Recently in Public Transit Stories Category

I have dance class in the City these days. I usually carpool but this last Sunday, I ended up taking public transportation--BART and then the 38 bus. The 38 bus is the most excrutiating bus ever--stopping at almost every block. On the way back, as the bus trudged along, it caused my mind to wander, aided by my stomach, which had only seen a banana that morning.

I called A to see if maybe he was interested in Thai brunch at the Thai Buddhist Temple in Berkeley. I could see myself probably geting there by 12.30, which would not be too late. But A was too caught up in cleaning the home and wasn't sure that he would be able to make it. Hmm..maybe I should go by myself. That red beef curry and and the taro root fritters are so yummy. But then should I get off at Ashby and then get on BART again so I could get my bike at Downtown Berkeley? I guess I could get off at Downtown and ride my bike to the temple. But I wanted food sooner and having gotten food wanted to be home soon too.

Let's see maybe there are other places that are closer. I could get off the bus at Embarcadero and go to that deli across from the Hyatt that has the yummy falafel and shawarma. The food there was really delicious and cheap when we had stopped there with my parents after going to the Zakhir/ Sachdev concert in the City.

But then there was also Tu Lan. Should I walk over there? But I go there more often then other places, so may be not this time then.

So if I wanted Mediterranean food and wanted to get home quickly, I could go to Truly Mediterranean. It would be on my way home and I could even eat while walking my bike. But A thinks their food is overpriced and not that tasty. It would be worth going in to see their new cool mural though.

I guess I could go to Bongo burger. I have been dying to try their lamb kebab burger.

Or I could go to Top Dog next door and get a cheap fast hot dog that I could also eat on my way home.

If a buger is what I want, then maybe I should go to Oscars. It would be on the way. But then it would be messy and I would have to wait until I got home to eat it.

Hmm...Hello Croissant was also on the way. I have never tried their lunch, maybe I could pick up a piece of lasagna. But I didn't really want lasagna.

I could get my meat and have it too if I went to Gregoire. Their lunch sandwiches are so yummy and more reasonably priced than dinner. But that would mean adding in some waiting time.

I almost get off at Ashby BART. But a friend's message saying that he is going to Viks make me rethink that. I get off at downtown, call the friend, get a voice mail. So I dump the Viks idea.

I almost cross the street to go over to Bongo Burger but turn back halfway.

I am also craving spicy Indian food. So I decide to hold my craving until later that day. A and I are going to a concert at I-house. Maybe I can convince him to go to Nan and Curry after.

I get on my bike and ride home.

p.s We don't end up going to the concert, so no Nan and Curry for me! But aren't I lucky to live in a place that has so many kinds of food in thought's reach?!

The best and the worst thing about taking public transportation (PT) are your fellow travellers.

Recently I took the 51 from near work so I could get to the Cody's on Telegraph to watch Sarah Vowell speak. But a few stops later a tall man wearing a red wool hat got in and sat opposite me. I was sitting in the first row of seats and he sat on the last seat of the row along the side of the bus. I can smell him and its not pretty. It makes me feel sick. It's a kind of wet, sweaty, rank, too many clothes on a hot day kind of smell. I think I am more affected by smells than most other people I know. I can't even read books that have descriptions of smells. In fact describing that smell right above made me feel sick all over again.

I hope that he will get off soon. I contemplate moving to another seat. Because of the way we are sitting he can't see me, but I am concerned that I will be judged by my fellow passengers if I relocate. So I stay put and try to distract myself and try to cover my nose in a not so obvious manner. But I can't stand it anymore. So when the bus nears Shattuck, my last chance to decide if I should brave it out or get off--I get off. Ironically so does the man. But there is no turning back now.

I would have loved to see Sarah Vowell but my olfactory system could only take so much abuse in her name!

The last couple of weeks have been especially fraught with life altering transit experiences. Well, maybe not quite life altering but definitely worth sharing--if only to reduce the pain! And there will probably be more, thus the creation of a new category for the blog.

One night not too long ago Anirvan and I were on our way back after dinner at a friends house in Emeryville. Now taking bus or BART there is not a simple matter. The Emery-Go-Around works during shopping hours but stops at around 10.15 pm. After that Emeryville feels really far away from home.

So our journey starts:

10.00 pm Leave friends house. It was a fun meal. We start walking, linger and take pictures of cool "under the freeway" sculpture, admiring the shadows cast by them. Life is great!

10.15 pm We are on the street waiting for the #57 bus. We walk a couple of blocks looking for a bus stop but don't find one. In front of our eyes the bus passes us by, even as we wave madly (usually we jump to attract attention--I wonder if that might have worked!). We take the pedestrian overpass/ underpass at Powell and walk to San Pablo to catch the 72. It is quite a long walk. On the way we see this.

10.50 pm On reaching the bus stop we find out from a group of kids hanging out at the bus stop that we had just missed the bus. That means waiting for atleast 20 mins. We pass the Black Muslim bakery and a preacher trying to convert two black and apparently Muslim boys to Christianity in front of the doors of the bakery. We keep walking. We love walking but not so much when we have too many different bags to carry and that book that I am reading and the hardcover that we borrowed from my friend when we didn't know what was to follow that act.

11.15 pm: We wait at the first bus stop with a bench. 5 mins later we see the welcome glowing sign of the bus. We get off on Solano because my big plan is to take the 43 and get dropped off at our doorstep.

11.30 pm And so it happens that we are seated again on a bench waiting for the bus. The neighborhood is less intimidating than the last time sitting on the bench. It is colder now and we are both more tired.

11.45 pm Still waiting for the bus. We start to read the hardcover book I borrowed. That tides us over for a bit. It is getting colder and we are getting more impatient.

12 midnight Still waiting for the bus.

12.05 pm We call a taxi in desperation. I am not sure why we didn't earlier. Maybe it was because we wanted to be really hard core about using public transportation or maybe the cold had affected our brain cells. I think we really wanted to make it all the way using that system--especially after everything we had gone through in trying to use it.

12.15 pm Back at home. Warm and grateful and in disbelief that we had made it back that day--well, technically the next day!