Scribe For Full Moon Hash Run 77
Scribe by Drug Buster
on 12th November, 2008 at Gangsa.
Date: 18th November, 2008
Rehashed Run No: 77; Hare/Occasion: The Indian Connection/Deepavali Run; Date: 12th November, 2008; Venue: Gangsa.
Deepavali is a grand Indian festival. It is celebrated yearly by its community worldwide. And it is of no exception to the Indian members of Malacca Full Moon Hash who used to celebrate it by conducting a run without fail since its inception in 2002. As such, every ‘fullmooner’ was looking forward anxiously for it this year.
Come last Wednesday it was its Deepavali run for the year 2008. As such and as expected, it had attracted quite a big turnout at the familiar and popular run-site of Gangsa which is situated some 13 km east of the Malacca city along the Durian Tunggal Road.
As usual, as retiree who instead of banging balls at home, my partner and I arrived at the run-site early looking forward for a good sweat-out. Not surprisingly, only GM Bombastic’s luxurious Mercedes Benz No. MAG 1 was seen there. Understandably, he must have left early to set a comfortable running trail for us to enjoy. Very soon we were being joined by the ever-industrious On Sec. Kennies.
It was a cloudy afternoon. As usual, as oldies and slow runners who did not want to be left behind and get lost, my partner and I started the run as early birds at 5.15 pm instead of the scheduled time of 6.00 pm by following the paper south-west into an oil palm plantation after getting the nod from On Sec. Kennies. After meandering southward on clear trail, across a drain and eastward for some 20 minutes, it hit the first simple check at a cross junction. A spread-out search led to my partner finding its connecting paper some 100 metres away on the left of the back trail a short while later. As usual, as early birds, we did not join the paper.
The paper then proceeded southward on laterite road for some 15 minutes before hitting the second simple check at another cross junction. Another spread-out search led to me finding its connecting paper some 100 metres away on a broad laterite road another short while later.
The paper continued to proceed southward for a short distance, turned left eastward across a wooden bridge for another short distance before turning right southward for another some 15 minutes where it hit the third and last tougher check at another cross junction after crossing a huge and long water pipe. Another spread-out search led to me finding its connecting paper some 200 metres northward on the home trail. It was then that it started to drizzle which caused the paper to get wet and not easily noticeable. From then on, it was another some 30 minutes trudge on the wide laterite road and across a housing estate before arriving back at the run-site where the hares GM Bombastic and Raju were enjoying their drink near the beer wagon. The time then was 6.45 pm when then sky was still bright.
It was a medium run of some 7 km attended by some 30 runners who included a guest. As time passed by, more runners trickled in. They included Govind, Kennies, Ederjit Kaur, Benard, Helen, Philo, Garfield, Dr. Doshi and Andrew. Surprisingly when the hash circle was on at around 7.30 pm when the sky was dark, there was still no sight of Dr. Dave and Pramjit Singh. Of course it caused the latter’s other half, Ederjit Kaur, to look worried. However, it did not affect the rest of us as we know that both of them are known devoted hashers with umpteen years of hashing experience who were unlikely to get lost. That let to the continuation of our hash circle. It was only when it ended at around 8.00 pm when there was still no sight of them that we began to conduct a spread-out search with cars and motorcycle. And it was at 8.50 pm that we saw them walking leisurely back to the run-site from the Batu Berendam – Durian Tunggal Road with smiling face. Apparently they followed the wrong trail towards the Ayer Keroh – Sungai Udang Highway at the third check and took a big circle back to the run-site by following the said Highway and Road which were bright with street lights which is the best choice as they did not carry torch light. It then reminded me of an incident in the mid 1990s at the same run-site where harrier Uncle Fang and 2 harriettes of Malacca Hash House Harriers got lost and only exited at 7.00 am the following day by themselves after a failed thorough search had been conducted with the help of Police Dog Unit. It is believed that this run-site is haunted as we were later told that they could hear our voice but could not find their way out after walking around in circle a few times. As such, they had no alternative but to spend the night in the oil palm plantation in the company of mosquitoes without food and drink. What a pity! Of course most harriers would not mind it especially in the company of 2 harriettes! Ask Bombastic, Vibrator, Kennies, Benard and Daniel, and they would agree with me totally. Ha, Ha, Ha!
On On was held at the nearby ever-popular Banana Leave Restaurant in Batu Berendam. Varieties of delicious Indian food such as roti canai, touseh, rice, fried chicken, mutton curry and pickled cucumber were served with free-flowing beer and tehtarik. It was followed by another on-downed session for the Indian Connection and the sinners. The food and drinks were on the Indian Connection.
It was an enjoyable Deepavali Run with good food and fun. The crowd had only started to disperse at around 10.30 pm with full tummy and smiling face. Thanks and Happy Deepavali!
On! On!
Scribe: Drug Buster
Date: 18th November, 2008.