My Worst Ever Bus Trip

How long it takes if we travel by express bus from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth? Normally it only about 4 to max 5 hours only which depend on how long they stop for rest. Different company will have different 'pit stop' strategy (sounds like F1 huh...). Yesterday, I had a most terrible bus trip ever in my life... imagine, it's not peak season such as Chinese New Year or Hari Raya or Deepavali... but it tooks me 8 HOURS!!! to reach my hometown Butterworth, I was cursing non stop with the bus service. Let me tell you all the story...

As the petrol and diesel price gone up, I can't affort to drive my car alone back to my hometown unless if got another 2 passengers with me sharing the cost. I used to go back to my hometown once a month or 2 months time. Most of the time I'll travel by bus. Ok... last tuesday I went to Pudu Raya Station to buy the bus ticket, as usual I'll take Konsortium Bus, too bad.... all the buses for Friday evening fully booked and sold out!!! So I tried on other companies like Plusliner la... Super Nice la... and others I forgot the name already. Supprisingly, all of them sold out too!!! I was wondering any celebration or big day on this weekend? So I don't care and keep on looking other company, I don't take Transnasional because their seats are too small, uncomfortable and they stop too long for break, so it consumes lot of time. I still keep on looking... finally I manage to bought one for RM27...normally only RM23-25, but I don't care la since can't get any ticket. I forgot which counter I bought from, they told me wait at platform 23 and the bus company is P&O... number is 2999, bus will leave at 6.30pm. Then I was quite happy and went back home.

On friday... I reached Pudu Raya Station at 6.10pm, I straight headed to platform 23. My worst ever delayed time was 45 mins from the schedule due to traffic jam, that I don't blame the Bus because it's not their fault. This time... we all waiting till 7.30pm!!! And we still haven't seen our bus at all... I felt something was wrong that time, then suddenly the ticket sellers came and ask us to go out the station and take a replacement bus out there. Then I saw... it's totally different bus company, it's just a normal travel agent bus. During get into the bus, they allow woman who carried their baby and old people to go up first... then, I saw an Indian lady act like Schumacher potong Q like so scare will miss her seat. Come on la... the tickets were fix to the quantity of the bus seats. So I don't worry at all, I was standing the last one and let all the 'Desperado' go up first.

It's nearly to 8.00pm... the bus only started to move... I plugged on my earphone and listen to my MP3 songs and try to cool down myself with the situations. Then I fall sleep coz too tired. About 9.30pm I woke up then only I realised the bus going to stop out of the highway in Slim River... I started to cursing already... TiuNiaSeng!!!... this will stop at least 30 mins... wasting my time only. About 10.10pm only started to continue the journey. Everything look so fine until when we reached Juru tol at 1.00am!!! I don't what the hell they did over there, they just stop for no reason about 20 mins long!!! 1.20am... the bus started to move again, I was so relief... suddenly, I saw the bus like going towards to Penang Bridge!!! Damn!!! This is not right!!! I was asking the driver when I step in the bus and he double confirm me is to Butterworth and not Penang Island. How come this happened? Then I went to ask the driver again...

Me : Encik... bas ini bukan ke Butterworth ka?
Driver : Yah!!! Pergi ke pulau dulu baru pusing balik ke Butterworth la!
(I was damn angry that time)
Me : Eh!!! Mana boleh??!!! Tadi kata terus ke Butterworth tapi sekarang ke pulau, awak nak
tipu saya kah?
Driver : Kau ni jangan bising la, ramai penumpang nak ke pulau dulu tau???!!!
Me : Awak tau sekarang dah pukul berapa??? Kata nak bertolak pada 6.30pm tak jadi, dah
berapa jam lambat?!
(some passengers started making noise and support me, some offence me coz they wanna go to the island)
Driver : Hang pi duduk dulu la!!! Nanti akan sampai lah!!! (how rude)

Then I returned to my seat and call my parents to pick me up because no more public transport service after midnight. When reached the Penang Island, I counted only 7 passengers dropped at there, we still left more than 10 passengers in the bus! That driver really bluff me! Makachaocibai!!! I reached my home at 2.30am. Let's count on it...
6.30pm - 2.30am = 8 hours!!! (28/7/06 - 29/7/06)
8 hours = KL to B'worth to KL again!!!
8 hours = Johor to B'worth!!!
Really mother fucker the Express Bus companies now days, Government always mentioned will upgrade our public transport after increased the fuel price, but what I see it's getting worst and even more worst!!!

I'm not express this feeling for myself, I felt it's really pity to those mother carrying their baby, old people, pregnant woman, disable people... they really suffered alot by travelling with this kind of bus service!!!