On 13th, 15th, & 15th June 2008
Scribe and Photos by Drug Buster
Hashing is a wonderful pastime. It enables people from all walks of life to meet, mingle, run, drink and socialize. Since its birth in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1938, it spread like wildfire throughout the world. Among the countries most affected is Indonesia which saw the birth of numerous hashing chapters. And Padang H3, Sumatra is one of them.
Hash joint run is normally held among the various hashing chapters in a district or state in a country like Malaysia which has a joint run once a year in the state of Malacca hosted by one of its 8 hashing chapters on rotation. However, it was of exception on 13th to 15th June, 2008. It was held between Padang H3 of Indonesia and a few Malaysian hashing chapters in Bukit Tinggi, Sumatra, Indonesia. As such, it had attracted numerous enthusiastic hashers from both countries.
As arranged by James Bond, KY and I arrived at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), Sepang by taxi in the early hours of 13th June, 2008. James Bond did not follow us as he had left for Padang a day earlier through Jakarta for reason best known to him. Whilst there, we met Kiasu Lee, Kachang Panjang, Garfield, Wong Siong and Rasputin from Malacca Hash, Murugan and Patrick from Muar Hash, and a big number of hashers from other hashing chapters of Johore, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Penang. As usual, greetings were exchanged and grandfather stories were told.
It was at 7.50 am that we departed for Padang, Sumatra by Air Asia Airline which took 50 minutes to arrive at its modern Menangkabau Airport where we were being received by the GM of Padang H3. Thereafter we were led to a nearby building where we were being received by a senior Indonesian government official who presented Murugan, a Malaysian Hash Council member, with a garland of flowers and entertained with some light refreshment. We then left for the Bukit Tinggi tourist resort in 5 buses escorted by a local authority car arriving there in late afternoon after visiting a local museum and the Lubang Jepun (Japanese Holes), a secret war tunnel built by the Japanese Army during the Second World War. We were then checked into two luxurious hotels namely, Pusako Hotel and Parai Hotel which were situated a short distance apart. Whilst at Pusako Hotel, we reconfirmed our registration and each of us was given a beautiful T-shirt, a waist pouch, a beer pouch and a wrist tag by the organiser. On the same night, we attended the opening ceremony at Pusako Hotel which was officiated by the Vice Governor of Bukit Tinggi. In attendance were some 120 hashers from Malaysia and 180 hashers from Indonesia. We were being entertained with a buffet dinner of delicious local food with free-flowing Bintang beer, local music and cultural shows. It ended at around 10.30 pm.
On the following day at 8.00 am which was a fine day, we departed in 5 buses led by a local authority car for the run-site at the recreation park of Lembah Harau which is 1 ˝ hours drive away. On arrival there, we were being received by the Vice Governor of Bukit Tinggi who officiated the run with cultural show and light refreshment. In all there were 3 hilly runs, i.e. long, medium and short. The long run, a hilly run which was set for the front and back runners to complete in 2 ˝ hours and 3 ˝ hours respectively, started at 10.30 am after a warm-up exercise. It was flagged-off by the Vice Governor of Bukit Tinggi. It was participated by some 70 energetic hashers. As an oldies, I opted for the medium run which was set for the front and back runners to complete in 1 ˝ hours and 2 ˝ hours respectively. It attracted some 70 hashers. Among them were KY, James Bond and Patrick. It was also flagged-off by the same Vice Governor at 11.30 am. Led by KY and 2 other energetic runners, the run headed northward on a tarred road by following the paper for some 10 minutes before turning left westward into a jungle and a steep hill. From then on, it was a tough climb through bushy path for some 20 minutes which made us sweat profusely, panting and our balls shrunk. At the top of the hill, the paper turned eastward for a short distance before exiting into a ‘gambir’ plantation where 2 workers were amazed to see us crazy hashers chasing after the paper for no apparent reason. At its fringe some 400 metres away, it hit the first and only check. It took us some 5 minutes to find its connecting paper on the left in a jungle. By then we were being joined by James Bond, Patrick and a few other runners. From then on, it was another some 30 minutes of tough descent down the steep hill on narrow and undulating path across 3 wooden ladders before arriving at a wide stream where we could see our run-site across. We continued to follow the paper along the stream southward for a few hundred metres before loosing sight of the run-site. Thinking that we might be following the starting paper of the short run, I took the lead to short-cut back to our run-site by crossing the 15-metres wide stream through two hanging cables of a damaged bridge. We arrived back at the run-site at 12.45 pm after 1 hour and 15 minutes tough but enjoyable run. The last runners were back some one hour later. It was then that we were being told that we did not follow the original trail. The actual paper trail proceeded further downward across a beautiful waterfall for some ˝ km before making a U-turn back to the run-site. What a great loss for missing the sight of the said beautiful waterfall! To replenish our lost energy, we were being treated with varieties of local delicious delicacy and Bintang beer. It was followed by hash circle which saw a good number of sinners who included 16 Grand Masters being put on ice and on-downed.
It was a moonlit night. The farewell party was held in open air at the spacious foreground of nearby Parai Hotel. It was well attended. Varieties of delicious local food such as Nasi Padang and satay were served with free-flowing Bintang beer. In attendance were a local band, cultural show and dragon dance. Fire-works were also displayed. It was then announced that the 2nd Joint Run of Padang H3 and Malaysian Hash would be held in Malaysia in 2010 with its venue and date to be decided later by Murugan, a member of Malaysian Hash Council. It ended at around midnight.
On the following sunny day, a picnic or recovery run was set at the Parai Hotel. It was participated by a smaller pack of some 100 runners. The run started at 9.50 a.m. by following the paper westward on a bushy path beside the hotel. It trudged uphill for some 10 minutes before arriving at a satellite station. It then turned northeast downhill through a secondary jungle for another 10 minutes before arriving at a huge paddy field at its foot. From there, it turned right across the paddy field for a short distance before turning right uphill for some 300 metres where it hit the first and only complicated check. A spread-out search resulted in its connecting paper being found some 50 metres on the right of its back trail. From then on, it was another 20 minutes trudge through another paddy field, uphill to a bungalow through a flight of 184 staircases and downhill through a bushy path before arriving back at the run-site at 10.40 am where the front and non runners were enjoying their refreshment. The last runners were back some 30 minutes later. We were then served with local lunch in box with Bintang beer and soft drink. It was followed by hash circle at a swimming pool which saw another pack of sinners being on-downed and thrown into the pool. It ended at around 2.00 pm after which we departed Bukit Tinggi for Padang, the capital of West Sumatra which is some 2 ˝ hours drive away. Whilst there, we checked into the luxurious Bumiminang Hotel. On that night, we were being treated with a Nasi Padang diner at Pagi Sore Restaurant after which we adjourned to the nearby Padang Hash Bar at Grande Café where we had our drinks. It was at around midnight that we dispersed with full tummy, clear mind and smiling face. We returned to Malaysia the next day.
It was a well-organised and enjoyable first inter-country joint run between Indonesian and Malaysian Hashes which offered us good fun, fostered our hashing friendship and made us left Padang with fond memory. Credits should be given to the organising committee of Padang H3 for the job well done. In return, let us wait and look forward for the coming 2nd Joint Run which will be held in Malaysia in 2010 and which should be as well-organised and enjoyable, if not better! See you there, fellow hashers!
On! On!
Scribe: Drug Buster
Date: 09-04-2008
Date: 26th June, 2008.
