Run No. 132 - 18th June 2005 - Report
The Mombasa Hashers under their brand name “SWANK” are a resilient lot; rising like the Phoenix from her ashes every time their very existence is threatened.
After a few months of even fewer hashers keeping up the pace, the acting Grandmaster Eric “mouth”, decided to give the life saving shot in the form of the grandest trail he has set in recent months. The venue: none other than the grandeur of the sprawling countryside off Nguu Tatu. His co- hares were Sonal, a scientist, back home, and her mother Usha Patel, of the cuckoo’s voice.
Setting out from the water tanks that lubricate the lives of Mombasaiites, a respectable pack of a double dozen, which included the new, the old and the beautiful, coming from all walks of life, tried to tackle the beauty of the run and the verdant hills. The young front runners, a species that is suddenly reviving, did well with eyes and ears open learning to track and trace - or check back, after leading up the false trails which were many. Not to forget the Hash lingo, with its own spice and flavour.
After traversing the first mini mount, passing through a nameless village, another obstacle posed no threat at all. Climbing up this second promontory was not difficult; but getting down was. Nearly every one gave up the fight against gravity and preferred to slide down the slope on pebbly gravel greased by the recent rains. Once on steady firm ground, the pack ran on to reach the perpetual mud flats free of the tide that went for a rest some place else, but nevertheless still treacherous enough to deter fast running- or any running for that matter. Plodding was the action of the day!!!
Climbing up back to the terra firma, the Hashers re-visited their own Mt Lenana and once again had the honour of sighting the magnificent golden sunset that Mombasa is famous for across rolling hills and the sea peeping up from all directions like scattered pieces of silver. The breath taking beauty of the finishing lap, with tired feet and soaring hearts led every one to the drinking hole, where the thirsts were quenched with the inevitable down-downs.
The Grandmaster Trevor Fellows, in all his majesty is back from Bangladesh to take over his realm and dispense the Hash wisdom acquired from the cradle of Hash civilization - the Far East. Everyone is looking forward to it G.M. on the forth coming run!!!