Smudge alludes to being led astray sometimes in the jungles of Borneo so it behoves me to set the record straight.
Some years ago we were tasked to take a detachment of Royal Marines out on an exped to climb Mt Kinabaloo. Then while we out there collect the Ex Fincastle freight from Adelaide. Cool.
The outbound went well apart from the Royals tying one on in Colombo. The subsequent skinny dipping in the hotel pool just outside the lounge brought protests from the management. "Tell them to desist" they said. 30 pissed, naked Marines....not a chance. Several ladies in the lounge weren't at all upset by the scene.
But to the point. On arrival in Brunei we were reminded of the abstemious muslim culture and the consequent lack of post flight pop.
An ex ascoteer employed in the Royal Brunei Airlines locally suggested an alternative post flight exercise......A jungle run with the Hash House Harriers and gave a knowing wink.
OK I'll tell the boys and we'll give it a go I said. Led by the said M*** F** we plunged into the almost impenetrable jungle, hopelessly overdressed and sweating like the wild pigs we could hear in the enveloping green.
Cue lots of Lenny Henry wildlife noises interspersed with cursing sweating herc crew muttering dire threats against the person who got them into this steaming, leech infested, mossie swarm.
After a spell of chasing shredded paper through the swamp it started to get dark. Even I was becoming vexed. Then all at once we blundered out into a clearing surrounded by small trucks. The doors opened at the back by smiling Chinese people to reveal dustbins full of bottles of beer in ice. The solemn ceremonial of the harriers followed with one of the "guides" seriously chastised for losing his group in the jungle. (The Gurkhas found them unharmed)
Much later as we were being taken to F**y's house for a curry he explained that because there is no alcohol in Brunei you cannot be caught for drunk driving, you are merely indisposed. Well we were as indisposed as a newt by that time, but I have never worked so had to get a beer in my life.
Another mental scar for Smuj
