Bus and Such

If you guys haven't figured out already, bussing SUCKS.

...especially if you don't really know the route.

First off, I gotta tell you guys, if I haven't taken the bus someplace, I get INCREDIBLY PARANOID about missing my stop. So, as I was taking the 84 to the skytrain, after reading a 24 and realizing that there was a stop, I kinda panicked, looked outside, saw "VCC-Clark", got freaked out, and jumped out of the bus. Here's what went through my head immediately after I left the bus.

"WHEW, that was close, I almost missed my stop...
...heeey, wait a sec, that's BC Place... and that SCIENCE WORLD. I'm on MAIN?!? But I thought..."
*reads busstop pole*
"84 - VCC-Clark Station...
...SHEEEEAAAAAATTT....."

So yeah, I looked at the busstop and got freaked out. It's happened before. Except this time, I had to stand in the rain for 10mins until the next 84 came. ANNOYING, to say the least. Stupid me, heheh...

THEN, I took the skytrain. I was told to get off at Broadway station to transfer to the other skytrain (to get to metrotown). So, next stop was Commercial Drive. Okay, Broadway's probably next... and then I hear, "Next stop, Renfrew"

"...SHEEEEAAAAAATTT....."

So I was all, holycrapwhatdoIdonow?!?! But then I remember Tim saying that the 110 also goes by Production Way, so I was all, alright, I'll get off there. So I do. And I just BARELY caught the 110. So the 110 goes off, with like almost nobody on the bus... and then, all of a sudden-like, it turns off to something that looked like a bus depo. The next thing I hear is, "LAST STOP"

"...SHEEEEAAAAAATTT....."

So, I'm like COMPLETELY FREAKING OUT by this time. Luckily, I guess, the last stop ended up being Lougheed, which is like the next stop after Production Way. Yeah, that was a monumental waste of time.

So I phone Alan, 'cause I don't know what to do now and there was (in theory) a transit map at my place. Apparently, there wasn't. CRAP. But then Krystle (who was over at the apartment) suggests phoning Valen, which just made too much sense. So I phone her, and she said to just take the skytrain to metrotown, as it looped around. So I was like, ahh, that sounds easy enough.

So I take it to metrotown. And then I get off, and had to find the bus loop. THAT PLACE IS SO FRICKIN' HARD TO FIND!! There's like signs pointing in the direction, but then you keep following the direction, and there like NOTHING! And then I turn around, and THEN you see the bus loop sign. Horrible design. Well, either that, or I'm a dolt. Probably the latter. [I should also mention, I couldn't find the Tofu in Safeway back in November... apparently I'm not very observant that way, heh...]

But yeah, I see the 110 loading, and I'm like, CRAAAAP!! So I sprinted like mad, and actually got on rather quickly. I do believe I've gotten faster since I shed those 10 lbs...

But anyways, I get on the bus, walk to my usual spot at the back of the bus, then out of nowhere, it's Catherine and Dorothy! That was WEIRD, apparently they were the people walking right in front of me on the bus, haha...

Anyways, I was kinda tired by this point (what with the stress and the sprinting and what not), and as such I didn't really feel like chatting. So I kinda feigned sleep so I wouldn't have to converse with those two [SORRY YOU GUYS!]. Plus they had their own little group of friends. Who am I to intrude... [learned that lesson the hard way... wake me up when september ends, indeed...]

But yeah, by the time I got to Deer Lake, I was actually EXACTLY ON TIME, hahaha... that was truly amazing, lol... it's like I had an uncanny sense of knowing exactly how screwed up I'd be while getting there. Haha.

Anyways, the Youth rally thing was alright, although nobody was really into it (felt so bad for the speaker!). I don't know, I kinda wanted to get into it myself, but it's weird sitting w/ Sita and Kirsten, who didn't really get into it much either. As with a concert, it's WAY better if someone next to you is really into it. Then you don't feel like quite the jackass. Heh.

After the thing, I got a ride w/ my cousins to Joyce station, took the skytrain to broadway, etc etc, and I got home.

...but NO, that's just too easy. Once again, I got all messed up w/ the busses.

First off, I almost didn't get off the skytrain. I was in the back, on that weird staring-out-the-back-window single seat, plus I couldn't really understand the PA lady either. So I looked out the window, saw "King George", and was like, must be the next stop... ...WAIT A SEC.... and then I jumped out. Heh.

And then, after walking down the steps, I COULDN'T FIND THE 99! I was like, whatt?? Last time it was just there... so then I cross the street to where a bunch of people where gathered, and it turns out to be the RIO THEATRE! I'm like, CRRAAAAA...oh, hey, that's a 99! So I run across the sidewalk trying to catch this 99, AND I ALMOST GET RUN OVER BY SOME FUCKER IN A WHITE VAN WHO DIDN'T SEE ME.

Have you ever seen a cat who got surprised? And how they jumped ridiculously high? Yeah, that was me. Only HORIZONTALLY. Heh.

So yeah, I sprint to catch this bus, almost running into several people along the way, only to find out that they don't take people at this stop.

...I ALMOST GET FUCKING RUN OVER, AND I STILL CAN'T FIND MY FUCKING BUS?! WHAT THE HELL!!!

So I start panicking, run up the steps, almost get on the millennium line again, but then I got even more paranoid in thinking I might end up back in metrotown. So I didn't get on the skytrain.

So here I am, sulking around Vancouver, almost getting run over, walking out in the rain... and then BOOM, the 99 is right in front of me, out of NOWHERE.

...HALLELUJAH!!! The bus!

So yeah, took the 99, got off on granville, ran down to 4th (well, the bus turnoff to go onto fourth place... you know, where that big 2000 thing is), caught the 7, and went back home.

Four hours in transit, less than 2 hours at the event.

...Nice.

***

You know what the best part of all this is? I GET TO DO IT ALL AGAIN TOMORROW.

...yay.