Sri Aman was situated upon the Batang Upar River and was famous for the benak, or^25
tidal bore. The tidal bore came in from the river mouth, filling the river in almost ten
minutes. It's said the wave crest at Sri Aman could get up to two or three meters high
and surfers usually wait along the riverbank to catch a wave.
At around six o'clock, the heavens opened, and I was happy in my abode from where
to watch the rain through the window. As soon as the storm subsided, I returned to
the riverfront where stalls served nasi goreng kampung (village-style fried rice). The
portion was a considerable one and came topped with an egg, a piece of chicken, and
tiny dried fish (approximately five centimetres long and less than a centimetre wide),
accompanied by a small bowl of soup.
Sri Aman – Betong - 81km
Though two more mountains remained, the way was far more level than the previous
days. Adding the luxury of a cloud cover, going was a great deal easier, making it
relaxed cycling. At first, the plan wasn't to turn into Betong. Still, ten kilometres
beyond the turn-off, another signboard pointed to Betong, and my curiosity got the
better of me.
Surprisingly, Betong was more substantial than anticipated, with at least three hotels,
various shops, as well as a vast and modern sports field. Exploring the area, which
came with a few stares, gave the impression that few foreigners ever visited Betong.
It seemed Betong had more Muslim residents than Chinese, judging by the food
available. However, being the month of Ramadan, virtually all the restaurants were
closed during the day. Still, the food market opened after sunset, selling all kinds of
lovely, sweet stuff as well as curry chicken and curry fish – all typically Malay.