Balik Kampung 2

As usual we departed to Kelantan before sunrise. We didn't stop for a break until we reach the Gua Musang R&R area. A full tank could take us 420 kilometers with our Proton Savvy. That's from Seri Kembangan to Kuala Krai with our trunk fully loaded with stuff and 2+2 adult and children passengers. One reason why we chose to stop at the Gua Musang R&R is because the restroom is pretty clean. However there's only like 2 eateries open and unfortunately both of them charge near cutthroat prices for their food. A huge difference from what they put on the menu board. We paid RM16.00 for 2 lousy plate of rice, 2 bowls of beef soups and a little veggies. Even after my wife haggled with them about the price,they only gave us 1 ringgit less. Plus drinks, the food at the R&R costs even more than at McDs. Yeah they probably made a handsome profit sucking our blood like that but they just loose this one customer forever. Next time we'll be stopping there to just use the restroom.
We stopped in Kuala Krai to pick up Linda's sister and to fill up on fuel before stopping again in Tanah Merah for a little rest and to freshen up. Now I haven't been to Kota Bharu in a long time so I don't remember my way much around the state capital. Thank God for my Nokia E61i and Celcom Broadband though. I found my way to Kota Bharu Hospital easily enough using the Google Maps application downloaded to my phone. Not that the hospital is that hard to find. It is located right smack in the city centre and all the locals should know had I asked. Anyway with Google Maps and mobile Internet on my phone I don't think I'll ever get lost again.

We were really lucky to find a parking spot the moment we entered the hospital. Parkings are hard to come by in the crowded hospital and most visitors had to park around the stadium nearby. My dad in law was placed in the Cempaka ward on the 2nd floor. It's a basic 3rd class ward with rows of beds, no TV or air-cond just a regular ceiling fan to keep you cool. And the atmosphere in the ward can be really humid and hot indeed. We were all sweating because of the heat when we stayed inside long enough.
Of course we were sad to see Linda's dad have to go through all that but what can we do? We definitely cannot afford to send him to a private hospital and he didn't have any insurance coverage as well. If you're a civil servant in less developed states like Kelantan you have very little choice concerning health care. It's either the government's clinic or the government hospital. No wonder my sister was willing to travel all the way to Putrajaya Hospital for her delivery because she knew it's a lot better than the Klang Hospital which is not very different from the Kota Bharu Hospital.

After 50 years of independence, is this is the best our caring government can give us? Forget about being a developed nation by 2020, try improve the basic amenities first. If we could just take a million from the Monsoon Cup, another million from PKFZ and the 'astronaut' program a few million from the compensation that we had to pay for the failed crooked bridge, a couple of million from the bailout they gave to crony companies, we'd had a world class hospital and infrastructure for the people in every state. Ah well, we voted for this government for the past 50 years so I guess we all truly deserve it.