Adventure time!
Hubbs dropped us off at the theatre next to Bankstown Central to attend a concert. The kids were excited.. it was their friend's concert and they'd see her perform! We had ducked out to get a little posy of flowers for their friend and my two kids dressed up.
So we got out of the car. Went up to the theater doors. Oh.. it looks a bit quiet. Were we late? Surely not! We had a minute to spare!
Then I see a missed call from the friend's mother. Oh hmm, where was she? Where were we supposed to meet her? Did we get the wrong place? Did we get the wrong date? Surely not.. I've got the screenshot of the event invite. It said 23rd of November. But oh.. turns out, that invite with the date in bold was announcing that tickets went ON SALE on the 23rd of November. The actual concert date was nowhere to be found.
Oh crap.
So our adventure began. Hubbs had driven off already, I wasn't going to call him back if he was halfway home in one of the tunnels. We saw a playground so made the most of it. The kids climbed and swung around and then we went searching for food and drink for the long way back. I had Google Maps, how hard could it be? It was a short walk to Bankstown train station - I could see it from the playground. And then it was a train to Strathfield and then a straight ride home on another train. But why is there so much construction happening around the station? How do we get to it?
And then, I remembered. OH. Bankstown. The Bankstown line. The one where they had a replacement bus service for months and months because they were extending the Metro there. Surely not.. surely it's not THIS line?!
Oh yes it was.
So we got our snacks and drinks and then went searching for Opal cards to buy. All the newsagents in the mall were closed. A lovely shopkeeper was kind enough to take the time and think about where we could get Opal cards. We got directed to a 7-11 near the train station. Luckily for us, it wasn't too hard to find and we got our cards. We asked what the best way to get to Strathfield would be and was told to take the train to Lidcombe. AH! Yay! There are trains still coming and going from Bankstown station?! YAY!
The station was literally behind the 7-11 so we got there.. and heard the beep! beep! beep! of the train doors closing. Oh crap. I thought, hopefully this isn't one of those stations where the train comes every half an hour or something. Surely not. It's a big station and they need to move lots of people because of the Metro upgrade right?? No.. the next train WAS in another 30mins. Oh did I mention that we were sweltering under the hot afternoon sun that was supposed to measure 23 degrees celcius but felt more like 30 degrees celcius? And I was travelling with a heat-intolerant kid who would complain that it was tooooo hot!!! when getting into the car that had been parked under the sun for 10 mins on an overcast day?
So I'm looking around frantically thinking I just need a way out of here to Strathfield. A staff member comes out of the station office and I latch on quickly, asking what the best way to Strathfield would be. He said, oh, get the train to Lidcombe... but they're doing trackwork this weekend between Lidcombe and Strathfield so you'll have to catch the bus. I just looked at him in horror and blurted out, "I just want to get to the city. What's the best way to do that?!"
He goes, take the SW2 bus to Sydenham and then take the train in. Stand J. 100 meters down that way as he pointed down the road. There's one coming in 1 minute and another in 9 minutes. Ok. That sounded easy enough. So I drag my kids down the road in the direction he's pointed to. Where the fuck is Stand J?! We saw Stand C. But down the road was Stand B.. and across the road was Stand F. And then there weren't any more bus stands..
Oh, did I mention that I was still carrying the flower posy? So I'm wandering around with two kids tagging behind and carrying this small bouquet of flowers and my bag is bulging with the Pocky snacks and drinks we've just bought for our return journey back that hasn't really even started. The kids are asking if they can open their drinks. I'm trying to work out where I am in Bankstown and how to get home. We finally spot the SW2 bus pulling out and waiting at the traffic lights. Well, Stand J must be in that direction past the fenced off area then I guess?? And that would have been our bus we've just missed so I guess we've got another 8 minutes to find Stand J..
We eventually get there and climb on the bus. Bliss. Air conditioned and not very crowded. The kids settle in and we're all good for a bit. Then I see the mosquito. So we spend the next 20mins on mosquito watch. We make it out the bus unscathed and breathe a sigh of relief as we find our train home from Sydnenham. 1 hour and 45 mins later, we tumbled through our front door and breathe a huge sigh of relief and gratitude for the airconditioned space.
And we will probably do this all again in reverse soon on the actual concert date next month.
At least we know how to get there now.
No comments:
Post a Comment