Run 2014, 1 August 2022
Location: Taling Chan, Prawnhub
Hare: Porkfinder

The location chosen by Porkfinder for this run was the Prawn Hub restaurant on Rachapruek. Not to be confused with Porn Hub in any way of course, although the restaurant’s logo was very similar to the porn site’s. Indeed, a few Harriette's were quick to make this association too and were seen posing seductively underneath the restaurant sign (looking for business?).

In the middle of the restaurant was a large concrete pond full of murky water, allegedly with prawns swimming in it. The idea being that for 150 Baht an hour you can eat as many as you can catch. There was also an aquarium full of very large fish, presumably for show and not consumption, a large plastic bowl with a big snapping turtle in it trying desperately to get out poor thing, and another glass tank with a small crocodile snapping away at anything placed near the glass. This kept us all amused and happy before the start of the run.

Acting GM, JM Checkless, was in charge and he invited the Hare Porkfinder to give us a briefing for the run, which he did, very concisely, and off we went north along Rachapruek, which we then crossed over to go east under Baromarachachonani for a short distance before turning right onto a khlong path.

We hit the first check after about 1 km, and it managed to fool most of us for a while until trail was found again after a long back check. The trail was very enjoyable and typical for this area in that it generally followed khlong paths, narrow alleyways between the houses, and paved walkways through old orchards, with occasional stretches along minor roads.

There were several temples along the route. We went through Wat Monthop after about 2km into the run, where lots of locals were out exercising, then Wat Ang Kula and on to Wat Chang Lek at about 3km. There was a check in this temple and a monk, trying to be helpful, pointed us towards a bridge over the khlong. It turned out to be a back check however, and we had been trying to cross the wrong bridge over the wrong khlong in the wrong direction. We eventually found the right bridge over Khlong Ban Sai where the trail started heading back west.

At about 5km we came out of the orchards onto Rachapreuk again near the flyover just north of Yok Krok. The trail didn’t go north over the footbridge as may have been expected, instead it headed west again following a familiar orchard path to Wat Tong. There was a final check in the temple then on-in nonstop to the restaurant and welcome back from the Hare. Total run distance for most was about 6km.

As usual it was a very laid back scene around the beer truck with everyone enjoying cold beer and snacks. Pussy Virus, who had recently returned from a trip to Uganda, was entertaining us all with his tales of mounting gorillas in the mist, chimpanzees and elephants that he encountered there.

Eventually Checkless got round to calling for a circle. Porkfinder was congratulated for setting an excellent run, and returners Pussy Virus, Shaggy, and City Girl were welcomed back. Passy Virus from Uganda, Shaggy from a swelteringly hot UK, and City Girl from her hideout somewhere near Minburi.

Pussy Virus took over as RA and got good material out of his recent trip. He handed out down downs to other Hashers who had visited Uganda, namely Checkless and Tinker, and also pulled in Spinning Dwarf who had been to the Uganda Bar located somewhere off Sukhumvit.

Memories of Uganda were shared, particularly the unique aromas and warnings about not to breathe on escalators. Pussy Virus admitted he had inadvertently managed to short cut the loop through Wat Chang Lek, so everyone who had done the loop was given a down down too. There were a few other down downs handed out before moving on to POW. Bullit and Father Joseph were nominated for running and racing, I kid you not, but were spared the honour when Nibbles self-nominated by unwisely accusing the GM of carelessly scaring off a "lovely fluffy little puppy dog" she had just befriended on part of the run. Nasty Nasty GM!

Socialist drinking ensued and eventually everyone made it into the restaurant for dinner. The food was delicious and plentiful, and I’m happy to say did not include turtle soup, or crocodile steak. And would you believe it, after laying on a great run and dinner, Porkfinder very generously paid the bill for dinner. What a hare! In the words of our beloved Yingluk, thank you 3 times