Benak's New Friends

Cassidy & Henry Up Close and Personal With Ben

Pesta Benak 2012 was some sort of homecoming for me as I managed to visit Sri Aman to experience a day's adventure. The carnival was held from 6-8 April 2012. Though I started early from Kuching that Saturday, traffic was a crawl as vehicles of all shapes and sizes squeezed themselves into any available space in Sri Aman Town. Experience helped in this case as I managed to find a parking space at the Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) office nearby.

Traffic in Sri Aman that Saturday night (7 April 2012) was almost a standstill

The Pesta experience started as soon as I walked into the waterfront area as familiar faces came up to say hello. I was eager to also meet my friend Ben @ Benak and I know he is always punctual. Sri Aman JKR Divisional Engineer Tuan Cassidy Morris and DID Engineer Tuan Henry Tuah asked me to hop in their boat and off we went to greet Ben upriver. The scene from the river was a spectacular sight, the crowd numbering in the thousands filled the Waterfont area and also the Benak Panorama Park area. There were  boats of all shapes and sizes, jet skis and that familiar helicopter hovering in the air. Then from a distance there was the surfers numbering about ten this time. I see them riding the waves, some surfing and some thrown back into the water by Ben's mighty waves. I know how that feels, as I have tasted the waters of Batang Lupar and may I say not in a very nice way. I still have this sore shoulder from that fall while playing with a surf board along Batang Lupar River. My knees were shaking more, not out of inexperience but more of fear on what lies below as Batang Lupar was famous for its large crocodiles. I have to say, it is not easy to pretend that they are not below.

Ouch: all in vain ~ trying my best not to fall into the 'teh c' coloured water during Pesta Benak 2011

Well, enough of that mouthful story about me drinking the river water last year. Its time to share the story of my two friends who seemed to enjoyed their moments during Pesta Benak 2012. This post will feature their adventure of being chased by the benak. The clips were taken by DE Cassidy for me to edit, but more towards getting it prepared for Pesta Benak 2013 but hey, why waste a good story about the videoman himself. Both of them kept Ben @ Benak company when I was not around. Cheers to both of you and a toast to your experience. I must say they had a splashing time.

Get their point of view below:



Cheers!