VTH3 Run Reports

VTH3 run #592

1/9/2013

SUNDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2013
Big Mountain – walking & climbing trails

Phewee – what a day! Some 38 Hashers including 8 brothers and sisters from SH3 (Saigon) headed out of Offshore Bar 1 in bright sunshine to enjoy a “nature trail” on Big Mountain – so-called because most of the familiar red ribbon markers had mysteriously disappeared!

Turn right at SOS, then left at Hem 89, then a trail briefing on Vi Ba just past the pagoda. The
walkers continued straight up the road used by locals for daily exercise, then relaxed at the drinks stop just before the Army camp gates and broken road to the summit.

The climbers took a hard right just after the pagoda and went straight up the side of Big Mountain until the famous “crossroads”, where they turned left for an interesting trek around the mountainside until the track reached the broken road near the summit. Some then headed down to the drinks stop, while others continued on up to the summit.

Splendid views of other Big Mountain peaks as well as Front Beach and Small Mountain kept the photographers busy on both trails.

Suitably refreshed from the drinks stop, some of the walkers opted to head towards the summit and do the climbing trail in reverse – rather than taking the easy way back down the mountain!

The Down Down was held at the Offshore Hotel – a very pleasant and comfortable area compared to some of the roadside stops we usually make!

Katoyboy (SH3) was invited to make the run report – which included points for pigs, monkeys and drinks stops but got a bit confusing after that, so 27 points were added for “degree of difficulty” and Hare Falcon duly downed his “free drink” reward!

Our SH3 visitors were called into the Circle and welcomed with “icing”-Vung Tau style! GM Headmistress, Katoyboy, Harvey Ball Banger, In Flight Service, Bright Spark et al took it all in their stride – with Harvey BB giving as good as she got with some deft “over the shoulder” flicks of her beer glass!

Then we had other visitors, Hash virgins and all manner of charges laid and made and sinners punished for various misdemeanours (most of which your scribe can’t remember – see “vodka” comments below!). Through it all, Beermeister Ronald Reagan kept the beer flowing with
legendary Dutch efficiency!

The Circle closed with a “gift exchange” between VTH3 and SH3 – a swapping of trinkets from the Grand Master’s regalia instigated by Katoyboy, who had purchased a “blonde, pigtailed Russian lady” figurine and used it as an excuse to charge all blonde Russian ladies!

Post-Circle relaxation and “cross-cultural exchange” continued while some showered and changed for the On On – and that’s when life became even more interesting. About 20
well-lubricated Hashers moved from the Offshore Hotel to the nearby Bia Hoi and dined on quail, “chip butties”, prawns and veg. And then it was time for SH3 to experience VTH3 hospitality “Russian-style” – yes folks, it was “Down Down Vodka” time!

The last time this scribe saw ringleaders Aqualung, Titanic, Space Cadet and co-conspirators OXO, Mapdraw, Mowgli et al, they were chaperoning Headmistress and the remnants of her fellow SH3 adventurers into taxis heading for the infamous Black Pearl nightclub – the mind can only boggle at what might have followed!

So we thank Headmistress and her fellow Hashers for making the trip from Saigon to join us for the day – and look forward to renewing friendships with a “meet each other halfway” run on 27 October to celebrate VTH3’s 600th run somewhere between Vung Tau and Saigon!

VTH3 #592 photo gallery >>>