Day @ Our Neighbouring Country...

While travelling towards the JB checkpoint, an ambulance wanted to pass through with sirens on but it's just 2-lanes and all jam-packed! Doesn't the immigration department has another way for emergency vehicles? When I was on the bus, I also saw that the checkpoint was not fully completed and there's an open area (looked like a pathway for cars) and then it came to a dead end. Silly architects!

The new checkpoint was fully conditioned and quite cool to walk through it, however, it took 10 to 15 minutes to walk out of the checkpoint to the nearest shopping centre (City Square). I decided not to go there but to Holiday Plaza first so as to get what I needed first.

I went down to the taxi-stand and was approached by an auntie. She was asking where was I going and would be hitching a ride with me if we were on the same way. I told her my destination and she had decided to share a cab with me. When I reached the tax-stand, one uncle approached me and we had some exchanges. He charged me MR$10 for the travel and the auntie wanted to get into the cab with me but the driver refused. He told her to pay MR$10 to wait for another cab. I told the auntie to get it but the driver kept denying her. Anyway, another uncle came up and persuaded the driver to charge MR$15 and he relented. So much for welcoming visitors to the country.

I went straight to buy my contact lenses. After I had done my sums, I decided to get 10 boxes of lenses. That would be 150 pairs for 2 years. There should be enough. I was told by the optician that I could order from him again and he would send direct to Brisbane. He also told me that his daughter is in Melbourne, working as an optician.

Then I went for a quick snack at KFC. The Colonel Burger meal was pathetic but the cheesy fries were good. Anyway, it was a cheap meal - less than $4.

Next, I walked around to see what else I could buy. In the end, I bought 2 pairs of earrings, some rubberbands for hair, hairbands, scarf and deodorant. I also managed to buy my favourite chestnut pastry.

I took a cab back to City Square and the driver was a nice one. In our conversation, I was told that MR$10 was a bit too much for the journey from checkpoint to Holiday Plaza. Anyway, he only charged me MR$7 for the trip from Holiday Plaza to City Square. Since he's so nice, I gave me more than the actual charges.

Once I reached City Square, I went straight to FOS and bought a pair of bermudas. I went ahead to buy my bus ticket to Bugis.

Following that, it's Bodyshop to browse and saw Sugarings and Spatula. I shall try to self-wax before I go to Aust. If it's successful, I shall DIY there. I bought the 2 items but the cloth is still missing.

I shopped till 4.30pm and made my way to the checkpoint. It was easy-peasy but when I reached the bus bay, I saw that SJE had just left. I had to wait about 25 minutes for the next one. In the end, I took an hour to get onto Singapore roads. That's quite fast by the usual standards, especially you have got to squeeze with the other people who are rushing out to go to work or going home at that time.

I made my way to Bugis to transfer to another bus my dinner destination. Read more in my next entry.