Sorry Malcolm I was unavoidably detained. Thanks for your help. However with the real scribe back on the job of course there was an impressive turnout.

There were at least nineteen runners milling around outside the entrance to the Kings Forest, and if what we have heard about Australia is true the dear deer were right to be looking worried. Their problems were few however compared to ours as the fiendish marines set us to it up a long draw with no excuse for loitering and then immediately up what felt like the final pitch on Everest. This one sorted out the men from the boys, though the more experienced realising the way thing were likely to go, held themselves back and arrived at the top with the courage needed to face the next obstacle. (But not much else). The by now very faint cry of "on on", reputedly from the lips of JWS, was greeted with an unpleasant and unprintable chorus, but "on on" it was through the woods with no way to go but down and up and down and up.

Dave had organized a check inside the elephant cage, but his evil plan was thwarted as someone

moved the elephant! A gentle trot down the hill and the next significant check inside a shelter was an unexpected relief. Even better was a supply of ice cold beer which was exactly what was needed - a very nice touch from the U.S.M. We enjoyed watching David Loan (e) arrive too late for a beer, and particularly enjoyed the thought of JWS still running. Did you miss the vital check John or what!

A good if somewhat "hard" hash, and certainly a change to be running in the wild (for some of us that is). Many thanks to the Park management for letting us in. These yanks certainly have a lot of dark secrets if their shredded paper is anything to go by. The marines are looking for recruits fellows, what about it. We also thank them for hospitality and a film show at the marines bar - can, we pick the title next?

Next Week's Hash: 3 March, 5 PM
Ring Road between Jawalakhel and Godavari road. Follow sign to lepers.