Round Table India – Rickshaw Challenge

Mumbai Xpress 2017 Recap 7 – Day 13 & 14

admin — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 10:36:31 +0000

Fourteen adventurous days have passed and our teams had the time of a life. Princely tells us one last time about the exciting events of the Rickshaw Challenge Mumbai Xpress 2017!

Day 13

Only a couple of days before the Mumbai Xpress 2017 comes to the finish. The longest rally in our calendar never fails to excite the participants more than all the other rallies. It’s 14 days through 4 states and it goes from the west to the east coast. The day in Bangalore started overcast. The judging of the makeover challenge kept the competitive spirits of the participants high. First we had the school visit, where also the judging was to take place. The convoy to the school was blocked by the Bangalore police for a brief time. They wanted to check the Chennai Garage Service Van papers before they allowed us to continue. The teams were taking pictures and the ongoing heavy traffic was just crazy and the local people were all with their cameras. This had beaten the publicity in the previous day’s newspapers.

A very warm welcome

Finally after a big huff and puff we reached the school. The Round table school in Bangalore gave the teams a traditional welcome and the school band performed the national anthem of India. Then the school assembly dispersed and the teams visited the school classes and had a good time. Three upper grade class girls were volunteered to judge the makeover. The obvious choice was Team 3 Just in time. After this, it was a rather uneventful day. The highway driving was like a cruise, as all the teams had seen the tougher terrain of mountain roads.

The guests of honor in the front row

I had no calls in-between for service and all of the teams made it to the hotel around 4.30 pm. Team 12 The Rickshaw Lady and Team 14 Spider Flamingos, skipped the school and drove straight to the hotel and they reached the hotel at 12.30 am.
I stopped in Ambur for the Briyani and I saw a couple of teams there. As the state has ruled that there are no bars allowed within 500 mt of the highway, the base hotel lost its bar license. But that is not the end for party, the innovative teams went and bought a quantity of beers for the night. The teams had a great time. Team 3 Just in Time went to a local circus to witness what an Indian circus looks like. We’ll continue with the stories of the final day and till then its bye.

On the road

Day 14

All that begins well will end well. Living up to those legendary words, the Mumbai Xpress 2017 has come to the final day. The overcast morning in Vellore was not a dampener. After a quite long briefing, being the last day, the Round Table India members arrived at the hotel around 8.30 am. Then it’s convoying to the project visit. The place was an automobile accessory unit supported by Round table. They employ disabled and destitute women. Due to an economic meltdown, the unit was on casual leave. It was just the project, without the workers there. A naughty trick was played on the parking place of the project visit. Secretly some teams took the spark plug of all the rickshaws parked there. When the others came out from the project and wanted to continue all got starting issues, except Team 4 9 Inch Males, Team 6 Desert Gypsies and Team 7 Not Fast, Not Furious. Now you probably understand who did it…

Still unsuspecting…

With this fun note the day started and I had no calls, thanks to the Chennai Garage team, to make it a minimum break down Mumbai Xpress so far. The schedule was perfectly maintained and the schools finish was perfect for the beautiful rally. It’s award time there and Team 3 Just in Time was judged the Champions. Charity went to Team 5 Oh Yeahh!, Bonkers went to Team 7 Not Fast, Not Furious. The award evening was organized by the Round Table and I made Sandeep the chief guest and the activity challenge of the day of buying a silk towel to Chief Guest was given to him. The final drive to the hotel was braved by the teams by their own and it was smooth in spite of heavy traffic in Chennai.

Congrats to the winners of the Mumbai Xpress 2017!

Then we moved on to the last segment of the event, the party. The Elements Hostel terrace ‘Muthu mess’ has hosted several memorable parties and it lived up to its name. I just thanked the Chennai Garage staff and gave them mementos distributed by the teams. A surprise element to end the note was a romantic proposal of Team 13 Daft Trunk Garage. Rito, one of the friendliest persons on the trip, proposed to his partner in Rickshaw Challenge, Gudi. The words are still in my years, “If we could survive this challenge, we probably survive the life challenge and would you be my love?” As the team name is inspired by the Daft Punks band and their, theme song is “Getting Lucky”.

A very special occasion!

With such a lovely note I would like to wind up the whole rally with a great wave. Thank you guys for following this and kindly go and press your register button on Rickshaw Challenge page.

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 and Instagramto keep up with our latest antics.

Mumbai Xpress Recap 6 – Days 11 & 12

admin — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 11:55:03 +0000

It’s been adventurous two weeks during our rickshaw adventure, but we are quickly approaching the last days of the Rickshaw Challenge Mumbai Xpress 2017. But first, here is one more of our Princely’s great updates!

Day11

“Do something stupid and take a picture of it I”

The first school visit in the rally was planned for the day. The Manglore day was a bright start. Being a long distance, teams were well informed and we did an early briefing at 7.45 am. Team 12 Rickshaw Lady and Team 14 Spider Flamingo wanted to start early and they skipped the school visit. The other teams assembled for the school and we arrived there on time. The day is the Independence Day for India, so the school had planned for flag hoisting. The Round table India’s Manglore chapter arranged the event for us. After assembling in the school, the teams were introduced to the project by the Round Tablers. Then we moved on to hoisting the flag and the ceremony was witnessed by the teams. By 9 am all got over and 10 to 15 minutes were taken for Photo session. After photo session all the teams were on the way.

“Do something stupid and take a picture of it II”

By routine I had my breakfast and kept moving towards the next destination. Team 4 9 Inch Males gave the first service call for the day, after two hours of drive. The service team attended them and found out that they had burnt the piston of the engine. It was fixed in 30 minutes and the team could get back on road. When I had lunch in Medikeri, I met Team 1 Axles of Ignorance and team 11 at the lunch place. After that, there was absolutely no call for the day.

“Do something stupid and take a picture of it III”

The final approach to Mysore had pouring rain and the teams had to drive slowly because of the visibility. Finally all the teams arrived at the hotel before 7 pm, except Team 12 The Rickshaw Lady and Team 14 Spider Flamingo. There were plenty of fun moments on the road and as usual Team 1 Axles of Ignorance had their part this day as well. Their handle bar was painted gold when they had parked it in the hotel for lunch.

Extra points for spotting an elephant

Team 6 Desert Gypsies had a lucky moment when they crossed an elephant and all the other teams were jealous of that.
Team 12 The Rickshaw Lady and Team 14 Spider Flamingo went the wrong way and entered another state called Kerala. Eventually they made it to the hotel around 8pm. The day witnessed many locals wanting photos with the teams as they were all high on Independence Day Celebration. The Rickshaw Challenge never had any dull movements and it lived up to the participant’s expectation.

Day 12

A great welcome

Another school visit in Mysore was on the agenda for the day. A Round Table member from Mysore joined us in the hotel lobby, 15 minutes before the start of our briefing. After a quick briefing we started in convoy to the school at around 8.15 am. There was a band to welcome the participants in the school. The school arranged a dance and we had some interaction time with the kids. Teams introduced themselves to the kids and spoke a few words on how they feel about India. After a request from the kids, participants sang and even danced for a song. It was a warm and happy interaction and all teams enjoyed the visit.

First the talking…

It is an easy day drive as the distance is less than 150 km. There was absolutely no service call for the day and the Bangalore traffic was the only challenge for all the teams. Some of the teams stayed in Mysore for the morning session as they visited the palace. All the teams arrived at the hotel before the flag off time, except 3 teams. Team 11 Sgt Pepper’s Submarine, Team 12 The Rickshaw Lady and Team 14 Spider Flamingo stuck together from the beginning of the day and they reached the hotel at 8.15 pm. 10 km for 1 hour was the only information they could pass on after they reached the base hotel.

… then the dancing!

The day came to end with Banglore Red FM taking interviews with the participants. All ended well and preparation for the makeover challenge has been finished by some teams. As there was some sudden pour of rain, some of the teams wanted some time in the morning before they start. With a long distance to go, teams are prepared to face it. See you tomorrow, until then bye.

Scores, scores, scores!

We have a new leader with Team 13 Daft Trunk Garage, but they are very closely followed by Team 1 Axles of Ignorance and Team 5 Oh Yeaahh. There are still some days to drive and some challenges to do, so nothing is decided yet!

Rickshaw Challenge – Mumbai Xpress 2016: Over and Out

veronika — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 09:34:30 +0000

Alas, the Mumbai Xpress has ended, new friends were made, amazing places were visited and great parties held – we loved every second of it. But what happened during the last couple of days? Our Travel Scientist in the field, Princely recounted events as they occurred.

Day 9: Panaji to Murudeshwara
August 15 is the Indian Independence day. The Goa Round Table had arranged a school visit that morning, which was planned well in time and Teams 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 took part in it. By the time we arrived the flag was hoisted in the premises and the kids were performing the skits prepared by them. The Teams enjoyed the show and distributed the presents brought down by them and the gifts from Round Table. We then got back on the road before 10 am. When I crossed Karwar and was approaching Batkal I met Team 8, which had some technical snare with their vehicle. I checked the problematic vehicle: a suspected bottle lid drop in the fuel tank was detected and the Chennai Garage team swapped a fuel tank. Team 8 was very frustrated, so I called on the support team and we moved from the place. The problem was rectified that day and after that the team had no issues.
Throughout the route, two big groups formed out of the numerous teams. One group was the six teams from 001 to 006 and the second one consisted of three teams, from 007, 008 and 009. One part was totally under the control of support team and staffs, and the other group had their own plan, did their repairs by themselves and filmed all the hidden treasures of India.

Roads Untravelled? Photo Credit: Magnus Heinmets

I reached Murudeshwara at around 2.30 pm and the first team arrived there at 4.30 pm. Some of the teams visited the beach of Agoda which is suggested in our day plan. The big Shiva statue and the tower excited them all. They all mentioned the beautiful view of the base hotel. Then, we sat in for beers at Naveen residency and as usual, a lot of Indian non-logical stories were told.

Day 10: Murudeshwara to Mangalore
Driving in the state of Maharastra has made the participants experts in driving. They had gotten through some tough terrains, challenged by heavy rains and bad roads. On the bright side, this has made them all experts in handling any situation. The drive from Murudeshwara was an easy task for everyone – it was pretty much a good road.

Rickshaw Line Up

Udupi was the stop in-between to complete a challenge, so most of the teams visited the place and some even tried the food served in the temple. The day ended rather quickly and the next day drive was discussed well in advance during debriefing. Teams were aware that there was going to be a school visit the next day morning and a 250-odd km drive to Mysore.

Day 11: Mangalore to Mysore
The Mangalore school visit was reduced to 4 teams and rest of the teams wanted to leave early as the day was going to be one of the longest in the journey. Team 1, Team 2, Team 3 and Team 6 came for the visit. After the school visit, the teams were flagged off by the Round Table staff. On the drive, I saw Team 9 was attending a fault with a local mechanic and when I stopped the vehicle for them they showed thumbs up and they were fast to get back on road. Through Facebook, I learnt that Team 8 had some silencer issues and that they also took care of it themselves. The long day turned out to be an uneventful day and all the teams were well on time and enjoyed the view of Palace which is lit for the evenings.
Teams enjoyed the Opium bar in the base hotel and it was a rocking session for them.
Day 12: Mysore to Banglore
Mysore morning started with a school visit and we went there with all the teams. Every one had a marvelous time with the children at school. Many Participants danced and asked the kids to repeat the movements. The kids did few performances and Team 2 and Team 6 danced to a salsa tune and the kids enjoyed the small gesture showed by our Participants.
Even though the distance of the route was not a concern, the day’s drive had a tough end to it: navigating in the Banglore traffic and finding the base hotel proved to be difficult. Eventually, all the teams made it in style, except for Team 3 which need some navigation and sign skills to get back to the hotel.
Team 2 participant, Hector Gabriel from Puerto Rico had his birthday, so he threw a party in the base hotel’s new pub. It must have been a wild party, because some of the team members could not even get up from bed the next day.

Cutie Pies

Day 13: Banglore to Vellore
In the morning, there was another school visit. As a resut of the previous night’s party, Team 1 and Team 6 skipped the school visit. Team 7 to 9 stayed in a different hotel and started early. They also informed me that they are would not be coming to the school. Finally, we landed at the school with 4 teams. The school had a terrific band and no participant will forget the warm welcome we got, teams didn’t want to leave the school premises!
Apart from the school visit, there were no calls for repair and to my knowledge, no breakdowns happened. It was a smooth drive to vellore. All teams wanted to go and rest early, as the previous days still had an impact on them. The teams had mixed feeling about the last day and most of them were sad that the fun rally is coming to end.

Seashells on the Seashore

Day 14: Vellore to Chennai
The last and the final day started with a project visit and ended in a school visit.
As per plan, no team was left behind on the last stretch. The school and the atmosphere the students created gave a fitting farewell to the great Mumbai Xpress rickshaw rally. The last big party was held in the Elements Hostel in Chennai and the great rally had come to an end. 14 days and countless memories took the participants in strides and the effect will stay with them for some more days to come.
See you on the next adventure!

The Rickshaw Challenge – Malabar Rampage 2016 Comes to an End

veronika — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 13:36:51 +0000

The last day saw our participants cruising the beautiful streets of India’s smallest state Goa, leading them through enchanted woods and Eden-like beaches on their way from Murudeshwar to Panaji, Goa’s capital.
Driving through the streets was straightforward, as they were rather empty, so the last 250 km were – compared to some other days and generally driving in India – easy as pie. As a result, most of the teams arrived early in Panaji, excited about the upcoming award ceremony. Everyone had plenty of time to kick back and enjoy the hotel pool with a spectacular view over the Goan capital and its rivers… A dozen brave participants decided to start the final party right there and then, while also learning something about Indian culture by trying a shot of feni, Goa’s very own (in)famous spirit, made either out of cashew or toddy palm.

Those Beaches Though! Photo Credit: Jade Hammelmann, Rickshaw Racer

As it turns out, for most of the teams this extensive Indian culture lesson fell under the category “regrettable life choices,” but at least the experience will result in many stories to tell.
Apparently, the only real challenge of the day to arrive in time for the award ceremony, which turned out to be more difficult than expected – although to be fair, Goa’s magical beaches are just way to distracting and make you completely forget about time. Thankfully, in the end, all teams gathered in the “Down the Road Bar”. After everybody received their well-earned medal for successful participation and survival of the Rickshaw Challenge – Malabar Rampage 2016, it was finally time to announce the winners of the different award categories.

Lining Up. Photo Credit: Janardan Prasad, Rickshaw Racer

The Charity Award went to Team Goan Places from the USA and Australia, who succeeded in raising 12 000 USD for Round Table India and are planning on not giving up before hitting the 20 000 USD mark. We are incredibly grateful for all the effort Team Goan Places has put in this and we can assure that this will make a significant difference in the lives of many, many children.
The Bonkers Award, the award for the craziest team with the most – let’s call it interesting – ideas went to Team Butt, Sweat and Ears from Malaysia, with participants from Australia and France. They most definitely deserved the award, solely for squeezing into their rickshaw in their gigantic inflatable sumo ringer costumes!

Team Sumo. Photo Credit: Chris Ong, Rickshaw Racer

Finally, the winner of the Rickshaw Challenge – Malabar Rampage 2016 is Team Champagne, holding a moving, Oscar-worthy acceptance speech right before showering the whole room in Champagne. The following party continued well into the early morning hours.

We Are Proud of You! Photo Credit: Janardan Prasad, Rickshaw Racer

Overall, it was a great rally with amazing participants, who developed a strong team spirit in just a few days. We would like to thank you for being awesome and making our time with you unforgettable!

Rickshaw Challenge – Malabar Rampage 2016: School Visit

veronika — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 15:02:46 +0000

Today, our teams were flagged off from the Government School at Mallikatte, starting the route from Mangalore to Murudeshwar. Before embarking on their journey, however, our 38 participants had the opportunity to make new friends and share stories with the youngsters studying at the school.

Say Cheese for the Class Photo!

It was wonderful to see how the kids lit up when they saw the colourful rickshaws pull into the courtyard – the participants also brought along some gifts with them, like pens, pencils and watercolour paint palettes. The children also got to drive around in the vehicles and have some fun with the teams; everyone had a great time.

Let’s Have a Bit of Rickshaw Fun!

The Rickshaw Challenge has been actively a part of supporting the charity Round Table of India in completing their mission – with each run, we wish to contribute to the organization’s goals.

They See Us Rollin’…

Our teams play a significant role in raising funds with the Round Table of India under their program: “Freedom Through Education.” Our 38 participants also contribute to the futures of the young students by inspiring them to go beyond their country’s borders and learn everything they can about the world. It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved, and after the visit, our rickshaw gurus continued on the road energized and as positive as ever.

The Rickshaw Challenge and Round Table India Team Up to Transform Schools

Brianne — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 03:00:25 +0000

Over the past nine years, the Rickshaw Challenge has drawn more than 1,500 people from across the globe to India, where they have donned wacky costumes to dodge potholes, cows, motorbikes, and more from behind the wheel of an auto-rickshaw.
What many also have done is used their unconventional holiday to help Indian kids have a more positive and productive educational experience by raising funds for the exclusive charity partner of the Rickshaw Challenge, Madras Midtown Round Table 42 (MMRT 42), one of 200 “Tables “in the Round Table India (RTI) network. RTI, which provides young men with social and civic opportunities, is committed to reaching one million children through its classroom-building initiative, Freedom through Education.

Sandeep speaking with Pallikaranai’s principal, Ms. Shantha

The partnership began when Chennai businessman and MMRT 42 “Tabler” Sandeep Mall met Rickshaw Challenge Founder Aravind Bremanandam through a former “Tabler,” and participated in the first Classic Run. It always has been important to Aravind, a social worker by training, that the Rickshaw Challenge (and his other rallies) benefits communities along the routes.
“We believe that a big part of the spirit of adventure is spreading happiness by giving back to people who do not share our advantages, and leaving the places we visit better off than when we arrived,” says Aravind. “We encourage our adventurers to take part in our charity efforts with in-kind donations or by fundraising, and have found it’s usually a high point of their experience.”

a few of the old classrooms

The partnership started small and grew slowly, but to date, Rickshaw Challenge teams have raised nearly $300,000 for schools where, according to Sandeep, “good stuff is happening, but poor infrastructure is holding them back.” He explains many students in India have to sit outside or on the ground to learn, and if there are buildings, many are in poor condition, with no fans to provide relief from the heat. “You would be roasted,” he says.

Tuk the Challenge in the news

Two customized rickshaw rallies – Pimp My Tuk Tuk in 2013 and Tuk the Challenge in fall 2014 – also have been held to benefit MMRT 42, together bringing in $100,000.
“We all wanted to give something back and fundraise for a worthy cause that had children and education core to its goals,” says Tuk the Challenge organizer Derek Vann on the team’s GIVEasia page. “We wanted to fundraise in a unique way that would push us to the limits, and at the same time, be fun and rewarding.”
Rickshaw Challenge teams also visit schools in Chennai and other cities along the rally’s five different routes – coordinated through the RTI network by MMRT 42 – gifting school supplies and sports equipment, and playing with the kids.

Glenn Kelly clowns around with the school kids in Tuticorin. (Photo credit: Glenn Kelly)

“Getting to visit the schools, meet the children, and give our donations of school supplies directly to them was a highlight of our time in India,” says Classic Run 2015 participant Glenn Kelly of team The Trashbag. “Seeing the excitement as 40 crazy westerners turned up in multi-colored rickshaws is something I’ll never forget. And just having an hour to speak and interact with the kids gave me a wonderful insight into life in India today.” (Glenn captured a Tuticorin school visit in this fun video.)

the new building at Pallikaranai (phase one)

One regular stop in Chennai is Pallikaranai Government Secondary High School in the southern suburb of Vengaivasal. Described by Sandeep as a “showcase school” due to its dedicated staff and high student performance, Pallikaranai educates 2,500 boys and girls – many who live in nearby slums – from grades 6 to 12. On my last day in India, Sandeep met me there so I could see first-hand what funds raised by the Rickshaw Challenge are helping accomplish.

the “inspirational” speaker

The sprawling campus is set back off a main road in what seems to be a quieter part of town than where the modern office parks are located just a few miles away. In the front of the campus, faded, rectangular buildings dot a shady courtyard, where that day a few hundred students sat attentively on the ground listening to (what was supposed to be) an inspirational speaker psych them up for upcoming state exams.
Sandeep led me through the assembly to the rear of the campus, where at the far end of a large, sunny clearing sat a bright, shiny, two-story building, in stark contrast to the crumbling row of old classroom blocks leading up to it. This new building – comprised of 12 classrooms (six on the first floor and six on the second floor) – was phase one of MMRT 42’s commitment to Pallikaranai.

the site of the second building (phase two)

Phase two is a second, larger building consisting of 18 classrooms (9 on the first floor and 9 on the second floor), which is currently under construction next to the first. Sandeep expects it to open months earlier than originally scheduled – the target is now June. He says that a “Tabler” regularly stops by to check in on progress.
The cost of each classroom is approximately $10,000, and MMRT 42 requires nothing of the receiving schools except for a signed memo of understanding outlining that MMRT 42 will provide the physical space along with fans, lights and chalkboards; schools will provide the desks and chairs.

one of the bright, new classrooms

The investment does not end when construction is finished, however. MMRT 42 stays in contact with the schools, and sometimes helps meet additional needs the schools identify – at Pallikaranai, for example, they have provided a water purification system and books.
Since RTI is an all-volunteer organization, MMRT 42 has zero overhead, and raises additional funds through “Tabler” contributions and events such as concerts. The Indian government, along with international foundations and corporations, such as the Timken Foundation and Procter & Gamble, also have provided grants.
“(Donors) don’t have to worry,” Sandeep says. “Whatever we commit to, we’re doing.”

some of Pallikaranai’s enthusiastic students

What Sandeep and the other “Tablers” of MMRT 42 are committed to now is finishing the 18 classrooms at Pallikaranai. And they already are in the process of identifying what schools to help next.
He reminds me, “There is no dearth of need.”
If you’d like to learn more about how you can participate in the Rickshaw Challenge to benefit the classroom-building efforts of Madras Midtown Round Table 42, please contact Sandeep at sandeepmall@hotmail.com.

Tuk the Challenge: How We Put the “Fun” in “Fundraising”

admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:11:20 +0000

Travelers are always safe when they’re riding with the Travel Scientists, but our custom events mean we take care of everything, while they get to enjoy a truly unique experience. Everything is tailored to our customers’ specific needs and this is exactly what we did for our 24 special guests. All they had to do was show up and have a great time!
Our latest custom adventure brought together 11 teams of two, taking participants away from their day-to-day lives to offer them an experience they’ll never forget – a week-long Tuk Tuk Charity Race from Chennai to Goa.
Seven days, 941 kilometers and hundreds of unforgettable moments later, the group managed to make a difference by raising more than $70,000 in donations to support the Round Table India Trust. All this was made possible through our custom tuktuk adventure, which offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences to those who want to support a good cause and have a lot of fun while doing it.

A week of adventures

When a group of adventure-seekers from the UK, Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore came knocking on our door, asking us to come up with a custom auto rickshaw event for them, this is what we offered: a seven-day, 941-kilometer long race from Chennai to Goa, and an opportunity to have the time of their lives while raising funds for Madras Midtown Round Table 42.
The 11 teams rode up to 155 km per day at a top speed of 60 km/h, in customized auto rickshaws that were designed to do 20 km a day. They came across unmarked roads, uncovering new and exciting places, discovering the local culture and, of course, visiting schools and orphanages which they raised money for.
“Tuk tuks are amazing! Driving in India is grueling but an incredible experience. We have numerous challenges, we’ve had 4 teams get lost, one broken clutch cable, engine malfunction, one on the spot driving fine, and so many people stopping us to say hi and have photos with us,” team leader Derek wrote on the event’s Facebook page.

Fundraising in a unique way

Everyone loves to have travel, discover new places, dive into the local culture, meet new people and party hard. But what makes our customers different is that they also like to give. On our latest custom adventure, teams gathered $70,810.83 in donations. All this money is going towards building better schools in India and changing the lives of those who were less fortunate than us.
“We all wanted to give something back and fundraise for a worthy cause that had children and education core to its goals. We wanted to fund raise in a unique way that would push us to the limits and at the same time be fun and rewarding,” Derek wrote on the GIVE Asia page.
While having a lot of fun and discovering India in a unique way, our customers have the chance to really make a difference, help the local community and support a social cause. During the seven days spent in India, our guests visited two orphanages – one offering food and shelter for abandoned kids, and one taking care of children born with HIV.
Derek told their story on the rally’s Facebook page: “We Tuk the challenge to raise money for some of the poorest children in the world. Children that do not have the basic amenities that we all take for granted, education, food, toys, books, clean water. The children we decided to help live on the slums and others in orphanages.
“No one apart from those running the orphanage gives these children any real support and our limited time with them brought hugs, smiles, play and gifts but there is so much more we all can do.”

Tuk Tuk Charity Race in the press

But there is one more reason why you should consider turning your next vacation into a custom Rickshaw Challenge adventure: our events will help you and your business build a positive image.
Special stories always make the newspapers and good deeds will be rewarded. The incredible tale of the Tuk Tuk Charity Race from Chennai to Goa was featured in the Daily Telegraph, Times of India, The Hindu, as well as on social media, where hundreds of people followed the story every day.
So whether you’re organizing a conference, symposium, reunion, team building, cultural tour or anniversary, come to us and we’ll turn it into the most special event you’ve ever been to. You choose the place, time and special ingredients you need to spice things up and we’ll take care of the rest!

Discovering India on three wheels

admin — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 07:25:18 +0000

Press below for the in motion Mumbai Xpress.
The Ultimate Auto-rickshaw Adventure Mumbai Xpress 2013, is a charitable programme which takes aspiring adventurers from different countries and takes them on an exciting 2,000km journey in auto-rickshaws. Their journey began in Mumbai on July 29 and will conclude on August 9. Yesterday, the group were in Pune at the SSVMS in Karvenagar. They interacted with the school children, who benefit greatly from this activity. “Sometimes the participants voluntarily make individual donations to the schools that we run. Round Table India’s purpose behind the event is to generate funds to run these schools,” says Ankush Mehta, secretary of Pune Midtown Round Table 65.
The participants themselves make hay of this opportunity by getting to see India in all its vibrance and reality. With participants from UK, New Zealand, Russia, Australia and Germany, each rickshaw has customised designs and peculiar names. Speaking exclusively to dna, one of the racers, Marc Spence from Australia said, “This is my second visit to India and this time, I wanted to see the real side of this country. So, when I saw this opportunity, I decided to participate.”
Marc, who is in the business of Prosthetics back home, finds the overall experience fascinating. “It was great to ride surrounded by the mountains. It was riding in the cities that was stressful. Especially in Pune, things just keep popping up before you and you have to keep finding gaps,” Marc says, utterly thrilled. By the time he reaches Chennai, Marc will definitely get a hang of Indian roads and the unique skill set required to drive on them.
Via: DNA India

More press below

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Watch Rickshaw Challenge Snippet

Mumbai to Chennai in Auto Express

admin — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 07:37:22 +0000

To Thomas Kuhnelt, 30, an employee of an aerospace company in Munich, Germany, being caught in the Mumbai traffic was “thrilling. ” What made it even more “fun” for him was that he was driving an auto rickshaw in one of the most congested cities in the world, and not merely travelling in one as one would normally expect.
Kuhnelt is no ordinary tourist, a racer like the dozen others from the UK, USA, Germany, Canada, Australia and Switzerland, who have arrived in the country to drive the noisy, hardly roomy, humble auto across its dusty roads and highways in the ‘Rickshaw Challenge — Mumbai Xpress’, an adventure rally from Mumbai to Chennai. “This is not simply an adventure trip, but a learning experience as we are getting to know so much about the tradition and culture of the people of India,” said Dr Erik Jentges, 30, of Zurich, Switzerland.
Pia Brasher, 31, and Alisha Hughes, 29, of Australia, who share an autorickshaw with Ruth Brown, 30, of the UK are teachers from Dubai. They hope to make use of the journey to campaign for educating the people of rural India. Having enjoyed their journey so far, the women are grateful for the friendly reception they have received everywhere.
The racers are also contributing to the fund raising programme of the Round Table India through their trip round the country, having already raised US $80,000 for the club’s projects in India through the Rickshaw Challenge. The grateful Round Tablers were there to greet them in Hosur before they set off on the next leg of their journey to Chennai, where they are scheduled to arrive on Friday.
Via: deccan chronicle
More Mumbai Xpress 2012 press:
The Firangi auto pilots
Rides to hinterlands
A bit of India on three wheels

The Incredible Rickshaw Challenge

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:42:31 +0000

Noob Films presents a Rickshaw Challenge snippet