“3,000km on a rickshaw - you’re In-dia Straits”

The Rickshaw Run is pretty simple. With no preparation and less luggage you fly to India and do your damndest to force an old 150cc rickshaw over 3000 kilometres of questionable terrain in around two weeks, on a vehicle that has a tendency to break down every 3 hours.

A group of friends Gavin McKew, 26 from Whitehaven Paul Seager, 26 from Whitehaven & Justin McMahon, 28 from Leicester are travelling across India on the Rickshaw Run, not such a big story, however travelling on a Rickshaw (7bh, 3 wheeled motorised golf cart with a top speed of 35mph) is a little bit more than temperamental.

Gavin says “I am a little nervous about the trip and at the same time, very excited.  It will be a physically demanding 2 weeks but we will get to see India in the raw, and help people less fortunate than ourselves.” 

The friends with the team name “In-dia Straits” will start in Cochin southern India on the 28^th March 2010, taking their three wheeled treasure up the west coast through overgrown jungle onto Goa and Mumbai (formally Bombay) then continuing north through desert towards the Taj Mahal ending up at the Jaisalmer (nicknamed the golden city) on the 11^th April, well hopefully. With no backup support or a definitive route, who knows what could happen.

The reasoning behind this crazy idea is to raise money for three charities which are close to the lads’ hearts, two based in India. Mercy Corps will fund a project in Jasodapur, a rural agricultural village in Orissa. Orissa is one of the poorest states in India with roughly 40% of the population living below the poverty line.
 
In the village of Jasodapur 80% of the population are dependent on farming to support their families. The villagers have to face many daily challenges that make survival a constant struggle.