Sari Not Sari - Rickshaw Run 2017

Three young women, their bond forged in the fires of an all-girl education and many disastrous teenage decisions, have decided to test the limits of their 11-year friendship by spending two weeks in a motorised tin can hurtling* through India in the name of fun, frenzy, and fundraising for Family Planning**.

MEET THE TEAM

JESS COLE

Greatest strength: Jess absolutely froths admin, and has Google doc on lock. While there are many aspects of the unroute that the team cannot account for, you can bet every aspect that can be planned, will be planned.

Biggest weakness: Despite having a license since she was 15, Jess has still not truly mastered driving a regular car, and is unlikely to be an asset behind the wheel of a rickshaw.

IZZY DOWDEN

Greatest strength: Having spent 6 months taming the streets of Hanoi on a scooter, Izzy has the most experience on anything resembling a rickshaw.

Biggest weakness: Like a newborn kitten, Izzy requires an average of 22 hours sleep a day to be a functional being, something she is unlikely to get in the soothing acoustics of a metal box in the middle of India's busiest streets.

SIOBHAN KENNEDY

Greatest strength: Growing up in the boondocks of Ahipara means Siobhan was forced to learn great navigational skills at a young age. By far the most confident with a map, she will be the North Star to the trio's path.

Biggest weakness: History has shown that Siobhan is weak to the infamous Delhi belly, so she runs the risk of slowing down the team at a back country gas station bathroom. However, it is possible she may be able to turn this into a strength, having naturally acquired some immunity.

We are fundraising for two great organisations, Family Planning and Cool Earth, both causes that have faced some pretty major scrutiny on the world stage. We have personally always enjoyed our NZ easy access to sexual health information, support and $5 prescriptions for 144 condoms courtesy of the former, and are huge supporters of preserving the environment for future generations via the latter.

Our participation in the Rickshaw Run has been a long time coming, and we are very excited to get on the road to Jaisalmer. Whether or not we make it is another question entirely. Feel free to consider your donation a bet as to our survival, if that kind of thing works for you.

*NB the top speed of a rickshaw is unlikely to be anywhere near 'hurtling'.

**50% of money raised goes to Family Planning, and 50% goes to Cool Earth, the official charity of the Rickshaw Run - every cent donated to this page will go to the charities. We are covering all costs of the trip ourselves.