Bus 96 on the expressway

Ever imagined what it would be like if life decides to take an unexpected break from its monotonous routine?

I was on bus 96 yesterday when it decided to 'deviate' from its planned route and take an 'unexpected' detour along the expressway.

At first, I thought it was an unfortunate traffic accident. Later, after catching the news, I realized that it was a war relic- a Japanese bomb from WWII. In any case, the road leading from NUS to Clementi was sealed off. All traffic was directed onto the AYE. I wasn't paying attention to the route the bus was taking since I did not expect it to be any different from what it had taken for the past 4 years. However, 2 things caught my attention.

1) Instead of travelling straight, the bus took a left turn and I could immediately see the expressway.

2) (And the more hilarious, unnerving factor) The driver called his superior on the mobile phone and blabbered in Mandarin: "Ya! I'm on the expressway. Ya AYE~ How do I get to Clementi?" I had to control myself and not laugh hysterically out loud lest all the pessenger thought I went berserk. But oh my! It was so hilarious! ( Of course, at that time, it didn't occur to me that I was just miles away from a bomb site!)

I thought to myself: Oh great! I'm in a hurry to get home so that I can start studying for EC4333 Midterm Exam the next day and now I'm on a round-the-island tour that god knows when it will end. Hopefully at Clementi too.
However, a part of me was secretly enjoying the unexpected break from the monotony of school life. Never in my wildest dream had I expected 96 to take me on a ride along AYE. So I was secretly enjoying every moment of this chanced occurrence.

After a brief journey on the AYE, the bus exited the expressway and came back to the bus stop opposite New Town Secondary School. I thought to myself: Great, we are back to Clementi again! Just take the right turn in front and we'll be on the road all the way straight to Clementi.

However, there was no right turn! The road did not allow vehicles to take a right turn, so 96 took a left turn and headed in the direction of NUS!

"Oh no! I'm going back to NUS again?"

I'm starting to worry that this journey would never end.

However, the bus driver decided to have mercy on me and took a left turn along the highway to NUS onto -- guess what? -- AYE again! For the second time in the hour, I was on AYE again albeit on the other side of the expressway heading towards Jurong.

The bus took another 12 mins to navigate the expressway and all the major roads in Clementi before it finally arrived back what it started -- Clementi Interchange.

Great! Bus 96 had taken me on a tour of the major roads in Clementi and the AYE, no less!

It's this kind of unexpected encounters, I believe, that adds that element of excitement into our usually monotonous routine. Things often happen unexpectedly and adds joy and thrill to our life! =)