Hash'n In Chennai

Today was the Hash. This is one of our favorite pastimes since arrival here in India. The Hash is a group or “club” of eccentric expats and Indian socialites that get together to follow “clues" we would find in rice powder on the ground to find the particular trails we were supposed to follow. About 20 people -30 people show up every other week. There are various “Hairs” that help you along the way if you get lost. It is basically a scavenger hunt/race. A large circle in rice powder on the ground means look around to find the next clue to follow, or an “F” = a “Falsie” or a False trail. A blob of powder means you are on the path and the right trail. Every time to come see this blob you have to yell “ON_ON” meaning you found the trail and everyone behind you can follow you. The trails are tough sometimes. We actually scaled an actual mountain a few weeks ago. It was crazy tough…and then had to go down the face of the cliffs on other side. It was madness but we made it. The hash has taken us on trails along the coast, in marshes with poisonous snakes (although we did not know it at the time) and through the busy streets of downtown. We have been through little villages and the people within them must have thought we were absolutely crazy. It was so funny. We did get lots of smiles and waves from the local kids who thought white people were amazing. (very funny) We had to laugh at all the wooops and stares. The kids were beautiful and it was all I could do not to take pictures of their homes and the way they lived. You would have found it astonishingly heartbreaking. We are talking intense poverty here. I just felt it would be rude to start snapping pictures. Besides, we were on a race.

The people on the Hash and the Hares are very funny and ridiculous and most of the time have 7^th grade boy, but that is part of what “hashing” is about. This past week we got our Hash names at circle time. While sitting on blocks of painfully cold ice they ask us a series of ridiculous questions to help the fellow Hashers “name us”. Usually silly names. They asked us what we did for our employment here. Electronic Bible software books gave Miles the name “Hyperlink”- nice. I told them I followed Miles here because I was his wife and because they knew we worked for the same company creating Bible software they named me SpareRib (as the rib was taken out of Adam to create Eve.) I thought that was incredibly clever. I was thankful they did not give me any names that were inappropriate or just plain dumb. We are now known as:

Miles= Hyperlink.
Jenny= SpareRib.

Although the maturity level is a little low and the silliness is just plain silly, we can live with that part. It is great exercise, a great way to meet other Expats and local important high class society, and businessmen, as well as see parts of our city we otherwise might not see. All good things. We get to enjoy a meal and refreshments after the Hash which is always welcomed. A time of networking with new/old friends we have met and the food we share is usually traditional Southern Indian and so good! It is also such a great way to experience different parts of the city of Chennai and the surrounding area, such crazy beautiful places that we otherwise would never ever ever see.