Introduction

Well hello there!

Fancy seeing you here.

My name is Charlie and this is Clio and Alice. We are the Hoplite Hippos and, for reasons perhaps best explained later, we’re embarking on an awe-inspiringly ill-advised trip across India. We’re setting out from Shillong, a sleepy town (by Indian standards) in the far north-eastern reaches of this vast and exotic country. We’ll then be skirting around Bangladesh, crossing the Ganges and heading onwards along the foothills of the Himalayas, across two and half thousand kilometres of dusty, crowded, badly maintained roads, popping through New Delhi, Jaipur and Jodhpur on our way before crossing the finishing line two weeks later (we hope!) in Jaisalmer. So far so reckless. This would be a gruelling trek for any hardened adventurer whether they travelled by car or by train... or even by bus.

But we’re going a step further in our lunacy. Not for us the creature comforts of the famous Indian National Railway. And a car? Pah! We scoffed at such luxuries as air conditioning, proper suspension, an engine more powerful than a lawnmower... doors... four wheels.

No we’ve chosen for our faithful steed... a tuk tuk, a motorised rickshaw, a three-wheeled, four-seater motorbike with a canopy: a deathtrap in other words.

This fine piece of mechanical engineering has a top speed of 50 mph (if your full laden and going down a hill!), an engine that would be better suited powering a child’s toy and an unfortunate habit of breaking down, rolling, crashing and generally causing mayhem on the streets of India. With three of us crammed into the back “map-reading” and one of our intrepid bunch (me, most likely!) bravely taking the helm of this three wheeled, two-stroke, one destination, no hope masterpiece we will bumble our way across some of the most treacherous terrain and high-risk highways that the vast continent of Asia has to offer.

So why are we embarking on this adventure?

Why, to raise money for charity! Why else!

The crazy buggers who have arranged all this (The Adventurists) have done so in association with Frank Water, an incredible charity that brings fresh water to the millions upon millions of Indians who desperately need it. For more information about the fantastic work that they’re doing please check out their website at www.frankwater.com. We’ve been set a target of £1,000 to raise for this noble cause and frankly (pun intended!), we think we can beat that.

In addition to Frank Water we’re also looking to raise money for the Chailey Heritage School, a remarkable school in Southern England that cares for boys and girls aged 3-19 with multiple and complex disabilities (www.chs.org.uk).

We’ll be keeping you lovely lovely people up to date with our preparations for this delightfully foolhardy trip, both our personal “training” and charity events, and will also be maintaining a daily blog as we travel (internet etc. permitting). So please follow this blog, join our Just Giving page, come to our glorious events (end of April springs to mind!) and wish us luck.

After all, this ain’t no beach holiday we’re going to be doing. This is going to hurt!

Thanking you all in advance!

Charles Whitting

Clio Williams

Alice Abdullah