Photos by Goats on the Road
Hashing is one of the many unique activities on offer on the little island of Grenada. The Grenadian group of "Hashers" have been meeting up every Saturday since 1985 to participate in this non-competitive race, to get some exercise, socialize with friends, and of course, to enjoy an icy cold beverage at the end.
The Hash House Harriers, are a self-proclaimed group of "drinkers with a running problem." This club is actually international, with it all starting out in Malaysia back in 1938 when British soldiers decided that they needed to run off the food and booze they had consumed on the weekend! Hashing has progressed since then and groups can be found all over the world from Hong Kong to Cyprus, to Australia and The United States. (Click here to find groups.)
READ MORE: 5 Unknown, Not-to-Miss Bars and Restaurants in Grenada
There are so many things to do in Grenada, and when we heard about hashing, we knew we had to give it a try. We had no idea of what to expect when we attended our very first hash. We had been driving for about 30 minutes looking for signs that said "HHH," to lead us to the starting point of the hash. Finally, we saw it and followed the dirt road to a beautifully lush area surrounded by trees and vegetation.
We signed in, lathered up in bug spray and gathered in front of a stage with all of our fellow "Hashers," where the "Hash Master" gave a speech about the walk we were all about to embark on. People were stretching, chatting with friends and anxiously awaiting the departure!
We were given some rules about the hash:
1. If you are wearing brand new shoes, you will have to drink a whole beer from your shoe, in front of everyone, before taking off on the walk.
2. No picking fruit, or taking shortcuts! This will result in you having to drink a full, warm beer out of a bucket at the end of the hash.
3. All dogs must be on leashes, and all leashes must be attached to the owner.
After all of the rules were given, and unsuspecting hashers drank beer out of their new shoes, we were off!
What makes hashing so unique isn't that people meet up at a rum shack, or that beer is drank out of a shoe, but rather, that you must follow shredded piles of paper to find the correct trail. It's a bit of a scavenger hunt, as well as being a hike.
There were two trails to choose from, one for people who wanted to walk (generally this trail is a bit easier), and one for those who wanted to run (a bit more difficult). We chose the running trail, even though we were walking. Together with three friends and our dog, we set off with the group on the hunt for piles of shredded paper to indicate that we were on the right path. We passed by inquisitive children, farmers with their livestock and enjoyed the peace and quiet of nature.
You would think that following a paper trail would be easy enough, but there were little tricks along the way to throw us off. Rather than a pile of paper, a couple of times we arrive at a T-junction, with a circle of paper, which indicated that we could either go left, right, or straight. How did we know which way to go?
We called up ahead to our fellow Hashers, which is what you are meant to do. Here are some of the key phrases to know on the trail: "Are you?!" meaning are we on the right trail? The responses: "On On!" meaning yes, you're on the right trail, continue on. "Checking" meaning someone is checking to see if the trail is correct. "On Back!" meaning that you've taken the wrong trail, turn around.
We ended up yelling "Are you" more than once that day. This is all part of the fun and uniqueness of hashing. It's not just a normal walk on an easy path, there are little tricks, turns and sayings along the way. Hashing is an excellent way to meet local people and ex-pats, and of course, to get some exercise.
READ MORE: What You Need To Know About Sandals Resorts Lasource Grenada
Grenada may be a small island size-wise, but because it is volcanic and quite undeveloped, there are many hills, trails and secret spots to discover. Hashing is a great way to do just that.
Have you ever heard of hashing before? Would you like to give it a try?
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
