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
