Although the Dashain vacation has taken many runners out of the city, a respectable pack of 23 runners gathered to enjoy a perfect afternoon. Two groups started in opposite directions to loop to the east of the road and re-group at holding check 1. Paper headed north-east and down to an irrigation ditch and then headed upstream a while, before climbing back to the height and onto the Taiba-Godamchaur road. The short cutters had an easy walk along the top and we again gathered at holding check 2. A little hare assistance got the pack back onto the irrigation ditch while the shortcutters continued across the Godavari Khola on the bridge and climbed into the village. Meanwhile the runners ran to the source of the ditch and check three. Jedi, Hurry Krishna and Juan Carlos made the most of a back check along the left bank, while the rest forded the stream and climbed the east side, looping back to the road and meeting the short cutters at holding check 4.

We then broke into three groups, the shortcutters heading straight north and down, the middle distance runners looping counter clockwise onto the next spur running north, and the distance runners going east down to another stream and check 5. They too then turned north, dropping back to the stream and check 6. Paper stayed level following the steam north to check 7. We then headed up the right bank of the Godavari River, and again forded the stream to backcheck 8. Grumblewald skipped the crossing but obligingly followed paper backwards across the I-beam bridge to the check. A lot of shouting got the wanderers back and onto paper for a short run to check 9 at the brick bridge a little upstream. Those used to FOX checks looked back, while visitor Steve Graven found paper across the river and climbing to the fields behind the Chinese brick factory. The leaders over ran check 10 and eventually reached the Godavari road to get home.

Doma Chudon, Tenzing and Gelek greeted the runners with super snacks. Long slaving over the stove made them late for the run. The snacks were super.

There were the usual complaints and scores for the run. We welcomed virgins Jurgen Eriksen and Peter Skov, onetime friends of Grumblewald. Toasted Tenzing and Gelek, Doma's conscripted assistant cooks. Visitor Steve Graven, just back from the Goa interhash, was a match for the best of our runners.

We commiserated with three hash crashers, and noted a collection of impressive sunglasses hiding the faces of Matt, Claire and Jedi. Wankers suffered their usual punishment. Matt was quick to point out Claire's new shoes, but cool to the suggestion that he do the drinking rather than his wife. The result was that in honour of the Phulpati festival, there would be no shoe christening.

Where was the hashit? Jedi's frantic telephone calls helped little, so she and Heather received the award again. It seems that Heather does not want to part with it. She might recall what happened to Rodent in a similar situation.