Europe trip update!

Tickets are booked!
I’m going to board Ryanair from Paris to Rome. It’s very cheap! The problem is.. They’re using Beauvais Airport which is.. Well.. Quite far from the Paris city itself. I haven’t found a good info on how to go to the BVA safely and comfortably. I only found some private airport shuttle, but they are freaking expensive! Anybody that went to France want to give me some recommendations? Thank’s =)

I think my Rome trip is kinda more planned. I have already booked Terravision bus that will take me from Ciampino Airport to the Stazione Termini in Rome. Maegan is going to pick me up from there! =D The bus only costs 6 eur. What a deal! After I research on the Internet I found out that there’s actually a public bus from CIA to Termini but it’s less frequent than Terravision’s bus and it only costs 1 eur less. Oh well.

I’m going to stay in Maegan’s room while I’m in Rome. Hope Maeg will have time to show me around =D

Next stop.. I’ve booked Transavia ticket from Rome to Rotterdam. Well yeah Rotterdam not Amsterdam. Unfortunately there are no budget airlines flying from Rome to Amsterdam. (as long as I’ve researched) The nearest one I can find is this Rome-Rotterdam route. Ryanair flies from Rome to Eindhoven, but it’s a bit too far, compared to Rotterdam.

And then at Rotterdam I’ll be shuttling to Rotterdam Centraal (ticket costs 2.70 EUR if i’m not wrong, buy from the bus driver), and then buy a ticket to Amsterdam Centraal. Well yeah I’m quite nervous about buying the tickets.. I have browsed through the official website of Netherlands transport and have been practicing using their online demo. Hope I’ll survive. Hahaha.

Well ok that’s all. Hope my trip will go fine =)

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Now playing: Imogen Heap – Hide And Seek
via FoxyTunes

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Now playing: Can’t Smile Without You – Barry Manilow
via FoxyTunes

Singapore has a world class transport system – I agree

I really can’t understand why people in Singapore keep complaining about their transportation system. Even after Singapore won the international award.

I mean, true, I sometimes complain too. Why does it take so long for the bus to come? Why does the bus driver drive so uncomfortably? But really, my complains haven’t got that far that I don’t agree why Singapore really deserves to win the award.

I think the people in Singapore (who are constantly nagging and complaining.. See this website for more info and proof) are just too used to the comfort and the good facilities that they have grown used to it, and consider them as an ordinary feature.

What are these ordinary features?
First, knowing where to go, on a particular bus.
Every bus has a route. The route is pasted somewhere in the bus stop and even when they don’t have it, you can always buy the book that lists all the bus routes. I have one. And it’s been extremely useful.

Now you’re thinking how the hell buses or trains don’t have an exact route. Well, it happens. In Jakarta (I know it’s not fair to compare it just to Jakarta but I’m sure it’s one of the worst transport system in the world), there are many buses. Like, many. Apart from the government’s buses, there are plenty of private buses and angkots (angkutan kota-city transport), plus many private cars that are “rented” by the owners to be an angkot to get some extra money.

And well… They don’t have the route information. Well some do have but no exact stops. So yeah, you don’t know where it stops. Oh well. They stop everywhere anyway. Yes that’s true. Everyone stops everywhere. Even when there’s no bus stop. Simply shout to the driver that you want to stop and it will stop. Simply flag everywhere to get a bus and the bus will stop to pick you up. Nice? Well, messy at the same time.

I have a true story if you want proof that it is indeed messy. My cousin, whose university is at Banten (another province, just slightly at the west of Jakarta), took a bus intending to go home (her house is at West Jakarta). Lo and behold.. She ended up in Blok M, which is at South Jakarta. And Jakarta is big, you know. Bigger than Singapore. Eventually we gotta send a driver to pick my poor cousin up.

The second thing. The comfort inside buses/trains.

Admit it, it IS comfortable. Well except when you have to stand. I know. But at least you have a place to stand. You won’t be like those ones..

Sitting on the ROOF of the train. Yeah there have been cases of dead people.

And..
There are no distractions in the buses/trains. (except that stupid tv mobile with equally stupid tv series. seriously???)
Some of the things you can encounter in buses/trains in Jakarta (or Indonesia)…

This is pengamen. Or street singer? More like bus/train singer.
Well, sometimes they sing nicely though. I once encounter a couple of pengamens that sang “Paint My Love” by Michael Learns to Rock.

Some others..

This is pedagang asongan. They are basically people that sell little and petty things like cigarettes, candies, and stuff. Yes you will encounter them in buses, asking you whether you want to buy. Tell me how you’ll feel if you have such people in Singapore’s buses and trains.

The point is.. Those good things have been used a lot that you (yes you naggers and complainers) think that it’s considered to be an ordinary feature.

Singapore does have a good transport system. Stop complaining.