Report of Run #54: Saturday, April 12, 2008

Hares: Paddy Boy and Godzilla

Location: Paddy Boy farm behind Mae Fah Luang University


Altogether 24 people showed up for our Songkran run. This exceeded expectations. Fifteen were guys, including one Thai, Pat on the Back’s nephew Bill. Only eight women showed up and one child, Superglue.

The Oileds set a new record for punctuality. This time they didn’t appear at all. Also missing was MANipulator who still mourns the loss of Barefoot Beer Lao Bob. The absence of Boy Magnet was likewise keenly felt by the male contingent of our hash.

Wild Woman made her arrival noted by greeting one and all with some water down the back and Songkran blessings for the Thai new year.

The two hares were the last to show up. They appeared suddenly panting and dripping sweat. Apparently they had just arrived in Chiangrai three hours before and had immediately set out to lay the trail. Godzilla appeared particularly haggard. He used to be known as Stiffy before marriage and fatherhood overtook him.

Nam Ron, Do It Better, Belgian Organ, Ian Swan and Brussels Sprouts took off in the front only to be frustrated by the first back check which liberally interpreted the rules for trail resumption. With the help of some villagers the last became first as Pat on the Back, Nut, Rolling, Stoned, Super-glue, and Noi found the way forward and briefly led the pack.

The trail led through vast plantations of rubber trees each separated by barbed wire fences. Each required its own strategy slipping under, stepping over or sliding through the different barbed strands. To the astonishment of all, our fearless leader Shocking demonstrated the agility of a calypso dancer squeezing beneath wire.

The irrigation canals along the rice fields presented a different kind of challenge. Do It Yourself, Stuart and Pickled Prik hung back to encourage the stragglers along but being off paper the latter could find no way to cross the canal. Hand Cock, Rudy, his consort Mam, Doesn’t Matter Horn and Swiss Roll determined to go through the fields directly to them while Wirgin Bluce got distracted by Wild Woman who had found paper leading off in a different direction. The bamboo poles she placed across the ditch were strong enough to support her and Bill but they completely collapsed when your correspondent tried to follow.

Meanwhile among the Front Running Bastards, Bushwacker faithfully following his master Nam Ron, excited a herd of cattle to stampede. She was not so bold with a set of buffalo which the FRBs had to pass in the final stretch.

Sasha, Paddy Boy’s daughter greeted these FRBs with a water gun upon their return. By the time the last stragglers arrived a half hour later her hospitality was exhausted. Not so her mother Awe who welcomed us with hot dogs and fruit. Meanwhile Godzilla’s better half Maem was completely preoccupied with their 5 month-old Amy whose determination to drink shows a great hasher in the making.

At the circle afterwards the GM Shocking explained that we have free S2ATO t-shirts for anyone who had done six runs since the 4th Anniversary Hash in November. These included Pat on the Back, Super-glue, Nam Ron, Hand Cock and Wirgin Bluce. Pickled Prik, Ian Swan and his concert Noi were so taken by the beauty of the shirt that they insisted upon getting one without first submitting to six runs. For this pleasure they paid 200 Baht per shirt. The GM Shocking then gave a shirt to the two hares Paddy Boy and Godzilla as a personal gift in appreciation of their hospitality. These two do not live in Chiangrai and are lucky to attend two of our hashes per year. In order to preserve the uniqueness of this shirt, all had to promise not to resell it on Ebay.

One couple having completed three runs, cried out for a hash name. In appreciation of his nation’s musical tradition, Roger shall be known henceforth as “Belgian Organ.” His most appreciative wife, Ann thus acquired the name “Wants More.”

Paddy Boy’s father Limbo did not go on the run. He claimed he had done 500 runs over the years but now he is conserving his strength to attend church and repent for past indulgences.

Notes by Hash Scribe Wirgin Bluce

HHH Run#54 Saturday April 12, 2008 at 4:30 pm

Paddy Boy and Godzilla (alias Stiffy, now a married man) are back in town for Songkran and are arranging a special hash. To avoiding clashing with Songkran the date of our run has been changed to the 12th, ie THIS coming Saturday. The run will start at their farm. Our hosts will be providing food, and the Hash Beer will bring our usual selection of beverages.

The hash will start at 4:30 pm, unless you have a problem being on time (not to mention any names like Well-Oiled or Oiled-Well.) In that case, please note the hash will start at 4 pm!

Directions to the farm: drive north on the superhighway. Turn right at the traffic light going towards the Golden Pine Resort. This is the second traffic light past the turn off to the airport. Follow that road for 10 km and look for the Great Wall of China up on your left. Turn left at the Wall and carry on for a couple km and look for the HHH sign on your left. Estimate 30 minutes driving time from Big C.

Hope to see you this Sat.,
Namron

Report of Run #53: Saturday, March 15, 2008

Hare: Flaps assisted by Joy Stick

Location: Huay Sak

Twenty-one intrepid hashers showed up for the 53d run. Nine were female and seven of these were Thai. The rest were expatriate men including one adolescent. This is a good turn out considering that many of the core membership had temporarily abandoned Chiangrai for greener pastures.

The hash had trouble getting started. In the original notice the Hash Scribe confused everyone by announcing a 3 p.m. starting time. This was soon corrected to 3:30 but it did not prevent the Oileds showing up a half an hour late.

We knew we were in for something special when Flaps, the hare announced that the run would take the FRBs 45 minutes. Walkers might take somewhere between an hour and a day. A car along with some water would be waiting at the half way point for anyone who couldn’t make it to the end.

Square Rooter who had disappeared to Chiangmai after helping to found this hash, made a guest appearance on this occasion. Recognizing that he was less than welcome, he set off at the earliest opportunity pursued by Nam Ron, his dog Bush Wacker and Doesn’t Matterhorn. Finding the company uncongenial, the latter dropped back on the pretext of holding the barbed wire open for the following masses. However anyone after Swiss Roll had to fend for themselves. MANipulator knew better than to chase after such men. The exertion could spoil one’s makeup.

The trail passed through several orchards each divided by a series of barbed wire fences. Then it climbed steeply through a dense teak forest to a chedi at the top of a hill. Virgins Ian and Kelly foolishly followed Rodger and Ann little realizing that they hadn’t been around long enough to get hash names. Rolling, Stoned, Well Oiled and Hand Cock gave them space to avoid any debris falling their way.

At the half-way mark Joy Stick guarded water and melon but the promised car never appeared. After hopeful procrastination, Wild Woman, Oiled Well, Shocking, Pat on the Back with the inseparable Super Glue finally gave up and continued to trek. This led down to the Huay Sak reservoir where one had to crawl under a bamboo gate and slide along barbed wire fence to avoid tumbling down a precipitous cliff.

Substituting for the absent Hash Cash, Shocking wrote down the names of all who paid dues. All these showed up at the end of the day. Any cheapskates who went missing were left to pay for their sins.

After toasting the usual hares, virgins etc G.M. Shocking announced that henceforth until the anniversary in November the hash would begin at 4 p.m. The only exception to this rule would be the two Oileds who should anticipate a 3:30 departure. Flaps followed up with some comments on haberdashery. He began by warning that Virgin Ian’s pants which stretch below the knee could constrict movement. Square Rooter’s shorts which reveal a lot of mid-thigh is a commendable but unsuccessful effort to distract attention from his face. All might admire Wirgin Bluce’s sartorial splendor, ripped as it is with multiple threads hanging down like chads to knees.

The beer exhausted and darkness falling, the group disbanded to reassemble at the Jam Pi restaurant near the new airport for the On! On! On!

Notes by Hash Scribe Wirgin Bluce

DIRECTIONS TO S2ATO RUN on SATURDAY, 15 MARCH, @ 3:300 PM

1) Head South out of Chiang Rai on the A1 towards Phayao (and Bangkok!)

2) At the Mae Kon sii yaek traffic light intersection at Little Duck hotel, Turn left onto the 1020, towards Thoeng.

3) Set odometer to zero, or take a reading

4) Go thru the 1st set of traffic lights on the Thoeng road (1020) at 14.3kms (Huay Sak)

5) Don't turn yet, it's less than 1 km now ...slow

6) Go straight ahead over the concrete bridge

7) Turn RIGHT down beside the Wat (at 15kms).

- Sign reads " The Enlightened One Hermitage"
- look for HHH sign on RHS

(By the way: On your Left Hand Side opposite the turning beside the Wat you will see:
i) 49km sign to Thoeng, then
ii) a sala shop (wooden garden gazebo thingys), then
iii) 3 very tall radio masts.)

8) Drive 1.8kms out through the village on surfaced road

9) Park near the barrier at the "Y" (saam yaek) junction just after the end of the concrete road. Your odo should now read 16.8 kms from The Little Duck.

10) Run will start from here at 3:30 pm.

DIRECTIONS TO THE ON-ON-ON

After the circle is done, we plan to head off to eat at raan ahaan Plaa Pow Pak Sot .
Directions:
Go back to C-Rai
Drive north past Big-C
Plaa Pow Pak Sot has a red fish sign. It'll be on your Right Hand Side as you go north.
It's on the service road beside the main drag.
Do a "U" turn at the first opportunity past the Big C.
Plaa Pow Pak Sot is now on the Left Hand Side (as you head south), before UBC/DSTV, well before Big-C.

Chok dee
Flaps
081-7036723

Run Report #52: February 16, 2008

Report of Run #52: Saturday, February 16, 2008

Hare: Loose Spoke

Location: Ban Du Forest below Pong Pra Baht Waterfalls near Huai Luang Reservoir

The 52d run turned out by some odd coincidence to be remarkably similar to the 41st run (March 17, 2008). Even the hare was the same. It started and ended in the same location although the routes out and in seemed to be reversed. The report of that 41st run is below.

The hardest part of the run was finding the starting point. One was to travel 7.5 kilometers from the Asia Highway and then do a sharp left where the signs point right to Pong Pra Baht. That was our hare’s way of favouring those who can read Thai. The Huai Luang Reservoir was to be just around some corner. That of course is where we found the reservoir after traveling several kilometers along the road. Those who kept the faith and progressed this far, were then rewarded by a series of four reassuring signs as they drove ever deeper into the wilderness.

A total of 28 people showed up including three kids. Seventeen were farang of whom all but three were men. There were eight adult Thais, all female except for one. Nine were virgins, three female and six males: three hailed from England, three more came from Belgium, there was one Australian and two Thai boys.

All newly arrived hashers were immediately greeted by Hash Cash, Do It Yourself with his hand out to collect the meet’s contribution. Names thus recorded in his attendance list stand as concrete testimony as to how one wasted this Saturday afternoon.

The run began full of trepidation. The Hash Beer had yet to arrive. Her better half, Hand Cock confessed that Helping Hand had escaped to Chiang Mai but promised to appear before the run ended with his vehicle fully loaded with iced beer.

Some of the virgins never miss a trick. Uncle Colin loaded a back pack with water and compelled his ten-year old nephew Bart to carry it. Fifteen-year old brother Bond was wise enough to hide at the time. His better half Deidre avoided confrontation by turning back after the first hill.

Nam Ron accompanied by Bush Wacker and closely followed by MANipulator, Do It Yourself, Stoned and Pickled Prik set a fast pace up the hill. By the time they got to the second hill, they literally smelled the freshly arrived beer. Ignoring paper and the protestations of the sweeping Loose Spoke, they turned in the direction of the wind and arrived back at the parking lot just in time to welcome the belated Hand Cock.

The more virtuous hashers like Well Oiled, Doesn’t Matter Horn, Scotch on the Rocks and your faithful correspondent led the unsuspecting virgins around the well-littered course. All remarked upon bucolic scene while politely ignoring the white mess of paper which the hare had left behind. Virgins who couldn’t maintain this leisurely pace joined the stragglers headed by Wild Woman, Oiled Well, Boy Magnet, and Pat on the Back inevitably accompanied by Superglue. These recidivists finally arrived at the finishing point almost an hour after the short-cutting Front Running Bastards.

By this time the time the FRBs abetted by the temporary Hash Beer, had drunk far more than the club could afford in beer so the G.M. Shocking quickly called for a circle. The hare, Loose Spoke and virgins were honoured with the usual down-downs then attention shifted to Rob, whose name selection had been deferred from the last gathering. The crew quickly voted to name him “Pickled Prik” in recognition of his pickling contribution to local cuisine.

Past G.M. Nam Ron then took over and ordered this faithful correspondent, Wild Woman, Well Oiled and Oiled Well into the circle. Why, he asked, did these folks arrive late. Well Oiled protested that he did not arrive late. According to him, the others arrived early. No deed, good or bad, goes unpunished and hence these culprits were also honoured with the usual down-downs.

The business thus concluded the group broke up, led off by the hare, Loose Spoke who was eager to get away from the mess he had created. Too late we realized that the better half of Doesn’t Matter Horn had managed to elude a name despite attending at least three times. That outstanding piece of business will not be neglected at the next circle.

Notes by Hash Scribe Wirgin Bluce


Report of Run#41 March 17, 2007

Location: Baan Du Forest below Pong Pra Baht Waterfalls near Huai Luang Reservoir

Hare: Loose Spoke

It was a demographically different group that showed up this time. Altogether there were 34 people. Fifteen were female and almost half of these were expatriates. There were three pre-teens, all boys, who could race around their elders. About a third of the group claimed to be virgins but some of these had actually hashed elsewhere. One of these, Bill the Vet(eran) kept up with FRB, Nam Ron despite six decades “maturity”. His better half, Elma is the first African to hash in Chiangrai. A minority of four conversed in French.

The trail headed down a broad dirt road. When the Hash Beer announced that Oiled Well would stay to deliver beer upon arrival, the two FRBs took off and were never seen again. In their eagerness to get back, they spared no time to break checks and spread paper.

The rest ambled down the road and rested at the first check. Only a few diligent souls bothered to search the smaller footpaths. Your faithful scribe together with Child Beater and Scotch-on-the-Rocks stumbled upon paper and led the troop to the next check. Then the scribe took a wrong turn at the next check and by the time he returned to the main route, everyone had passed him by. This included the hare/sweep, Loose Spoke who didn’t realize that it was his job to shepherd the lost sheep.

The walkers were having such a good time talking that they missed the next check and walked another 10 minutes before anyone noticed that there was no paper. Thus the last became first, and your scribe found himself in the lead again. Wannika became very clever. She suspected that the next stretch was a big loop so she ran through a check and stumbled on paper again. However she got confused and followed paper in the wrong direction until she encountered the on-coming masses. That was the last time she short-cutted.

At the circle Hash Cash Well Oiled acknowledged the greater competence of his spouse, Oiled Well and tried to pass on his job without success. It seems that some beer had gone missing which raised questions about the nature of his oil.

The G.M. sought the wisdom of the circle in designating hash names. This was necessary as he, being a FRB, had had too much opportunity to indulge in the beer and was in no condition to conduct a meeting. Upon later reflection and in consultation with the Spoke family, the Mismanagement committee revised the names proposed to recognize their obsession with bicycles. Thus their new hash names slightly revised became: Loose Spoke, Tight Sprocket and Third Wheel.

Child Beater, a teacher declared herself satisfied with her name considering the alternative on offer. Scotch-on-the-Rocks was likewise thankful to avoid “Rich Bitch.”

The G. M. presented Wild Woman with a HHH tee-shirt for those who have done at least 10 runs. Shocking claimed that he should be entitled to a tee-shirt too. By the time he had donned the shirt and thus stretched it to its limit, a recount revealed that Shocking had only done seven runs. Rather than retrieve the shirt, it was decided to leave it with Shocking as it wouldn’t fit anyone else after he had worn it.

Being St. Patrick’s Day some ten of the gang headed to 24 Bar to continue the party. Fortunately we were the first to arrive which enabled them to get seats and dig into the free Irish stew. Apparently the latter was exhausted not long after their departure.



Notes by Hash Scribe Wirgin Bluce

Directions to Hash Feb. 16th

Hare: Loose Spoke

Directions:

As you drive north from central Chiang Rai on the super highway, you will eventually reach the traffic light at the road to the airport. About 900 meters beyond the traffic light you will see Bandu market on the left and the pedestrian bridge over the highway.

About 200 meters past Bandu market, turn left toward Pong Prabaht waterfall and Pong Prabaht resort. There are lots of signs in Thai on the corner. The road is #1151.

After following this road about 7.5 km, it will make a 90 degree curve to the left. There is a sign here, marking a right turn to Pong Prabaht resort (but don't turn to the right – follow the road to the left.

After making the curve to the left, you will pass the Huai Luang reservoir on the left. About 300 meters after the curve, you should see the blue Soi 6 sign (and the HHH sign, as well).

Turn left onto Soi 6 and follow this road for about 2.9 km to the meeting point (HHH sign).

We will start the hash at 3:30. See you there.

Report of Run #51: Saturday, January 19, 2008

Report of Run #51: Saturday, January 19, 2008

Hares: Helping Hand assisted by Hand Cock

Location: South bank of Mae Kok River west of Chiangrai Beach

Twenty five showed up for S2ATO 51st hash including twelve male adults and eight females plus four kids. As usual all the adult males were expats and all the Thai adults were females. The kids were a rainbow in between.

Helping Hand started the group off with a helping hand. Adolescents Spare Wheel and his side kick Dollar set a fast pace from the beginning. Unfortunately neither was particularly cognoscente of the rules governing the use of paper. They ignored the first check and happily led the pack for another ten minutes until Reverse Thruster asked who had last seen paper. At this point the group was in the middle of an empty flood plain which required the hashers to scatter in every direction. Doesn’t Matter Horn discovered a trail above the river bank and Do It Yourself ran straight up the steep bank scattering paper as he went. The crowd tried to follow but a herd of twenty cows began to chase Super Glue and Pat on the Back. Young Darling was first to reach the bank but slipped half way up. The sight of blood prompted the sweep Hand Cock to declare that the trail headed in a different direction.

The trail squeezed between the river’s edge and a suburban populated area. There were tracks crisscrossing the area from every direction. It seems our hares could not resist a crossing without making a check. Hence there were checks every 200 meters. However the narrow expanse of the coastal plain required multiple false trail lines to prevent hashers from falling upon “in” trail on the way out and vice versa. Unfortunately Do It Yourself unconstrained by the absent Do It Better, finding himself along on a different papered track, endeavored improve the trail by running in reverse order spreading paper where it was missing along the way. This created multiple parallel tracks adding unneeded complexity to the initial efforts of our Helping Hand.

In the absence of the beloved Nam Ron and Barefoot Beer Lao Bob, MANipulator declined to compete and contented herself walking amongst the masses. Between Wild Woman, Joy Stick, the two Oileds and Tight Socket she was rarely at a loss for company.

The booze was securely locked in the scribe’s vehicle. So FRB’s had to suffer with coffee at a nearby resort until Wirgin Bluce appeared with the keys. They quickly made up for lost time. Eventually G.M. Shocking was torn long enough from his bottle to call a circle. Ably assisted by Pat on the Back and daughter Boy Magnet there was never a shortage of toasting materials. The hares were so tickled to be honoured, in spite of their efforts that they danced a little jig to celebrate. Mark, son of Young Darling, was likewise toasted as a virgin. Young Darling got his name in recognition of his proclivity to preface all men’s names with “young,” regardless of age and all women’s names with “darling” regardless of looks and disposition. Various epithets were proposed for his better half Pom including Pommy Bastard, Pom Express, Old Pom and Old Fruit but the decision was put off to another time, should she ever reappear. Likewise Rob, who runs a pickling business, attracted names like Thai Prick, Thai Pecker and Pickles but as this was only his second run, the G.M. postponed the selection to next month.

Ever the long range planner the G.M. called Loose Spoke into the circle in recognition of his willingness to hare the February hash. Thus lubricated, the spirit of volunteerism flowed through the pack and soon Flaps and Do It Yourself came forward to do March and May respectively.

The G.M. expressed a desire for club memorabilia particularly t-shirts. Such items are usually issued to mark special events like our recent 50th hash or to recognize individuals who have done a fixed number of hashes like mile stones. The greatest challenge is to identify some graphic design capacity. Wirgin Bluce promised to inquire among other hash groups about how they got their art work done.

Flaps took over the circle in order to criticize Young Darling. The latter had polluted the environment by spilling his blood upon pristine bank side. He didn’t even stop to clean up the mess he created, after scattering red-tinted sand in every direction. With this admonishment to be environmentally friendly, the circle broke up to resume discussions at the follow up On! On!

Notes by Wirgin Bluce

Hash Saturday January 19, 2008

Helping Hand is the hare at the fifty-first Chiangrai "Start Slowly and Taper Off" Hash on Saturday January 19 beginning at 4:30 pm. Driving instructions are as follows:

The hash will begin from the parking area of an orchid farm on the west end of town on the river bank near Chiang Rai beach. To get there:
Drive west out of Chiang Rai on Thanon Ratcha Yotha (the old road to Chiang Mai). Turn right at the first set of traffic lights (called Den Haa see HHH sign). The road passes the military barracks. Turn left at the first major turning on the left (HHH sign) and drive towards Rai Mae Fah Luang. Turn right (HHH sign) opposite the entrance to Rai Mae Fah Luang through an entrance gate to Country Homes. Follow the road through an S-bend - left then right (HHH sign) and then take the first left (HHH sign). Follow this road all the way to the end (almost a kilometer) and park on the edge of the river. There are about 8 parking spaces there.

From the Little Duck Hotel: Head north on the A1 and turn left at the first traffic lights. Follow that road (Thanon San Khok Chang) through 3 major intersections (traffic lights) ie over Phalyothin, Sunambin and Ratchyotha. Go past the military barracks and then take the first left turn (HHH sign) once past the barracks. That road veers right after 500m and becomes the road out to Rai Mae Fah Luang. Turn right opposite the entrance to Rai Mae Fah Luang into Country Homes (HHH sign). Follow the road through a left bend then run right (HHH sign). Turn left at the first opportunity thereafter (HHH sign). Follow this road all the way to the end and park on the edge of the river.

Plan on twenty minutes from the Little Duck Hotel.

On! On!
Wirgin Bluce

Run Report #50: December 15, 2007

Report of Run #50: Saturday, December 15, 2007

Location: Between Baan Sai Muun and Baan Duu off Soi 5 near Wat Phra Tat Gaow

Hare: Well Oiled and Oiled Well

Thirty-one hashers showed up for our last hash of the year 2007. There were 20 males and 11 females. Nine were Thais, mostly female and the rest farang. Included in these figures are seven children and seven virgins.

All but the scribe showed up on time. At 3:30 pm the gang promptly climbed unto two itaems (local farm trucks) and headed slowly out along Soi 5 towards Baan Duu. It took some 15 minutes to travel 4 km but eventually the itaems arrived at their destination. The passengers disgorged and began to follow paper. Within ten minutes they arrived at the first check with four possible ways forward one of which was a harvested rice field. This was the most effective check. It kept our heroes searching at least ten minutes mainly in the rice field. Meanwhile your faithful correspond caught up.

The course mostly followed small farming trails mostly along the bottom of hills which bordered the valleys. Being a naturalist Well Oiled made sure we experienced a wide variety of flora especially bamboo which arched over and at places nearly choked off the route. Oileds’ brilliance showed most vividly in their innovative use of symbols. No ordinary ‘X’es for checks. The Oileds used ‘T’es and scattered paper in every direction sometimes beyond the 100 meter limit. False trails were sometimes marked by a firm line across the road, elsewhere the paper just petered out. Sometimes a line across the trail did not mean a false trail at all. Interpreting these symbols took almost as much imagination as went into their creation. FRB Doesn’t Matter Horn thought he was out in front when he arrived at the departure point at Soi 5. A half an hour later he was still by himself wondering where all the others had gone. Fortunately for him the A to B run ended further along Soi 5. Your faithful correspondent found him in a self-doubting mood as he returned when he returned to point A to pick up his car.

There was paper and chalk scattered along Soi 5 between points A and B which suggested that there had been some false starts in the trail laying process. Afterwards the Oileds confessed that they had almost divorced in the process of laying that trail. Well Oiled also declared that ‘sweeping” these hashers was like herding cats. Perhaps the abundance of forward paper trails had something to do with that.

The itaems brought the hashers back from point B to the Oileds’ house just as the sun was setting. Oiled Well had organized a fine buffet of BBQ chicken, somtom, spring rolls and sticky rice. A business circle then formed for its usual business: naming and shaming each other. The GM’s pretty daughter Mary became Boy Magnet. Swiss Peter shall be known hereafter as Doesn’t Matter Horn. Brussels Ron got the name Sprout. Sten and his consort became Stoned and Rolling respectively. MANipulator’s spouse, Andrew showed up for the first time in years. Someone claimed he looked like Sting for whom he was then named.

Hand Cock will hare the run in January. Loose Spoke will take on February.


Notes by Wirgin Bluce

Dec. 15 Hash, Driving Directions

Our next Hash is Saturday December 15 at 3:30 pm!

Here are the directions to the Oiled's house the and HHH trail site. It will take about 35 minutes to get there from the Big C so please plan accordingly. We must be there by 3:30 pm at the latest as there will be an Etem taking hashers out to the starting point.

Option No.1 - Traveling From the South of Town Toward Mae Sai, Using Super Highway A2.

At the first traffic light just after the bridge that crosses the Mae Kok River, hang a LEFT and proceed west for a distance of 4.5 kms.. At this 3 way intersection,(HHH sign) which is a dangerous one,swing carefully to the right and proceed north for 5.0kms until you connect with another 3 way intersection. Here you will notice 2 large public sector blue bill boards (HHH sign). Drift through this intersection to the right carefully and proceed north about 90 meters to our Soi 5 (HHH sign). Make a right turn on Soi 5 and proceed east for about 900 meters. We are at the corner of the road that leads up to Wat Pra Tat Gaut Gaow and Soi 5 (HHH sign). Look for parking along Soi 5, or along road that leads to the Wat. VIP parking is available to the early birds.

Option No. 2 - Traveling From The West Side of Town Using Mae Fae Luang Bridge.

Travel north from the MF bridge 6 kms. Follow the line of the road and do not make any turns until you arrive at The Ban Sai Moon Sam Yak,a 3 way intersection (HHH sign). This turning point is noted again by the same huge official blue public sector billboards. Turn right here and proceed North to Soi 5, a distance of only 90 meters! (HHH sign). Turn right to go East down Soi 5, 900 meters and begin looking for parking as you approach the road leading to the Wat (HHH sign).

The Signs To Look For.

There will only be four signs posted. They are :

1. At the three way intersection at the end of the road from the Super Highway.

2. Ban Sai Moon Sam Yak

3. Soi 5 @ Ban Sai Moon

4. Road leading up to the Wat on the hill.

There will be an Edam ready and available to transport us out to the trail head and return so please try to be punctual. The food will be special and to ensure success and to avoid waste please let us know who is coming.

Well Oiled and Oiled Well. Mobile tel.no. 0894332134