Tavira Invasion 2025

Run 2539 a,b,c
9th - 11th May 2025 
Hashaway - Tavira, Portugal

On Tuesday 6th May, the forward recce party for the third annual L2H3 ‘Run in the Sun’, this time entitled the ‘Tavira Invasion’, set foot in Portugal.
After successfully advancing on from the beach head at Faro Airport, they reached the target in Tavira and established a comms post (Codename: Black Anchor).
After the arrival of the second wave on Wednesday, a pathfinder squadron of the ‘Hashaway mismanagement’ set out to confuse local residents by flour-bombing strategic locations around the town. Any intercepted messaging was skilfully infused with deception techniques – mostly involving photographs of splinter groups all seemingly oblivious to their unfamiliar surroundings and innocently waving litres of ‘Super Bock’ in a show of relaxed confidence. The majority later jointly assembled at the aforementioned Black Anchor for more ‘SuperBocking’, and to receive notice of L2H3 Hash 2439 (a) the following day.
Accordingly on Thursday 8th May, a briefing was given by Sundodger in the picturesque Placa da Republica next to the ancient Roman Bridge, and at 12:00 the run was On on !
There transpired a superb run which wound in and out of the old town’s lanes and points of interest and kept everyone guessing – including an evil back-check ! The hashaway mismanagement Hares ; B&M, Sniffer, Hide’n’Seek, Sundodger, Forest & Rangi, had done a brilliant job in unknown territory and everyone appreciated their efforts, even coping with ice-cold down-downs.

Later in the day a good number of the L2H3 party moved on to a local vineyard, and after enduring a lengthy lecture on Portuguese wine making, they found the stamina to thoroughly sample a wide selection of the product.
Friday was declared a rest day, and many of L2H3 elected to take the short boat trip across to the geographically and ecologically interesting sand bar island. A select few embarked on a long walk along the beach and 5 took the plunge into a ‘refreshing’ Atlantic ocean. For others, the main point of interest on the island wasn’t the sand bar, but a cocktail bar to which great justice was done, with many exotic concoctions dispatched. 

Saturday 10th May was the centrepiece of the weekend – a Red Dress Run, laid by Algarve H3. Not only were there hashers from AH3, but several other hashes from around Portugal. Everyone was suitably attired and a fine sight it was. Beer, wine (and softies?) flowed during a leisurely assemblage while everyone got to know each other.
The hares gave a briefing at which they were surprised and miffed to note that much of their proposed route had already covered by L2H3 on the Thursday ! There were to be 2 long-short splits, designated by beer stops, and a potential ‘long’ distance of 12km ! Checks were plentiful, but the hares had not counted on Forest streaking off like the wind and invariably finding the on before the rest of us could catch up. Although of course no hash is a race, our hosts were very surprised by the speed and athleticism of L2H3 as a whole…..
Back at the ‘circle’ our hosts RAs gave the thorough and wide ranging performances favoured by many hashes, but a little unfamiliar to the gentler L2H3 sensibilities. However, it was all taken in good humour and the great generosity was brilliant. The Thursday hares were quite rightly once again honoured as were plenty of others – Whingeing Pom was singled out for (I think) inattention to the RAs, during which he acquitted himself with grace.
After a brief period for recuperation, the masses regrouped at the Black Anchor where beer continued to flow and food was consumed – then into the bar for singing and dancing – a fine day.

Sunday 11th May – another day, another hash ! This one was laid by ‘Jolly Storks H3’, a very new hash in southern Portugal. Alarmingly, the briefing once again spoke of a long which would total 11km, but the by now battle hardened L2H3 cohort barely blinked.
Off we went, this time well out into the beautiful surrounding countryside of orange groves, vineyards and olives. There were two stops, one for beer and then one for Cava or ‘Espumante’ with strawberries and chocolate cake – evidently to mark what was Danish Mothers’ Day ! At the on down (circle) there were more festivities and down-downs galore, before we all yet again made our way to the Black Anchor for more refreshment, singing and dancing.
What a fabulous long weekend of hashing and general congeniality. Huge thanks to all those on the Hashaway mismanagement particularly B&M, but also Sniffer, Wigan Whippet, Hide’n’Seek, Sundodger, Forrest & Rangi who pit it all together and those who went that provided such great company.

Postscript
Quite a few stayed on for a day or two after the hashing, and of those some elected on Monday to hire bikes for a day and cycle east toward Spain. From this sprung a moment of infamy when your correspondent was culpable in a coming together of velocipedes that resulted in Spin the Wheel being rudely ejected from her machine, and breaking a thumb!
Mandy’s resilience in continuing to cycle and make it home with barely a complaint was an inspiration – a true sign of what hashers are made of. 
ON ON !!