Hash Trash for White Sands Hash

By Blanka

As our true Hash chronicler Salwa had not participated in the White Sands Hash on Friday the 25th, I thought I might try to fill in the gap, albeit belatedly.

For reasons unknown, the very short convoy left Al Jalaa some 10 min before the given depature time. This did not pay off, as we had to wait rather longer that that in the town of Jeroush (?) for Rowdy and co who, left behind, got lost. Cowing in the scarce shade of a tower, we provided a spectacle of a "circus in town" for a crowd of smartly dressed local children.

When Katharina needed to get rid of the bottle of water she drank on the way (the air conditioning in her car did not work), she was directed to a private house of a kindly lady by a shopkeeper, who then handed out, as a gift, a dozen or so of bottles of Coke to the languishing crowd of Hashers.

After this intermezzo, we proceeded to our final destination, passing by a rubbish dump of a size unusual even for Hash sites. Swarms of flies were getting a free ride in Katharina´s un-air-conditioned car. Finally, we left most of the plastic bags behind and parked among little round sand dunes, surprisingly covered by green weeds, and some bizarre white stone

protrusions, which created the impression of being on the bottom of the sea.

In fact, this flat valley apparently turns into a lake in winter.

The runners, spurned on by Paul and Rafi, immediately set off for a run in the punishing heat, while Marijn went about pitching a tent and getting supper for her two baby daughters, who were quite unfased by the heat, wind, dust and dung beetles. After assisting with this task, Katharina fell asleep, even

before the babies did.

After their return, the exhausted runners had to first pitch their tents, being hindered by gusts of wind. However, they successfully completed their task before sunset, which gave the hills on the eastern side of the valley a fiery orange hue. Meanwhile, a fire was started and just as the place was getting pleasantly cool, it was regretfully time for Katharina and myself to head back to Damascus, so I am unable to comment on the night´s happenings. But according to survivors, a great time was had by all.

On on

Blanka