Houhora's Senior Constable Tracee Knowler and Northern Advocate reporter Kristin Edge, aka the Chickshaw Blues, are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime to raise money for a Northland charity. Their mission is to drive 3500 kilometres aboard a seven-horsepower, two-stroke, three-wheeled auto rickshaw from the top of
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WARMING UP: If Tracee Knowler can survive being pushed in a hand trolley by Kristen Edge, travelling 3500 kilometres on a rickshaw should be a breeze. PICTURE/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM
She had used her upcoming adventure as an opportunity to visit schools in the Far North, teaching children about keeping themselves safe and who to ask for help.
"Let's help make speaking out against sexual abuse and offenders normal, and focus on the victims and their well-being," she added.
"Why should victims be ashamed of something that an offender has done to them? Let's get it out there and make it harder for offenders to continue to offend."
Kristin, a journalist for 18 years, has covered many court cases involving sexual abuse.
"The whole court process for victims of abuse is a traumatic experience. They have to be so brave to speak out, and quite often there is no support for them after the cases are finished. They and their families are basically left to get on with their lives," she said. "If we can help those who help these Northland families well, it will all be worth it."
She and Tracee were meeting all their expenses, and all donations would go to the Miriam Centre.
The Rickshaw Run is the brainchild of The Adventurists, a Bristol-based travel company that tempts thrill-seekers to join them in "fighting to make the world less boring". The race rules are there are no rules.
After a two-day initiation into rickshaw (tuktuk) driving and the mechanical basics, the participants are let loose. They can take any route they choose but are expected to return the vehicle at the finish line - otherwise they pay for it.
Kristin and Tracee will join about 60 other teams at the race start in Shillong, in the north-east, before setting off for Kochi, 3500 kilometres away in the south.
"We are basically given a start point and a finish point and left to our own devices. There are still all sorts of challenges along the way, including the quite common failure of the mechanics of the rickshaw - not to mention navigating the rural roads and dodging everything from camels to giant cockroaches," Tracee said.
"Although we expect to enjoy the experience, and see it as an opportunity of a lifetime, it will certainly not be spent in luxury. We are both determined to do this on the smell of an oily rag. We will be staying in basic roadside guesthouses, and food will generally be from traditional roadside stalls."
Rickshaws reportedly have a top speed of about 60km/h, but their engines have been known to burst into flames.