MAGNIFICENT PANORAMA
OF THE NORTH COAST

FROM MTWAPA AND STRETCHING RIGHT
UP TO OIL REFINERY AND BEYOND

Coastweek - - Nguu Tatu was the venue for SWANK Hash No.193 and surprise surprise 12 hounds actually made it to the massive water tanks by the Hussein Dairy Head Quarters.

The Hare Mzee Mouth, assisted by yours truly managed to arrive late so the trail had to be set at a run.

Off we went with chalk bottles in each hand.

Down a winding road and Mzee Mouth goes off to set an early false trail/ trap, while I follow a small track branching off to a homestead.

Having set the trap Mzee Sungura is soon back in the lead again.

Up a steep hill peppered with thick bushes and a tall leafless baobab tree near the top, I am already puffing and sweating.

First 'Hold' is at the summit and the Hare orders another false trail be set, down I go on a barely seen path through thick green flowering vegetation.

These rains we have been having certainly have had an effect.

Vines arch overhead and you are tripping on crawling green plants with no ground to be seen at all.

Thick green bushes with small clumps of flowers crowd on both sides.

Not a good time to recall a recent visit to the Bio-Ken snake farm in Watamu and fat puffing vipers !

Then it happens ! Painfully intense sharp bites at the ankles, Oh Lord ! I am in the middle of nowhere.

The bites continue, look down and I am standing on a line of fire red ants and boy can they bite.

Right enough of this getting back to nature lark.

A swift dancing retreat as I try to run and slap my legs at the same time.

"Did you set the marks ?" is Mzee Mouth's query.

Oh yes I did, let those hounds discover nature for themselves.

Setting the rest of the trail is a piece of cake after that, heading down to a creek bed and back up again to the water tanks where the pack has already gathered.

Horny Sunset, the great gal that she is has brought along three marine biologists.

Karibu Jennifer, Njoki, and Katie.

Mzee Mouth wastes no time in introducing himself and then calls for a circle to be formed.

Ramadan just over and having just celebrated Idd, some of the hounds do look a bit ragged.

The Hash is on and the pack disperses in all directions sniffing for the trail.

Ahmed the puppy and Horny Sunset lope away and fall right into the first trap.

The more experienced albeit slower ones sneer and take up the real trail, leading them straight to the steep hill.

Whining and cursing the pack ascends with the newcomers bring up the rear.

First 'Hold' at the top and what a view. A magnificent panorama encompassing the whole of the North Coast from Mtwapa on the left and stretching right up to the Oil Refinery and beyond.

The Indian Ocean, all the hotels and other structures, Bamburi Cement factory and Mombasa City can be seen.

Worth the climb everyone agrees as the sun starts to set.

Trying to find the trail again the old fox is not fooled by my false trail !

On On goes the call as the packs takes the downhill trail to the creek.

GDT the snazzy dressed Nairobian has ensured all her limbs are well covered.

Second 'Hold' on the creek bed and Vibrator conducts his laughter therapy class.

HA HA HA, HAA HAA he roars, the rest of the pack can't help but join in except for Katie who seems to be looking for an escape route.

Mzee Mouth follows with his 'Numbers' dance.

What a way to relieve your whole week's stress.

The pack is reluctant to search for the trail due to the creek bed, what wimps !

The Marine biologists show them how it should be done by spreading out to search.

On On goes the cry and uphill again through several home steads with the inhabitants going on with their activities.

The totos tag on as usual.

Steep trail again but downhill this time, water erosion having cut a very deep and wide fissure in the path.

Some FRBs leap over this dismissively but Horny Sunset plays safe and actually climbs down into the fissure while Kama Sutra does her usual doggy style downhill crawl.

Njoki the Dik Dik leaps over barefoot and so does Blonde Hot Loong One.

Home stretch now on the tarmac road except that it leads up a whopper of a hill.

Some jogging, some walking, some crawling, everyone huffing and puffing and the pack staggers back.

Much deserved Down downs were had at Turkey Bayse together with Wet Hole's much appreciated Diwali sweets.

Log on to: http://juanguvu.com/swank for online Hash reports, photos and more info.

Next Week's Run No. 194 - Saturday November 04th 2006 The Regatta Run.

Meet at Bamburi Forest Trails, Mombasa - Malindi Road at 3.30 p.m.

Run will start at 4:00 p.m sharp.

Call Birju B. Shah on 0722 841536 for more details.