Could I have been more wrong?
Requirement: Get to World Trade Center from Malabe and then head back home to Dehiwela afterwards.
Proposed Solution: Take ONE direct bus to Fort from Malabe. Take ONE direct bus to Dehiwela from Fort.
Implementation: A friend was going to Wellawatte so he offered to drop me to WTC, but I being the good soul said "no need, just drop me off at the Galle Road" and luckily managed to get in to Bus 1 - an intercity. Got off near Lake House, started walking towards WTC when I tripped and my shoe straps came off. Since I was going to an important discussion, I didnt want to look like what the cat dragged in so I limped myself to a cobbler who stitched my shoe strap too tight that I couldnt even put it on. Since being punctual is a virtue I faithfully follow I limped to WTC with the unfitting shoe (this time looking a bit better than what the cat dragged in since the straps were in place although too tight)!
5:30 pm, end of meeting, very hungry and in the mood to Go nuts with Donuts! I got on to Bus 2 - a '100' bus and was debating whether to get off at the shop near British Council or go all the way to the shop in Mount and come back to Dehiwela. I decided if I got a seat (which was highly unlikely) I would go to Mount else there'd be nothing to lose.
Well as predicted, I didnt get a seat so I quickly got off at what I thought was the BC bus stop, only to find that I had got off at the one before it. So I limped an entire bus halt and what seemed like another 55 metres to the shop only to find that my favourite 'chocolate surprise' was not available. What an unpleasant surprise!
Walked 55 meters back to the bus stop (now in duplication road) and got in to Bus 3 - a 154. The reasoning was that 154 contained people going only upto Ratmalana, hence, higher probability of getting a seat. WRONG! 154 was going to Kiribathgoda! C'mon, cut me some slack, I work in Malabe and am chauffeured to and from work, I don't know these things! The conductor very politely (of course, I'm being sarcastic) told me so, after the bus turned towards Thunmulla.
Got off, crossed the road, got in to Bus 4 - one which was going to Mathugama (sure to pass mount) and happily (possibly for the first time in the day) managed to get a seat. My happiness lasted 3 halts when the bus conductor came to issue a ticket and I said "Dehiwela ekai". In a very high pitched voice and very very politely (sarcasm continues) told me that the bus wouldn't stop in Dehiwela and that I should disembark it immediately!
Got off, now near SPM and got in to Bus 5 - this time a 155. Rationale: has to stop in Dehiwela since it goes only upto Mount, and cannot be going to Mattakkuliya since we were already on the Galle road. Can you believe that after all this bus hopping I was still determined to buy donuts?
Well lets just say that it took me 45-50 minutes to get to Dehiwela from Bamba, what with fly over bridges in the making and single file traffic. When I finally got off in Dehiwela at 7:15pm I figured, if I went home now, I'd make it in time for dinner.
Who needs donuts when you could go nuts using public transport?
