Conversing with Life

Nightmarish Car Hunt

The Straits Times 160th anniversary car hunt.

The rules were simple. Just cut out letters in the newspapers from 1st July to 15th. On the 16th, a word puzzle will be given in the papers. Arrange the letters to form the clue to the place of the car. Drop the form into the box at the destination by 1130hrs on the same day to partake in the lucky draw.

I dragged myself out of bed early on Saturday (0700hrs). Walked to buy the newspapers and searched for the puzzle. That's the page. The vitamin bottle in the background is just to hold the letters I've collected.

See!

Anyway, I've collected most of the letters on Friday and have already deciphered most of the puzzle. So it was just a matter of confirming it and pasting the letters in the right box.
So the final puzzle read: "where the sun rises by the sea. from seven to eleven. ronald eyes a perfect game."

So have you guessed where the car is?

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It's East Coast Mac's!

East coast's quite near my place and I even managed to get my dad to give me a lift. The deadline is by 1130hrs. I thought I'll leave at 1030hrs and reach by 1100hrs just to be safe.
I was so wrong. Massive jams were reported on all roads leading to east coast. Despite my dad's experience in dodging traffic jams, we were still caught. The time is 1128hrs. the only good news being, I'm pretty sure East coast mac's was the correct place.
This is on the service road at east coast. It's one way and the jam doesn't seem to be easing up. Time: 1140hrs.

I had no choice. I got out of the car and walked towards Mac's, hoping they'll extend the deadline. I joined hundreds of people on the cycle path. Suddenly it felt like the Big Walk.

Looks like the place is right. But look at the crowd. The stage is about 200m in front of where I took this photo. I looked around the Mac's for any boxes and couldn't find any. Time: 1150hrs. I've failed...

I tried to squeeze to the stage but was trapped in the crowd with about 100m to go. It felt like the millenium countdown party or the rush hour train. Aunties were plastered against me. More aunties were pushing from behind. The aunties in front wouldn't budge and I was suffocating...

I finally decided my life was more important. I followed a group trying to squeeze their way out and managed to save myself.

Haiz... Didn't win the car. Erm.. Let me rephrase: didn't even get a chance to win the car. Wasted time. Wasted effort.

Oh well, at least it was something interesting. I enjoy solving such puzzles. And at least I got the place right. (okay, audrey helped but only slightly... MUAHAHAHAHA)

Interesting to note that so many Singaporeans took part in this. Are they as desperate to win a car as I am?

Even more interesting to note that they drove down to win the car. Okay okay, maybe they got a lift like me.

Very interesting to know the winner just bought a mazda 3 a couple of weeks ago.

ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Wei Qiang converses @ 20:45