Trip 2: Twists and Turns

Back on the roads - 122

   Today started with a quick breakfast and a health checkup. All is good so I set off once again from New Bridge Road Bus Terminal, a quick walk from the Student Health Centre. I went on the 122, just as I did yesterday, to finish the first half of the route, the part which loops around Commonwealth Drive.

Tiong Bahru Estate (122)

Turning into Queensway, near Commonwealth estate (122)

99 Turns - 200, 201

   From the moment I got on my first bus, I had a rough sketch of what I was going to do today. After I got off at Commonwealth MRT Station, I crossed over to the other side and took a bus on Route 145, just a short distance, to Buona Vista Bus Terminal. (actually Holland Drive as no boarding or alighting is allowed inside)

Holland Drive, starting bus stop for many routes originating from Buona Vista

   I haven't actually been to Holland Drive before, but it seems quite quaint with its old low-rise HDB flats and busy Hawker Centre (actually across the road from where the picture above was taken). Though I wished I could stay for a bit longer, my bus came immediately after the one in the picture left.

   I got on the bus operating on Trunk Service 200, which serves the infamous stretch of South Buona Vista Road known as the '99 Turns' on its way from Buona Vista Terminal to Kent Ridge Terminal.

There are even a few bus stops along this stretch! (200)

The road does eventually straighten out (200)

   Service 200 does actually loop at Kent Ridge Terminal as a single trip continues back to Buona Vista, but since my guidelines don't require me to do one entire trip to and from Kent Ridge, I got off and took in the environment surrounding the uniquely discrete Kent Ridge Bus Terminal.

Kent Ridge Bus Terminal

   After the dizzying trip around the '99 Turns', I straightened things out with a trip on Trunk Service 201, a popular route passing through West Coast and Clementi before circling around the towering flats at Teban and Pandan Gardens, near Jurong East, where I got off.

Teban Gardens Estate (201)

To Jurong East and Back - 143, 143M, 334

   From Pandan Gardens, I took Trunk Service 143M (a supplementary service of 143) into Jurong East. I had a walk around the Westgate Shopping Mall (where I had lunch) and donated 50 cents to the National Kidney Foundation (for which I got a pack of tissue and 30 minutes of self-esteem).

   After lunch, I got on Feeder 334, originating from Jurong East and serving residents of Jurong West Street 42 before looping back, always with a heavy load of commuters, even during a Saturday noon.

Jurong East Ave 1 (334)

    The original intent I had was to do the rest of the Jurong East Feeders (333, 335), but since when I got back to the Bus Interchange both had already left with the next buses coming at least 10 minutes later, my impatient self hopped aboard the next bus on Trunk Service 143. The route passes through West Coast, HarbourFront, Chinatown and the shopping district of Orchard Road, stretching from Jurong East to Toa Payoh. (though throughout most of my trip I was mumbling with my faulty earpieces)

Garden Bridge, Chinatown (143)

Ngee Ann City, Orchard Turn (143)

The Fringe - 141, 232

    As you may be able to infer, I quite like taking Feeder Services, it acts as a window into the true extent of the Singaporean heartlands, away from the commercial centres most non-locals visit.

   Reaching Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (which is the first air-conditioned bus interchange in Singapore), I got on Feeder Service 232, serving commuters in Toa Payoh North and East, looping around Lorong 7 Toa Payoh.

Flats in Toa Payoh North (232)

   Getting back to the Interchange, I doodled around for a few minutes and decided that it was time to head back into the City Centre, it was approaching dinner time and the sky was becoming more and more overcast.

   Trunk Service 141 was my next calling as I witnessed the winds starting to blow more strongly. Travelling from Toa Payoh to Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal, it mainly serves the lesser-known estate of Pek Kio, located between Novena and Farrer Park. Some roads in this area also named after regions of England (Norfolk, Gloucester, Dorset etc)

Cloudy skies over Norfolk Road (141)

...and over Kallang Road (141)

   
   Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal, just opposite of Kallang MRT Station, is in many ways a throwback to what Singapore's bus termini used to look like. The terminus was born out of a carpark that bus operators decided to also use and is the only one of its kind left. (there also used to be a similar bus terminal at Commonwealth Avenue, near the aforementioned Buona Vista Bus Terminal)

   It is also worth noting that there is no alighting berth here, just a grass patch at which there is a yellow box drawn on the tarmac.

Buses at Kallang MRT

   After getting a drink at Kallang MRT, I proceeded to Bugis to have dinner, but not before discovering these mysterious-looking white abandoned gates.

Clear Memories - 121

   Taking Service 12 to Bugis (because I still didn't trust the MRT), I had a wander around Bugis Junction during which I in no way got lost and had dinner at the FoodJunction at Level 3.

Pedestrian crossing at Bugis Junction

   After having my meal, I got on Service 12 again. This time, I headed back to where this trip started, at New Bridge Road Bus Terminal, to do one more route for today, Trunk Service 121. Normally I would be on my way back by that time (around 7 p.m.), but I just had to do one last round for today, because this route means much more to me.

   Being a local around these parts, taking a trip of Service 121 brings back many memories - of my early childhood and more. From New Bridge Road Terminal, it goes through Outram Park, up Zion Road, and left onto Ganges Avenue, near where my family and I used to live and where I started Kindergarten.

   I always take the chance to reminisce about early childhood memories while taking this bus service, which is why I always take this bus after school. Being an Outram Secondary School student, I would walk down from Chin Swee Road most days, and would always take the 121. The thing is, many of my classmates also live along the route, which extends through Tiong Bahru and into Telok Blangah. Even more memories of my Secondary School life are recalled as I take the bus. Combined with the rain which drizzled around the time, it is the type of emotion that could give anyone goosebumps.

   Service 121 will mean quite a lot to me for many years to come, and shall definitely be my favourite bus route for the time being. Especially now that my secondary education has (hopefully) come to an end, the experiences that I had as a secondary school student, be it just goofing around with who I called 'friends' or being in love for the first time, will always be worthy of remembrance.

Recap of trip:

Routes done - 121, 122 (half), 141, 143, 143M (half), 200, 201 (half), 232, 334

Progress - 16/371 (4.31 %)

Trip 1: First Steps

Starting local - 272, 273

   Right. Since I wake up almost every morning at around 6-7 a.m., I always have as much of the day I as need to make progress on this challenge. I went out at around 8 and went down to my home-front bus stop. I checked the arrival time for Bus 5 and waited.

My bus arrived in a few minutes.

   The bus was somewhat packed, though many passengers got off at the nearby industrial complex. It didn't really as Bukit Merah Bus Interchange is just 2 stops from where I live.

The unique Bukit Merah Bus Interchange, with berth B5 (right) being refurbished.

   There is a lot I can say about Bukit Merah Interchange, from its design to its lack of MRT connection for a bus interchange. 

    After a few moments, I hopped onboard a bus on Feeder Service 273, passing under the Henderson Waves and winding around Telok Blangah Heights estate before returning to the Interchange.

Trunk Service 120, also serving Telok Blangah Heights estate.

   And thus, that's the 1st service of the challenge - 273 - ding!

   Back at Bukit Merah Interchange, I was on my way once again, this time on Feeder Service 272, doing a (sort of) Figure-8 around Telok Blangah Crescent and Telok Blangah Rise and looping back, while carrying many commuters travelling towards the Town Centre.

Sun shining through trees in along Telok Blangah Way.

   272 - done.

Delay and Deviation - 122

   After I finished the Bukit Merah Feeders, I travelled to Redhill MRT using Service 132. I put some money in my student pass and then travelled west. 

   Outside the fare gates, I saw the signature yellow disruption signboards with flashing lights. I already knew about a disruption on the Circle Line that day, but I went on anyway since I wasn't planning to change. At first, I was planning to go to Jurong East but since there was, in fact, a major delay on the East-West Line as well, I got off at Commonwealth Station instead.

   It turns out that there was actually a train collision at Joo Koon Station at the end of the line, which injured 23 people caused a major disruption, shutting down train services between Boon Lay and Tuas Link.

Taken while the train was stationary just before C'wealth Station.

   But of course, that was no reason for the challenge to halt! From Commonwealth Station, I got on board the Trunk Service 122, taking the half of the loop service from Commonwealth to New Bridge Road Terminal via the delightful, old stretch of road known as Margeret Drive.

That's 122. - half ding?

Lunch Service - 54, 410

   I haven't been to New Bridge Road Terminal since before my exams, but the last time I was there, the boarding stop was still being rebuilt. So it was great to see that the stop was fully reinstated to its original position. The bus stop even seemed to have a 'new smell'!

Buses parked at New Bridge Road Bus Terminal

   I looked at the arrival times and saw that the next bus on Service 54 was a non-wheelchair-accessible double-decker bus (quite specific, I know), but since government plans are to make the entire bus fleet wheelchair-accessible, I felt that I should take every opportunity to take a trip down memory lane. 

The Concorde of the Singapore Bus Fleet. (Volvo B10TL)

   Trunk Service 54 goes through Chinatown, Marymount and twists and turns through Bishan before terminating at Bishan Interchange.

   I had my lunch of Japanese Curry Rice at FoodJunction in Junction 8. After buying a drink, I boarded a double-decker on Feeder Service 410W, that just so happened to arrive at that time. An anti-clockwise loop around Bishan through Sin Ming and Shunfu Road later, I was on my way, once again.

54 & 410 - done

Familiar Waters - 50, 84, 117

   After a loop around Bishan on Feeder 410W, I proceeded onto Trunk Service 50 to Punggol, passing through Ang Mo Kio and Sengkang while carrying a healthy load of passengers (possibly why most buses on Service 50 are double-deckers), even during off-peak hours.

   Giving the ding to 50 for one moment, taking a full loop of Trunk Service 84, one of my personal favourites, in another. 

Old Punggol Road on 84. (I have a thing for old, narrow stretches of road)

   I have a soft spot for Punggol, in general. Its new flats and forested areas give it a sense of pristineness. For that reason, I took a walk along the Waterway from the Waterway Point shopping centre to Sam Kee LRT Station.

   I then took the LRT back to Punggol while trying my best (honest) to take a picture of the old maps at the unopened Teck Lee Station.

Notice the lack of lines?

   Back at Punggol, it was back to buses. Trunk Service 117, going through the Seletar Airport area, into Yishun and ending at Sembawang.

Rain clouds rolling over the Seletar Dam.

Drained - 190

   I would definitely choose to continue to joyride past 5 p.m., but since my phone's battery was already dipping below 20% after I got off at Sembawang, I had to return home. Obviously, I had to make my return home fulfil part of the challenge as well.

   I put whatever scraps of trust I had left in the MRT system to travel on the Nouth-South Line from Sembawang to Choa Chu Kang. I took Trunk Service 190 back into the City, a highly popular commuter service using a quick expressway to link the estates of Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang to Orchard Road and Chinatown. (though my bus was quite empty due to bunching).

(no picture because my phone was on life support)

   From New Bridge Road Terminal, Service 120 back home to write this blog entry.

Recap of trip:

Routes done - 50, 54, 84, 117, 122 (half), 190, 272, 273, 410

Progress - 8.5/371 (2.29 %)