"Monsoon Madness" Jul 30th - Aug 12th 2010
the challenge
A 2,000 km trail from Chennai to the capital city of Mumbai (with not a straight line in sight). You will be entering an epic adventure through varying conditions including unpaved roads, jungle tracks, chaotic city streets and sweeping coastlines.
the wheels
The auto-rickshaw. A bus shelter on wheels with the speed of a damp fart. Noisy, uncomfortable but pretty much indestructible and as much fun as you can have on 3 wheels. Any the sky is the limit as far as "PimpMyShaw" goes...
the rules
Just remember buses are bigger than rickshaws and don't be late for the party
the route (ish)
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Chennai is the automobile capital of India and a fitting setting for the flag off. Within the first 5 minutes of downtown Chennai traffic you will have realised whether you are cut out for this trip or not... |
| The Fort City of Tamil Nadu. Providing you aren't still going round in circles in Chennai you can drag yourself to the famous Christian Medical hospital here to have treatment for the agonising stomach cramps you picked up from drinking the local water... |
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Also known as "Pub City" because of the huge number of pubs and nightlife. This hi-tech sprawl is India's answer to Silicon Valley. This doesnt extend to the outskirts however where you will find the "Internet Hotel" which has er...no internet access... |
| Today you will journey along the "Road of Death". Not for the faint hearted. If the monsoon rains are kind you mind be able to work out where the road goes. Here you can pass the time by counting the number of lorries in the ravines... |
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Coconut trees and beautiful beaches. The perfect place to celebrate your new found appreciation of life having successfully arrived unscathed. Go grab yourself a cold Kingfisher or ten... |
| A picturesque beach overlooked by a huge temple. Also a good place to stock up on some cheap comedy t-shirts with really bad english translation. Alternatively you can pop to the local medic and get your hammaeoroids seen to as by now you will never complain about European roads again |
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| Glorious Goa. Time to party. Not worth describing the surroundings since you will not be sober enough to remember any of it... |
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Time to chill after the hedonistic heights of Goa. Take a stroll down the beach and or get the rickshaw stuck in the sand and desparately try to dig it out before high tide... |
| Some of the finest fruit trees can be found here so stock up on your "5 a day" fruit allowance. Your body will appreciate it bearing in mind up until now you have had a staple diet of curry, beer and Feni... |
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Breathtaking views, vast valleys and one of the wettest places on the planet. Therefore there may be a chance that the breathtaking view only extends as far as your arm. |
| An idyllice town by the beach, free of pollution and noise...er...apart from the rickshaws which are now losing mechanical parts faster than you can gaffer tape them back on... |
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India in microcosm. Fabulously rich yet achingly poor. Expect the usual media scrum as you enter town under police escort before having a well earned hot shower, a dip in the hotel pool and a party to remember... |
N.B expect the route to change as come the next monsoon some of the "roads" might have disappeared :-)
expected difficulty rating 
This is your chance to experience the chaos and diversity of India whilst playing roulette with pedestrians and lorries and some of the world's most infectious diseases like rabies, malaria, and this season's "must have" disease, bird-flu!!
YES: I would like to invalidate my life insurance >>>
NO: I think we'll go back to Butlins again this year
NOT SURE? Show me what happened last time >>>
The boss is coming! 
