<p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><font color="#8e2941"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3"><a href="http://www.google.ae/imgres?imgurl=http://www.loupiote.com/photos_m/3711216028-elephant-auto-rickshaw.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.loupiote.com/photos/3711216028.shtml&usg=__Qdj9VdXp6qAC0zr4ZLfmy8MOJvk=&h=500&w=334&sz=155&hl=en&start=30&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=WPjiQggVDhm9tM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dauto%2Brickshaw%2Bphotos%26start%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1"></a> <a href="http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/21585/size/big/cat/views/limit/views"><img alt="Nowhere, Tamil Nadu, Rameswaram, Adam's Bridge, Autorickshaw, India" border="0" height="600" src="http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/data/507/medium/IM_AutoRickshaw.jpg" style="width: 330px; height: 238px" title="Nowhere, Tamil Nadu, Rameswaram, Adam's Bridge, Autorickshaw, India" width="799" /></a> <img alt="elephant and auto-rickshaw" height="708" id="photo-page-img" src="http://www.loupiote.com/photos_m/3711216028-elephant-auto-rickshaw.jpg" style="width: 36.11%; height: 330px" width="100%" /></font></span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><font color="#8e2941"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3"><a href="http://www.google.ae/imgres?imgurl=http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/data/507/medium/IM_AutoRickshaw.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/21585/cat/views/limit/views&usg=__MjapxyS_oxKa3AcP6i67mVvPBEE=&h=600&w=799&sz=126&hl=en&start=120&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=loE1qj7bfWnhmM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dauto%2Brickshaw%2Bphotos%26start%3D108%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1"></a></font></span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><font color="#8e2941"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">G’day everyone.</font></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"> </font></span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">How does crossing the Indian Continent (and parts of Nepal) by road from east to west sound like for a bit of an adventure? </font></span></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">-Not bad?</font></span></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">What about doing it in an Auto Rickshaw in just 2 weeks?</font></span></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><font color="#985048"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"><font color="#8e2941">-Sound like a totally crazy idea??!!</font> </font></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"> </font></span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">That is exactly what we are doing from 11<sup>th</sup>-26<sup>th</sup> September, 2010 . As part of the Rickshaw Run Autumn 2010 edition, Team KRASH (a combination of <strong>Kr</strong>istian and T<strong>ash) </strong>hope to avoid doing as their team name suggests and complete the 3000km journey safe and sound in the allotted 2 week period. The Rickshaw Run is a yearly fundraising rally that comprises 70 Rickshaw teams crossing India to raise money for various charities. This year the charity of choice is Frank Water – a non-profit organisation that raises money to fund sustainable clean water projects in developing countries across the world. (See </font><a href="http://www.frankwater.com/" target="_top"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">www.frankwater.com</font></a><font color="#8e2941" size="3"> for more information). </font></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span><font color="#8e2941" size="3"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"> </span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></font><font color="#985048"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"><font color="#8e2941">The journey will be begin in the Himalayan foothills in Gangtok, Sikkim in NE India end up in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan in far west India. There is no specified route – the navigation is purely team choice – but it will see Team KRASH most likely travel half way across Nepal before heading down onto the plains of Northern India to end up at the finish line in Jaisalmer. </font><font color="#8e2941">The final route will be decided on a daily basis depending on a combination of weather, road and Rickshaw ‘conditions’.</font> </font></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"> </font></span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><font color="#8e2941"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941">The trusty Rickshaw has a pounding heart of 145cc, pumping out a lackluster 7hp and a producing a dubiously recorded max speed of speed of 55km/hr (maybe when empty, going downhill and with a tail wind!!). </font><font color="#8e2941">It is a relative minnow when compared to some of the crazy buses and trucks on the Indian roads, but hopefully its nimble ability will keep us well out of their way!<span> </span>It is loud,</font><font color="#8e2941"> </font><font color="#8e2941">uncomfortable, prone to breaking down and completely useless at protecting you from the elements, making it possibly the least suitable vehicle for crossing the entire sub-continent, which</font><font color="#8e2941"> </font><font color="#8e2941">is why it is such an adventure and a great way to raise money for a worthy cause!!!</font></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></font></font><font color="#8e2941"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></font></font><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">You can help us raise money for the Frank Water charity by following the ‘Just Giving’ link here on our web page.</font></span></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><font size="3"><font color="#8e2941"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941">You can also follow our progress during the trip by checking updates here on our web page. Please note that all raised money goes straight to the charity.</font> <font color="#8e2941">None of the raised money goes towards the team costs – all travel and running costs for the team are borne by us, the team members, ourselves.</font></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></font></font><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3"> </font></span></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><font color="#8e2941"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"><font color="#8e2941">We will not be alone on this trek (obviously – with more than 1 billion inhabitants in the country), but will be travelling with Vaughan and Beth</font> <font color="#8e2941">(Kristian’s Brother and his girlfriend) in their own trusty rickshaw to share the experience and hopefully back up the tall stories we end up telling every time we have a few too many beers…..</font></font></span></font><font color="#8e2941" size="3"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"> </span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></font><font color="#8e2941"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">We hope you can find it in your hearts to dig deep and help support a worthy cause!!<span> </span>(Or at least help us think that this journey is worth the risk…)</font></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"> </font></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"> </font></span></font></font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="5"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"></span><font color="#8e2941"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font color="#8e2941" size="3">Team KRASH </font></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #1f497d"><font size="3"><font color="#8e2941">(<strong>Kr</strong>istian &</font> <font color="#8e2941">T<strong>ash</strong>)</font></font></span></font></font></p>