This Saturday, preparations for the Rickshaw Challenge Malabar Rampage have started in Trivandrum, Kerala, where 21 teams from all over the world have gathered to take up the challenge of driving 1000 km along the Malabar Coast in India’s West – in a rickshaw.
After the sign up in the morning, Aravind Bremanandam, Chief Scientist of The Travel Scientists, did the best to prepare the brave adventurers for the craziness of India. Mr. Bremananadam’s wise words “the British couldn’t change us in 200 years, don’t try to do it in 5 days. Just relax”, might be the best advice for the racers facing the madness of Indian roads.
In the afternoon they meet their travel companions and second homes on the road for the next week for the first time. The teams familiarized themselves with their rickshaws and discovered – after approaching carefully – the full power of the gas pedal, taking the speeding possibilities of the practicing ground to the maximum.
The first real challenge of the day was a short driving test under the hot tropical sun for all team members before being released onto Indian streets by themselves for the first time. Not all passed with flying colors, but no team was rated a too high danger for the traffic in the end. Also surprisingly all teams returned unharmed from their first independent drive in the real traffic of India. The price for the first crash and the first dent in their rickshaws though goes to the Blues Brothers – luckily nobody was injured or seriously traumatized, except the rickshaw.
Back in the hotel, the participants were released into the night, which proves to be a special challenge in Kerala, a state which has done its best to ban alcohol. Only some interaction with locals can help to find the hidden places, where you can still have a cool beer running down your throat.
The next day brought the first real challenge for the participants. To warm up with the game they had to find their way to the train station and get a platform ticket, as well as taking a picture of the rickshaw and the team in front of Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple. The rest of the day was leisurely spent with sightseeing, at the beach or just enjoying the hotel’s roof terrace and pool.
On Monday life will get a tiny bit more difficult for the teams, since it is time for the Malabar Rampage’s first stage from Trivandrum to Alleppey, journeying into the rural India, visiting one of India’s best beaches and fulfilling challenging task along the way.
04Apr
The Rickshaw Challenge Malabar Rampage 2016 – Day 1 and 2
Are you crazy enough to come along for the ride? Then join us on the next Rickshaw Challenge. Get a team together and let’s see you at the starting line! If you want to join us in spirit, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to keep up with our latest antics.
