SEPTEMBER 6 2020
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RUN 950 PARTY! / BIG MOUNTAIN

Hares: Anagram, Bull Ant, Chippy, Secs
Hash Flashers: Chom Chom, Mr.T, Secs, Chippy
Ringmaster: Chom Chom
Report: Faulty Brakes

​Last weekend Vung Tau Hash celebrated its 950 Run with a party on Saturday night and the Sunday Run on Big Mountain. The Hash is the longest running club in Vung Tau beginning in 1992 and popular with expats and locals alike and with the provenance to back up its 28 years existence. The preparations for the party had commenced earlier on that  morning with the delivery of vital supplies of beer and soft drinks to 112 Tran Phu.

The evening began with hashers arriving at 6.00 pm and soon the banquet of delicious food arrived at the tables where 60 people enjoyed the feast. The entertainment started when Chom Chom was our host for the evening, Karaoke, Dancing was the order of day. Spot prizes were distributed to lucky hashers and a fantastic night was had by all.

Docker had prepared earlier some Fruit Punch and shots of Jameson Irish whisky was distributed among happy partygoers to celebrate the momentous occasion and  along with people from many parts of the planet including Norway, The Netherlands, Scotland, England, Ireland, Australia and our host nation Vietnam enjoyed a great evening.

Roll on the clock 16 hours and people started arriving at Tommy’s 3 for Sunday’s Hash on Nui Lon, and heading back to the previous night’s venue arriving on motorcycles and cars.

Taxis took over 40 hashers to Hem 444 to start today’s climb, past the battery of old guns and up to the mountain path, down 600 steps and back to base to finish off the perfect 950 weekend. The Down Down was highlighted with some very flexible Vietnamese ladies displaying yoga techniques that this writer could not even contemplate nowadays. Banh mi washed down with cold beer and soft drinks finished the day off.

The beer truck arrived later to return all the eskies to our home base at Tommy’s 3. Some continued there until the late hours of the evening sipping more beer and some continued in another establishment later.

The MMC pleads with everyone to register for all runs, home and away, otherwise we cannot plan for the catering on the day.

The old adage comes into play “a picture paints a thousand words” -  enjoy the pictures and Chom Choms video of last weekend. Again we remind you to sign up  for Sunday’s Run and finally a special ”thank you” to all who helped to make this evening special.

RUN 950 GALLERY

RUN 950

PARTY PICS

SEPTEMBER 6 2020
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MINH DAM / LONG HAI

Hares: Anagram, Bull Ant, Chippy, Secs, Mr. T
Hash Flashers: Chom Chom, Mr.T, Snowball, Secs
Ringmaster: Chom Chom
Report: Secs

This week is our first away trail in several weeks after the easing of restrictions due to Covid-19. An excited herd of Hashers bundled on to the Hashmobile and soon we are hurtling towards our destination, Minh Dam mountain near Long Hai. We disembark under a blistering hot sun and follow co-Hare Secs along a dusty path and enter the forest. We stop in a shady glade and once we are all assembled Secs delivers the Chalk Talk. He tells us that this trail is about 4.5km, will take us up the mountain through two temples with awesome views and back to the Minh Dam Base car park. An obligatory reminder to follow the red ribbons and it’s On-On.

We leave the forest and find ourselves on a rocky path, surrounded by long, lush green grass. The path ascends gently and we hobble over rocks with the daunting view of the majestic mountain ahead of us. The relentless sun beating down on us we stop regularly to rehydrate looking back at the silhouetted views of Vung Tau that emerge behind us.

Thankfully we soon leave the grassy exposed plain and are now under the shade of a jungle canopy where we find a dilapidated set of stone steps that will take us to the temple. Step by step we push ourselves up along the verdant path until we emerge at the first temple.

Cheerful locals greet us with beaming smiles and offer us icy cold spring water to replenish our supplies. We take a break and then head up to the viewpoint where cool breezes cool and dry us as we look out at the spectacular view of the vast glistening ocean below us. Refreshed, we leave by another path at the back of the temple that leads us back in to the jungle.

After a few wrong turns the meandering path takes us to temple number two where we clamber on to the massive boulders that offer a dramatic setting for our shutterbugs. Many, many selfies later we are on our way again following the relatively easy path back to carpark.

Back at the base our ‘beer monitors’ have been busy and we wolf down ice-cold beverages, roast chicken, banh mi and fruit. Beer and conversation flows, the rock box rocks and our Hash House Hoofers are Cha Cha Cha-ing and Rumba-ing. With the sun setting there is just enough time to take the group photo before we board the Hashmobile. After ringmaster Chom Chom delivers a ‘bus circle’ thanking the Hares and reminding everyone about the party on 12 September, the frivolity continues with singing and dancing all the way back to Vung Tau.

Satisfactorily tired after another enjoyable Sunday in the fresh air and countryside most of us drift off in to the night while the usual suspect continue to indulge in some more liquid refreshment at our favourite bar and Hash Home Tommy’s Restaurant and Bar

RUN 949 GALLERY

AUGUST 30 2020
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BIG MOUNTAIN

Hares: Anagram, Bull Ant, Secs
Hash Flashers: Chom Chom, Mr.T, Snowball, Secs
Ringmaster: Chom Chom
Report: Secs

This week took us to the magnificent Cambodian temple on Big Mountain. After registration at Tommy’s we headed to one of our favourite down-down spots - the swimming pool at Hem 112 Tran Phu. From there we bundled into a convoy of taxis that would take us to the starting point on the other side of the mountain near 750 Tran Phu. Once everyone had assembled our Hare, Secs, gave us an overview of the trail. We’ll go up a narrow Hem climbing the steps past the many temples until we reach nearly the top where red ribbons will indicate a right turn in the bush. Follow the ribbons until we see the steps up to the Cambodian temple. Once at the temple look for more ribbons that will guide us out of the temple through the bush until we get to Ho May Park Road - from there simply cross the road and follow the ribbons to familiar 600 steps that lead down to the Chinese temple and then its a right turn into Hem 112 and back to the swimming pool.

So on-on we go up the picturesque Hem flanked by ornate temples, under the hot sun stopping only to look back at the amazing views of Vung Tau. By the time we reached the turn off into the bush many of us were sweating and out of breath. We trudged forward until out of nowhere we were confronted with the imposing and elaborate Khymer style staircase decorated with intricate Buddhist statues and Hindu iconography. We climbed the many steps until we were in the serene grounds of the temple itself. There our Hash House Yoginis treated us to an Apsara like performance to everyone’s amazement. After the show we followed the red ribbons through the back of the temple in to the lush green jungle where a well trodden path led to Ho May Park road and on to the steps down the other side of the mountain. With legs trembling we finally made it down and then finally pushed up the steep hill back to the resort.

Back at the swimming pool ice cold soft drinks and delicious beer were waiting for us to slake our thirst. Soon our Hash Helpers were preparing succulent roast pork, Banh Mi, salad and fruit. After some convivial conversation with our companions we are treated to yet another yogic performance of synchronised superhuman feats of flexibility by the Yoginis. 

We took the group photo and then taking the reins for the first time as Ringmaster, our very own Mr. Affable, Chummy Chom Chom called us together for his inaugural Circle. He introduced our Hares, Anagram, Bull And and Secs who received full marks from our happy Hashers. Next up was the Virgins, this week we had several newbies hailing from Vung Tau, Ba Ria, HCM and China - and, after a false start, we welcomed them with the ‘We are Vung Tau Hashers” song. Then it was time for our returnees to give us their excuses as to why they’d been away. Pinkie and her husband had been busy with the children and travelling and two of the Yoginis had simply been ‘busy’. It was a great first time Circle - thanks Chom Chom we look forward to many more to come!

We ended the circle with a reminder to all Hasher that they need to register on the website before coming on the Hash so that we know how much supplies we need to buy and transportation to arrange. 

And so endeth yet another great Hash - until next week…...on-on

RUN 948 GALLERY

AUGUST 23 2020
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SMALL MOUNTAIN

Hares: Chom Chom, Bull Ant, Chippy, Secs
Hash Flashers: Chom Chom, Mr.T, Snowball, Secs
Ringmaster: NA
Report: Secs

 ​This week, after usual registration procedures at Tommy’s Bar and Restaurant, we jumped on to motorbikes, hopped in to cars and headed to Small Mountain where we were to meet at a Coffee shop near the lighthouse. After navigating a busy and congested Hai Dang road we arrived at the quaint coffee shop. All hands on deck as eskies and provisions were unloaded and set aside for later. The Selfie Gang were already in full swing posing for photos in the picturesque setting.

We gathered round co-Hare Secs as he explained that this week the trail would be a relatively easy trail - especially compared to last week. We were to turn right from the coffee shop and take the next left which was a bit of a detour to take a look at abandoned French battery and its views across the bay to Big Mountain. After that, double back and head down the road until we see the red ribbons indicating that we are to head in the jungle and follow the ribbons until we emerge onto the army road that connects the two bases on Small Mountain. From there simply follow the road until more red ribbons indicate a left turn back in to the jungle where some old steps will lead us back up to Hai Dang road emerging at the famous Yogurt shop opposite where we started.

So On-On we go in good spirits enjoying the sunny, breezy weather and as promised it is a pretty easy walk. Plenty of opportunities for fun filled photos including the quirky Hai Dang cafe complete with old style barbers chair perched on the side of the mountain, a quick detour to the other French battery where some of us were witness to a clandestine cockfight, and some artistic graffiti provided the perfect backdrop for the selfie obsessed.

Back at the coffee shop Bahn Mi, fresh fruit and other treats are washed down with ice-cold beer and soft drinks. The Hash House Rock Box is soon blasting cool tunes as our resident Hash House Hoofers shake a leg. Just enough time for the group photo before we pack up and head off in to the night.

RUN 947 GALLERY