Apologies for being slow with the Hash Trash - Blame it on the weather, in case you hadn't noticed it's been HOT! Now, I am not complaining too much about the temperatures, but coming from a Northern Hemisphere climate, it's hard to get to grips with January Temps hitting 40 celsius, and I get lazy :)... Having said that, Online Pussy is presently visiting New York, and was Hashing In the Snow yesterday - where they marked the trail with ketchup and baby powder (son't get the latter!).
Well, I am glad to say that we had no snow last Sunday, and a late start did little to avoid the summer temperatures, and once again, the RA delivered a sunny day for Hashing. Technically our new GM's second Hash as Leader of the Pack, but as Ivor the Engine managed to make the Jan 1st Hash in Accassuso his final swan song, Footsie was looking forward to this event as his first solo outing as GM. A combination of the summer holidays and the weather meant that many of teh regular Hashers from Buenos Aires were out of town, but Two Secs and Just Catha had laid a mean trail, and the crowd began to gather in Plaza Primero de Mayo from 4pm and were raring to go.
Despite the lack of some regulars, for some unknown reason we had a lot of Virgins turning up. Out of the 22 on the Hash, 6 were complete Virgins, Stephanie and Twyla passing through from the States, another American, Jack, who is living in BsAs for a few months, Claudia who had arrived in town that weekend and may be staying, and two locals from BsAs who were lapping it all up, Fabiana and Maria, and we hope to see some of these again, and as for Stephanie & Twyla, they got hooked on Hashing right away and are looking forward to future hashes back home in Oklahoma when they eventually finish travelling. Added to these folk we had a visiting Hasher, Don't Go Down There, originally from Atlanta, but presently Hashing in Santiago, and what must go down as one of the longest Missing In Action Returnees ever, SIXTEEN YEARS, with Silvina Rana joining us - although she did have an excuse as she was living overseas for a large period of this time.
So, with all these newbies, the Hash set off, with Don't Go Down There leading the pack off. A Front Runner Extreme, with an inability to count (Checks with numbers were not part of his consideration), he lead the pack with gusto, and was followed by El Diablo, and Just Samuel, along with IHA, Can't Say No and Just Jack close behind. Flour was thin on the ground as the Urban Hash took us around the streets of Congresso and headed off towards Once, but chalk marks were clear at crossings, and few were lost - with the exception of the GM and his posse, who managed to completely lose the trail, and even missed the Beer Stops!!!
The walkers enjoyed their stroll around and the Beer was very welcome at the two Beer Stops, with the second being on the Plaza de Congresso, before the final stretch back to the starting point and meeting up with the GM who was enjoying the sun, without the run!
With so many virgins, visitors and returnees, it was a long circle, with plenty of singing, going through the entire song sheet, and a final rendition of Swing Low, which had bemused Virgins, and park goers laughing along, before we retired to Just Catha's Apartment for a wonderful On Afters, with much thanks for the food to the two hares who did themselves proud on a wonderful day for Hashing.
Two contrasting pictures from this week's hashes - One from New York and one from our circle - Which would you prefer?
