HASHING AROUND THAILAND - 2002 This was my third trip to Thailand, for the Mekong Indochina Interhash 2002. ******************** Talk about your great hash weekends, the Chiang Mai Hashes put on such a great weekend of fun. I flew in via Bangkok, and caught a domestic flight up on a 777, which had a good number of hashers aboard. I happened to sit next to Sister Michael of the Sofia HHH. We had a great conversation discussing hashing around the globe, and decided to meet at the HHH pub and sing a few songs that evening. So that is what we did. While there, we ran into Haggisimo (for those of you at Interhash in Goa, you will recall our good friend Haggi was booked for a flight to GOA, not Goa, India. GOA is the designation for Genoa, Italy. (the designation for Goa, India is GOI). That was worth a laugh at old Haggi's expense, but he made up for it during this weekend. Anyway, we sat around singing songs for an hour or two, then pissed off for the evening and prepared for the events of Friday. Friday started with Thinking Drinking H3 trail. We boarded the busses and headed off with a police escort on an hour and a half bus ride on the outskirts of the city. It was a mere 98 degrees F, but the countryside was just gorgeous. After a short hare brief, we were off on a 90 minute trail of three sections, broken up by 2 water checks. The first one came in at about 40 minutes, and I was so heated by then, that I thought I might have to drag my sorry ass onto the bus . . . But I endured and went on for the rest of the trail. We covered many a rice paddy, irrigation ditch, wooden plank, dirt road, dirt trail, and grassy open area, finally finishing up on a mile long damn along a reservoir overlooking the lake on one side, and a beautiful valley on the other. A nice breeze cooled us off as we drank many a beer and nibbled on Thai cuisine. A nice grey shirt was passed out during the down downs, and we made the bus trip back to town singing hash songs and laughing our toooooookussssesss off. Arriving at the registration locale for the Mekong Indochina hash, a rabid pack stormed the sign in desk and mass hysteria ensued. I did receive an excellent goodie bag that contained a polo shirt, T-shirt, plastic mug, stickers, condoms, and various other assorted items. Saturday saw a half in the bag pack gather at the Empress hotel, but was kicked out of the lobby as the Prince of Thailand was inbound for lunch. So there we are, several hundred hashers wallowing around the parking lot in the near 100 degree F heat. Finally, we board the bus and head off for the Ball Buster trail. Just 75 minutes away by bus, we dumped out on the side of the road and got completely different trail directions as the day before. Today's Bad Trail mark was the same as yesterday's intersection. I only screwed this up once, but that was enough to get me behind the pack by a good 10 minutes. Fortunately, a check or two later I had mingled back in and was surrounded by hashers again. After a long long up hill section, we finally headed down down down. The first water check was at the 2 hour mark, about 30 minutes shy of the finish. We were very dried out by that point, and easily made our way in to the finish. An excellent circle followed as all three trails (BB, Medium, and short) ended at the same resort area. Excuse me at this point, I am sitting here mixing up all three days of straight hash trails, down downs, and after parties. Anyway, after a whole lot of fun, we scurried back to our hotels to clean up and gather at the Rydges hotel, where we were greeted by a huge room of delicious food, drink, and a live band. The entertainment started off with a local high school band that played many a John Philip Sousa marching song, and it was most excellent. I noticed a tear or two in the crowd as some of the sentimental favorites played. After that, it was rockin' Thailand as we danced to the beat. At an all to early hour I was forced to hit the sack . . . To much heat, to many miles over the previous two days, but I had such a great time. Sunday had us gathering once again at the Empress hotel, to board the busses for a selection of either Long or Short trail. I was wavering back and forth, but finally decided I better go short . . . But could not stand to bear missing out, and ended up going long. This trail was excellent for an hour and a half, running through several shaded jungle areas, stream crossings, and hiking trails. Then, after the water check, it was open sunny and damn hot running for another 35 minutes into the end. Again at a lovely resort area, where beer flowed freely into the night. The hares brought out about 10 big blocks of ice, and many a splash was served up for numerous infractions. After all that, this is where the Sumo story comes in. Sister Michael asked for a Sumo HHH sarong, so now we were dress similar . . . And old Haggisimo decided that a match needed to take place. Let me set the stage, I am 5' 6", and weight about 150 lbs. Sister Michael is 6" 9", and weighs about 500 lbs. Who is going to win this battle, after I got knocked out of the ring of ice blocks in about .3 seconds, I scurried back in for a rematch, where I turned him sideways and kicked him right in the ass . . So, I sure kicked his ass after all. Then we tussled around in mock sumo style, and ended up ballroom dancing to finish it off. What an excellent time. (OK, so maybe Sister Michael and were not that big and small, but it makes for a better story). A most excellent weekend, well run hash by the whole Chiang Mai HHH crew. Rumor has it that they may bid for Interhash 2006, and me thinks they can pull it off. It will be a close call between Edmonton and Thailand. Anything contrary to what I wrote above may be completely true, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. On-On, |