24 NOVEMBER 2019
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MINH DAM - LONG HAI

Hares: Flying Finn, Slipper, Sandals, Kalle
Hash Flashers: Murph Diver
Ringmaster: Sweeper
Report: Secs

This week begins, as always, at Uno Coffee with the usual organisation of volunteers getting their pre-run warm up. A steady procession of Helpful Hashers happily hopped up the two flights of stairs to the new Hash storeroom and lugged the many supplies required for each Run back down again: 6 eskies, cartons of Sagota Green and Light, crates of Sagota Pure, a myriad of soft drinks including our new favourite hydrator 100Plus, were all safely transported to the staging area. Our volunteers then ensconced our beloved Sagota in the eskies, swaddled it with ice and humped it on to the Hashmobile. 

Thanks to Sagota and our Helpful Hashers - we couldn’t do it without you.

Meanwhile, our resident registrar and bean counter, the Charming Cleaver, received this week’s Hashers and their nominal run fees. We had 66 Hashers register online and 51 Hashers, 13 Hash House Horrors, 2 Hares and a dog turn up. 

With the Hashmobile now fully loaded to capacity we set off for this week’s run on Minh Dam mountains. This week’s trail is the follow up to last week’s killer trail set by the esteemed Finnish warren of Hares; Flying Finn, Slipper, Sandals, Kalle. It was promised to be an easier trail but when we found ourselves disembarking at sea level and and looking up at the massive, verdant mountain jutting into the crystalline sky - we realise that this ain’t gonna be easy.

We gather round lead Hare, Flying Finn, for the chalk-talk, he explains that this is a 3.5km trail, all jungle for the first half and it will be easy going after that. 

So on-on, as we go, and as promised we are in the jungle after just 5 mins of walking. It’s a steep ascent. Hopping over many rocky steps, ducking under bamboo, and fending off vicious vegetation intent on wounding us with barbaric barbs, we soldier on(on). Just when it seemed like we’d never get to the top, from out of nowhere, it all seemed worth it.

Suddenly we had emerged from the jungle canopy to be confronted by a glistening monolith rising in to the clear sky. There are some brick steps that lead to a plateau, we climb the steps and then, gasps of “Oh my God!”. A jaw dropping view of Long Hai’s mountainous coastline projects itself against an azure backdrop.

And so photos time. Many photos. Many, many photos. So many photos.....

After a photo shoot that would have put an episode of Vietnam’s Next Top Model to shame, we continue on and begin our descent. Pleased that Flying Finn was true to his always trustworthy words, the next part of the trail was well trodden. With gravity now on our side it was a relatively easy walk back to Minh Dam car park where the ice-cold Sagota Beer, soft-drinks, Banh Mi, and fruit are waiting for us.

Conviviality ensues as we slake our thirst and sate our hunger. 

Circle Time! Taking the helm as Ringmaster this week we welcome back Sweeper.  First up are Flying Finn and Sandals representing the Hares, the trail is rated by various Hashers and the overwhelming consensus is a big thumbs up with a completely arbitrary score of >10 out of 10.

5 Virgins this week hailing from Australia, Norway and Vietnam - all of whom expressed that while it was tough going it was rewarding, sociable and worthwhile. Lucky from Norway proceeds to the tale of how he broke his sunglasses fighting off marauding monkeys and rampaging elephants on the trail. Calling bullshit, Sweeper dismisses our Virgins and calls upon any returnees.

This week we have the Hollywood blockbuster movie, Batman and Jellyfish Return. Batman returns having completed his studies in HCMC and his filial sidekick, Jellyfish returns from her studies in Singapore. Welcome back, studious superheros.

Next up is the Sinners! Lucky is immediately called by Ringmaster Sweeper for the heinous crime of telling the very tall storey of how he came to break his sunglasses. The Tube of Doom and the Chalice of Shame are positioned on his drinking arm and a bewildered Lucky wrestles with the mathematics of getting the beer in the Chalice into his mouth. He figures it out and is rewarded with the inevitable Sagota shower. 

Frivolities over, there is just time to mention the up-coming Christmas party at Long Hai on the 7-8 December - don’t forget to register. 

Our volunteers regroup to load up the Hashmobile and we begin the journey back to Vung Tau. Accompanied by an eskie full of Sagota Beer and a rock box, it doesn’t feel like long before we are back at Uno Coffee and for the final time today our volunteers lug the much lighter crates and eskies back up to the storeroom.

RUN 915 PHOTO GALLERY - MURPH DIVER

17 NOVEMBER 2019
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MINH DAM - LONG HAI

Hares: Flying Finn, Slipper, Sandals, Kalle
Hash Flashers: Murph Diver
Report: Faulty Brakes

​With the previous week’s canceled trail now behind us it was now time to return to this week’s Pekker and his Finnish brotherhood’s torturous trail in Minh Dam to shake the cobwebs off any complacency that may have settled in during the week. The previous Tuesday a Finnish  quartet had headed to Ba Ria to mark 2 trails for Sunday’s 915 hash. This was a new trail in VTH3 ‘s log book not too dissimilar from the recent TV trail which approaches the look out on the mountain top. This trail would have been approved by the Marquis de Sade with the trek from ground level to to summit through bush and thicket. A 70 degrees ascent through poisoned ivy, ants’ nests, thorns etc, a challenge “Bear Grylls” would have been proud to master.

Next week’s trail Pekker assures me will be easier, it’s with steps (Jesus wept) please don’t take this as serious, Pekker and Slipper are an integral part of VTH3’s trail setting team and for their time spent in Vung Tau they provide us with wonderful trails when the mismanagement team are not available. Similar appreciation is extended with all those who help to load and unload the eskies with beer and softies and return them to the store at Uno Cafe when the Hash is finished. A special thank you this week to Mr Ngon and Samson for their assistance in guiding 2 hiberno ageing men through this trail.

The now ever popular chilled Sagota Pure in bottles was massacred along with copious quantities of Banh Mi and thirst quenching soft drinks at a laid back Down Down. There was a ‘one minute silence’ on behalf of our much loved hasher Tom “Fluffer” Mulvenna on this somber occasion. We shall return next week to the normal frivolities of the circle.

Next Sunday we return to Minh Dam for another Finnish inspired trail, please register before 12.00 Saturday and the bus will return DIRECTLY to Uno to unload all the Hash equipment and empties into our store. On On.

RUN 915 PHOTO GALLERY - MURPH DIVER

3 NOVEMBER 2019
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LONG SON ISLAND

Hares: Mr. T, Zidane
Hash Flashers: Kojak
Ringmaster: ​Boozer
Report: Fluffer

Loaded with Banh Mi and liquids, unto the bus we go with only two deckchairs required and off we head on the relatively short jaunt to Long Son Island.

On the way we give thanks to the NRL session being over, meaning the Hares had been out on a hot and sweaty Saturday and set a well-marked trail which Mr T takes us through with the Tale of the Chalk (??) though warning it’s a long one.

“On on” is called and the very Junior Lieutenants take off at a sprint, as usual, to set the pace followed by the rest as we hit the 1st of the Rockies – The Rocky Path will is a nice gradual incline to get the blood pumping in the cool weather.

Soon we hit the jungle and the air disappears within 10m raising the temperature as we hit the 1st proper climb in a meandering route which really works the old and young legs. We were promised a “down section” before the final climb and most were looking forward to this though there was a catch!!

Soon into the downward slope we veer to the right, begin a circular route and it becomes obvious the Hares had sniffed out a section with a selection of Bamboo Tunnels of Love. Now personally, it has been many a year since I have done squat walk training and hope it is many a year before I do another 15 minutes of this and an unnamed source from the Scandinavian sector was heard to request more machete work next time!!

This torture ended, with many a thigh burning, we hit the 2nd of the Rockies – the Rocky Hill which was a good tough climb and took its toll of many a Hasher with breaks required. Up, up we go and reach the pinnacle with the lungs heaving and enjoy a nice saunter down to the café for the Down Down. 

The eskies are opened, the music was blaring, the drinks are flowing and it doesn’t take long for the full posse to assemble (showing what a good balanced trial it was) so the Banh Mi’s are soon polished off. Thirst and bellies sated, the photo is taken and the Ring is called.
Votes are cast with reference to the sole Pommie of the day and their humiliation at the hands of the Springboks in the Rugby World Cup Final – ah well, 4 years will pass quickly……..the final score for the trail is 11/10

This week we had 2 Virgins: Peter from Canada and Tati from Moscow who was awarded the hard sleeve thing and amused the gang by proceeding to through her beer on Boozer. Twenty-Three  is the only sinner for the heinous crime of new shoes. Songs were sung, beer was quaffed and soon we began to pack up the bus.

The Beer Bosun had done such a great job is QS there was a full case for the journey home and soon we were back at Café Uno once again.
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Thanks again to our hosts and sponsors.

RUN 914 PHOTO GALLERY - KOJAK