Grenada is a spectacularly beautiful island, has lush green mountains, crystal waterfalls, golden beaches and the fragrant spice trees that give the island its name “Spice Island”. It’s about 16 miles long and 8 miles wide. It feels like we are coming back to our second home, with all the cruisers that we know that have swallowed their hook here, and a few people that we know that live on the island.
We arrived in Grenada just in time to participate in the 650th Anniversary run of the Hash House Harriers. For those that don’t know, the Hash House Harriers is worldwide organisation – somebody (the “Hare”) sets a trail (a walkers and a runners), usually with shredded paper. Along the trail are “Check Points”, which will have a few trails running from them - all but one are false dead end trails. The faster people usually check out the false trails and have sorted out the way, yelling “On-On”, by the time the slower ones catch up. The trail is usually set up in the wooded hills and in areas that you would never see normally go (you would be sure to get lost!) so it’s a great way to see the island. It started off originally in Malaysia and is particularly prominent in ex pat countries. And then there is always a party or “jump up” at the end.
We have been on hashes in Antigua and Jimmy has done hashes in Trinidad and Grenada. This was Charlotte’s first hash. About 300 people turned up for the Anniversary run, which took place up in the hills in the north part of the island. Jimmy had a nap on the way to rest up for the big event!
There was a great mixture of locals, ex pats working in Grenada, students from the US medial school and some cruisers.
They split the big run into 4 groups: - Iron Man (including climbing up part of a mountain using a rope!), Runners, Walkers and “Mamby Pamby”.
We were going to just do the Mamby-Pamby one, as Charlotte was with us, but somehow ended up doing the walkers trail. Up and down the mountain sides, through the rivers and jungles.
Munching our way through numerous fallen mangos and coco beans in their pods, all along the trail. The organisers even set up a checkpoint with water and beers half way through the trail.
Charlotte made friends with some other kids and at one point, when the kids were leading our little group, Jimmy pointed out, that we hadn’t actually seen the seen the trail for some time!! We had to reverse out of the bush to find our last marker.
We were almost the last ones back just before dark, after 2.5 hours of walking – muddy, tired and happy.
The party was in full swing, with a band playing, food on the BBQ, and fish frying. It was a great day and night. There was a presentation for first time Hashers and Charlotte was awarded a certificate, which she was all excited about.
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