MANXMEN James Jones, Eddie Shimmin, Mark Durkin (Team All Show No Go) and Ben Watterson and Juan McGuinness (Team Traa Dy Liooar) left the Isle of Man on Monday for Indonesia where they will attempt the dangerous and high risk adventure Bajai Rally 2013 - dressed as wrestlers.
The fundraising challenge will see the five men travel 3,000km from the city of Medan through the dense Sumatran jungle, over mountain tracks and volcanic peaks, to the beaches of Bali - in an auto rickshaw and all during the monsoon season.
James explained: ‘Take the smallest, least practical vehicle available in Asia, shoe-horn a motley crew of adventurists into it and hurl yourselves across several thousand miles of Indonesian archipelago - what could be a better way to spend all your annual holidays?’
‘There’s no guarantee of us making it to the finish line, no set route and no back-up,’ he added, ‘It’s just us, half a horse power of engineering genius and two glorious weeks facing every obstacle Indonesia can put in our way.
‘We will get lost, stuck, lost again, more stuck and waist deep in mud and mangroves.
‘We’ll be driving a three-wheeled auto-rickshaw which is loud, uncomfortable, prone to breaking down and completely useless at protecting us from the elements. They are possibly the least suitable vehicles for crossing most of Indonesia in two weeks, let alone during the rainy season, which makes even the current Manx rainfall look like the Sahara in comparison.’
And as if that was not challenging enough, the guys will simultaneously embark upon a childhood dream and become professional wrestlers for the duration of the trip.
‘We will be battling each other across the country to win the coveted championship belt and end the rally crowned the Bajai Wrestling Champ,’ explained James. ‘We’re also hoping to raise as much money as possible for our two nominated charities - BirdLife International and the island’s hyperbaric chamber.’
Birdlife International is a global partnership of non-governmental conservation organisations. And the Isle of Man Hyperbaric Medical Facility on Peel Road in Douglas is operated by the Kevin Gray Memorial Trust and provides hyperbaric oxygen therapy to divers and a wide range of patients suffering from injuries and chronic medical conditions. The Friends of the Hyperbaric Chamber was set up three years ago to ensure the charity has enough funds to keep the chamber open.
The group has created a Just Giving page at {http://www.justgiving.com/James-Jones6|www.justgiving.com/James-Jones6} where people can donate directly to each charity online.
‘And if you leave us a message or request for wrestling action we will do our best to oblige while we are out there,’ said James. ‘So if you are as desperate as we are to see Mark, aka The Durkinator, tapping out to a sharpshooter then donate away and let us know.’
For more information and to follow their progress visit {http://www.twitter.com/traadyliooar|twitter.com/traadyliooar} and {http://www.twitter.com/all_show_no_go|twitter.com/all_show_no_go} or go to {http://www.theadventurists.com/bajai-rally/the-what|www.theadventurists.com/bajai-rally/the-what}
Team All Show No Go:
• James Jones aka Munkii Magic (31, Douglas)
An aerospace designer living in Douglas, James is most looking forward to visiting the monkey forest in Bali and a village that has been completely taken over by spiders as large as your hand - he may well be going to the village by himself however. James has been psyching himself up for adventurist lifestyle by growing a handlebar moustache since September, he now resembles an evil Victorian genius and hopes to impress the locals by twirling his tache in a thoughtful fashion at every opportunity.
• Eddie Shimmin aka Shimbo Slice (27, Douglas)
The assistant manager of Sure’s shop in Strand St, Eddie is a lifelong Liverpool fan and is looking forward to visiting the home of the majority of Liverpool fans – East Asia. He is hoping to combat his hatred of getting wet during the many monsoons of Indonesia’s rainy season by taking umbrellas and ponchos with him to create a small cocoon in the back of the rickshaw, this is anticipated to survive all of five minutes.
• Mark Durkin aka The Durkinator (27, Douglas)
An accountant from Douglas, Mark has previously been to Bali while travelling across Asia in a gap year. This sort of local knowledge will make a welcome change to the usual reliance upon a battered Lonely Planet guide. He is also no stranger to acts of bravery. When in 2010 while on holiday in Turkey he saved a young lady’s life by pushing her out of the way of a speeding moped, being hospitalised himself in the process with multiple broken bones.
Team Traa Dy Liooar:
• Juan McGuinness aka The Big Slow (30, Ramsey)
A compliance manager for Alliance & Leicester Intl, Juan plays rugby for Western Vikings RUFC and is hoping his time in the scrum will get him used to pushing heavy objects in ankle deep mud. Juan is a veteran of really stupid adventures in motor vehicles, having first driven to Gambia in a Renault 19 in 2004 three weeks after passing his driving test. However, he is quietly confident this will prove to be his stupidest adventure yet.
• Ben Watterson aka Watty 2 Hotty (30, Douglas)
A civil servant, Ben plays drums for island cover band the Caution Runners but is steeling himself for the heavy beat of rain on the roof of the auto-rickshaw being the only drumming he will experience for the month of January. Ben has previously completed the Parish Walk which should stand him good stead as he will no doubt be walking great distances in search of help when they break down.