On the Road to Nowhere?
"I was experiencing symptoms of Groudhog Day....of course I am going to Kellyville"
Sydney truly is a fantastic city. It's fairly easy to travel around as it has a large transport network. Also, it has one of the most beautiful harbours and, of course, it has the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. I always say that if you want to get a great view of the city and take in its beauty then catch a ferry to Manly. Especially on a lovely sunny day.
I should also mention that the Royal Botanic Gardens and Sydney foreshore are absolutely fantastic places too. Certainly a great vantage spot for the New Years Eve fireworks and for using it as a lunchtime running course (as I do).
But I digress. What I really want to write about is my experiences with buses. I should state that generally I don't have a great time with buses. You could say that, ala 'The Secret', my negativity towards buses is being answered in full by the universe! Or you could just say that I have been plain unlucky. Anyway, the following is a true example of a recent bus trip that I undertook.
I needed to catch a bus one cold, wet Friday night to go to Kellyville which is situated in the north west of Sydney. Fortunately the bus stop was right outside my place of work! I checked the bus timetable and noted that I needed to catch a 610X to my destination.
About 5 minutes before it was due, I joined the queue of workers wanting to get home. A couple of minutes after its expected time the 610X duly arrived. I got on it and asked for a single ticket to Kellyville. The driver just sniffed and said “mate, youse want the 617 in front of this bus” I advised him that the timetable said I needed this bus. The driver just shrugged his shoulders. So I alighted and run to the bus in front. By the time I got there the 617 had pulled away.
I then rang my wife and asked her to check the internet. I was worried that I had taken the wrong timetable details. My wife rang back and said that I had the correct times. As I was on the phone another 610X turned up. Again I got on it and, again, I was told that it was the wrong bus! I was experiencing symptoms of the movie Groundhog Day as the bus driver, a lady this time, said “youse want the 614 in front of this bus to get to Kellyville”
So I got off the bus only to see the 614 pull away! By now I was frantic. So I decided I would go home and drive to Kellyville (in hindsight a better option) as I was now 20 minutes behind schedule. As I was walking to the railway station to go home, I noticed another 610X pulling up at the bus stop. So I ran across the road got onto the bus and said, while getting my breath back, “mate, are you going to Kellyville?” There was a long pause and the driver said “yeah”. I said “sorry? Can you repeat that” and he said “of course I am going to Kellyville”.
So I purchased a ticket and caught the bus to Kellyville. Despite it being 25 minutes late it reached my destination 15 minutes earlier. Work that one out!!! For the record the night was great and my memory of my horror bus trip was forgotten.
Sydney truly is a fantastic city. It's fairly easy to travel around as it has a large transport network. Also, it has one of the most beautiful harbours and, of course, it has the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. I always say that if you want to get a great view of the city and take in its beauty then catch a ferry to Manly. Especially on a lovely sunny day.
I should also mention that the Royal Botanic Gardens and Sydney foreshore are absolutely fantastic places too. Certainly a great vantage spot for the New Years Eve fireworks and for using it as a lunchtime running course (as I do).
But I digress. What I really want to write about is my experiences with buses. I should state that generally I don't have a great time with buses. You could say that, ala 'The Secret', my negativity towards buses is being answered in full by the universe! Or you could just say that I have been plain unlucky. Anyway, the following is a true example of a recent bus trip that I undertook.
I needed to catch a bus one cold, wet Friday night to go to Kellyville which is situated in the north west of Sydney. Fortunately the bus stop was right outside my place of work! I checked the bus timetable and noted that I needed to catch a 610X to my destination.
About 5 minutes before it was due, I joined the queue of workers wanting to get home. A couple of minutes after its expected time the 610X duly arrived. I got on it and asked for a single ticket to Kellyville. The driver just sniffed and said “mate, youse want the 617 in front of this bus” I advised him that the timetable said I needed this bus. The driver just shrugged his shoulders. So I alighted and run to the bus in front. By the time I got there the 617 had pulled away.
I then rang my wife and asked her to check the internet. I was worried that I had taken the wrong timetable details. My wife rang back and said that I had the correct times. As I was on the phone another 610X turned up. Again I got on it and, again, I was told that it was the wrong bus! I was experiencing symptoms of the movie Groundhog Day as the bus driver, a lady this time, said “youse want the 614 in front of this bus to get to Kellyville”
So I got off the bus only to see the 614 pull away! By now I was frantic. So I decided I would go home and drive to Kellyville (in hindsight a better option) as I was now 20 minutes behind schedule. As I was walking to the railway station to go home, I noticed another 610X pulling up at the bus stop. So I ran across the road got onto the bus and said, while getting my breath back, “mate, are you going to Kellyville?” There was a long pause and the driver said “yeah”. I said “sorry? Can you repeat that” and he said “of course I am going to Kellyville”.
So I purchased a ticket and caught the bus to Kellyville. Despite it being 25 minutes late it reached my destination 15 minutes earlier. Work that one out!!! For the record the night was great and my memory of my horror bus trip was forgotten.
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