On the day after my birthday in Bali, we were invited to a hash. I’d never heard of a hash and thought it related to some drug event, but that wasn’t the case. Friends who’d attended my birthday party (read here if you missed my story last week) said they do a hash every Saturday. They described it as fun, active, and an opportunity to meet a lot of ex-pats, many from the UK.
Why not, right?
It sounded like an experience, so John and I, along with our hosts Jacques and Anita, attended our first hash together. Some physical activity to work off all the food we’d been eating could only be a good thing.
First, a bit of History
A hash is the abbreviated name for The Hash House Harriers, an international group of social clubs which involve running, walking, trekking … and drinking.
It’s also affectionately known as A Drinking Club With A Running Problem, and beer is the drink of choice.
Hashing has a history dating back to 1938 in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor (now Malaysia). A group of nine British officers started going for weekly runs to shake off their weekend hangovers. Patterned after the traditional English game “Hare and Hounds,” one or more members (“hares”) would lay a trail, which would then be followed by the remainder of the group. Sawdust, flour, chalk, and toilet paper were used to mark the trail.
Apart from the excitement of chasing the hare and finding the trail, those who reached the end would be rewarded with beer and cigarettes.
The name “Hash House Harriers” was derived from “Hash House,” a place where several of the original hashers lived and dined.
To date, there are nearly 1500 chapters of the Hash House Harriers all over the world.
Finally, the objectives of the club:
- To promote physical fitness among our members
- To get rid of weekend hangovers
- To acquire a good thirst and to satisfy it in beer
- To persuade the older members that they are not as old as they feel
Lofty goals, right?
My first Hash
If you’re thinking, this is a fun organization, you’d only be half right. It’s both fun and challenging. We were not told about the physical activity level required to complete a hash nor about the terrain. The night before the event, I’d almost considered wearing a summer dress for it. I’m glad I decided on tights instead.
We rode motorbikes to the hash, and by the time we arrived in the early afternoon, some of the participants were already in their cups!
Our first order of business was to register and pay a fee to participate. It was $10US per person, and there must’ve been close to 200 people at the event, though not everyone was running. Food, water, and Bintang beer were included in the cost of the ticket, so the price was definitely reasonable.
Before the start of the run, one of the hash leaders gave an informal summary of the route we’d be taking (as he drank from a stein of beer). Our day’s hash would have us crossing a river and navigating jungle, ravines, and hills. When a newbie asked a question about how high the river was, the leader replied: “You will get wet!” His gleeful sneer and portly figure made me wonder if he’d done the course, but I was too afraid to ask!
Me and Anita with our walking sticks
The trail had been laid out a week earlier with shredded, colourful paper by one of its members. Unfortunately, this member died suddenly thereafter, though we were assured his death was not related to the hash. Still, I was beginning to realize this was more than just a leisurely stroll!
Though it’s not supposed to be a competitive race, I could see there were some serious hashers in our presence—the ones who ran to the start and were out of sight before we even began.
John and I, along with Jacques and Anita, were less energetic.
A steep staircase marked the start of the 7km course. It wound its way around the forest toward our first of two river crossings. Less than a minute in, a man behind us slipped on the steps and had to be carried off. (We were told later he’d cracked a couple of ribs but would be fine).
First river crossing. Lucky dog behind me was carried across!
I definitely did not expect the challenging climbs, narrow paths, and rocky and slippery drops. Wading waist-deep into a fast-moving river was also a first. At times, the sun beat down on us, and at other times, we were surrounded by jungle. We even lost the trail at some point and had to backtrack quite a ways.
Despite some of the difficulties, I was thrilled to complete the course. I won’t speak for John, but I’d happily do another hash given the opportunity!
The Hash House Harriers are big on ceremony, and they had a special one for us first-timers who completed the course. To celebrate that we were no longer hash virgins, we were asked to gather around one of its senior members. After a raucous song and some ritualistic mumbo jumbo, he dipped a toilet brush in a bucket of beer and blessed us.
We were soaked in mud and sweat, and now beer as well! What a fitting way to conclude our first hash!
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