Twenty-seven hashers were enjoying fair weather conditions at the Bungamati tree when the GM, in his unmistakable voice, asked the colourful crowd to form a circle. Apparently, the GM himself wasn't so happy about the weather. He had planted himself in a puddle and one could tell that he was looking forward to taking the pack through rivers and mud. He couldn't know that the hares, in response to the request of a lady who was going to host someone else's party after the run, had avoided rivers and mud.

Five checks with two holdings were announced and off went the pack led by Roadrunner and his horn. He also had the Hash Bugle. The trail went south and soon turned to the left, down to Nakhu Khola and check one at a once blue-coloured suspension bridge. However, the trail didn't cross the river as some runners expected but continued up the left bank along a famous HHHH irrigation channel. It was here that a couple of runners decided to cool their already overheated running gears. Roadrunner who had crossed the bridge and was following the pack on the right bank of the river, soon had to realize that he wasn't really shortcutting, for the trail turned right and uphill to holding-check two.

After Janusz had managed to take the great picture shown above, paper was discovered by the GM on a path leading back to the Bungamati road. Check three couldn't slow down front runners and soon the pack was seen charging downhill toward Bungamati. Holding check four was found at the Rato Machendranath Temple were the crowd again posed for the Pole's camera, a classic hash moment not shown with this trash as MacPole either got sweat on his lens, or jpeg'd all the clarity away.

A shortcut made ready for the breathless was discovered by the front runners. So the hares had to discourage them by on-back calls. Finally everybody took the loop down to the Bagmati and check five where the more discerning runners quickly realized that the only way back to the chariots was leading uphill via Bungamati. Roadrunner relieved the tedium by blowing in tune for a change, so that he was joined by various local percussionists and sidemen and arrived back with a full band, swinging much better than your average wedding blowers.

Little time was given for rehydration by the GM, for Leyla had hinted that Fleming's guests should fit in a shower between the hash and their later appearance at her place. So a circle was formed and the hares were summoned to the presence of the GM. After much argument Jodi, despite wearing a hat completely different from the MAD one's, scored the run 9.8 and the hares got their down-down.

A trio of virgins this week. The hash welcomed Allison, Anil, and most of all Bengt, come to pick up the pieces after Fleming's departure. On the run The New Dane had a hard time. Excellent HHHH material!

The thought of seeing the last of Fleming brought out hordes of returnees: Helen, Chandra, the MacBride duo, MacPole, and even Mac Salesman.

The hash-crash-of-the-week award went to Angie and Mad Cow for contriving to fall into a ditch together. Finally the GM got the hashit for one of the most heinous crimes in memory - reversing over the beer. MacPole shot the gloomiest hash photo of all time right after this catastrophe.

Oh, but wait . . . there was something else. It was the probable departure of Fleming, off to Oxford University after a spell in the intellectual wilderness - except of course for Saturday afternoons. Later in the day the Hash wished him a safe and quick (as possible) departure, and the GM wondered who was now left to make fun of his LandRover.

OnOn

Mad Cow and Rotter