JUST TO SHARE (Lau Tai Onn): A Day Trip To Bentong & Raub On July 6, 2014

My wife and I joined a group of about 40 SGM members made up of senior citizens as well as young children for a day trip to Bentong (文冬) and Raub (劳勿) on Sunday, July 6, 2014. The trip was organized by Wendy Ho’s brother (who operates a professional tour company) and the fare was RM 108 per pax inclusive of lunch and dinner.

Some of us gathered at Bandar Mahkota Cheras to be fetched at 6.30 am by a coach (plate no: BLY 8849) led by tour guide Wilson Lim and driven by Silva. The coach took us to SGM Cultural Centre at Batu 9 Cheras where the rest of about 20 passengers boarded. We departed at about 6.45 am using MRR2 highway.

The first stop was Bentong market place where we took wantan noodle (RM 4 per bowl) at about 8.15am. Wilson told us about the famous stall was behind the market and he didn’t lead us there. Most of us went to the wrong shop at the junction of the market and the noodle did not taste any special at all. After breakfast, we walked around the market and bought some Bkt Tinggi gingers (price varies from RM 20 per kg for the older and bigger pieces to RM 8 per kg for the young and broken pieces).

Next we visited Hutan Lipur Chamang Bentong aka Air Terjun Chamang or “Lovers’ Waterfall (情人瀑布)” from 9.10 am till 10.25am. This was the only sight-seeing place for this trip (another originally scheduled place was one Temple of Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) in Raub but most of the group members voted to forego it). Many photos could be taken here with the waterfall and greeneries as the background. Unfortunately, my wife didn’t press hard enough the shuttle of my Sony digital camera and all the photos she took of me (at least 4 to 5 poses) were not captured at all. I didn’t realize it until after we left the place and found out on the bus. No remedial measures or second chances could be made. I felt very frustrated because this was the first time in a tour which I didn’t have a single photo of mine taken for remembrance's sake. I was moody for the rest of the trip.

We reached Valley Resort (山寨谷) Agro Park at the border of Bentong and Raub at 11.00 am but it was too early for lunch. We spent our time looking around the scenery of this lake-view resort and listening to people taking turns to sing karaoke in the open. Lunch was served at 12.10 am with 8 to 9 dishes.

We left at 1.20 pm to visit a domestic-industry-type peanut factory at 1.55 pm, a taufu shop at Bukit Koman (武吉公满) near the disserted Australia Gold Mine Co. at 2.25 pm and a Hakka pau & cookies shop at 2.40 pm.

At 3.30 pm we stopped at Kedai Kopi Kow Po for ABC with ice-cream (RM 4.50 per bowl). Business there was very good and it was packed with customers.

We left Bentong after that and reached Bukit Tinggi at 4.45 pm. Again it was too early for dinner at Garden View Restaurant (枫林品鲜馆). We then walked to the nearby market selling organic vegetables and fruits. I bought a bunch of ripe bananas (selling RM 4 per kg which is considered very cheap), a packet of passion fruits (RM 7) and a packet of peeled dragon fruits (RM 5). Dinner started at 5.35 pm and the dishes were delicious.

We left Bukit Tinggi at 6.45 pm and due to the smooth traffic condition along MRR2, we reached SGMCC at about 7.30 pm and Bdr Mahkota Cheras at 8.00 pm respectively. We were home sweet home at 8.20 pm.

Wanton noodle for breakfast

Chamang Waterfall

Mrs. Koe Teng Hong (wife of SGM President) who quipped (when I invited her for a pose at this "Lovers' Waterfall") that her lover was not by her side.

Glimpse of the waterfall. It was understood that many people come here for picnics and swimming during normal weekends but since this is the Ramadhan month, very few Malay visitors could be found.

Taking a rest at a bus stand

Leaving the Chamang forest reserve. I left with much disappointment because I found out later that not even a single pose of my photos was captured by my camera-holding wife!