Bring me home..country road..

An entry salvaged from my little silver notebook..another low point during my TP days..

Monday, 17th October 2005

I had gotten off work at 5.20pm today..but somehow i had missed the 530 staff shuttle to the train station..i absolutely hate it when i miss it by 2 secs..where u actually see it driving away...

Anyway, the SOP for closing is..we shut our rides at 5..do a bit of cleaning..then wait for everybody to gather..this can take anything from 5 -15 mins..then the team leader will tok some kok..when i would be just standing around & rolling eyes..hearing 'well done team, i think we've done a great job today' for the first 2 times can be quite motivating..but after hearing it for the nth time..well, it just blends into the background noise..

By the time the debrief is done, it's usually around 520ish..i will then have to make a mad dash for the staff bus..remember it takes me 7 mins to walk from my ride area to the main entrance..& since i need to pick up my lunchbox from the canteen & get my stuff from my locker..it takes a minimum of 10mins to get out of the park.. this is provided i jog..since i can't briskwalk..

And today is one of those days when the debrief took a bit longer..

Some might ask..wat's the big deal about tat 1 or 2 mins difference..yea, i wouldn't mind if i'm driving back or i have a straight bus back but remember..i have to make 3 connections before i reach home..missing the 530 bus means i have to take the 6 bus means i'll miss the 608 train means i have to take the 642 train means i will miss the express tube back to my place..ok..i'm ranting again...i'll shuddup..

Anyway, cos i forgot to buy my weekly ticket today, i decided to take the bus back..its 3 pounds vs 12 pounds(if i take the train/tube combi)..i'm a poor egg remember? I've taken the bus on previous occasions too..& it takes about 2.15 hrs on a good day..just slightly longer than wat the train/tube would have been..

I was on the 2nd leg of my bus journey..when the bus turned into this one-lane road where we could see police cars in front..after remaining stationary for about 15mins, the bus driver hopped off to take a closer look..apparently, he did not see much cos he din know any better when he got back on..

The passengers were also starting to get impatient by now..some were suggesting alternative routes & a few others simply got off the bus..the bus driver spoke into his walkie talkie(all bus drivers have one) & then he announced he's going to take another route to the terminal..

I decided to stay on the bus..even though i had no idea where the terminal is(i usually drop off halfway to change bus)..& guess wat? The terminal was just a bus stop in the middle of nowhere..tried to ask the bus driver but he had no idea how i can get home from there..i dun really blame him..it's really quite a distance from my place..

So, there i was..cold & hungry..standing in the middle of an unknown district..it's only like 7.45pm but the streets were really dark & quiet..there's no way i could ask for directions too as it's more of a residential district & there were no shops where i can pop in & ask..taxi is out of the qn(this is not sg lor, u dun just flag a cab on the road..u call for one..& they only serve in their individual district) boh bian..i just walked along streets a bit..

Walked for about 10mins before i came to a bus stop..some of the bus numbers looked familiar..thought i saw them somewhere before..decided to wait for one..the bus stop was the kind with only a pole & no shelter..the wind blew & i shivered..i was only wearing a sweater..had left my coat in my locker as i din think i would need it since the buses are heated..

Finally a bus came along & i asked the driver about directions..he told me to get another bus which could take me to another place where i can change to another bus..hmm..not an ideal solution but seems like the only one then..

Continued waiting in the cold..more thoughts of 'zi gei lor lei sui'.. : ((

The next bus appeared & i hopped on..confirmed the directions & sat down in the toasty bus..the nice driver alerted me when it was time for me to alight..turned out tat i had to walk across the junction to catch the connecting bus..brr...it's really cold tonight..

When i got to the bus stop..i realised it's along my usual bus route..how comforting to know i was on the right track! Another 15mins of waiting before the bus appeared..but this time i was too happy to see the familar bus to be bothered by the waiting time liao..

By the time i reached home..it was already 920pm..the time i took to get home today..4 bloody long hrs...just imagine, instructor can complete a marathon in this time liao!