Pan Africa Hash Accra

Going for a hash outside the boundaries of Kampala is a ridiculously a big affair for some of us folks. We have to plan what to wear, who to tap a lift from and whether to use that dreaded bus or not. It requires meticulous planning. One can only imagine the amount of time put into planning for a hash event that is taking place in ‘outside countries’. Word around town immediately after the Ghana contingent returned was that some of them missed their flights while others found out at Kotoka International airport –apparently all ready to depart for Kampala – that they were not scheduled to fly till after 24 hrs. Clueless travel agents or inability to interpret the 24-hr clock? Your guess is as good as mine. Plans to make the best of it were drawn as soon as it was announced that the Pan Africa Hash was to be hosted by the Anti Cold Climate Running Association (ACCRA) H3. I volunteered to host as many hashers as possible risking the wrath of Mrs K. Not giving room to the notion that a hash event does not have to be hosted in the capital city, I went about looking at accommodation options available. ACCRA H3 is full of surprises and they were not about to start disappointing – they soon announced much to the consternation of yours truly and a few others - that the Pan Africa Hash would be hosted in Cape Coast apparently at a University! By the looks of the buildings, it appeared to be a University but the ilk of ‘soso’ could not believe that not even their eyes, if no other part of their bodies could feast on the blessings of this West African nation. They quickly realized that their ill-advised move to check into a university hostel on the campus was not likely to bare any fruits and they went scampering for alternative accommodation as early as the first light of the following day. It wouldn’t be a true Hash event if check-in and finding your room went smoothly. The Pan Africa Hash lived up to the expectation and many people did not settle into their rooms until long after their arrival. After all the dust about accommodation had settled, we learnt that the evening hash events, breakfasts and everything that normally comes after running were to be hosted in the same lecture hall that we had used for registration. The food was brilliant and in plenty but music could have been better. Most blamed it on the poor acoustics of the hall, but being hashers we still made the best of it. Unlike Addis Ababa, people in Ghana are not offended by seeing grown useless men with extended bellies running around their town. The Red Dress run went through Elmina – a small town 12km to the west of Cape Coast. The run was beautifully set through this town of 33,000 people, with two check points that were attractively located – one at a church (of all places) and another at a castle that was used for slave trade those many years ago. The run eventually terminated at a beach (of some sorts) where we found a few KH3 naughty wankers already enjoying the beer. God knows how they got there! As soon as the circle was formed, they were called into the middle and given appropriate punishments. Their protestations that they had bought the beer fell on deaf ears. There were a number of runs organized the following day (Saturday) and I am sure I went to one of them. It would be too much for you to expect me to recall the titles or the length of those runs. A hasher has got so many better things to do at an event like this than spend time memorizing those kinky names they give the runs or how long they are. Perhaps, one notable hasher should grace these pages for showing up on this day in (or is it ‘on’) crutches. Later that evening we were treated to music by a live band that looked like our own Prisons Band. Once again the acoustics of the hall did not do justice to their output but I am sure they are good at what they do. A few of us ventured into the night to check out what Cape Coast can be like in the wee hours. It is reported that the previous night a combination of Ugandans and Nigerians had caused so much inflation that entrance was free on this night – just one catch though, you had to be a Ugandan or Nigerian. Just like the previous evening, there was an abnormal increase in prices for all goods, although truth must be told that it was more to do with the effort of the Nigerians than the lot from the Pearl. Sunday had it’s own fair share of runs but unless I went to one while still drunk, I don’t remember running that day. I joined a useless group of people that convinced me that Hashers could also make good tourists and we visited the Elmina castle, notoriously used by the white folk who first visited these parts of the world to sell our most able bodied ancestors into slavery. When we came out, many of them were visibly emotional and close to tears; they must have seen or heard something that I missed. Other than that, I must ask for a refund from my former school because I certainly did not get my lectures about ‘showing emotions’. Sunday afternoon saw many of us head towards Accra where we spent the night. It was incredible fun, but what happens in Accra stays in Accra. The organizers for the Pan Africa Hash pulled off one big nice event without unusual hitches. The Nigerians were lobbied to handle the next one but they tactfully declined citing all sorts of reasons –including Boko Haram!!! It was eventually taken by Sierra Leone; yes we are heading to Free Town come 2015.