Public Transport Entrails: Part V

This is the most epic of my tales.
On the Sunday, I thought my ez-link transport card had run out of money.  At eleven I tried to get on a bus to Orchard Road, but I thought I didn't have enough coinage and they cannot give change for notes.  So I just got off the bus and went back to the atm to try to put money on the card but you can only do a transfer from your credit card to your ez-link card.  I also couldn't swap a ten dollar note for coins.  So I went back to the bus stop and tried to take one that took the shortest distance to an MRT station so that I would be able to top the card up.  I paid in coins, but not quite enough.  It was very stressful.  I got to Holland Village and topped up the card then went down to the MRT.  In fact, I actually still had just over a dollar on the card.  I think that the previous time I used it I must have accidentally double tapped the card when I got on, meaning that I both entered and exited when getting on.  The only way to get to Orchard Road on MRT was a stupid loop but I could not be bothered to go back up and cross the bridge over the road to the bus stop.  I waited six minutes for the train.  After a few stops I decided to get out at the Botanic Gardens and take a bus from there.  I looked at the locality map and I knew the roads but thought that maybe they would be taking me the wrong way.  So I went back down to the train but it was leaving the platform.  I waited six minutes for the next train.  I got on and at the next stop, I realised I had gotten on a train going in the wrong direction.  I got back to Holland Village and hiked over the bridge to catch a bus.  I was so relieved when I got on that I didn't hear the driver calling me back to say that I had not tapped my card upon entry until the people around me were also alerting me to this fact.  My 1230 appointment had been changed to 1300 meaning that I was having fifteen minutes to spare.  I was determined to make it over to the Scape Underground to exchange some clothing item.  So I hiked down Orchard Road to Grange Road, since I had gotten off at Lucky Plaza area.  I was rushing down to the underground but really ground level basement and shortcutted through a Long John Silver's fish and chips shop across a wooden deck and then because it was wet, I slipped and fell over.  I managed to get my stuff done, then hiked back down to Scotts Road, having a mini panic attack at the end of ion because I was above ground and sure I was at the right place but I saw a street sign saying Patterson Road.  But it was all okay because Scotts came off the other side of Orchard Road.  I was super tired because I was wearing these shoes I never really wore for very long before but also they sort of had these skinny pumped heels, which are obviously not that high, but I am just not used to wearing them.  And I had a heavy bag on my shoulder.  Dude, seriously, like, all day I nearly had a breakdown!

No pictures of this day!  But it's about time I put up a picture of the MRT system!

arma et virumque cano - That is What I Kept Saying In My Head at the Airport

I started reading the Penguin Classics copy of Virgil's Aeneid, which is translated by W. F. Jackson Knight.  I'm pretty in love with it.  It's given me a new dream.  I've got to get good at translating the Aeneid.  Translating Latin is going to be my new talent.  At present, I have not been maintaining any talents, unless you call blogging a talent.

I might also pretend that I am Aeneas on my travels.  I'm not actually a fan or anything of the bloke, but I like to think that maybe someone like the Gods cares for me.  If that even makes sense.

I have been in Singapore for more than twenty-four hours now.  I had a turbulent flight.  But don't worry, it turned out okay and I didn't throw up even though I was stuck in my seat for three quarters of an hour with a painful bladder and a tray of cookies and cream mousse and lamb in cream sauce.  I'd like to be cryptic, or should I say "kryptik", and leave it to you to decide whether the A380 is Indie or not.  It's not that I'm a country turtle or anything, but I had the time of my life because the INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT WORKED.  Even during turbulence, take-off and landing, and other times.  I watched Gosford Park and I recommend it.  Indies are culturally aware and I think satirical movies about the English class-system in 1935 should be high on your agenda.  Like, one must get the staples watched, but it's really rather more important to digest the unmainstream Indie works.  I'm just saying.  But if you still wanna keep up with the Jones or the Jonas brothers or whatevs, fine, go ahead, waste your days away watching Woody Allen films until you feel you could respond to any situation as Woody Allen.  And it had a stunner cast!  Then I actually had a sleep.

Look at this cool thing from the aeroplane.  If you look hard, you will see that there is some bird crap with a feather in it stuck to the camera.

I went to Orchard Road today.  I walked up and down a million times, but one could count on one hand the number of shops I entered.  And the shop I wanted to go to was not even open.

Here are some things I have eaten today.  But I will spare you the details so I will not talk about the chuee kway, the apple or the curry puff, none of which I have photographed.

Note:  Above are two photos of one fish.  I didn't eat two, incase you know, you thought that.

I cannot remember a time when I ever went to Singapore and didn't go to Takashimaya to get a pancake filled with chocolate and in the shape of a fish.

Then I decided it would be cool to go to the mall for young people.  Unfortunately only the food places were open.  I took these photos of the closed clothes shops.  Most, I think, were hipster men's shops, but I imagined myself going in and buying something without realising they were for men.  Then I walked around the park and went to the 'underground' cool young people market.  I considered getting this coloured chalk pastels for hair.  Maybe when I go back.  All sorts of colours.  There was a picture of it's effect...on blonde hair.  So hmmm...

Naturally I came first, as  the mall was almost a ghost town.  But don't worry, I didn't get creeped out by the idea that people might pop out from around corners in hats like these:

That is class - using fonts which really speak to the niche.

The age old tradition cool young skaters have of buying hydroponic basil under the awning of an old red bus.

I think Maccas Mans has a competitor for Indiest outlet.

My lunch - Penang Char Kway Teow!

Saw some Indie people, too.  Shall I ask people if I can photograph them?

Also, I bought my brother a Gangnam Style t-shirt.  Good job Billie!