Setting Off

The most important task on the final day: get the perfect photos of your team, and rickshaws, to remember the event by!
 

Gokarna

Before Goa, Gokarna. This beach in Karnataka was the perfect spot for some rest, some lunch, and maybe a quick dip.
 

Hill Racing

After a week of learning the ropes, teams were now rickshaw experts. The hilly route made for a great challenge, with lots of chances (gladly taken) for adventurous overtaking.
 

Going, Going, Goa

And we made it to Goa! Here are Team Ice Road Truckers, who would later receive the Charity award.
 

Outlaw Trouble

Some teams made it to the hotel nice and early. As ever, though, the Outlaws were in trouble. One of their rickshaws needed an entirely new engine. For a while, we wondered if they’d even make it. Miraculously they did; and, best of all, not even in last place…
 

Better Late than Never!

The girls from Tuktukarama had been some of the day’s earliest risers, and had ‘decorated’ the rickshaws of Team Midlife Crisis. Karma paid them back, and in some style, though, as their first serious breakdowns of the week hit them not far from the finish line. They arrived 3 hours late, but they were quickly compensated when awarded the Bonkers Trophy.
 

The Winners!

Finally, when everyone had arrived, it was time for speeches, beers, and the final ceremony. Mostly importantly, the event winners were announced: The Tukkle Brothers, and it was richly deserved win. Afterwards, many of the teams went to explore the famous Anjuna night market — before a night celebrating the end of a great event. Till next year!
 

 
 

Road With a View

 

 
The day’s route passed one of our favourite sections of road in the whole Travel Scientists‘ calendar. Teams drove with the coast directly to their left, and backwaters on their right, and who can blame them for stopping to admire the view (and for coconuts, as ever)!

Selfie Season

 

Thomas’s ‘unique’ wig somehow didn’t scare off the Outlaws’ new friends…
 

Sun, Sea, Sand

Did we mention it was hot? Luckily, this beach was a stone’s throw from our hotel, and participants took full advantage.
 

Spiritual Maintenance

Murudeshwar isn’t just golden sands. It’s home to the world’s second largest Shiva statue, which was unfortunately partially hidden under scaffolding — its very big though!
 

Lift-off

The best view of the Shiva statue (and the beach, and well, anything for miles around) is from the top of Shri Murudeshwar Temple. It’s not as old as you might think: in fact, it’s so modern than it’s complete with an elevator to the 18th floor. Unfortunately, it’s not so modern that it has a reliable elevator — it broke down repeatedly. Still, for those not of a nervous disposition it was worth it for the view!
 

Time to Celebrate

After swimming and sightseeing, it was time to relax. It’s a tough town to find a drink, which actually made for a better evening — lots of teams ended up in the same bar!
 

No Phone Zone

Nobody likes it when people choose social media over real-life conversation, so an “all phones in the center of the table, the first to answer theirs pays for the drinks” rule was in place [enacted by the participants, not the Travel Scientists, it should be noted!].
 

Dinner Together

The highlight of the evening, and maybe of the entire event, was a group dinner in the only restaurant which served beer. Team Namaste kindly provided a soundtrack by bringing their rickshaw right beside the tables! Several rickshaws were also involved in giving quite a few people a lift home. This confused the local police, who presumed (reasonably, to be fair), that we’d stolen the vehicles. However, we managed to convince him the rickshaws were our own.. but only by giving him a ride!
 
 

 
 

Moustache Men

One of the challenges was to get a photograph featuring somebody with a moustache. There were many successful entries, but none moreso than Team Ice Road Trucker’s photo with a policeman, always a bonus. They’d broken down, and the local constabulary were only too happy to provide a personal security force until they got back on the road!
 

Fort Rest

One essential stop was Bekal Fort, spread over an area of over 40 acres. It was a a hot day, so exploring it all was quite a challenge. Still, the view over the old walls (which date back to 1650) towards to ocean, was phenomenal.
 

Family Lunch

The Namaste Teams stopped for fuel at a gas station, and ended up getting invited for a family lunch with the owner. They exchanged life stories, and heard about the hopes and dreams of the daughter, who hopes to study in the UK. What the Rickshaw Challenge is all about.
 

Best Men

The Tukkle Brothers were living their best lives on the Malabar Ramapage. Casually spending the day dressed in togas, they somehow found themselves invited to a local wedding. Not only that, but they were seemingly the guests of honour — they got to cut the cake! Sensational scenes.
 

Craft Beers

 
Participants’ trusty Lonely Planet guides served them well in Mangaluru. Spindrift, a modern craft beer bar, was lively, with great food, and some incredible beers: the Mango IPA had to be tasted to be believed…
 

 
 

Sore Dino

“Did you guys ever get your dinosaur out of the pool last night? Yeah, it’s down here, no idea what happened!”
Luckily, the dinosaur recovered from its hangover to wow local kids throughout the day.
 

Superman Required

Team Kraken, or rather Superman and Wonder Women, had the most impressive costumes for the day, but their vehicle wasn’t quite in such an agreeable mode. All the better for us, though, as we love nothing more than photos of Superman broken down by the side of the road. To Team 3’s credit, they fixed their rickshaw without having to call up the real supermen (the support team).
 

The Right Kind of Wrong Turn

The long route wasn’t enough to stop teams from going their own way. And when a wrong turn leads here… who can blame them?
 

Taxi Drivers

One of the days challenges was to offer taxi rides to locals. Several teams took up the challenge, and locals were only too happy to accept!
 

Signs

The second challenge of the day was to photograph any funny or unusual signs along the road. This was an easy task, as Indian road signs are often hilarious, weird, and usually downright confusing. Team 17 snapped this rather disconcerting warning, for what we are none the wiser…
 

Train Track Breakdown

It wasn’t planned, but the Outlaws endured the biggest challenge of all. As they got closer to our destination for the day, Calicut, they noticed one of their vehicles acting up. They tried to carry on, but the rickshaw finally gave up the ghost… while crossing train tracks. Luckily they managed to push the vehicle to safety before any train could turn this crazy anecdote into a sad story.
 

Eating Together

And at the end of the day, many of the teams joined up for dinner at a restaurant near the hotel. And a fine meal it was too.
 

 
 

Houseboat Hunting

An easy to challenge to start off with. Teams were instructed to get a photo of themselves beside a backwater (there are a lot). More points were awarded if your photo featured a houseboat. Some entries were marginal (*cough* Team Father & Son *cough*) but the Namaste guys, above, did a great job.
 

Easy Going

A short ride, barely any breakdowns (at least, not any that weren’t fixed without much fuss). A great lazy day, apart from Tuktukarama almost tumbling off the road into a pot hole. Luckily, locals helped them out, so they didn’t die
 

 Rooftop Beers

And our hotel had the perfect place to relax: a rooftop pool. Beers, a view, sunshine… this is the life. Until it was time to pay the bill, that is. Matt of Team Wrecking Ball decided to pay for everyone, and it was… a lot. Here’s Cameron of Cupid Stunts posing for the camera.
 

The Land of Spices

It wasn’t all relaxation though. Kochin is famous for its spice trading, so we asked participants to head to a spice shop and to check out what’s on offer. That they did, and here’s the proof.
 

Kochi Jews

Kochi is also famous as the home of the India’s oldest Jewish community. Just how old? That was another challenge posed to teams. The answer (roughly) is “very” and the synagogue area made for a great atmospheric walk.
 

Kumbalanghi

No relaxation for The Outlaws however. They headed to nearby Kumbalanghi island, and apparently fitted in with the locals with ease. They were sifting mussels, weaving baskets, making rope — sounds like they should’ve been paid, but we have a hunch the sunset (looking at the Kochi’s other famous landmark, Chinese fishing nets) may have made up for it!
 

 
 

Making Headlines

The event hadn’t even really got going, but we’d already made the paper. The Midlife Crisis lads made a trip to beautiful Kovalam Beach on Sunday, and somehow the local paper got wind of it. The participants came across very well, emphasizing the charitable aspect of the event, rather than the drinking; great job boys!
 

And TV!

One sniff of fame wasn’t enough for us. Local TV turned up to our flag-off celebration, and interviewed many of the teams. Whether it was shown? Who knows.
 

Costumes

The first day on the road is when teams pull out all the stops on their finest costumes, and today was no different. Better yet, the teams don’t just look cool, but they are representing their roots. Team Golden Turtle dressed as pirates in honour of where they live, the Cayman islands, while the Outlaws, from Nottingham, are celebrating local hero Robin Hood.
 

Holy Cow

The first photo challenge of the day was to get a picture of team and rickshaw with a cow. Team Tukkle Brothers (and most others) managed with aplomb.

Making Chai

A tougher challenge was to get a photo of the team making (making, not drinking) chai. Everyone did amazingly well: above, Team 1 demonstrate the stages of the process. It’s hard to beat Team 3’s effort, though. Tracy and Ian were invited into a strangers home, fed breakfast, invited to visit their family in Chennai, and (weirdly) encouraged to hold their rooster. That’s what the Rickshaw Challenge is all about.
 

Spot the Rickshaw

Selfies with strangers aren’t unusual on the Rickshaw Challenge, but this effort by Mitch of Team 2 has a great story behind it. Struggling to find a place to eat, their team somehow ended up blagging an invite to a housewarming party with forty college students, who taught Mitch and the gang to eat with their hands. Great times.
 

Varkala

Our route passed one of Kerala’s best beaches, Varkala, famous for its red cliffs and golden sand. Many teams were eager to make the most of it, not least The Outlaws, pictured above.

Fuel Trouble

India is unpredictable. For example, on Day 3 it turned out that a major strike was occurring in Kerala, meaning the closure of restaurants, shops and (problematically) filling stations. After passing a succession of closed stations, the Outlaws were getting concerned. However, Swiss team Father and Son came to the rescue, and shared some their spare supply. Fate quickly repaid them for their kindness: a local gifted Karl a tin of delicious cashews, while Christian enjoyed his first ever coconut.
 

Lots of Water in a Dry Town

And then it was time for Alleppey (/Alappuzha). It’s famous for its backwaters, and teams were encouraged to check out its many canals, best seen by taking a trip on a boat. However, the one downside of the town is that it’s not the easiest place to find alcohol. Luckily, Princely was on hand to save the day: he persuaded our hotel to provide a secret stash of beer, available via room service. Day (or, rather, evening) saved.
 

 
 

Train Tickets

The first challenge of the day was to visit the nearby train station, and buy a ticket, any ticket. It might sound simple (and well, it was, since everyone managed it) but the event was not without drama. Team 8 “Namaste 6” ended up bumping into the back of a stranger’s car. Our first crash of trip — but everyone came off unscathed, so we can count it as a success. And, somehow, the car ended up in worse shape than the rickshaw. The driver was a little upset, and called his sister to negotiate. She drove a hard bargain (or Namaste 6 are just too nice) and a generous compensation was agreed. So, everyone ended up smiling. Not for the first time we learned that on Travel Scientists events, the only people happier than the participants… are the lucky strangers they crash into.
 

Temple Time

The day’s second challenge was a little trickier. Teams were instructed to capture a photo of themselves, their rickshaw, and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Simple enough you might think: the temple is very grand, very gold, and very big. However, two problems awaited the teams: firstly, guards do not allow photography near the temple; secondly, there are seemingly endless lanes nearby, with only very few allowing access. Many teams drove into narrow alleys, having to reverse, only to have their way blocked by… other Malabar Rampage teams, also lost! Above, the Namaste teams pose in front of the back entrance.
 

Meeting the Locals

Many teams did make it to the main entrance, though, or at least close to it. And bringing brightly coloured rickshaws to popular places means one thing… requests for selfies. Team 2 didn’t help themselves: they had made their vehicle even more interesting with the addition of a Tyrannosaurus Rex on top. They were approached by a local who wanted to join their photo, and (for some reason) to touch the blow-up dinosaur. Afterwards, he wasn’t keen to let it go, and kept holding on. Eventually he relented, but to be fair to the man, he did truly appreciate the moment: he gave the team 10 rupees, and refused to take no for an answer. Team 1 had another classic lost-in-translation conversation earlier in the day. Upon noticing their out-of-state license plates, a local repeated “TN, TN, TN”, with no explanation, much to their confusion. Eventually, she where they were from, which led to the the immortal question “You’re from America and you don’t speak English?”
 

Kovalam and Beyond

For Teams 7 and 18, the challenges weren’t nearly enough. They decided to go on an adventure to Kovalom beach (a lovely spot)… and beyond. They drove for the whole day, exploring churches of various colours, beaches and bays, and picturesque fishing villages. However, later in the afternoon team 7 bit off a little more than they could chew ascending one hill, and spluttered to a stop, out of fuel. Luckily, Team 18 came to the rescue — great teamwork. It seems like teams are ready for the real adventure: day 3, bright and early, we set off for Alleppey.
 
 

 
 

The Malabar Rampage 2018

Forty-seven participants, from all across the world. Eighteen teams, of all ages. Driving rickshaws all the way from Trivandrum, near India’s Southern tip, to Goa, over a thousand kilometers further North. And nobody has driven a rickshaw before. It sounds crazy, and it is. But that’s what we’re going to do, and from all the signs so far… it’s going to be a great trip.
 

Princely’s Words of Wisdom

The trip is led by Princely, a veteran of these events, and the teams’ first job was to listen carefully as he explained everything participants need to know about driving in India, from the state of the roads (“We don’t drive on the left, we drive on what’s left“) to what to do when Google Maps fails (“In rural areas the people are the map”). He also introduced the Chennai Garage guys, who’ll be travelling with the rally and sorting any vehicle issues along the way.
 

Training Day

And suddenly, it was time to drive. Some took to it like ducks to water, and others took a little while to get used to the controls. There were many false starts and puzzled stares, but soon enough teams were racing around the practice ground and dizzying speed.
 

Training Day

Before teams were allowed to drive on their own, there was an important test to complete. Participants have to be able to get the rickshaw going from a standing start, within ten seconds — already a long time to wait in Indian traffic. So, teams were instructed to drive a few metres, stop their vehicle, and then switch drivers, before starting again. It took a few repeat attempts — but before long, everybody passed! Princely, in private, noted that this group seemed unusually competent, to the extent that they might get cocky… but the mayhem of Indian roads will quickly see to that.
 

They Grow Up So Fast!

It was then revealed that we’d be meeting back at the hotel, but teams had to drive there first, also stopping for petrol on the way. Some teams managed this with relative ease, while others had a touch of vehicle trouble. Unlucky Team 6 “The Cupid Stunts”, who had only landed an hour before we met up in the morning, broke down three times, and needed some assistance. However, everyone made it back to the hotel eventually, well in time for welcome drinks.
 

A Double Birthday… Sort Of

It turned out that there was more to celebrate than the start of our adventure: it was also the birthday of Ian, in Team 3 “Kraken”. And so, as you’d expect, we all sang happy birthday and he gave a little speech. But then, half an hour later, a cake was delivered to his table, and so we all sang again, and Ian was polite enough to say another few words. In a weird side-note, the hotel had earlier that day delivered to his room a different cake, reading “sorry”, but he had no idea what they were apologising for; he forgave them anyway. All in all it was a great day, and the welcome party provided the perfect opportunity to relax with a few beers, as Day 2 had no activities scheduled until a positively luxurious 11:30am!
 

 
 

The Classic Run Gives Back

 

 
Morning with a visit to a school for hearing impaired children in Pondicherry, which is supported by our charity partner Round Table India. The teams gave presents to the kids of all ages, but they were actually more excited about letting everybody point out their country of origin on a big map in one of the classrooms, which brought a big smile on their faces.Team The Cock and Pullet are still going strong in their full body chicken costumes: we are sincerely impressed! There are several other teams who are still putting in the effort, despite seeming to be glued with sweat to their costumes by now!
 

Beaches and Bling

 

 
Today’s schedule planned a temple visit for the teams, but before getting all spiritual, first a quick visit to Silver Sand Beach in Cuddalore, where the teams could watch fishermen at work. Then we headed to Airvatesvara Temple, dating back to the 12th century, a small detour from the route, but definitely worth it. The temple is entered through a small basin filled with water and as the complex has been compared temples of Angkor it’s certainly a worthwhile sight to see. The evening was either spent shopping for sarees or in the hotel pool – a tough decision to make!
 

Television and Temples

 

 
The next day, the Rickshaw Challenge Classic Run was featured on the local TV and the teams used the opportunity to deliver an important message: If you see us on the street, stay away from us, because we don’t know what we are doing! Despite this little handicap, the teams managed to visit the Brihadeeshwara Temple in Thanjavur, one of the 3 great living Chola temples and a UNESCO world heritage site, rather impressive in its size and details. Team Shark Attack had the luck of breaking down in about 50 m distance from a local garage, and thanks to the talented locals were sent back on the road in no time for an incredibly low price.
 

Goodbye 2016!

 

At Thirumayam Fort one of the toughest challenges till now was waiting for the teams: climbing to the top and counting all the cannon balls they could find there! (We’re gonna tell you a secret: there are none. Some of the guys are probably still there, looking, searching…).  New Year’s Eve meant a sumptuous party at the Taj Hotel in Madurai – as far as we can remember…
 
Happy new year to everybody! Stay tuned for the first adventures of 2017!
 

Kochi

The city of Kochi (also known as Cochin) is a major port, and has earned the nicknames the Queen of the Arabia Sea and the Gateway to Kerala. Its status as hub for trading spices, which it has maintained for hundreds of years, has ensured wealth and prosperity in addition to much immigration (from elsewhere in India and abroad). While almost half of those living in Kochi are Hindu, there are also sizeable Christian and Muslim populations. In smaller numbers you will find Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists and – famously – Jews.
 

The history of India’s Oldest Jewish community

The origins of Kochi’s Jewish past are disputed. Some historians have theorised that the first Jewish arrivals in Kerala came only in the early middle ages. However, it is often suggested that Jews emigrated to India after the destruction of the Second Temple, in 70 AD. An earlier claim is that the Cochin Jews descend from Israel’s Ten Lost Tribes, having left at the time of the Assyrian Exile in 722 BCE. However, many believe that Jews first reached the Malabar Coast as traders at the time of King Solomon, who lived in the 11th Century BCE. They are said to have returned to his temple with many spices, ivory, and even monkeys.

The other Cochin Jews

Here is where the story of the oldest Jewish community gets more complicated. There is in fact another Jewish community in the same area, who arrived in the 15th and 16th centuries, Sephardi jews fleeing persecution in Spain and Portugal. These newcomers became known as the Paradesi, the local word for foreigner. The original Jewish community were the Madamalabari Jews, having long inhabited the Malabar coast.

The exodus of the Kerala Jews

For hundreds of years the Cochin Jews thrived and despite some leaving for bigger cities, by the 1950s Kerala had 2500 Jews,with eight synagogues. Remarkably though, in all that time the Malabari and Paradesi Jews never saw eye to eye. They shared the same interpretation of Judaism, flavoured by Indian custom. Compared to traditional Judaism, Cochin Jews have a greater emphasis on singing, and women are permitted to sing in public, and together with men. They have no rabbis, only community elders. And they enter the synagogue with bare feet, while their colourful festival clothing bears much similarity to Hindu style.

The remaining Cochin Jews

Only very few remain to this day. The leader of the Malabari community is Babu, caretaker of the historical Kadavumbagam synagogue, out of use since the ’70s. There are not the required ten men for shabat service, and he only managed to celebrate shabat recently when a tour group from Israel came over specially. He too plans to move to Israel in the near future.

Rickshaw Challenge

If you’re intrigued by Kochi, and Kerala generally, you’re in luck: the Malabar Rampage rickshaw challenge passes right through! Next taking place in April 2017, a month sure to have a pleasant climate, the adventure rally will cover a route of over 1000km, from Trivandrum to Panaji. On the way you’ll see a lot of history and plenty of jaw-dropping scenery, whilst navigating Indian traffic on your tuk tuks (maximum speed 60 km/h)! From Kerala, across Karnataka, to Goa, it’ll be a crazy (and beautiful) week…