The Pizzazzy

One thing I like about Singapore is the MRT. For some of the readers who just uttered what the hell is that? It is the Mass Rapid Transit I mean the trains that is widely used to commute in Singapore besides the popular SMRT buses.

The reason behind my liking MRT is that it makes me independent in a sense. I don’t have to rely on others to get some place on time. Or neither have to endure cutting lanes, honking at angry drivers the way it was back in India. So, MRT is one of the things thats cool about Singapore. I can practically time the total travelling time.

It takes 8 minutes to reach the station. Around 10 minutes to get to Tanah Merah interchange. And another 5 minutes to reach Expo station. From there another 7 minutes walk to office. See, total travelling time is 30 minutes. I don’t have to rush for this. I have been told by my colleagues and friends that 30 minutes is a good travel time, and one can stay anywhere in Singapore the travel to work will always be equal to or more than 30 minutes. Okay before this 30 minutes starts sounding like a mantra lets get back to my love for MRT.

I can’t take the cabs here. There is something about it that makes me motion sick. It could be the driving style, abrupt halts, or may be that it is compulsory to wear the seat belts. I can not put my finger on any thing particular but I avoid it.

The MRT is so smooth and convenient that I can use the time to read a book or even write pieces of my posts. Yes, it does not make me giddy to read or write in a moving MRT. Amazing right.

Today I heard some expats at the station. First guy told the second “Singaporeans are aggressive travellers. During rush hours you need to push to get into the train before the doors are closed”. The second guy agreed and said “Yes, back home we are more aggressive drivers”. I silently added that in India we are both aggressive travellers as well as aggressive drivers.

Although it is true and I am also quite aggressive but I am none of the above two categories. The only driving I do is driving people crazy. And only travelling would be being driven around by others.

Anand always says that I am born in the wrong country and I should have been born in Britain as the Queen herself. Because back home I couldn’t do many things like taking public transports, or navigating him on our holidays by reading the map in a moving vehicle.

He was never able to understand how a person can feel nauseated or giddy doing these simple things. In fact I even wikied “motion sickness” for him and told him the scientific reasons behind it and how it is perfectly normal to be suffering from it.

In our recent trip to Phuket the Thai lady at the travel desk of our hotel was very funny. She knew relatively better English but when we were discussing ferry to a near by island I told her that I have motion sickness and she gave me this funny look and said probably you should rest in your room. And I realized that she was stuck on the word motion and thought I was suffering from diarrhoea, dysentery or something l’that. After that I explained her what is motion sickness all the while trying to keep a straight face.

Point is for anyone who thinks motion sickness can be treated by being strong mentally and blah blah is absurd. It can only be treated by habit of motion and compulsive travelling in good quality transports which are smooth and efficient and convenient. If we have something close to MRT in our very own Pune, I would be delighted to travel in them proudly and no more complain of feeling giddy. Till that day I am happy and healthy being driven around by others in India. And while in Singapore, let me enjoy the MRT.