We'll start with a brief history of Grumblewald and a flashback to the golden days of hashing (i.e. before Rotter was GM)… Grumblewald was first here in the 1980s as recorded on a film that Rotter was trying to flog off CD copies of a few years ago. That film showed Grumble in his youthful glory with his eight year old son of that time also well in amongst the runners and trotters. Grumble loves to go on about what a paradise Kathmandu was then. He even used to live in a house directly by the Ring Road at Maharajganj at a time when there was hardly any traffic on it and hashes used to start directly by the Ring Road.

So he came back and from August 2001 to November 2005 has been a stalwart member of the Himalayan Hash most noted for:

The following extract from the trash for Grumble's first Hare in the current era (no. 1179 from the second Bungamati tree in September 2001) shows how Grumble established his reputation almost from day one of coming back!

"... the circle was called together almost immediately … and a score of 9.6 was awarded... Hare John then began a constant stream of complaints, first about comments on his haring and then about most other aspects of the hash and the performance of the GM. He got some beer. Interrogation by the circle, mainly directed by Spare Part, revealed that John's wife was probably behind his behaviour. That was another down-down. It still didn't shut him up, but the circle had had enough and the centre was cleared for other business, in the smug knowledge that the Hash has acquired another Victim, who looks likely to continue in the tradition of Mad Cow, Fully Stretched, Rodent, and the GM."

Hopefully, this run was to be Grumble's final farewell (ed: run 1411, not run 1179!). It was supposed to be a midday start and the guys from Nanglo catering were there and keen to get everything sorted out; but the Head Planner was nowhere to be seen. The Fox eventually had to go out and guide him back in after the co-hares had successfully found their way back and were well rested.

The first paper headed way down the hill to an enormous back check, with the pack initially led by The Fox; but then Heme-Gyurmi took over. The trail restarted far more than the regulation 200 metres away for a HHHH back check. In fact we later noticed that the check was actually visible from the On-In. Anyway, there was the usual traffic policeman act from Grumble, waving us back (he really should have a whistle and white gloves) and we went all the way back up to the road and off down the hill on the other side, before eventually finding another road and Check 2. Not sure what happened after that as I opted for it being a back check and headed off in the totally wrong direction.

Eventually I saw/heard some of the pack (Shrivelled and another) heading out into the khet and followed them. Sadly they were not on paper and it wasn't until we spotted Keeled leading the way on a parallel trail that the paper was rediscovered at Holding Check 5. From here, me an' The Fox sneaked off and landed on the paper heading off up a wee burn and up to a village and Check 6. By this time we had been well overtaken by Shrivelled, Yogi and Shiva, who all disappeared off in various directions. The paper went up, and it must have been Yogi who found it and got well away from everyone else. By the time I'd rediscovered it even Rotter was ahead of me (in all fairness, he was the only one). The trail took us into familiar territory from Grumble's last run around here and so we started the long uphill climb.

I recall reaching a road and then what must have been Check 7. Having been overtaken again by Shrivelled, I followed him straight on, then up through some steep open ground in search of paper. Soon we heard the pack baying just above us but had to battle through the last few metres of impenetrable thorn and scrub to gain the nice wide trail contouring around through the pines. Soon it turned uphill again but we were greeted by the sight of Rotter above us crying out he'd lost the paper. Since there was a nice little trail heading straight on I followed that before eventually striking straight up the hill to the road along the ridge above and rediscovered paper. Must have missed Check 8, but found Holding Check 9 in the same location as a run 1359 holding check. Eventually Grumbelina led the way in, followed by a motley crew arguing about what the Hare had been trying to do around Check 8 other than extricate himself from being hopelessly lost.

From here we went straight along the road and found the walkers heading back towards us to turn down onto the top road back to the On-In. The front runners simply followed the lead of the walkers and by the time they realised there was no paper it was too late to go back. Led on by Heme, or was it Gyurmi, a select band arrived back at the trucks before the rest of the pack, who being honest little soldiers, trickled in along the bottom road.

As for what happened in the circle, I've even less idea about that than what happened on the run! This was largely because the GM insisted that we have the buffet and a few beers before the circle.

As is the tradition, Grumblewald and his co-hares were invited in first to receive the accolades of the pack. Amidst cries of "THE WORST RUN IN THE WORLD" and "THANK GOD WE DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER ONE OF THOSE AGAIN" some small credit was given and I think a score of 9.1 based on the GM's utterly impartial decision.

There were loads of virgins, including Erika. Although this was by no means her first hash, it was the first time she'd stayed for the circle. Apparently she wanted to look after her boys from WFP, notably the very grovelly Shrivelled. Other virgins were Robin, Gopal, Pratima, Beatrice, Libby, Sathrun, Scott, Anita, Libby and Rolf, one of whom got seriously shouted at by the GM for admitting he was in Nepal to study audiology.

There may have been a couple of returnees (in truth Kail, Elena, Harry, Helen, Jennifer, Roger, Gyurmi, Heme, Helle, Jivan, Victor and Vincent), but we won't dwell on the fact and get down to the main business of the day which was GIVE GRUMBLEWALD AS MANY DOWN-DOWNS AS POSSIBLE. Keeled and Towed interrupted the Master at this point to say that they were fed up with his autocratic rule, had joined hands in opposition, and were going to start a programme of pissful protest, and the name of the protest would be Grumblewald. He was appointed as Hash Dobber for the day and was allowed to dob into the circle anyone for any misdemeanour such as breathing or being born.

After the combined forces of democracy had received their down-downs, Grumble took limited advantage of his exalted position to dob in the GM, presumably for being the noisy rude bastard that Grumble has had to suffer in silence for so many years. After that he ran out of the circle, overcome by his usual shyness.

Further tributes and down downs were awarded to Grumblewald for:

Thanks to the Hares for a great run and to Lise and Grumble for putting on a fantastic spread. Adieu Grumblewald - we'll never see your likes again!