The Wasteland

Because I had nothing scheduled for the day, I accompanied Darren on a recce today. In Tuas. You know, the rear end of Singapore. Most people don't go there unless you're:

1. A reservist.
2. Navy personnel.
3. Some unfortunate despatch rider.
4. Actually working there.
5. A taxi driver forced to take any of the above as a fare.
6. A poor sap (which applies to all of the above).


The Wasteland-001
Originally uploaded by Terz.

Once we got there though, it was nice enough, in the wasteland, a newly reclaimed part of the mainland, complete with the mud-that-does-not-come-from-around-here* and the more-than-occasional sand fly. Though the weather was blazingly hot, even at 4 pm when we got there, it was cool enough because of the breeze that blew through it the whole time we were there. I certainly didn't expect to see the wide, open expanse of the place. Kinda reminded me of Canada - if Canada were so bloody hot.

* Kinda puts a lie in that series of Army ads - the one that says, 'This Mud is Our Mud' or something like that - seeing that most of the mud on our little island came from elsewhere to be used in our reclamation projects.


The Wasteland-002
Originally uploaded by Terz.

So we potter about for half an hour. There were times when the flash threatened not to work because of the ever-present glare of the sun. And there were times when standing too long in one spot attracts the wrong kind of attention - a motorcyclist and his pillion going by made wolf whistles; and the houseflies and sandflies made it rather uncomfortable.

***

Of course no road trip is ever complete without some images from the phone cam of really bad drivers. Today, though, I decided to focus on just one group - heavy goods vehicles:


YL3904M
Originally uploaded by Terz.

In third place, YL 3904 M. In the second fastest lane all the way from the Jalan Bahru exit ramp to the Adam Road exit. Dude only went to where he's allowed to go when a traffic cop came along, lights flashing.


GP5990S
Originally uploaded by Terz.

In second place, GP 5990 S, a goods vehicle belonging to Poon's Transportation. Ditto comment about using the wrong lane on the PIE, but went a step further. No sooner had the traffic cop disappeared into the horizon, he went back to the second lane - which is about when I shot him. And also, what's with the weaving in and out of traffic?


YK84D
Originally uploaded by Terz.

But the first prize winner by a whole furlong, is YL 84 D. And he takes the cake for all of its sheer size and recklessness. First encountered on the AYE outside the [cough*whiteelephant*hack] Tang Dynasty Village [hack*copycatthemepark*cough], we were witness to its speeding, weaving in and out of traffic and being in the wrong lanes all the way until we exited the ECP at Marine Parade.

So yeah, cake.


The honourable mention of this afternoon's road trip, though, goes to this dude:


Maserati
Originally uploaded by Terz.

In the words of Darren, "Maserati, sial!"