要「半個小時多」說。
I got up early in the morning. After having breakfast, I set off for Burj Khalifa on my own. I took the Metro to Burj Khalifa (last time when I was here in Dubai, the Metro system was still under construction); it’s just one station away on the red line to there from the hotel I stayed. It only cost me $6AED (equal to $50NT or $1.7 USD) for a return ticket. You know what, it’s not an easy job to get to the destination even if you are at “Burj Khalifa Metro station”. You need to walk about 20 min. through the footbridge to Dubai Mall and follow the directions for another 5-10 min. walk before you reach the entrance to the observation deck in the lower level of the Mall. Therefore, it takes around more or less “half an hour” on foot from the Metro station.
杜拜的高樓林立,捷運系統很新穎 Tall buildings are everywhere in Dubai and the Metro System is so cutting-edge
拿到票後就通過安全檢查，跟著長隊伍準備搭乘世界最快，不到一分鐘就可到124樓觀景台的電弟囉！
Having gotten the ticket and gone through the security check, I followed the long procession and got ready to experience the world’s speediest elevator, taking no more than one minute to go to the observation deck on the 124 floor.
其實At the Top觀景台不大，但卻擠了不少遊客。每個人都帶著興奮的心情到此一遊，享受從高處俯瞰杜拜市的壯觀。大家拍照的拍照，看風景的看風景，買記念品的買記念品。雖然杜拜位在沙漠國度，感覺沙塵瀰漫，到處黃沙遍野，但從高處眺望這阿拉伯的科技及商業重鎮還真的挺美的。
Frankly speaking, At the Top is not quite spacious but crowed with tourists. I could feel that everyone was so thrilled and excited when enjoying a bird’s eye view to the splendid Dubai city up here. We took pictures, overlooked the views, and picked out our favorite souvenirs. Though located in a desert area and seemingly dusty, Dubai, the major city of technology and commerce in the United Arab Emirates, sheds its attractive beauty without reservation when viewed high in the air.
隨便抓個遊客幫俺來一張 Randomly grabbed a tourist to take a picture for me
在塔頂待了大概一個小時左右，最後在杜拜購物商城四晃了一會才離開。回去飯店後吃完午餐就直接上床休息，因為晚上就得飛回香港，雖然今天感覺有點趕，但非常充實。這一小趟的「哈里發塔之旅」物超所值，圓滿成功。
I hung out about one hour in the observation deck and finally busted a move after spending a little while in Dubai Mall. I went to bed straightforwardly after having lunch in my hotel room because it’s just a few hours away before my back-to-Hong-Kong duty started. It seemed to be kind of rush this day, but it was so enriching and rewarding. This short “Journey to Burj Khalifa” was worth a penny and indeed a successful one.
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