Kampung

A trip to the kampung (hometown in Malay) of my wife's nephew-in-law turned out to be quite a mini-adventure in itself.

As it turned out we were a party of 6, so instead of traveling by 2 cars, Uncle Toh pulled out an old Mitsubishi Pajero from his workshop, the looks of it were okay, but horror.....the airconditioning barely worked and as it was a typical Malaysian day (sunny, hot, humid)....the car slowly turned into a furnace during our 1 1/2 hr trip. Mind you, when the car was at cruising speed the aircon system managed to pump out some cool air, but whenever we were stationary (traffic jam or at the toll plaza) things got seriously overcooked.

So instead of going straight to our destination we stopped at a small restaurant and dozed ourselves with cool drinks and a quick snack. Gosh, we needed that.

Anyway, I've visited the place quite some years ago and it looked like time had stood still. Apart from some minor upgrading works, the partially wooden house was basically the same as I remembered it. Mind you, they do have modern amenities like running water and electricity and a proper loo. Aircon is non-existent, but the evenings are cool enough according to the occupants of the house. But such a huge difference with city-houses. The grandfolks raised their seven kids there and now its the grandkiddo's turn to be raised in this house, more than a dozen in total. One would expect that tranquility is nowhere to be found but the opposite is true......sure there are kids around doing what kids always do, playing, screaming.....but the setting of this house in the middle of practically no-man's land almost guarantees a 'silence' that we city-folks cannot imagine it exists.

Rearing their own chickens, harvesting quite a selection of veggie's, fresh fruit in abundance....what more can one ask for?

When we left the place I was wondering whether these people are really better off than us, city-folks? If yes, why do all the young people move to the city then? Boredom? Money?

Food for thought.........and oh yes, we still had to endure the trip in the oven-baked car back to town.