Percy and the Hash House Harriers

Percy's visit was fantastic. His total stay was about 36 hours. Arriving Friday night and departing early Sunday morning.

We exchanged hugs after a 12 year absence and caught up over some beer. He brought us a bottle of champayne and some jigsaws for Grace.

Next morning I woke him up horribly early (he had flown in from Geneva) to eat Dim Sum with Phit and Nam, Oi and Grace at the Chinese restaurants in town. After that, we came home and he took a quick nap.

We did my walk through the rubber plantations, and then I happened to mention a running group in Songkhla, the Hash House Harriers. These guys are all over the world, and Percy is a member in Geneva. We rode over to Songkhla and promptly missed the pick up by waiting in the wrong bar. We eventually found the right pick up point, but they had already left for the run (in vehicles, the run location changes every week and requires a convey to cars to get there). We chased the convey and had just about given up hope when I spotted a sign. We followed the signs right back to a couple of clicks to my house and turned into the rubber trees and up a sandy track. Finally, we found a bunch of vehicles and a couple of Thais lying about waiting.

The group had left for the run five minutes previous. Percy took off after them. I opted to walk the short route, and very pleasant it was; peaceful and serene in nature.

When I arrived back at the vehicles from my happy walk, there was a grumpy fat German man sitting in a chair. I hung about as more and more people started to appear from between the trees. Old men from all over the world collected together and started drinking beer supplied by a giant ice box in the back of the Song Teow. I grabbed one and joined in. What a great bunch of guys, most, I would say in there late 50's up. Some in their 70's. One guys dad had died in Tobruk during the war and another's dad had been at Monte Cassino. Percy reppeared and started drinking beer too.

The circle. At some point everyone formed into a circle and we and some others we forced to sit on blocks of ice as we were initiated. They all broke out in song and some Aussie mad man ranted at us like a Sargent Major. It was mad and hilarious, and I will definitely be going back for more.

Percy and I continued chatting and drinking at home and the next morning he was off to the airport and Manila to some work meeting.

So short, but so sweet.

The great thing I said to him was that his brief visit had introduced me to something that has been going on here for years that I never knew about, and it was him that showed me. So awesome, as I have been feeling down of late and needing some form of new relief.

Percy loved it, and shouted to me as we sped passed the rice paddies on the backroads to Songkhla, "You live in an amazing country." Another visitor, first in a long time actually, had had an awesome time and was gutted to be leaving this little corner of Asia.

Thanks Percy, and chocks away!