Proceedings finally got going around 2.20 pm after the convoy of the lost sped into the on-in site above the armed police's toilet block. There was an air of trepidation as this was only the hare's third ever hash run and it was a territory marked by looming verticality. There was certainly great scope for mismanagement but in the end all went well as the run was well set over some great territory traversing many fantastic running trails. The only legitimate complaint was that it was a bit of a ball-breaker as the hare began to realise around check two when he started biting his nails and suggesting that the trail be short-circuited. There was certainly no agreement on short-circuiting although several culprits, led by Hurry and the GM, independently decided to cut out a huge chunk of the run for which they got their due deserts in the circle.

The first part cut across the damp north facing foothills of Champadevi. From the start at about 1460m altitude the paper led east along slippery paths past Checks 1 and 2 and then climbed on up a long slog to Holding check 3 at the bhanjhang-with-chautara that overlooks the hanging valley of Bosan village. It was now that hare Kent realised what he'd done and started looking around apprehensively and wondering if he'd ‘over-egged the pudding'. He was told not to worry about the run being far too long or about losing backmarkers in the recesses of Champadevi.

As for much of the run, Keeled and Yogi were the front-runners and Apple and Mike from Middlesbrough brought up the rear with Towed and his young pup lingering around the half-way point amazingly sticking to paper for most of the way.

The spectacular view north from check 3 was matched by the view from holding check 4 above on top of the 1635m pine-clad hill that has no name and is a prominent feature of the Kathmandu Valley rim. There then took place the usual boring name-the-himal contest and the taking of this trash's header photo.

All the hard-earned altitude was soon lost as the paper led down off to the north and then the east across some well-known hashing territory and the site of Duckbill's misadventures from a few years ago. Then on to holding check 5 on a knoll in a forested nook. It was beyond here, after some so-called bridge, that the short-cutting bastards sheared off and were not seen again until the hashers-who-did-the-whole-thing arrived back panting and puffing to see the FRBs smugly supping their bottles of Tuborg and claiming that they'd followed paper all the way. Likely story!

The proper route kept heading further away from the on-in site winding along the Bosan Khola and then crossing the main road on to holding check 7 by Taudaha Lake. This lake was subsequently given the hash name of Towed Lake in honour of one of the hash's most prominent members.

At last the paper began to head homewards back over the main road and through Bahungau and Khatrichhap along some great trails by khulos and through fields that even local Hurry Krishna claimed not to have been along. Keeled found the homeward trail and arrived back in almost exactly two hours followed soon after by Jaypee and Yogi Hare. Mike from Middlesborough brought up the rear about 30 minutes later.

The GM, in a rare gesture of magnanimity, dictated that wanking was allowed in the circle because of the wintry conditions. The SCBs trail was then awarded an 9.9 by the SCB GM and the full course was given a well-deserved 9.10. The walkers trail led by the virgin assistant hares was also much appreciated.

Further down-downs were awarded to:

The hashit went to human rights expert Irish Chris for failing to prevent somebody getting an accidental thick lip.

Many thanks as always to Mrs Rotter for the snacks and what better way could there be to spend a December Saturday afternoon!