Strawberry and Virgin is a young and lovely couple who had just been introduced to hashing with MH3 a few months ago. Since then, they have been bitten by the hashing bug and started running regularly with a few crazy hashing chapters in Malacca with no turning back. They are known energetic front runners. Came last Tuesday which was their virgin run on rotation as well as first run of the year 2007, every one of us was looking forward for it anxiously. As such, a big turnout was expected.
Kampong Paya Tanjong, Umbai was an unfamiliar hashing run-site prior to this run. It is situated some 18 km south of Malacca city. A generally flat terrain with a few mild slopes and drains, it is covered with oil palm, rubber and fruit plantations with serene atmosphere and fresh air. Congested parking space aside, it is quite an ideal run-site for hashing.
It was a lovely sunny day. Engaged in a last minute appointment, my partner and I arrived at the run-site late when the warm-up exercise was about to start. Parking at the congested run-site were a fairly big number of cars belonging to, to name a few, GM Cocker, Dr. Pandirajah, Website Kang, Sharpshooter Robert, Viagraman Simon, Peter Looi, Killer Tony, Hawaii Goh, Strawberry, Wendy, Dr. Tan and Bombastic. Some 20 odd hashers were seen gathering around preparing for the run.
It was at 6.05 pm when I started the run alone after taking some time to park my car at the congested run-site. By then, the pack had already left the run-site after having their warm-up exercise. The paper led south on a tarred road into an oil palm plantation. It was a few minutes later that I overtook a few back runners including Website Kang and Oil Rig Lim who were having their leisure stroll. Some 400 meters away, the paper turned left into a muddy path across a stretch of open land. It then re-entered into another rubber and oil palm plantations for some 10 minutes before hitting the first simple check which was found by the front runners. It was there that I met front runners Holly Leong, Capt. Tey, Hawaii Goh, Nancy, Kiasu Lee, Camel Lok and a shirtless energetic guest runner.
The paper proceeded right on a path between a rubber and an oil palm plantations for the next 10 minutes before hitting the second simple check which was found and joined by the front runners. It was there that I met front runner Dr. Pandirajah who was following the connecting paper found by the other front runners. We then followed the paper through another oil palm and a fruit plantations for the next 15 minutes before hitting the third simple check at a cross junction. On the way, we were joined by late starter Ranger and overtook shirtless James Bond who ran as a guest.
The paper then headed straight into an oil palm plantation beside an oil palm storage building, across a deep ditch, passing near a football field adjacent to the Umbai-Bemban Road where some youngsters were seen playing football and meandering through another matured oil palm plantation for some 20 minutes before arriving at an open young oil palm plantation where the fourth and last complicated check appeared. By then I was left running alone. It took me some 5 minutes running around in circle before locating its connecting paper some 200 meters on the right which led to the home trail. It was another long stretch of windy run through the oil palm plantation and across 3 farm houses before hitting the Kampong Paya Tanjong main road some 15 minutes later. On the way, I overtook another shirtless front guest runner who was running at his own pace. While running on the tarred road toward the run-site on the right which is some 1 km away, I met Wendy who horned at me while driving from the opposite direction. Apparently she was telling me not to stop but continue running back to the run-site which is nearby.
It was at 7.30 pm when I arrived back at the run-site where a small pack of front and non runners were gathering around the beer wagon. I was told that I was the third runner to arrive back after energetic Ranger and Dr. Pandirajah who had returned 5 minutes earlier. More runners trickled in as time passed by. Among them were James Bond, Capt. Tey, 2 shirtless guest runners, Tongkat Ali, Pecker, Hawaii Goh, Nancy, Holly Leong, Sweetie Pie, Ngoh Kim Siah and Kiasu Lee. The last runners who emerged at 8.15 pm when the sky was dark were Oil Rig Lim, Website Kang, an Aussie guest, Christ from Brisbane and late starter Vibrator.
It was an unusual long run of some 12 km laid by the hares with the assistance of 4 co-hares led by Killer Tony who is well known for laying long and tough runs without reccee which make our balls shrink. However, it did not deter the ardent hashers from taking the challenge which made them exert more energy and sweat more.
Hash circle was conducted by GM Cocker. As usual, the hares and a good number of sinners were put on ice and on-downed.
On-On was held at Mid Ocean Restaurant in Melaka Raya. It was well-attended with 4 tables. For a change, a delicious 3-course Thai tomyam steam boat dinner was served. Another on-downed session for the hares, co-hares and sinners was held. The dinner was on the hares. The pack had only begun to disperse at 10.30 pm after a memorable night. Thank you, hares! Happy New Year!
On! On!
Scribe: Drug Buster
Date: 4th January, 2007
by websitekang- home