Thoughts from a Techie

I wrote about my experience doing transport management for Chingay on Valentine's Day ( read ). That was the preview show for primary and secondary schoolkids to watch. Yesterday was the first day of the main show. And it's turning out to be one of my more interesting volunteering experience.  Yesterday was 10x more taxing on the mind compared to Vday. Work started one hour later because the parade started one hour later than the preview show. The same 4 hrs of nua-ing. The same edible food. Most importantly, more performers sharing the same bus queue. And I did not get to stand with the bus bay folks as with the preview show (which was a much lighter job); my position was smacked right in the middle of the impatient crowd of "900 beautiful ladies". (our running joke on the performers, as this was what written on the Chingay programme brochure) Yet however tiring it might be, there were always people trying their best to give me a good day. Just want to sin...

This is the story of a strange Valentine's Day. 1400 Needed to rush from NTU to get to Chingay. 179 out, first stop outside NTU. Normally it's extremely easy to wave for a cab (it's right after a PIE exit), but for strange reasons, 15 mins out and not a single available one. So I moved to a nice spot to call one instead, waited another 10 mins , got into my cab... Only to find out the uncle did not know where the F1 Pit Building is. First time I raged a person in English. Of course it did not solve the problem. Most stressing issue was finding a way to guide him there. He did not know how to use the GPS unit that's standard to every cab. My trusty Google Maps could not help him. Digital's useless, so he went analog. Pulled out his buddy the street directory and asked me to help him find the place. R to Republic Blvd, map 133, grid 2A. Still slightly clueless... until I pointed out the Flyer nearby. Finally a place he knew how to get to. 10-15 mins of clue...