Hash 1332

According to Wikipedia, Australia Day is the official National Day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip.

So for the Straya Day Hash, celebrated on 26th January 2016, the first fleet of cars arrived at The Fox & Pheasant, Stoke Poges and the Australian Flag was painted on the cheek of hare Alex.

Although I'd brought two virgin-hashers along with me (Ian "Huggy" Huggett from my office and his girlfriend Emily), I was so distracted/perterbed by Alex' speedos, worn over his daks, as he briefed (get it!) the hares before the off, that I forgot to introduce them until the first regroup.

We headed off West in the general direction of Templewood Lane before taking the footpath running Southwards along the edge of the woods adjacent to Farnham Common. Jess valiently stooped to remove a frog from the path and rescue it from being croaked by the onslaught of joggers: according to folklore frogs are, "...a positive omen in all ways. Whether you saw them, held them, heard them, or ate them, they signify happiness, success in your profession, and true friends." but it turns out it was just a sign that it was going to be a flipping soggy hash.

Jess was then over-heard discussing Summer's psychic powers as her pooch predicted the correct path at the next check - I think that this was more to do with Summer's obsession with finding the flour so that she could eat it, which seems to be a habit that she's passed on to Poppy and D-for who was later seen chomping mouthfuls of flour-coated mud.

We continued Easterly along Rickman's Lane (RIP Prof Snape), and then North along Duffield Lane where I think we had the long-short split before the longs continued running East again through, what we at the time thought to be, very muddy edge-lands.

Our hare gathered us at the corner of Stoke Common with a warning of mortal danger if we chose to follow the intended path which had been flooded over the top of his joggers on setting the hash that morning and which would certainly be at least forehead-deep following the day's rain so we bravely took his advice and skirted/waded around the supposed-less-marshy edge of the common before crossing Stoke Common Road heading North.

As we looped back round to the West, Matt was overheard boasting of the virtuous feeling he'd enjoyed by leaving his warm and cosy sofa to brave the dark and cold night and go traipsing through the countryside for a couple of hours a couple of days previously - wow Matt, who would do a thing like that!

We finally completed the squircley route to find the OnInn heading back down Templewood Lane and into the warm and cosy pub where we enjoyed a hearty and traditional feast of chip butties. Thanks Alex for a bonzer hash, fair dinkum mate!