What we learnt on the India's Cup 2018. The India's Cup rally is one of the most exciting events on the Travel Scientists' calendar. We love rickshaws (and bulls!) but as we continually discover in our many other exciting events, sometimes you can't beat a car! This event is designed to test our cars, and participants, to the maximum, in order to experience as much of South India's diversity as we can possibly fit in a couple of weeks. We think we (and our brave teams) did a good job. Here are some of the highlights: Fantastic Cars Any vehicle is accepted the India's Cup. However: the more classic, and the less suitable, the better. This time though, the field were all in Hindustan ambassadors; a real classic of Indian roads, this made for an interesting blend of fitting in and (as a group) standing out. Most importantly, they took teams 2700 kilometers, from Chennai to Goa (with a lot of detours in between). Most of the Time... One thing about these cars: they are... temperamental. Especially on hot, long days, with drivers who aren't used to this unique vehicle. It took some getting used to, and quite a few pit-stops along the way, but by the end of the trip our teams had learned to love them like family (fault air-con included...). Amazing Scenery We saw some of South India's most remarkable places, like the 'Venice of the East', Alleppey, pictured above. Other highlights included the tea fields of Ooty and, of course, the beaches of Goa. So Much History Being India, of course, there were also many historic sights to see. We even had an excellent guide Deepa, pictured here showing participants around the incredible ruined city of Hampi. The Sea Temple at Mamallapuram and the Chinese fishing nets of Kochin will
What we learnt on the India’s Cup 2018. The India’s Cup rally is one of the most exciting events on the Travel Scientists‘ calendar. We love rickshaws (and bulls!) but as we continually discover in our many other exciting events, sometimes you can’t beat a car! This event is designed to test our cars, and participants, to the maximum, in order
Let's look back at the Malabar Rampage Rickshaw Challenge 2017. Julia Krohmer was a participant on the Malabar Rampage Rickshaw Challenge 2017, along with her team: the Frankfurt Samurai Tigers. We asked her what she thought about the challenge and for her to recount some of her favorite moments were. Here are our questions, her answers, plus her wonderful photos from the event! She provides great insights for anyone considering signing up for a Rickshaw Challenge. Why did you decide to sign up for the Rickshaw Challenge Malabar Rampage 2017? A friend of ours (Uwe Harmening) had participated in the Classic Run three years ago and was so happy and excited about this experience that he quickly convinced us to join in as well. What did you expect and what did you get? We expected an adventurous (without stress) and funny travel experience off the beaten path in a beautiful country – and that’s exactly what we got! But we got even more: The great exchange with the many other teams, the international atmosphere among all participants, and the easy and enriching contact with the population all along the trip. What was your scariest experience on the road? There was not one – we found the traffic in fact amazingly organized, based on a lot of mutual communication and attention and some common rules respected by all traffic participants – which made driving often more enjoyable than on many crowded European streets, where all drivers insist on their rights and rules. Driving in India was somehow smoother, way more flexible! I was only really shocked by the horrible health condition of some of the stray dogs we saw. What was your most positive experience during the Malabar Rampage? The warm and welcoming reactions of the
Let’s look back at the Malabar Rampage Rickshaw Challenge 2017. Julia Krohmer was a participant on the Malabar Rampage Rickshaw Challenge 2017, along with her team: the Frankfurt Samurai Tigers. We asked her what she thought about the challenge and for her to recount some of her favorite moments were. Here are our questions, her answers,
Three states, 1110km, 5 teams, 13 participants from 4 different countries kicked off from Panaji on 15 June 2015 on a three-wheeled mission across the Deccan Plateau to India's most populous city - Mumbai! Things didn't begin as early as planned on the Rickshaw Challenge - Deccan Odyssey 2015, since most of the teams had partied a little hard the night before the flag off, but that still didn't stop the enthusiasm from rushing in. Our hardy teams dressed up in costumes, sporting good spirits to compensate for the hangovers and eventually kicked off around 9am revving towards the first destination Belgaum. The Deccan Odyssey poses some challenges, with the weather being one of the main nuisances (or should we say "fun" aspects of the trip), since we caught the very beginning of the monsoon season. However, despite the rain, nothing could dampen the spirits of our Rickshaw Challengers and everyone was raring to go. Outside of our set challenges, the teams' biggest hurdle was perhaps the epic traffic in Pune, which was quite a shock and a talking point among the participants. Most of the teams came in late after the flag down time since they had not banked on Pune's size and congestion issues, where even with a small and nifty rickshaw, it's hard to zip in and out of the traffic. But it's all a learning curve, since one cannot simply drive into India and not learn to navigate the challenging local traffic - something we think should be on everyone's bucket list! Another thing that's often included on the India "must-do" list is the Taj Mahal. While we are no where near Agra, the Deccan Odyssey offers the next best thing: Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad. It's no coincidence though, since the architect who designed the Aurangabad copy was the son of the original Taj designer.
Three states, 1110km, 5 teams, 13 participants from 4 different countries kicked off from Panaji on 15 June 2015 on a three-wheeled mission across the Deccan Plateau to India’s most populous city – Mumbai! Things didn’t begin as early as planned on the Rickshaw Challenge – Deccan Odyssey 2015, since most of the teams had partied a little hard the night before
After 9 years of success with the Rickshaw Challenge, named by Lonely Planet as one of the “World’s Greatest Adventures” in 2012, we conjured up a brand new adventure embracing India’s vibrant car culture. Headed up by the beloved Ambassador, the inaugural India’s Cup kicked off 20 January 2015 on an epic journey round South India for over 3600km! We covered 6 Indian states in 13 days, with a lot of driving, a few breakdowns and saw the best South India has to offer! Our 5 teams with 14 participants from 5 countries kicked off in their brightly coloured cars from Chennai to Vijayawada for the first day, which posed quite the challenge initially. Our beloved Ambassador cars are not known for being the marvel of engineering so we had a couple of breakdowns at the very beginning of the adventure, which adds to the fun. The iconic Hindustan Ambassador was the first car manufactured in India, and was once called the “king of the Indian roads” before it ceased production in May 2014, Top Gear also declared it the “best taxi in the world” in 2002. It’s great for short distances, challenging for longer ones. Once we broke the journey on the first day, it was then onto Hyderabad which presented us with the tough task of navigating through Indian traffic. We already battled our way out of Chennai, but getting into Hyderabad felt like an odyssey in itself. Because of the traffic, some of the teams opted to leave at the crack of dawn, while the rest of us tried to make the most and saw a bit of the city with a detour to Golconda Fort. This is India’s second largest fort and is located just outside the Hyderabad. After a small break to see the sites,
After 9 years of success with the Rickshaw Challenge, named by Lonely Planet as one of the “World’s Greatest Adventures” in 2012, we conjured up a brand new adventure embracing India’s vibrant car culture. Headed up by the beloved Ambassador, the inaugural India’s Cup kicked off 20 January 2015 on an epic journey round South
