On 21st, 22nd, 23rd March 2008 in Perth WA
Scribe and Photos by Drug Buster
THE 16TH INTERHASH 2008 IN PERTH, AUSTRALIA
Interhash is the grandest and most well known hashing event in the world. It enables hashers throughout the world to travel, meet, mingle, run and socialize. It was born in Hong Kong in 1978 and is held once in 2 years thereafter in various countries on vote the last of which was Chiang Mai, Thailand in October 2006.
Time passes very fast like lightning. Just a twinkling of an eye, it was March 2008 and time again to attend the 16th Interhash which was held in Perth, Australia which every ardent hasher had been looking forward anxiously. It was of no exception to Killer Tony, Sexy Chan, Orang Kaya Ngoh, Sweetie Pie, SYT, Baby Elephant and me from Malacca Hash House Harriers (MH3), Malaysia. We left the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) by Malaysian Airlines (MAS) on the morning of 20th March, 2008 and arrived at the Perth International Airport 5 hours later. Travelling with us in the same flight were a big number of hashers from other hashing chapters. Among them was Fu Chee Cheng from Hash Heritage Foundation, Kuala Lumpur.
Perth is not new to me as I had attended The 7th Pan Asia Hash which it hosted in 1999. It is a cosmopolitan city with varieties of great run-sites, fine weather, friendly people, good food and good drinks.
The registration was held at Sir Frank Ledger Stand, Gloucester Park which is some 35 minutes walk from our Holiday Inn hotel at Hay Street in the city centre. On our arrival there the following noon, it was already crowded with ardent hashers from all over the world. As usual, familiar faces were met, greetings were exchanged and grandfather stories were told. Among them were Websitekang, GM Cocker, Garfield, Kachang Panjang, James Bond, Oil Rig Lim and KY Jason. For identification, each participant was tied with a wristband and given a beautiful goodies bag which contained 2 colourful T-shirts, a beer porch, an Interhash cloth batch, a colourful headband, an Interhash magazine and VCD and an Interhash 2010 voting card. Bidders of the coming Interhash 2010, namely, Bali, Kenya, Kuching Borneo and Malaysia hashes set up their promotion counters with Kuching Borneo offering freebies of T-shirts. In addition, a number of stalls were set up by some hashing chapters to sell souvenirs.
On the same evening, a bigger crowd flooded the same registration centre which also acted as the main venue. Delicious Western food was served with free-following beer. In attendance were the hash acts and entertainment followed by Interhash 2010 presentations by Bali and Kenya hashes. Then came the short and sweet official opening ceremony by the host of Interhash 2008 which attracted a creditable registration of 4500. It was then followed by live music which saw a good number of hashers taking to the floor dancing. I did not stay on to follow its programme which ended at around midnight.
The main running events stretched for 2 days from 22nd to 23rd March. In all, there were a total of 45 runs which were made up of ball breaker, long, medium and short runs and 2 old farts walks which were set by a number of local hashing chapters. They were held at 22 run-sites which were made up of hills, bush, parkland and beach.
On the first day, Orang Kaya Ngoh, Sweetie Pie, Killer Tony, Sexy Chan, GM Cocker, Websitekang, SYT, Baby Elephant and I arrived at the main venue early with the intention of taking the bus for Run C1 set by Perth H3 at John Forrest. It was crowded with a big number of anxious hashers who were looking forward for a good run and sweat-out. To our disappointment, it was fully packed and had already left for the run-site. Alternatively, we took the bus for Run B1 set by South of H3 at Woodman Point which catered for a medium run and a short run. The journey took some one hour before a pack of medium run runners were dropped off at an industrial estate. As we chose the short run, we were dropped off at Manning Park which is a housing estate some 10 minutes later. In all, there were some 60 of us taking this run. The weather was hot and windy then. After a short briefing by its hare, we started the run at 2.15 pm by following the colourful ribbon on a track up a small hill. It hit the first simple check some 5 minutes later. A spread-out search resulted in us finding its connecting ribbon some 100 meters on the right of the back trail. From then on, it was another some 1 hour and 10 minutes walk cum jog with several other checks and false trails through the bushy bicycle tracks, across a railway track, 2 highways, an housing estate and Coogee Beach where some picnickers were seen enjoying their swim before arriving at Woodman Point Recreation Camp at 3.30 pm where a few medium run front runners and a light food cum refreshment stall were waiting. It was a leisure short run of some 6 km. I was its first runner to arrive. The last runners were back some 20 minutes later. We then enjoyed our light food and refreshment. It was followed by the hash circle which saw a number of sinners being on-downed. They included me who was singled out by a sexy harriette from Kenya for sin not known. Being a non-drinker for umpteen years, I had no choice but to pour the glass of cold beer on my head. It was so cooling and refreshing. What a great relief especially after a sweaty run with the hot temperature of 30 C!
It was a moonlit night. The party for the night was held at the main venue which was crowded with a bigger pack of hashers. More familiar faces were met. Among them were Dennis the Menace and Carol the Twin Towers from MH3, Stephen Kwek from Kuching Hash, Muru from Muar Hash and Poedji Widyakarsa Halim and Fanny Gunawan from Malang H3, Indonesia. Delicious Western buffet food was served with free-flowing beer. In attendance was the live band. It was then that we cast our votes for the Interhash 2010 bidders. The programme ended at around mid-night.
It was a fine and cooling Sunday which was the second and last day of our run. Looking forward anxiously for an enjoyable run, Orang Kaya Ngoh, Sweetie Pie, Killer Tony, Sexy Chan, GM Cocker, Websitekang and I arrived at the main venue early. Whilst there, we were joined by Dennis the Menace and Carol the Twin Towers. Unlike the previous day, the crowd was smaller then. For a change, we boarded the bus for Run C4 set by West Coast H3 at Chidlow which consisted of a long, medium and short runs. The journey took some one hour before a few long run runners were dropped off. Among them was energetic Dennis the Menace. The bus then continued its journey for another 10 minutes before arriving at Mt. Helena Aquatic Centre where the medium run runners were dropped off. Out of our earlier plan for the short run, Killer Tony, Sexy Chan, GM Cocker, Websitekang and I had reluctantly followed Sweetie Pie, Orang Kaya Ngoh and Carol the Twin Towers who opted for this medium run which was participated by some 50 runners after being chided by them as chicken. It was at 12.10 pm that we started the run by following the ribbon on a wide track into the Leschenaultia Forest Reserve. It then meandered left, right and centre through 4 simple checks and false trails for some 35 minutes before arriving at a water point where we took a short rest to enjoy our soft drinks. It then continued to zigzag left, right and centre through another 2 simple checks and a false trail for some 30 minutes before hitting the last complicated check at a T-junction. A spread-out search was conducted to no avail. It was only some 10 minutes later that its kind hare appeared and led us to its connecting ribbon. From then on, it was another 10 minutes jog through the cool and shady forest before arriving at the scenic Lake Leschenaultia where a big pack of long, medium and short run runners were enjoying their light food and drinks. It was a leisure, medium run of some 10 km on flat terrain and bicycle track. The last runners were back at around 2.00 pm. During its hash circle, jokes were cracked, funny shows were performed and a big number of sinners were put on ice and on-downed. Among them was GM Cocker who led an outstanding jovial show to the applause of the attendance. Well done and keep it up!
Like the previous day, the party for the night was held at the main venue. It was well attended by a huge pack of hashers. Delicious Western buffet food was served again with free-flowing drinks. It was then announced that Kuching had succeeded in securing The 17th Interhash 2010. Congratulations! As you know, Kuching or Cat City is situated in the State of Sarawak in East Malaysia with great run-sites, fine weather, good food, good drinks and friendly people. It was the host of The 10th Pan Asia Hash in 2005. It is the place where I started my hashing in 1972 with Kuching Hash which is the world’s third oldest hashing chapter founded in 1963 after the Mother Hash and Singapore Hash. The event will be held on 2nd, 3rd and 4th July, 2010 with the registration fees of RM 400/AUD 135/USD 130 up to 30th June, 2008. For more information, please log in its website www.borneointerhash2010.com. The event ended at around midnight after the grand display of firework. See you in Kuching! Meoow!
Judging from the above, it is undeniable that it was quite a well-organized Interhash which offered us good runs, good food, good drinks, good time and good fun. Thanks to its dedicated mismanagement committee for the job well done.
On! On!
Scribe: Drug Buster
Date: 09-04-2008
Date: 9th April, 2008.
