It all began back in 2007 when our worlds collided through www.couchsurfing.org and Mr Red came to stay in London with Mr Pink and I. We all wanted to go on an adventure as soon as we had no commitments, the world was our oyster and we wanted to do something extreme and out there and we found the site www.theadventurists.com. We then made a pact there and then that we would do an adventure for charity in a Tuk-Tuk somewhere in the World within five years. (For those of you who do not know what a Tuk-Tuk is….please see the picture below that it is basically a shitty motorbike with a sofa on the back not made for adventuring!)
Four years later I get a phone call from Mr Red while on a mini retirement from life in Brazil and he tells me ‘It is time’, he has awesomely signed us up to an adventure from Asuncion, Paraguay to Cuzco, Peru (Over 3000km more or less) in a Tuk-Tuk or Mototaxi!! We all agree to meet with Mr Pink who was currently in Colombia a month before so we could check it all out, raise the money for Practical action the charity and get our ‘outfits together and have a catchup before the challenge ahead.
The Unroute!…3000km more or less
A few days before the big day we found some amazing all in one suits from the Bogota black market and instantly bought them as we were looking for outfits that would keep us warm and also allow us to strip down when necessary. On the morning of the big day as we were putting shorts on with our ‘Tellytubby’ outfits we thought why don’t we challenge ourselves and only wear boxer shorts underneath, take our outfit, passports and cards plus Mr Blues outfit who we were meeting in Asuncion, Paraguay and nothing more or less!!
So it was done, we set sail from Colombia known as ‘The Colours’ (no real names allowed) or the ‘Tellytubbies’ with our few items (see picture above- no maps, no nothing) for Asuncion, Paraguay via Buenos Aires for 8 or so hours for Christmas day and then spent 4 days in Montevideo. On Christmas day eve where one of the colours was robbed with our passports and wallets however he managed to negotiate our passports back and we still had one wallet left so were able to continue! It was meant to be! This was only the beginning of what was to come! haha.
The Colours on the front page of the Paraguayan news
I could write a mini book on everything that followed, from tackling security at the airport, hiding each others passports in sick bags and breaching international flight regulations and not getting arrested it as it was Christmas day. Jumping in an immigration booth and stamping each others passports, stopping the streets of Paraguay with Police escort so all the teams can have a curtain raiser to the bigday, jumping across borders illegally with only one of us having an international driving license (wallets stolen). From leaving Paraguay just asking which way North was to Peru as we had no maps, not having any accomodation booked for any nights and choosing to sleep on stone cold floors in the middle off nowhere with pet monkeys in the kitchen. Being on multiple news stations and on the front pages across Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru would just be touching the surface of it all!
So here it is! I think this video produced and edited by Mr Red sums up the adventure fantastically well and gives you a good insight into what it was like. This is the Tuk Tuk adventure we did from Asuncion, Paraguay to Cusco, Peru! One of the most amazing experiences I have done ever with just fancy dress, cards and passports and any items we were given or picked up along the way! I hope your enjoy it and please just click the link below which takes you through to see the video and feel free to leave any comments!
I have always talked about creating a bucketlist of the things I want to do in life and places I want to visit. I have watched the film with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson and heard other people talking about boxes to tick on their life list.
I then decided on the 6th of June 2011 that I was going to write one there and then, I stayed in one night and it took me 6 hours or so to think up and scroll though things that I want to do in my life. I chose to only put down things I have not done so far and this year I am going to tick at least 15 of them and report on each experience!
I came up with the following list which I have laminated on my wall so I get to look at it every morning and help me to work towards each one. I hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to write one for yourself! (No.48)
Adventure 2011- Asuncion, Paraguay to Cusco, Peru in a Mototaxi.
Travel all around the world
All the countries in the world (192).
Become fluent in a language-Spanish or Portuguese.
Try out a new profession in a different field.
Achieve your ideal shape- 82kg and ripped as hell. (TICK)
Do a photo shoot when the above is achieved. (TICK)
Run a marathon (London) under 4 hours.
Run a half marathon.
Run 5km under 18mins again.
Run an adventure race each year (off road).
Go Wake-boarding.
Sailing.
Windsurfing.
Kite-surfing.
Ride a jet ski.
Go skiing.
Go water skiing.
Pursue your passion.
Start your own business doing something you love.
Successful businesses doubling profits every year.
Achieve financial abundance with your passion.
Setup a charity.
Be a mentor to someone. (TICK)
Go Bungee jumping, (TICK)
Skydiving.
Parachuting.
Paragliding.
Hang-gliding.
Ice climbing.
Make a difference in someone’s life. (TICK)
Perform a kind deed to at least 5 strangers without expecting anything in return.
Fly in a hot-air balloon (across a country).
Plant your own tree and watch it grow.
Grow your own Vegtables.
Do public speaking in front of 10,000 people.
Get a complete makeover (change everything, from your hair style, hair color, image, clothes) and get a different look: one which you would never have thought of trying.
Learn wine appreciation.
Learn to Salsa Dance.
Learn to Tango.
Learn Ballroom dancing.
Learn a martial art.
Win a lucky draw.
Go swimming with dolphins.
Act in a film (self production or otherwise).
Get featured on another TV/radio/print/newspapers for an achievement you are proud of. (addition to loose women). (TICK- NZ Mens prostate calender 2013)
Create your dream home- Snooker room/Man cave.
Go deep into the heart of Mother Nature. Go trekking in a rainforest for a few weeks; Amazon).
Read a book on a subject you’d never have thought of reading. (TICK)
Tell at least 10 people about your bucket list and encourage them to do the same. (TICK)
Fly first class.
Join mile high club.
Have dinner with someone you had only dreamed of meeting.
Be invited to speak overseas.
Ride a gondola in Venice.
Witness an eclipse.
Visit all 50 US states.
Complete the Ironman Triathlon.
Enter a bike race.
Explore Antarctica.
Sail off out in the sea for a week.
Take a bike tour through wine country.
Enter a bike race.
Throw a big party for everyone I know.
Participate in a regatta (boat race).
Drive a speedboat.
Go trekking in amazon.
Go on a cruise.
Go tubing.
Go deep sea fishing.
Go deer hunting.
Go alligator hunting.
Go bear hunting.
Dive with sharks.
Hunt grouse in Scotland.
Ride a horse without a saddle.
Try fencing.
Fire AK47 and other major guns.
Scuba dive in the top 5 scuba diving destinations in the world.