Tuesday 28 August 2012

The 3 M's - Mangalore, Mysore and Monsoon

During the evening Mangalore had decided to embrace the seasonal weather and let the heavy rain fall. So in true 'Little Miss Rickshaw' style we thought what better day then to dress up in our punk rocker costumes to visit a local school and 'of course' it makes the best wet weather gear...haha, Not quite! The other teams had been getting quite used to us appearing in matching T's, strange hairs styles and bizarre accessories, so they weren't too surprised to see us appear in hot pink skirts, fluro yellow fishnet stockings and pink leg warmers. However the hotel staff did find it entertaining atleast!

In a small convoy of 3 rickshaws we made our way to the local school. There we were greeted by the local teachers. They were very friendly and kindly accepted our unusual appearance. Some of the teachers were more fascinated than the kids and even asked to touch our outrageously bright coloured wigs. The school only had a handful of classes and quickly we were shown around the grounds and introduced to the children. All one hundred of them kindly stood and introduced themselves - very cute and a perfect time for them to practice their English. Thankfully it was a short stop over since today we have 250 kilometres to cover, hence the absence of the other 3 teams during the school visit.

Decked out in our punk rocker outfits we farewelled Mangalore and headed inland. Thankfully Team 5 had a GPS and with so many kilometres to cover we thought we better follow since we weren't in the mood to stop numerous times for directions and spend any longer on the roads than we needed to. With the national highway on the horizon we put the pedal to the metal and covered as much ground as we could. Before we knew it, it was time to refuel and who did we happen to bump into but Team 6! So much for that one hour head start, eh boys... well atleast they tried. After a quick exchange of friendly rickshaw banter we made our way on the road from hell... that's if you could even call it a road.

In guessing, since our odometer and speedometer hadn't been working the whole time, that the next 50 kilometres of our trip was driving along a road which looked more like a narrow stream litter with small boulders. There seemed to be more water than bitumen. For the majority of drive,  it looked like hundreds of miniature meteorites had plummeted to the ground, leaving craters varying in depths from 2cm to easily 20cm.

One memorable moment would have to have been when Pia was driving and very cautiously she drove to the side of the road to leave enough room for an incoming truck. Strangely we didn't notice the enormous pothole filled to the brim with the constant rain water. Before we knew it a tidal wave had covered the rickshaw, drenching all three of us! Unfortunately our rain protector on the right hand side had broken again, so we were braving the elements and I hadn't listened to my gut instinct and put my handy $2 poncho on. As drops of road water dripped from my mohawk wig, all we could do was have a good laugh about it, especially since I had obviously been watching the truck pass us with my mouth open, resulting in a good mouthful of nutritious road water, priceless!

With ponchos on and as dried off as possible we made our way along the rocky road which didn't resemble anything like what a national highway should. Whilst driving through one of the many small villagers I managed to drive a bit to close to a local rickshaw, or more like he couldn't drive straight! Anyhow we skidding passed him with only a few centimetres to spare... so like any good motorist we pulled onto the side of the road to check if all was okay with the vehicles and why we were at it, ask for directions and check if we were heading in the right way. However, this led to another situation of locals coming over to inspect the strange looking rickshaw... and unexpectedly copping a mouthful from the rickshaw driver I nearly hit who wanted to know if my brakes worked, haha, of course!

It wasn't until a good hour on the road from hell we heard a familiar horn toot behind us! The sight of Team 3's green rickshaw in the appear through the pelting rain was a reassuring sight indeed, it certainly meant we could rest assured we were heading in the right direction. Soaked to the bone and looking like drowned punk rockers, it was the perfect time to catch up on Team 3's morning adventures over a hot cuppa tea and freshly made chapatis.

With blood sugar levels replenished and circulation returned to frosty fingers we headed back onto the open road. It wasn't long before we encountered what would be classed as our closest near miss of the trip. As we were driving out of one of the many small villages we came across a small sedan on the side of the road which decided to not check their rear view mirrors before making a u-turn, completely oblivious to the pink rickshaw heading straight for it at 40 kms a hour. Now the logical thing to do is drive to the other side of the road to avoid the vehicle, however, of all the places a motorcyclist had parked his bike on the other side of the road, directly opposite the u-turning vehicle. And from there the road sloped into a rather deep gully... Decisions, decisions!!! Hit the car, hit the motorcycle or avoid both and end up in a ditch!?!?!?!

Unfortunately the braking system on 'Missy' wasn't as instant as you would expect in your series 5 BMW, so either one of the above three was going to happen or a miracle!! With about 10 metres before impact the driver had finally decided to look down the road and obviously stunned to see a horn tooting, mad, pink rickshaw bearing down on his precious vehicle he immediately slammed on the brakes, leaving the smallest gap in the road for us to squeeze between, narrowly missing his car and the parked motorcycle. Unconsciously all of us had been holding our breaths and as we scrapped pass 3 large sighs of relief filled the rickshaw. I didn't last more than one kilometre before I took that as my cue to get out of the drivers seat.. I don't' want to know what the outcome would have been if the blood sugar levels hadn't been topped up just 10 minutes earlier.

The further we headed inland we were greeted by less potholes and more hilly terrain, littered with coffee plantations. As we crept further upward it meant more rain and a big dip in the mercury. With all the revving uphill in low gears we managed to run out of petrol during an uphill climb. Little did we know as we refilled the tank with out emergency supply, we had broken down literally 200m from a petrol station. Reassuring indeed, since it meant no need to worry about not finding a petrol station before we ran out of fuel and again and that we had reached the town of Kushalnagar, ultimately meaning time to enjoy an easier drive on surfaced roads.

The remainder of the 80km drive went about as ordinary as you can get on Indian roads. Road kill, overloaded horse and carts, a family of 4 crammed on a motorcycle, overcrowded rickshaws and the occasional cow blocking the road. Once we arrived at the outskirts of Mysore we had caught up to Team 3 and began trailing behind them. Once we arrived in town they kindly took the lead of finding our way to the hotel. Often whilst at traffic lights (Yes, people in Mysore stop for traffic lights) we chatted with neighbouring cars and rickshaw drivers telling them what we were doing. Not quite the same experience you get at home at the traffic lights... but then again... we're never driving a rickshaw at in Australia, England or Dubai.

With nothing more than a smile and an odd coloured rickshaw the German lads managed to get a tuk tuk driver to show us the way to our hotel which left us 5 minutes shy of the flag down time, placing us in 2nd place behind the boys. To celebrate surviving 252 kilometres in a rickshaw we thought it was necessary to indulge in an array of mouthwatering Indian dishes on a roof top restaurant. This was close as we were getting to 5 star dining in India tonight.

The final coastal drive

What better than to start the morning taking a leisurely stroll along the beach. It really wouldn't be India if you didn't have to dodge the cow patties along the shoreline. As we made it back to the hotel to prepare for the drive ahead there was a strange sight. A man in a wheelchair had been wheeled into the sea by his family and at one point neglected and left to fend off the waves crashing over him. A tad concerning as it started to pour with rain, but hey.... This is India! Anything goes!

With no breakfast on the menu at the hotel we stopped off in town to collect a supply of bananas. Ruth headed out to the local fruit seller to purchase the necessary fruits and nearly got caught in a heated argument between 2 crazy coastal dogs. Thank goodness for those rabie shots eh, Ruth?!?!?

As we left Murudeshwar with a trail of bubbles for the school children we made our way to Mangalore in search of the days challenge. The most amazing moustache of India!! By now we had been in India for a fortnight and each one of us girls had a revelation. Nearly all the men of India have moustaches. It would have been a much harder challenge if we had been asked to take a photo with an Indian fella who didn't have a mo.... anyhow!! Onward bound we headed in search of the best facial hair seen since 1985!

In the morning we came across fishing farms and our mission was to find out what they were farming to earn some bonus points. Automatically we assumed fish, however, as Ruth and Pia headed down to the local huts to find out, I manned the rickshaw. In there absence 2 crazed dogs started approaching the vehicle and all I was thinking was perhaps those rabie shots weren't such a bad idea and if these dogs attack me, this red plastic poncho isn't gonna save me. Thankfully it didn't take long for the girls to gather the necessary information and hurry back up the path to save me from the wild dogs of South India. And I know you all want to know.... they farm prawns!!

In search of the  most amazing moustache, Ruth spotted a man on the otherside of the road and like any good moustache hunter would do we u-turned, drove over a pile of pot holes in pursuit of the moustache of the century. Only to be told he didn't want to be photographed!!! What!!! Well back in search we go!!

On route we stopped at Kundapura to visit the temple. There we finally saw an Elephant, unfortuantely not as free as we would like, but still looking adorable. After a quick confirmation of the temples name for challenge requirements and some decoration purchases for pimping our rickshaw later down the track we made our way further southbound.

As we stopped to refuel our trusty mode of  transport we happened to have stumbled upon moustacheville. There standing amongst the employees was the ultimate Tom Selleck moustache, Indian style. Once again we encountered a camera shy gentleman, but when we were doing an impromptu photoshoot with the younger employees, the camera shy guy got snapped in the photo, having no idea he had accidently made an appearance.... hehehehe!

The remainder of the drive was encountered by our frequent road counterparts.... 'Moooooooooooo' and 'woof, woof, woof!' Along the way we
managed to have an entertaining photoshoot with a bus wreckage! Bus vs Rickshaw! 1 to the rickshaw ;) haha!

As we arrived in Mangalore the monsoon rains started to roll in. For some reason my driving shift had come around again. (By this time of the trip we had been rotating drivers every hour.) As we drove downhill we were trailing behind a hatchback and a local bus. In typical Indian style the bus pulled out to the far right, just when the hatchback and I wanted to overtake it. This meant both of us had to slam on the brakes, more so 'Missy' as she skidded downhill and drifted to the left. Thank goodness for the barricade in the middle of the road which clipped our back right wheel and knocked us back on track. Ooooo a heart stopping moment... All of us thought it may have been game over. Bravely the girls endured my driving as we kindly had a tuk tuk driver guide us to our final destination! Phew!

All that was left to do was take our last moustache photo. Thinking outside the box Pia and I agreed to a makeover. Oh the fun you can have with an eyeliner pencil, Team 2's rickshaw and a camera.

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Muru...where???

No complaining today! We had, had a day of rest so we were bright eyed and ready for the adventure that was ahead of us. As usual we were off to the local petrol station to refuel. I never get tired of the employees faces when they see a pink rickshaw roll into the pump as the lads laugh and nudge eachother in the ribs. With 'Missy' refueled and Ben10 bubble machine replenished, we were off rolling through the roads of Goa showering the region with Little Miss Mania and bubbles galore.

Todays challege was to produce 5 calendar photos at different locations. Being that we were travelling through Goa we were hoping to get some gorgeous beach photos... ahhh but what were we thinking during the monsoon season. More like off-white sand and choppy seas. Anyhow, onward we continued and it was when we ran out of petrol, we thought it would be a perfect spot for a photo shoot, on the side of the road... or was that when we stopped and asked for directions for the many times already that morning.

Even though we had over 200 kilometres to cover today, the majority of the teams decided to make a short detour to a little beach town called Gokama. Perhaps this could be the spot for our prize winning photo. As we arrived in the town, it felt as though we were driving through streets we shouldn't be driving through as they became narrower and narrower. Luckily no one kicked up a fuss with a little pink rickshaw rattling down the main thoroughfare. As we arrived at the beach we were greeted by Teams 2, 4,3 and 5 along with a crowded beach filled with people and never far away a cow or 2.  After a quick inspection of the beach we all agreed it wasn't the tropical oasis look we were aiming for so instead Pia jumped into the rickshaw and posed for the photo she had been wanting to do all along. Check out Miss October in the pics below :)

After a quick detour via the shops we headed back into town to see if Gokama Beach was looking any prettier. Off we went weaving through the back streets trying not to have much social interaction with the numerous packs of dogs found in Goa. For your information, dogs of Goa are a tad crazy... maybe the area has a high number of rabie infested dogs, either way we weren't hanging around long enough to find out. 

As we made our way to Gokama Beach, it involved alot of weaving though side streets which weren't getting us any closer to our final destination. As we reached an impressive lookout point we made an excessive decision. Below we could see the beach.... which looked...ummm like a monsoonal affected beach and with some serious grey clouds rolling in. At this point we thought it may be better to take a quick photo and make our way to Murudeshwar (A tiny town not listed on our map) 'Missy' had endured some minor injuries which meant we had no rain or wind protection from the right-hand side and our side mirror on the same side was pretty dysfunctional since it mainly pointed to the ground, which isn't very helpful when your checking to see if a bus is coming up fast, ready to ram you off the road. So being as gracious as I am and always up for a laugh I agreed to what has to be our 'silliest' calender photo yet and from there we headed to our final destination: Flag down @ Murudeshwar... approx 70 kilometres away.

With just 3 hours left to get there and find this teeny tiny town it was time to see how fast our little tuk tuk could go. As we zipped along the coastal road we encountered more wild dogs and waved to many interesting characters. The closer we got to the town we kept our eyes peeled for signs to the RHS Regency Hotel. There were lots of places starting with RHS and still we don't know what it means, but unfortuantely we weren't our astute selves and managed to miss the turning off to Murudeshwar. This involved back tracking a good15 kilometres. Ruth expertly executed a smooth U-turn on the main highway and asking at least 5 people for directions to our final location and by sheer luck we took the right fork in the road which lead us down the ever familiar Indian potholed road. As the sun began to set on the horizon we managed to enter a small fishing town all hyped and ready for the evening festivities. In the distance was our hotel.... well pretty much one of the the only hotels in town, next to a huge statue of Shiva.

For the first time we were amazed to see Team 6 had managed to make it to the hotel before any other teams. With huge grins from ear to ear Ric and Keith greeted us and made it known that this was just the start of their comeback... 6 days of checking in late from running out of fuel and numerous breakdowns was a thing of the past. Hmmmm! Let's see. ;)

In all our exploring today, we had managed to forget to eat lunch. So quickly Missy was parked alongside the champs of the day, Team 6 and we headed into town to consume our fair share of Dosa Masala. Over dinner we watched the fisherman finish up work, methodically pulling in their prized assets, their fishing boats. A relaxing way to end the day.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Chilaxing...

Day eight meant relaxing day - no need to be up early ready to rickshaw our way across the country side. After a leisurely breakfast we decided to chilax - Ruth and I headed out to the town of Panaji to go exploring while Pia headed out with the boys from Team 3 to find a beach and go exploring Old Goa. They certainly had an eventful day bringing all the locals out to the beach to admire three white bodies wading in the surf. In the meantime Ruth and I managed to head a good couple of kilometers into town along the coast. On our way back we thought walking through town would be the way to go! Hmmm, all our sense of direction was lost as we winded our way through the neighbourhood streets of Panaiji. We knew we'd taken a wrong turn when we ended outside a massive temple and all we could see in the distance was rice fields. In the end we made it back 3 hours later and with no sports equipment we had intended to buy for the boys orphanage.... Eeks!

By late afternoon the majority of the teams met in the hotel lobby to visit the boys orphanage. We all piled into luxurious air conditioned cars where we arrived 15 minutes later at our destination. Much quicker then what it would have taken in our rickshaws.

We were greeted by at least 25 happy faces playing soccer outside. As we drove in they looked at us with hesitation, but as soon as you gave them a smile and a wave they waved back with beaming smiles. Instantly, Team 6 who were dressed as Elmo and the Cookie Monster were attacked by the boys. Jumping, pulling, lifting and hugging were all part of the deal. Gradually the boys approached us and introduced themselves and shook our hands. One of the older boys stopped to talk to Pia and I. He was fascinated about what we were driving and the places we were visiting. Around our necks we were wearing our lanyards, which included our itinerary, plus name and passport photo. Unfortunately if I'd known the passport photo I'd given would be around my neck as I travelled India I would have sent them a new one. The reason why is summed up in this young boys response. 'Is that you? ... You look like a criminal.' ... as Pia and Ruth reply - 'Hahaha, we agree kid. We've been telling her the whole time!' Ahhh, priceless moments.

While we were at the orphanage the boys showed us where they lived and shared with us what they do. They even managed to sing a song, but that was quickly replaced with their awesome dance moves as a couple of the boys put on some dance tunes. It was such a great time spending the afternoon with the boys - they were so appreciative of where they lived, compared to the dangers of the streets. There was a strong sense of community and support for one another in the home. A reassuring sight indeed.

The evening was spent enjoying a team dinner compliments of the rickshaw challenge. The prospect of karaoke got everyone excited, but the dj didn't have any of the songs we requested... What! No Celine Dion, crazy!! Princely certainly let his hair down on the dance floor. Watch out,

Going to Goa

After brekkyfast we sped pass the hotel gates along the coastal road to Goa. The rain set in for awhile, but it wasn't enough to dampen our spirits as we bopped along with the music. Once again we were playing cat n mouse with team 5. In the end we relented and let them lead the way ;) It had nothing to do with us having 3 peeps in the rickshaw compared to there 2! At Rajapur we carelessly didn't trust our gut instinct and followed team 5 into the city, when we could have driven round the outskirts. This put our sense of direction off and it didn't help when a local pointed us in the opposite direction. About 10km later I saw a sign for Panvel, which was where we had been 2 days ago. So we flagged down a motorcycle to double check that we needed to u-turn. In return the young guy asked for a photo and as accommodating as we are we agreed.. if only we knew! In preparation of the photo shoot he firstly took his jacket off and fixed his hair then jumped on the drivers seat next to Ruth, a little too close for her liking. Then he asked for a photo in the backseat which was a typical request however I didn't anticipate him reaching over and cupping my chest. Immediately I pried his hands off and as in shooed him away, he then had the cheek to ask for a kiss! Excuse me!!! You may leave the rickshaw now. As he left he did at least apologies but that didn't stop him from asking Pia and Ruth for a kiss - persistent fella. Quickly Pia jumped into the drivers seat and sped off back to Rajapor. However our new little friend decided to accompany us on the 10km journey back to town and once we were back in town and heading in the correct direction to Panaji he continued to follow. At this point we ran out of petrol and excitedly Ruth and I jumped out to use the jerry can we had bought on day one. Rummaging through my bag I found my Swiss army knife and a plastic water bottle and from there I headed to the back of the rickshaw to make a funnel. At this point whilst Ruth was getting the fuel can ready and I was hacking into the plastic bottle with a knife, our new friend rides pass asking if we needed any help. The look on Ruth's face and the knife in my hand said it all.... 'No, we're fine!' Thankfully he got the hint and 20km later he returned back to town, leaving us to continue our journey to Goa.

Approximately 40km from Panaji we caught up with Team 3 who had been pulled over by the first unfriendliest police officer we'd come across. Obediently we retrieved the paperwork from the flooded glovebox and slowly peeled apart each piece of paper for the officer. After he had a close inspection we were given the thumbs up and off we went. The closer we got to town the more road kill we seemed to encounter. Stray dogs seemed to be the usual casualties, but cows and even a rat had made an appearance on the roads.

Once we arrived in Panaji we freshened up and all the teams congregated downstairs to enjoy an Indian feast at a local restaurant. Butter chicken seemed to be the favourite on the menu that night. The evening went well into the night sharing stories and trying the local liqueurs.

Monday 6 August 2012

Mountain ranges to the coast

At the crack of dawn we made our way out from Mahabahweshar in the miserable weather. Pia was a brilliant driver getting us down the mountain with limited visibility. Definitely the more cautious driver out of the 3 of us. The upside of the monsoonal rain was the many cascading waterfalls spotted along the road, which didn't make Ruth and I feel so bad in our stylish red and yellow ponchos. Once we got to the other side of the mountain the rain began to subside which was a much welcome relief. This provided the perfect opportunity to complete out challenge of the day - photo with police officers. Along the highway the police had road checks put in place - mainly due to the recent bombings in Pune. A group of officers at a road block kindly posed in some photos for us. One gentleman even got in our rickshaw and pretended to drive it. Of course they had to have photos taken with their phones, so after a mini photo shoot we jumped back into our rickshaw and made our way Ratnagiri.

The only other eventful incident was when I drove us through a small village and in the middle of the road was a tiny puppy. I pulled along side it for the girls to see but instead in ran under the rickshaw, sheltering itself from the rainy weather. Pia was volunteered to retrieve it from the back wheel where it was huddled in a small ball. When we look back it should have been Ruth, since she is the only one vaccinated against rabie infested animals. During the drive we caught up with Team 5, Soren and Eva who had a seriously speedy rickshaw. For a while they were in our sights, but as the roads fluctuated between uphill and downhill slopes we were no match. By around 4pm we arrived at our hotel, located on a beach view cliff. After a quick snack we made our way down the path to the beach below. Unfortunately the snack didn't sit too well with my digestive system and an emergency pit stop was needed. Oh, how I love you, Delhi belly!! The beach certainly had character, red brown sand and scattered along the shore was a shoe shops worth of sandals. No need to go shopping now.

Visiting the kids!!


Today the Round Table peeps met us at the hotel to direct us to the school they sponsor. At 8:30am a convoy of unique rickshaws made their way through the morning traffic of Pune. We certainly turned heads in our bee/ladybird costumes and the hundreds of bubbles exiting our tuk tuk. About 14km later we arrived at the school, just before Pia nearly hit a cyclist in the middle of an intersection. Close call!

At the school the children were patiently waiting in the courtyard and as soon as we drove in the drummers began to beat their drums signaling the group of children to start marching. Thirteen girls, dressed in beautiful saris greeted us in the traditional way with incense and flowers. Before we knew it we were whisked into different rooms in the school. I ended up with Team 4 in a classroom of parents - dejavu! While Pia and Ruth checked out the little cuties in KG. The classrooms were so sparse compared to ours at home and packed with twice as many kids.

Downstairs they put on an assembly, where a group of the cutest 3 year olds in bare, muddy feet sang a song. Speeches were made, food was eaten and tea was drank. Then before we knew it we were back on the road making our way south to Mahabaleshwar.

As we left the school we followed Team 3 whilst behind us was Team 6. As we battled it out on the road against vans, trucks and cars we realized we were heading the wrong way on the national highway. As we merged onto the highway all of the teams were in a panic since everyone was really low on fuel and typically all the petrol stations we saw were on the otherside of the highway... The way we should be going. As we drove further in the opposite direction, team 3 headed down a muddy gravel road whilst we took the advice of a local fellow and headed further north, until we found a huge blue
building which meant turn of the highway and below there was a lake sized puddle blocking the one car wide underpass. With some momentum behind us from coming down the hill, we accelerated through the underpass hoping no major large vehicle were around the bend coming straight for us. Hooray!! All clear, which meant we were now on the right side of the highway and only about 2km away from a petrol station. As we descended down the hill on the other side of the highway we could see Team 6 parked on the side. Our attempts to inform Keith of the U turn up ahead was drowned out by the numerous vehicles passing by. In arrival at the petrol station we miraculously saw Team 3 had made it and so had half of Team 6 (Once again they were out of petrol)

With petrol tanks full Team 3 and I ventured onto the national highway, bound for Mahabaleshwar. On the road we came across Team 4 who were struggling uphill. As we overtook them we gave them an encouraging smile and wave. Just before the toll booth the boys pulled aside to have their photo taken, as we waited for them we also we included in then photo. Typically we made our way through the toll booth, hoping to take the side road since rickshaws don't have to pay, but they made us wait with the cars. Once we made it to the booth a group of lads were having a joke about how much we needed to pay, but laughingly they released the toll bar allowing team 3 ahead and signaled for me to go... But little did I know the toll bar would come down in front of me as the front window smashed the bar out of its place... Oops! I quickly braked the car as Ruth and Pia screamed behind me. Thankfully all the lads were laughing and smiling at me. As I shrugged my shoulders and gave a look of apology, they head bobbled me and directed me to keep going... No complaints from me, I was out of there!!

As we headed further south the highway began snaking its way through the mountains. The higher we climbed the cooler the weather became. Before we knew it we were surrounded by clouds and torrential rain. As waterfalls cascaded down the cliffs our little rickshaw pushed on through the steep inclines at a rapid speed of 25km per hour!

Approximately 10km from base camp Ruth didn't know her own strength as she broke the handle of our manual windscreen wiper. As we drove on, soaked to the bone, Pia kindly would stick half her body out of the rickshaw to wipe the window for Ruth. Team effort!

Once we arrived at the hotel we could barely see 2 metres in front of us due to the fog and rain. Unfortunately the hotel wasn't as 5 star as we hoped and the damp ridden bedroom would have to do! The night was spent battling it out over the ping pong table and teaching the guys and gals some new card games.

Friday 3 August 2012

Let the monsoon rains begin


Ever since we discovered the rickshaw challenge was a 'competition' and the winners would get an entry into another challenge in 2013, us girls had got a thought! Maybe we could win this... So in the spirit of earning points, we were up bright and early cleaning our Rickshaw - proudly named Missy! If only we knew how pointless it was just an hour down the track.

By 8:30am we were out on the country road, enjoying the mild monsoonal breeze blowing through our hair. The Ben10 bubble blowing gun made its appearance today - I got a little too trigger happy and too enthusiastic covering the neighbouring motorcyclists and pedestrians in bubbles. Ruth was in her prime driving down the main road, while Pia and I made running commentary to our surroundings and added the necessary 'oooo' and 'ahhhhs' to Ruth's gear changes!

Today we were required to complete some challenges along the way. First on the list was to head to the small town of Khopali and find a black temple next to a reservoir and have our photo taken. Tick!
Then the helpful security guard at the temple helped photograph our bonus photo which had to include the reservoir. Ruth kindly offered to risk her life by leaning precariously over the edge in a diving position... top shoot!!

From the small little town it was pretty much a steep climb uphill in now torrential rain. Accidentally we ended up on the express way, surrounded by cars and trucks, back spraying our little rickshaw. At the top of the road a group of policemen were waiting, checking vehicles. Of course we got stopped, but more from curiosity and to have our photo taken but we weren't stopped once or twice but thrice!!

We powered on through the rain although at this point I realized it'd b wet, but not so chilly. Oops I guess we should have brought our jumpers after all.

Gradually our rickshaw came to a halt with a group of other vehicles on the national highway. Up ahead a semi trailer had severely crashed into the back of another semi trailer earlier in the day and the aftermath was still on the road. So another truck carrying a very wide load thought it could pass but instead got wedged inbetween the left over car crash and the highway fencing. As I went down to inspect, a group of boys who were towing their car suggested we U turn and head down the other side of the freeway with the other cars. Kindly they pushed 'Missy' around and we followed the vans into oncoming traffic, not the most pleasant experience but this is India!! As soon as we could make it back over to the correct side of the road we were there!

Onward we ploughed through the rain. As we got closer to Pune a young man on his motorbike kindly showed us the direction to Pune Airport, since our hotel was located in this area. As we drove to our final destination we got a bit concerned when we saw signs for presenting identification since we were entering a military zone. Thankfully no police stopped us, instead when we got to the airport and asked for directions from the local tuk tuk drivers we were stopped by the crowds of people curious about this strange pink rickshaw. 'where you going?' ' what are you doing?' 'Are you on TV?'
After the 20 questions we headed in the direction given however when we came to a major intersections on an 8 lane highway, we weren't 100% sure if it was the right way, so Ruth smartly called the hotel driver to come and show us the way from the airport. Unfortunately this meant returning to the airport and admitting to the tuk tuk drivers we didn't really understand their instructions!

By the time JP ( the head mechanic & liaison dude) arrived we were surrounded by at least 20 people. JP cleared them out of the way and jumped on board 'Missy'as we followed the hotel driver. The remainder of the evening was spent drying off and swapping road stories over the dinner table.

Race Day!


At 8:30am we all congregated around the Sun'n'Sand car park. We all un-tarped our rickshaws and added any last decorations for our first day driving. With our last group pep talk still rattling around in our brains, we jumped into our rickshaws and zipped pass the starting flag ready to endure Mumbai morning traffic. I was behind the wheel all decked out in my red mohawk wig with Ruth and Pia at the back rocking it out in their fluro coloured wigs acting as my side mirrors. It didn't take long to find heavy morning traffic. The cacophony of car horns had a reassuring affect when you knew the logic behind it. Beep if you are passing by- very helpful especially if you are a bright, pink rickshaw looking noticeably out of place.

Ruth naturally took the role of head navigator poking her head out, yelling at tuk tuk drivers as they drove by. We learnt quickly not to ask traffic police for directions as they requested to see my license - at least it justified buying my international licenses. Now heading in what we believed was the right direction we dodged and weaved the array of vehicles on the pot-hole filled road.
Spontaneously, we took a side street which we discovered lead to the national highway. This was after we'd stopped once again for directions, however, this time a group of at least 15 men wanted to see what was going on... Not to give advice but to take photos... As you do!

Once we finally got out of Mumbai, four hours later we pretty much had a straight run to Alibag. Of course we still had to stop to ask for directions and wave at all the locals. It wouldn't be an ordinary day on the road if we didn't see roaming cows, wild monkeys, hairless dogs or pantless children pooping in the streets. From the manic roads of the city we finished the day whizzing pass the luscious green countryside at a speedy pace of 45km/h. Aiming for 50 in the next coming days!

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Watch out Mumbai!!!

The morning was spent jumping in hired rickshaws and roaming the streets of Mumbai for sports equipment for the schools we plan to visit. Thankfully, a helpful young school girl directed us to the perfect place to get started on our collection of sports gear. Our first purchase was but what else a bunch of cricket bats and tennis balls. With 2pm creepy around quickly we headed back to the hotel to meet up for our first official drive on the streets! The only way to do this in the end was to forgot carpark drills and get straight onto the roads - it was only a matter of time till we had to do it so why not just jump in head first and do it straight away. Tired of the numerous rocks, where ever bump was causing havoc on my lower intestine, I drove out from our security blanket area and down the road into reality. Well, actually only 200m where I then U-turned and returned back to the car park and let the girls have a turn. However at this point one of the local taxi drivers Gihan, who had been helping us yesterday decided to give us that extra bit of encouragement. He jumped on his motorbike and indicated for us to follow him... With a personal guide we jumped at the chance! As we weaved on and through the backstreets the look of people's faces were a mixture of 'What the...' and laughter. Passengers in rickshaws were poking there heads out, curious, smiling and waving. Some tuk tuk drivers would drive up beside us, eyeing our vehicle but as soon as we made eye contact their faces would break into a big smile. At a set of lights a group of homeless kids wanted to come for a ride even after Pia stalled and it took her a good 8 times to restart the engine.

Now we knew we could actually drive a rickshaw we were ready to take on the first challenge Aravind had set for us! Off we drove to fill up our tank at the local petrol station. The perfect mix for our little machines is 1 Litre of petrol to 50ml of oil. All went without a hitch. Next to the Marriott Hotel - the reason we were sent here is because rickshaws are seen as the lowest of low of the driving foodchain in India and Aravind was curious to see what the employees reactions would be. To no surprise to us, the majority were happy, smiling and more than cooperative. As Ruth ran in to get a napkin to prove we'd been, Pia and I parked our rickshaw behind the 2 other teams who had arrived. At this point, Ruth returned and we jumped back in to complete the next challenge but about 6 photographers came running out from inside the hotel lobby and started taking photos - The Indian paparazzi had found us!

My engine starting skills weren't yet mastered and having cameras itches away from my face and flashes going off wasn't anymore helpful. Although we did feel like we were Bollywood stars. In our travels we bumped into Gihan again and he kindly showed us a bottle shop for the next challenge and a better stocked toy store. All in all it was a much more pleasant experience than we anticipated. Time to relax and get prepped for the real thing!!!

Rickshaw challenge orientation!

By 11am we entered the hotels meeting room with a feeling of excitement and curiosity. Who were we going to meet and what had we got ourselves into. We were greeted by Princely and Aravind the founders of the Rickshaw challenge. First priority, signing the last of the paperwork, collecting team & group T's and meeting the fellow competitors... Oops I mean teams.
Team 1 - Little Miss Rickshaws! Whoop whoop!
Team 2 - Team Shanti - Danish couple, Christian & Irene
Team 3 - Thermo's India Xpress - German boys, Erik & Thomas
Team 4 - Valle Kulla - Danish couple, David & Laura
Team 5 - Team Sunshine - Danish couple, Soren & Eva
Team 6 - Hit the road:India - Documentary makers, Richard & Keith.

Immediately after the debriefing we headed to the carpark to see our rickshaw. Peeking inbetween the 6 rickshaws was a little pink number!! Our tuk tuk for the next 2 weeks. Enthusiastically we surveyed the other vehicles and decided where to put out last minute decorations.

At 3pm we rendezvoused for an afternoon behind the wheel or should I say handles of our rickshaw. Everyone huddled around Princely as he demonstrated how to drive a rickshaw. After a handful of steps being repeated, Pia bravely took the plunge and volunteered to take us on our first car park test drive.

Rickshaw on - check! Outta gear - check! Start engine and rev- check! Clutch down and place into first gear-check! Slowly release clutch and continue revving - check! Rickshaw in motion... Woooo!

Of course, bunny hops and stalling was part of the deal. Just the thought of driving in a muddy, rocky car park with at least 20 Indian spectators made us nervous... How were we going to cope on the real roads of India?!?! Eek!
Aravind had us practice 9 second starts and transitions. Even though we had to go first, thankfully we managed to achieve top marks. A reassuring feeling indeed. After 2 hours of car park mayhem and already a few close calls, we were ready to pack up for the day and recuperate before our evening meal.

Already we had a sense of our strengths and weaknesses.
Areas to work on: Alisha - spatial
awareness, Pia: smooth gear changes, Ruth: making sure the rickshaw is on when reversing!

Man down!

Five days in and Delhi belly had reared its ugly head. Ruth had endured amazingly, trooping through the sights, stopping occasionally to hug a porcelain bowl or two, but a day of R&R was required.

Pia and I tucked Ruth in for the morning and headed to the Amber Fort. Mr Singh, kindly knew the 'secret back street' which saved us a steep uphill walk. The fort took on resemblance of a mini Great Wall of China with the surrounding wall weaving through the hilly ranges of Jaipur. Inside the fort there were so many nooks and hidden passage ways. So many that it took us a good 20 minutes on figuring out how to exit the facilities. Not the most reassuring for the necessary navigation skills needed in the days to come.

Next we made our way to a factory that makes, exports and locally sells textiles. The owner took us upstairs into a room no bigger than 40m squared where about 10 men were working on the sewing machines with a handful of women sitting on the floor embroidering. Certainly puts working conditions into perspective and this was probably rated more in the top end for Indian standards. Pia and I managed to spend the next hour umming and arrring all the different materials, patterns and designs for our Indian style costumes. In the end we made a mini investment and purchased beautiful, vibrant coloured saris.

After shopping up a store we knocked off some more of the local sightseeing places off the list, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar. This left the rest of the afternoon free to enjoy a leisurely elephant ride through the backstreets of Jaipur. By this time Ruth had decided to join us on our adventure, which we thought was a little way away but was literally around the corner from our hotel. Obviously the window views from the hotel of a little boy camped out on the street pant less, also suffering from Delhi belly wasn't the most pleasurable sight for 6 hours.

We learnt the elephants that take tourists up to Amber fort work in the morning or the afternoon. Only doing 2 trips up a day. In total there are around 400 elephants that live in the surrounding area. This is very noticeable when driving around the neighbourhood. Often during our 2 day stay we would have to dodge and weave around the enormous, grey mammals. Only 2 adults were allowed on the elephant so Pia and I cautiously went aboard and enjoyed a leisurely walk around the backstreets. Upon our journey we encountered many children and quite a few who liked pegging rocks at our living vehicle. The elephant driver was not impressed, he even managed to catch one of the stones and peg it back at the little boy, priceless!

By day 5, another one of the team fell victim to the dreaded Delhi belly. Not the most pleasant experiencing especially when a flight is scheduled for that afternoon. With medication consumed and the last toilet stop for who knows how long we headed off to Albert Hall museum to be cultured minded. Hmmm... Thirty minutes later we were back in the car. With time still to kill and Ruth and Mr Singh both still feeling vomitus, Ruth suggested a medical centre. Little did we know we would be taken to Jaipur's largest hospital where hundreds of Indians were filtering in through the gate and not a single tourist was in sight. It took less than a minute for us to decide maybe this wasn't the best option as we quickly U turned out. From there we were dropped at the airport 3 hours before check in - whoop dee doo!
6 hours later we landed in Mumbai to be greeted by a tropical coastal city, which was much cleaner then the other cities we had visited in India. Before we knew it we drove into the Sun 'n' Sand hotel, which was 50 years old and used to be a hit amongst Bollywood stars. Perhaps this was due to having the first pool in India.

Thursday 26 July 2012

Pushka to Jaipur

From Agra we headed 400km west to a small town called Pushka. During this part of the trip we discovered who Mr Singh's favourite passenger was... The multi-Skilled Ruth who was very competent at decoding what the heck Mr Singh was talking about. However, by this time Mr Singh thought Ruth's name was Pia and none of us had the heart to correct him. So Ruth is known as Pia and Pia is currently nameless, but for how long!

During the long 8 hour drive we encountered many road tolls, driving into oncoming traffic, a variety of road kill, a Hindu process, runaway camels and a massacred truck. 'This is India!' stated Mr Singh.

Upon arrival in Pushka all three of us thought - Where the heck are we? And what on earth are we doing here... It felt like we had driven into a dirty version of a hippy commune, mixed with a heap of cows, pigs and monkeys. Pia aka Charlie Champion (as named by Mr Singh) felt at home with her dreadlocked, Indian fellas.

From Hippyville we made our way east to Jaipur. Back onto the ever eventful roads of India. Today more of the focus was on cars malfunctioning. Firstly an overloaded truck burst a tyre and nearly toppled into the neighbouring vehicles... Don't be alarmed, no rickshaws were harmed. Then our reliable Tata, took a turn for the worse and majorly overheated in town, giving us our first experience of local mechanics. I hope they charge us only 6dhs to repair a non-functioning car. On arrival we headed to the Sun Temple which was mainly riddled with monkeys and very cute Monkeylets (What are baby monkeys called?) At the top of the temple we admired a panoramic view of Jaipur and the highlight would be when 2 cows blocked our pathway and Pia kindly took a headbutt to the hip!

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Hello India

Rise and shine... New Delhi is waiting. First port of call - breakfast! There was no wasting time with Pia, straight into the Indian style brekkyfest... You go girl!! Hopefully it doesn't lead to an immediate intestinal cleansing. ;)
Next on the agenda was to brave the streets and head to the local train station. As soon as we stepped out from the comfort of our hotel lobby (which still smelled questionable) we were greeted by the Sunday morning lull of Delhi. Many stores were closed, however, the roads were in full force with a colorful array of rickshaws, bicycles, cars, buses and a fair share of pedestrians thrown into the mix. Even through the film of funkiness ( meaning dirt and poverty) covering the city there is an intriguing energy pulsing through the streets, that niggles at you, making you want to discover more about this culturally enriched nation.

After a mere 300 metres later we arrived at the train station where there was a constant flow of bodies. Obviously, looking like foreigners we were kindly pointed in the right direction for train ticket purchases. This lead to us taking our first rickshaw ride to the local tourist info office. We were kindly hand delivered to our tuk tuk driver with the fixed price of 30 rupees... A whopping 2AED! Ruth, Pia and I squeezed into the back, quite comfortably. You know we had prepared for the worst when we all looked at eachother and said 'Wow, there is going to be heaps of space for 2 of us back here!'
From our breezy rickshaw ride we were escorted into the local tourist office to organize our 5 day 'Cultural adjustment period' prior to our off road adventure. We were given the unfortunate news that all trains to Agra were booked, overbooked in some cases by... Aww, you know, just 60 or so people!!

Soon our decision was made very easy for us, a private driver... Why not! A time to learn some private driving tips from a local before race day.

Before we knew it money had been exchanged, an itinery planned and hotels booked. Moments later we were introduced to our driver, tour guide and driving mentor... The very best... Mr Singh!

Straight away, we went to explore the sights of Dehli. First to the presidential buildings, followed by the India Gate, Humayun's Tomb, Lotus Temple and Ghandi's tomb. We even managed to be stuck in a political rally. All in all an eventful day roaming the streets of Dehli.

To finish off the evening we found a rooftop terrace where we munched into a delicious array of Indian cuisine. Nom, nom, nom!!

Admiring the wonders of the world

Up at the crack of dawn ready for our early departure to Agra. What Indian breakfast dish was waiting for us this morning... Pakora or what I would like to call it ' deep fried, battered vegetable sandwich' Tasty!! With bags packed and the hotel room paid for we drove out into the Monday morning rush hour. All was going smoothly until an emergency pit stop was needed... When you gotta go, you gotta go! We managed to cause a mini traffic jam since obviously it's not everyday you see one white girl running into the bushes, with two others following behind with baby wipes and sarongs. With spontaneous toilet stops out of the way we headed onward.

The remainder of the 4 hour journey was quite uneventful, apart from spotting a mother breastfeeding her baby on a moped and when our driver nearly ran over a family of 3.

Once we arrived in Agra, we just thought we were in another small village, but low and behold a seventh wonder of the world was somewhere within walking range. There were certainly no signs... Hmmm this could be a problem once we are driving our rickshaw.

There are two tourist attractions in Agra and as we set off to see the first one - the fort of Agra, we picked up our local tour guide. The surrounding walls of the fort are an intense reddy, orange colour, but once you walk into the heart of the fort the living quarters are made of smooth, white marble. Within the fort there is a mixture of architecture due to the emperor being Muslim and his favourite wife was Hindu. The emperor did not try to force his beliefs on his favourite wife, hence the combination of religions is evident in the fort with temples and mosques sharing the same grounds. Although I'm sure the 300 mistresses helped alleviate any martial tension. One of the emperors favourite games was Indian chess. To play, the mistresses would find their places on the human sized board game and were used as the playing pieces. Good play, Mr Hugh Hefner of the 1600's.

In anticipation we made our way to one of the seven wonders of the world - the Taj Mahal. In the heat of the afternoon we made our way to the old VIP entrance, which wasn't nearly as full as we expected. Within a couple of minutes we had made it through the metal detectors and had our bags checked. The view from the main gateway was impressive and as we gradually walked through the entrance, more and more of the Taj was revealed until the temple and its 4 pillars could be seen. As the sun set and the light rays peeked through the cloud covered sky, the marble of the dome twinkled at us. One thing that surprised me was the marble wasn't as white as I expected, but more creamy. However, in reality how could I fault a seventh wonder of the world which had been built so intricately and with such precision over 400 years ago.

Our guide was not only informative but very skilled at taking the typical photo of tourists holding the Taj. This did lead into a mini photo shoot at multiple locations around the grounds. As we made our way into and around the Taj Mahal, from the other side of the river you could see the foundations of the black Taj Mahal the emperor intended to build opposite, for himself. However this never eventuated due to the price and limited availability of black marble many centuries ago.

It was at this point out guide gave us time to take pictures and enjoy the view of such a grand and majestically built architecture. However, this was the perfect time for the locals to approach us for photos... How could we resist a group of 5 little Indian ladies old enough to be our nannas, which then lead into uncles and aunties and finally the young boys bold and brave enough to join in. Next time we are charging rupees!! ;)

As the sun began to set on the horizon we made our way back to the entrance, where we turned back to give the Taj Mahal a final farewell. Now... Time to fill our bellies with more delicious Indian food. At our request the driver found us a restaurant the locals would eat in. When he drove us down a dark alley and parked the car in a badly lit construction site, we were a tad wary of where he was taking us, but within 30 paces we laid our eyes upon the greenest patch of grass and a cute little table and four chairs planted in the middle. Immediately a gorgeous little girl with a beaming smile came out of the restaurant asking how she could help us. Before we knew it we had reserved the only outdoor table and ordered an array of new Indian dishes to try. The overall review at the end of the meal was 2 thumbs up from all of us!! 👍👍

Sunday 22 July 2012

To India we go!

At 10pm, 21st of July there was no turning back! Ruth, Pia and I were buckled into our seats of flight GE 22 ready to embark on our adventure in India. If we could survive the monotonous Indigo flight theme song, which went for a whole 30 seconds before repeating continuously for 40 minutes before take off, then we could endure anything!!
As the wheels touched down on the tarmac in Dehli we all had a spring in our step, probably because we couldn't wait to get out of audio range of the Indigo jingle they had once again put back on for landing.

By 4am with backpacks on and suitcases in hand we were greeted by many smiling Indian faces as we scanned the arrival gate for our welcome sign. Thankfully our driver was there to take us to our first destination... The Pearl Hotel
of Dehli! I'm not sure what car we expected but the teeny tiny Tata he pointed to us for transport was a cute surprise. There was absolutely no chance of our luggage fitting inside, but the interior design was splendid, with colorful decorations and lighting. Finally, with our luggage successfully strapped on to the roof, off we went. Our young driver took great pride in his car and he couldn't wait to impress us with his sound system and taste of India's Top 40 tunes. Ruth was very good at answering all his questions, but when we told him why we were in India, which was to drive a rickshaw, he laughed and replied with 'No, you drive a rickshaw?' as Ruth sweetly stated 'Yes, us!' ... 'No (head bobble)'... Yes, No... Yes!

Upon arrival we were greeted by the India I remember... Stray dogs yapping at cars, various souls sleeping in the dusty, rubbish filled streets and the neon lights of various hotels through the main drag, inviting you to stay the night. Our hotel looked good from the inside, but the aroma of 'wee wee' filling the lobby was a tad concerning... However, thankfully the choice in air freshener downstairs didn't apply to our hotel room. Phew!!!

Wednesday 27 June 2012

30 days to go...

Time has flown by since deciding to go ahead with this crazy adventure. The final details are all coming together... apart from not knowing exactly what we are doing through India the week before starting the challenge, the most important details have been organised. Yes, you know it!! Priority - Team T-shirts and pimping our Rickshaw!! 

In the spirit of the whole event we came up with a team mascot - Little Miss Rickshaw. She was inspired by the Little Miss Series. I must say it was a laugh coming up with the design. We thought safety equipment was a necessity (elbow and knee pads) Perhaps that's is mainly due to  one team member being known for being more accident prone than the others. 

With our powers combined we came up with main T-shirt design. The phrase actually came about when we were sitting around the breakfast table one early February morning in Petra, Jordan. A fellow hotel guest had a slogan on his T-shirt which got our creative thought process going. It had nothing to do with the copious amounts of hummus and falafels we had been eating. 

Over the next 3 weeks each of us will be traveling to respective parts of the world, but shall rendezvous on the 21st July to start an experience of a lifetime.



Thursday 7 June 2012

Flea Market Mayhem

After many months of talking we finally got around to organising a fundraiser. Thanks to Ruth’s ingenious idea we decided to ask people to donate old clothes, books… anything really. From there we set up a table at Safa Park Flea Market to sell all the goodies we had collected and sell on the cheap. Little did we know we would get more donations then we expected, especially from a kind friend who donated 5 massive boxes, three quarters our size. An amazing donation, but never the best fun carrying and lifting them in 90% humidity.

Finally on market day we filled our three cars with what you could say… 'One mans trash is another ones treasure - and headed out to make some money for the ‘Round Table’ Organisation.  http://roundtableindia.org/

By midday the mercury had risen to 40 degrees and inside the hall it felt like a sauna. We actually had to leave the hall and head outside during the afternoon to feel a sense of refreshment.

Before the doors had even opened regular flea market hagglers bombarded us! Trying to set up a mass of stuff in 4 square metres and barter with 4 people at one go is a stressful experience. Once the doors opened all mayhem broke loose. Us girls were very grateful to 3 very kind friends – Yahia, Adel and Jimmy who came down and helped us… in reality it would have been beyond chaotic trying to do it ourselves.

There were a few highlights of the day… One being setting up the clothes racks in desert heat temperatures – A good laugh for the spectators as we read, more than once, the always helpful IKEA instructions. Next would be when the basketball hoop on display fell and nearly gave Pia concussion!  (Unfortunately we only made 15dhs on the thing !) The other being when Adel tried selling Alisha’s Canon camera – with 8Gs of photos. “AHHHH!” Then there was Ruth telling Alisha off for selling the clothes way to cheaply. “That top is designer!” “Those shirts and trousers are tailored made and you sold it for how much!?!?!?!” … “Oops!”

Overall the day was a great success and we walked away quietly satisfied with the final result. Mission accomplished - 4000AED raised for the kids in India!!!

A big thank you to all those who made donations!!!

On reflection - this experience was certainly an induction into what we can expect in India. Chaotic crowds of people, avoiding near miss collisions and sweaty goodness in monsoon temperatures.



Monday 4 June 2012

I have a dream...

It all began on the 12th January 2012. 

Three girls got together and made a decision to endeavour on an adventure across a country and not any country... but one filled with an astounding array of culture, ancient tradition, history, vibrant colour and chaos... India!

Thankfully we have the time and opportunity to participate in a such an event that allows us to drive 2000 kilometres from Mumbai to Chennai through 4 states in an auto rickshaw, changing our perspective on the world! 

I think all three of us agree there comes a time that you have to put back into the community and step out from under the security blanket of familiarity and experience something that can be life changing. During our time on the road and the weeks before the big day - you can follow our adventure across the unknown through this blog, where there is guaranteed to be challenges beyond our control, eye opening experiences and an abundance of laughs!



Meet the team - Pia, Alisha and Ruth!

Time has begun to officially get planning, big time! With only 53 days left until departure date... 
Team name: Little Miss Rickshaws - Check!
Team mascot: Design complete - Check!
Permission to drive a Tuk Tuk: International driving licences - Check!
Indian Visas: Triple check!
Flights: Check!
Immunization updates:  Check!
Rabies immunization: Ruth - Check! Alisha and Pia plan to throw Ruth into the 'lions den' if the situation arises. 
Fundraiser: Safa park Flea Market - Check! (Update coming soon)
Sponsorship: In progress...

Hmmmm... and the list keeps going!