Venue : Hulu Tamu Hot Springs
Hare : Nadia Mohd Noor
Co-Hares : Rambo & gang
It was a mighty hot day at the hot springs. A large turn out congregated at the run site very soon before the start. The heroine of the previous week’s run, Catherine was honored and virgins were called up with strict instructions to stay on the RIGHT PAPER!! Besides, the consultant being Rambo, no one in their right minds need go for anything longer!!!
The run started across the road and up the first hill which took us to the cow-dung/bamboo trail. From there, it was down, down to the rubber plantation, then up again through the thorny fern bushes which our hares had kindly bashed for us, and thence, down to a shady and gently running stream. The next hilly stretch was a strenuous climb and a check was called here. Waiting for the On call provided a respite before the trail was found down the hill and back to a connected stream. More river bashing and one very muddy stretch later, we emerged to another plantation. Lots of scream and shrieks abounded as the ladies pulled themselves up with difficulty.
Any hopes of a trail home was dashed when we clambered down the hill and reached a steep hill slope down. At this point, my mind blurs and while I know there was another river, hill, durian orchard, it’s hard to keep track but let it be on record that there was a good mixture and just enough hills not to ‘kill’. Kudos to the little 9 year old girl who completed the whole run with not sign of exhaustion or complaint.
The hares was anxiously awaiting the return of the prodigals AND presumably taking attendance. Of particular note was our faithful Emilia who usually does the sweeping, but she too came in in good time. The Lost soul ? Guiness ‘walk on his own’ Khoo. With no sign of him when the circle started, Gail, Rachel and Marlies were punished for the littering the run-site at the last run with unmentionables (either justly or not, but who cares!!), Sam for making ungentlemanly remarks, and a host of others who didn’t mind being made fools off if only for the fun of the evening.
With the circle over, it was off to the on down before one could say Bob’s your uncle, at the old Lucky Like restaurant, the tau ke niuh being Rambo’s kaki. Six tables plus half gathered, Timothy volunteered to stay to wait for the recalcitrant Guinness with Jimmy, Emilia plus others who wanted to finish the beer at the run site. The dinner was sumptuous, enjoyed the fish slices and black sauce chicken in claypot., which came up to a very reasonable RM 12 each for the whole course!!
The highlight of the evening was the on down with Dave holding fort. The virgins were a trio of ladies from various parts of SEA and two other unsuspecting souls; guests included a Russie named Louder from Hazards with a fine rendition of a Russian ditty, and Paul Smith’s older sibling and wife. It’s customary to honour a birthday and Gail’s was no exception as she was presented with a cake in the form of flour and egg on her head!! Anyone else want to celebrate their birthday, hash style?
Guinness and his ‘rescue party’ finally arrived but not before the hare and her co-hares were downed with egg nog for being at the on down while the ‘lost soul’ was still ‘lost’ despite Rambo’s convictions that it made sense to start the search on a full stomach and not go in too early as he/she could well be on the way out already!!! Guinness was given a chance to have his say, proclaiming that he was NOT rescued at all and pulling in Paul Smith and his ‘St Georges’ day t-shirt as the cause for his being at the run at all!! A few more were downed for various sins, all too nonsensical to remember.
And the run judging? First runner in purportedly 1 hr 35 mins, JM Jimmy proclaimed an On down, but unanimously outvoted and deemed worthy of a T-shirt by members present. Well Done hares!!