Hopewell Centre

Hare - Octopussy

This week's run had been described as the Kokoda Trail run. Not being entirely sure what this meant I arrived at the start and it seemed I was not the only one to have missed out on this important historical event as a small crowd of hashers were gathered around a very relaxed hare listening to her education session on what exactly the Kokoda trail was. CUTR, CTD and Suck my Pills were listening intently and as I arrived at the History lesson I overheard the words treacherous, dangerous, and challenging terrain with army battles of hacking and killing with machetes! Hmmm I was starting to get nervous about tonight's run with all this talk of danger perhaps it was time to feign some sort of injury and make a quick exit!

Looking around me the pack was beginning to gather and it seemed to be strangely an all male hash, Suck my Pills was there but casually sat in her jeans claiming she had some sort of wimps run around Japan at the weekend so needed to rest, finally more girls arrived LaLa and the Virgin Mary but both were also quick to tell of their non-running status and now I was beginning to get worried, the only female in the pack I began to wonder what these other female hashers knew that I didn't about tonight's run………

Then it was onto the briefing and Octo patiently described the markings, there would be 2 rambo/wimp splits with the Rambo run being dangerous, challenging and technical with ropes and as she described it '4-wheel drive shiggy' only for those that thought they were tough enough to handle it………and so with those words of caution hanging in the air that was it and off we went into the foggy and wet night like the brave soldiers on that Kokoda Trail in WW2 waiting to be set upon by the enemy, ok so not that extreme as actually it all started off with an easy check taking us up through the Stone Nullah Garden, onto Kennedy Road, up the steps to Bowen Road and then the first Rambo/Wimp split into the ominous ropes section we had been warned about, over a wall and onto more steps with an unmarked left turn being missed by the pack and eventually solved by Hopeless.

The wet evening made for a muddy, slippery climb up through the trees but eventually we popped out onto the road, and then much to my relief another female appeared FFFM had joined the pack and after a dangerous dash between the cars and busses to cross the busy road the pack went up to Blacks Links and onto the second Rambo/wimp split, termed by Octo as a long bit of shiggy…….. and on and on it went the rain now coming down and the conditions just like in WW2 dangerous and challenging! Then from out of nowhere suddenly appeared the Cheesy Flying Fox apparently he was very late for the run, and in an attempt to reclaim his usual FRB status off he went flying past us through the shiggy and disappearing back into the night as quickly as he had arrived. Finally the trig point at the top of Mount Cameron where I'm sure there is a beautiful view but no such luck in the evening's fog and rain and so then it was back down through the wet slippery shiggy path before finding our way out onto the main trail and down the Middle Gap Road to the junction. Apparently at this point the trail went left for an extra 2km loop and not straight down to Wanchai but the rain had wiped out some of the markings and most of the pack knowing the area took the direct route down to the Hopewell Centre and on home, a great hash and a great trail set by the hare in the wet conditions.

The bash was at the Chinese Restaurant on Lockhart Road……..actually no it wasn't because there was a wedding on and no room for a pack of sweaty, wet hashers and so a quick check back out into the bright lights of Wanchai with everyone wondering where to go now, quick thinking from Hopeless with the good idea to try the Thai restaurant up the road where they were quick to accommodate us and a great well deserved Thai feast was served!

Downdowns from Hopeless

Peter - Returnee and winner of the worst shirt award

CUTR - The Hares Boyfriend but didn't know where the run was tonight

Lost in Space - Not last or lost!

CTD - for crashing through the trail

Hare - For half a job and getting everyone else to sort the drinks, hash cash and food

DD for the Co-hares TVM and Hopeless for helping out the hare with the drinks

FFFM - For exposure in the hose shower

Nicholas - New to the hash and………..single!

Macau Drunk - Returnee and recovered from his injury

CIMT - For delegating the run report to his Fiancé even though she isn't the hare next week!

CTD - Had to short cut the run as he had an important conference call

Hare - Great job in the rain

Hares Boyfriend - CUTR no help in setting trail