My hashing experience
I started hashing in Damascus, Syria (my MOTHER Hash) in either the late 1996 or early 1997 until the summer of 1997. At that time I was working in Damascus at the Canadian Embassy and one of the other Canadians there suggested that I would be a good candidate for the hash. It did not take much persuading to get me out to my first experience and subsequent events.
Upon the completion of my tour in Damascus I returned to Ottawa for two years and did not know that there was a hash in Ottawa. From Ottawa I was then sent off to Nairobi, Kenya for another three years and, even though I found there was a Nairobi hash, for personal reasons did not participate. In 2002 it was off to Islamabad, Pakistan where the first words I heard upon walking into the Canadian Club were; “Are you a hashers?” I said that I had hashed before and was informed that I was expected at the next Islamabad event. I delayed my re-start until after I had settled in and had my personal effects delivered.
One of the idiosyncrasies of the hash is obtaining a hash name. The name is bestowed upon the hasher by the hash group usually in reference to something the hasher has done, trait, job or just because. While I hashed for a year in Damascus I never ‘earned’ a name. However, on my second outing in Islamabad the hash name of “Sheila” was given to me. But that is another story.
I have been quite active since my re-start and have hashed in the following places:
Mother Hash - Damascus Hash House Harriers
Present Hash - Ottawa Hash House Harriers
Damascus, Syria - Damascus Hash House Harriers (1996-97)
Islamabad, Pakistan - Margala Hills H3 (2002-04)
Lahore, Pakistan - Lahore H3 (occasionally 2002-04)
Croatia - Hash Cruise by Dalmatian H3. (2003)
Vienna, Austria - Vinabona H3 (2003)
Bangkok, Thailand - Bangkok Mens H3 (2004)
Koh Samed, Thailand - later named Sad Cow (2004)
Ottawa, Ontario - Ottawa H3 (2004-05)
Toronto, Ontario - Hogtown H3 (2004)
Malone, New York - LAFFTER H3 (2004 winter ski hash)
Cottage, Quebec - LAFFTER H3(August 2004, 05, 09, 10)
Montreal, Quebec - Montreal H3 (occasional Sundays 04&05)
Abu Dhabi, UAE - Abu Dhabi H3 (2005-08)
Al Ain, UAE - Rehydration Run - Various H3 hosted (2008)
While in Australia for InterHash (2008) hashed with:
Mandurah
Bunbury
Busselton
Manjimup
Margaret River
Kuching, Malaysia 2010
Ottawa, Ontario - Ottawa H3 (2008 - present)
Langkawi Malaysia - Langkawi H3 (2010)
Bali Indonesia - Bali H3 (2010)
Ocean Park, New Jersey - Rumson H3 (special event in May)
Ottawa, Ontario - Rideau H3 (2013 - present)
Brussels, Belgium - A beer Odyssey (2014)
INTERHASHES:
Chiang Mai, Thailand 2006
Perth, Australia 2008
Kuching, Malaysia 2010
Borobudur-Jogjakarta-Indonesia 2012
Bali - 2016
INTERAMERICAS:
Savannah Georgia 2011
HASHING EXPERIENCES
Because of the general nature of the hash and political and religious sensitivities all runs in Damascus were all outside of the city. Upon ‘joining’ the hash you were given a map with the location of 100 different run sites. The next run location was simply announced as site number ## and the hashers would meet up there on, I believe, Sunday at 5pm.
These were interesting runs with not only an abundance of shiggy or sand but also some other adventures.
One drastic one comes to mind. It was called “Do Not Run Into Lebanon By Mistake.” The reason for the name is that we were close to the Lebanon Syria border and at times the trail would be running parallel to it. Needless to say that at the bottom of one of the hills there was a check circle. The FRB’s who made it to the bottom of the hill before the rest of the pack headed off searching in the wrong direction — towards Lebanon. Those of us who were a little slower were still on the dirt road at top of the hill. We could see that they were headed in the wrong direction but apparently they could not hear us yelling at them. Suddenly several shots rang out and figures brandish several forms of firearms started to appear from behind the rocks on the side of the hill. The FRB’s stopped running and raised their hands. Luckily we had some Syrians with us and they rushed down the hill while the rest of us stayed put. We could see the Syrian hashers gesturing and pointing trying to explain to the Hezbollah just what the entire group was up. Meanwhile the Hezbollah looked at us in wonder, especially since there were some lady harriettes in the shorts with us. Eventually we were waved down and under gunpoint directed in the right direction. So it was ON ON through the empty tank bunkers to the trail and returning back to the start point.
Another time in Syria the hares had set the trail on a Friday (which in the Muslim world is equivalent to our Sunday) and part of the trail ran along a dry wadi with a fence on the other side. Unbeknown to them the fence was the outer edge of a Syrian army post. Consequently when we were running along we were suddenly confronted with two old Russian three ton trucks complete with a complement of Syrian soldiers in back of each of them. Once again our Syrian hashers explained just what we were up to. I am certain not only the officer in charge but also the rest of the crew were wondering what these crazy foreigners were doing out running in the semi-desert in the heat. We were then accompanied by the two trucks, one in front and one behind escorting us back to the gravel road. The soldiers in the lead truck must have enjoyed seeing the harriettes in shorts and t-shirts.
While these two experiences may have been the most dramatic while in Islamabad, Pakistan one time while setting trail out in the country two police officers questioned us. We tried to explain just who we were and what we were doing. It seemed as if our explanations were not understood but when we offered them a beer each that seemed to settle things down. Another time one of our hashers was not so lucky and was dragged to the police station and questioned for three hours.
These experiences are not limited to foreign countries but can also happen here in Ottawa. In September 2010 the Ottawa Hash House Harriers brought down-town Ottawa to a standstill during the evening rush hour. Over the weekend the hare had used ‘a suspicious white powder’ to lay trail through the central business district. On Monday afternoon a concerned citizen called 911 and the Haz-Mat team was brought out to investigate. Upon hearing this reported on the news not only the hare but one other hasher called the police to inform them just what the ‘suspicious white powder’ is — common baking flour and who was responsible for it.
CBC radio called me on Tuesday morning and asked if I would do an on air radio interview later that afternoon. I was also interviewed at home by the local CBC-TV and ended up on the CBC National News. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/haz-mat-team-finds-suspicious-powder-was-flour-1.875889
Upon the completion of my tour in Damascus I returned to Ottawa for two years and did not know that there was a hash in Ottawa. From Ottawa I was then sent off to Nairobi, Kenya for another three years and, even though I found there was a Nairobi hash, for personal reasons did not participate. In 2002 it was off to Islamabad, Pakistan where the first words I heard upon walking into the Canadian Club were; “Are you a hashers?” I said that I had hashed before and was informed that I was expected at the next Islamabad event. I delayed my re-start until after I had settled in and had my personal effects delivered.
One of the idiosyncrasies of the hash is obtaining a hash name. The name is bestowed upon the hasher by the hash group usually in reference to something the hasher has done, trait, job or just because. While I hashed for a year in Damascus I never ‘earned’ a name. However, on my second outing in Islamabad the hash name of “Sheila” was given to me. But that is another story.
I have been quite active since my re-start and have hashed in the following places:
Mother Hash - Damascus Hash House Harriers
Present Hash - Ottawa Hash House Harriers
Damascus, Syria - Damascus Hash House Harriers (1996-97)
Islamabad, Pakistan - Margala Hills H3 (2002-04)
Lahore, Pakistan - Lahore H3 (occasionally 2002-04)
Croatia - Hash Cruise by Dalmatian H3. (2003)
Vienna, Austria - Vinabona H3 (2003)
Bangkok, Thailand - Bangkok Mens H3 (2004)
Koh Samed, Thailand - later named Sad Cow (2004)
Ottawa, Ontario - Ottawa H3 (2004-05)
Toronto, Ontario - Hogtown H3 (2004)
Malone, New York - LAFFTER H3 (2004 winter ski hash)
Cottage, Quebec - LAFFTER H3(August 2004, 05, 09, 10)
Montreal, Quebec - Montreal H3 (occasional Sundays 04&05)
Abu Dhabi, UAE - Abu Dhabi H3 (2005-08)
Al Ain, UAE - Rehydration Run - Various H3 hosted (2008)
While in Australia for InterHash (2008) hashed with:
Mandurah
Bunbury
Busselton
Manjimup
Margaret River
Kuching, Malaysia 2010
Ottawa, Ontario - Ottawa H3 (2008 - present)
Langkawi Malaysia - Langkawi H3 (2010)
Bali Indonesia - Bali H3 (2010)
Ocean Park, New Jersey - Rumson H3 (special event in May)
Ottawa, Ontario - Rideau H3 (2013 - present)
Brussels, Belgium - A beer Odyssey (2014)
INTERHASHES:
Chiang Mai, Thailand 2006
Perth, Australia 2008
Kuching, Malaysia 2010
Borobudur-Jogjakarta-Indonesia 2012
Bali - 2016
INTERAMERICAS:
Savannah Georgia 2011
HASHING EXPERIENCES
Because of the general nature of the hash and political and religious sensitivities all runs in Damascus were all outside of the city. Upon ‘joining’ the hash you were given a map with the location of 100 different run sites. The next run location was simply announced as site number ## and the hashers would meet up there on, I believe, Sunday at 5pm.
These were interesting runs with not only an abundance of shiggy or sand but also some other adventures.
One drastic one comes to mind. It was called “Do Not Run Into Lebanon By Mistake.” The reason for the name is that we were close to the Lebanon Syria border and at times the trail would be running parallel to it. Needless to say that at the bottom of one of the hills there was a check circle. The FRB’s who made it to the bottom of the hill before the rest of the pack headed off searching in the wrong direction — towards Lebanon. Those of us who were a little slower were still on the dirt road at top of the hill. We could see that they were headed in the wrong direction but apparently they could not hear us yelling at them. Suddenly several shots rang out and figures brandish several forms of firearms started to appear from behind the rocks on the side of the hill. The FRB’s stopped running and raised their hands. Luckily we had some Syrians with us and they rushed down the hill while the rest of us stayed put. We could see the Syrian hashers gesturing and pointing trying to explain to the Hezbollah just what the entire group was up. Meanwhile the Hezbollah looked at us in wonder, especially since there were some lady harriettes in the shorts with us. Eventually we were waved down and under gunpoint directed in the right direction. So it was ON ON through the empty tank bunkers to the trail and returning back to the start point.
Another time in Syria the hares had set the trail on a Friday (which in the Muslim world is equivalent to our Sunday) and part of the trail ran along a dry wadi with a fence on the other side. Unbeknown to them the fence was the outer edge of a Syrian army post. Consequently when we were running along we were suddenly confronted with two old Russian three ton trucks complete with a complement of Syrian soldiers in back of each of them. Once again our Syrian hashers explained just what we were up to. I am certain not only the officer in charge but also the rest of the crew were wondering what these crazy foreigners were doing out running in the semi-desert in the heat. We were then accompanied by the two trucks, one in front and one behind escorting us back to the gravel road. The soldiers in the lead truck must have enjoyed seeing the harriettes in shorts and t-shirts.
While these two experiences may have been the most dramatic while in Islamabad, Pakistan one time while setting trail out in the country two police officers questioned us. We tried to explain just who we were and what we were doing. It seemed as if our explanations were not understood but when we offered them a beer each that seemed to settle things down. Another time one of our hashers was not so lucky and was dragged to the police station and questioned for three hours.
These experiences are not limited to foreign countries but can also happen here in Ottawa. In September 2010 the Ottawa Hash House Harriers brought down-town Ottawa to a standstill during the evening rush hour. Over the weekend the hare had used ‘a suspicious white powder’ to lay trail through the central business district. On Monday afternoon a concerned citizen called 911 and the Haz-Mat team was brought out to investigate. Upon hearing this reported on the news not only the hare but one other hasher called the police to inform them just what the ‘suspicious white powder’ is — common baking flour and who was responsible for it.
CBC radio called me on Tuesday morning and asked if I would do an on air radio interview later that afternoon. I was also interviewed at home by the local CBC-TV and ended up on the CBC National News. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/haz-mat-team-finds-suspicious-powder-was-flour-1.875889