VTH3 #843

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24th June 2018
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Big Mountain - "The On and On and Up and Up Trail!"

Hares: Mr. T, Secs
Hash Flashers:  Secs, Radiowave
Ringmaster: Boozer
Report: Chom Chom

​On On to yet another hot, humid and damn right humiliating Sunday afternoon! This week a local trail exploring a few new and more familiar areas on Big Mountain was set by our tireless hares Secs and Mr T.
For a local trail in such heat, a very impressive and somewhat surprising 45 Hashers assembled at our home base of Hon Ru Ri. After the important business had been completed (doing the registration) Mr T assembled us and we started the trail progressing to Tran Phu and making an initial left turn. Shortly after we were hindered once again and were informed of the trail in more details with a left turn here, a few more steps, turn right, jump over the stream, up some more steps, stop for some selfies, blah blah blah. All rather boring and no doubt we were hoping that the red tape would suffice.
We carried along Tran Phu further and finally started our incline by turning right at Hem 12 and progressing up to the Princess Spa. Quite a pleasant start, but this was soon to change with another right turn with some steeper steps. The heat pounding down, some of us are starting to struggle already! We passed a few houses and greeted the community, trying to show love to the obligatory mutts each home has to have – hasn’t ADT with their alarms arrived in Vietnam?
The trail flattened at this point and whilst it was still hot and the wind was as non-existent as a virgin in Vung Tau it was one of the more pleasant parts. This soon was to change thanks to poorly placed red tape! A set of steep stairs veered to the right, it looked dark, dingy and depressing. Who, who, who thought it would be a good idea to place red tape right on this junction. The keener hashers decided this had to be the route forward and started the climb up the treacherous stairs of death… But where to go at the top? No more red tape? Soon it was announced we had made a wrong turn so we returned to the initial path somewhat infuriated – or maybe that was just me.
Shortly after we did take a successful right turn and entered the jungle area and started to climb further up the mountain. As we cut our way through the dense, suffocating undergrowth, fighting the intense heat and the very air which hung heavy, moist and still. The dead trees, the empty bottles of water and other general waste which reminded of us of the beauty – was that a used condom hanging from the tree? The attacks from general bush creatures, killer ants, leeches, snakes and those mosquito things desperately looking for a good feed made this Sunday afternoon so worthwhile.
We then approached a more familiar area and wandered around the mountain along the waterfall trail. It seemed so much further this time and whilst we were honoured to have brief  shady parts it still proved tiresome for some. As we hit the final stages and being familiar with this part of the trail we were confident it was almost over. But NO…. Mr T was waiting near the top guiding us to turn left and progress further up the mountain. At this stage enough was enough for one day and a few of us, decided to make our way to the down-down via an alternative, easier, quicker route via the steps from Vi Ba.
We had our Down-Down at the Bia Tuoi on Le Loi Street with almost unlimited supply of freshly brewed beer and soft drinks, together with a few tasty food plates. The photo was taken and our slightly slack Ringmaster gave a small speech – no circle this week due to the Down Down venue.
Thanks to Super Teen for her Russian Bread and Port. Thanks also to Boozer for his taxi xe-om service picking the more tired hashers up.

Another great Sunday of Hashing. On On to next week…

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VTH3 #843 PHOTO GALLERY