Unable to book a cab after a long wait, a Bengaluru man took a Rs 12 bus journey. The ride unexpectedly triggered powerful nostalgia for his school and college days. He found the inexpensive trip provided a sense of peace and memories that a more convenient, expensive ride could not offer.
A Bengaluru man’s simple Rs 12 bus journey has struck a nostalgic chord online after he shared how an ordinary ride unexpectedly took him back to his school and college days.
Digital creator Pratej had spent nearly two hours trying to book a Rapido bike, auto or cab to get home. Despite being willing to pay as much as Rs 150 for the journey, he was unable to find a ride. Eventually, after walking nearly 800 metres to Madiwala, he decided to take a bus instead. What began as a last-minute travel option soon turned into an unexpected trip down memory lane.
The moment Pratej boarded the bus, memories of his younger days came rushing back. He recalled walking to bus stops, waiting with friends, competing for window seats and spending journeys talking about almost everything and nothing. Even searching for loose change to pay the conductor was once a familiar part of the experience.
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Years later, technology has changed some of those small routines. The need to hunt for change has been replaced by scanning a QR code and paying through UPI. Yet, sitting inside the bus made Pratej realise that the feeling of the journey itself had remained surprisingly familiar.
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The biggest surprise, however, came when he discovered that his journey from Madiwala to Sony World Signal had cost just Rs 12—far less than the Rs 150 he had been prepared to spend on a cab or bike ride. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “But somehow, those Rs 12 gave me something Rs 150 couldn’t. Peace. Nostalgia. Memories.”
He also wrote, “Maybe the ride didn’t happen because it wasn’t supposed to,” describing the bus journey as a reminder of a simpler phase of life he had not realised he missed. His takeaway was equally relatable: “Money can buy convenience, but it can’t buy nostalgia.”
His post resonated with social media users, with many sharing memories of their own school and college bus journeys. What started as two frustrating hours of failed cab bookings ultimately became a Rs 12 reminder that sometimes the most ordinary journeys bring back the most valuable memories.
