Post date: Dec 16, 2013 11:44:36 PM
Two British teachers add Argentina to their list of countries as they travel the world in a tuk tuk.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 16, 2013) (REUTERS) - Two British teachers extended their world record for the longest journey in a tuk tuk - a motorised ricksaw - on Monday (December 16), as they arrived in Buenos Aires as part of a global charity drive to raise cash for education projects in developing countries.
Nick Gough, 28, and Rich Sears, 28, both born in Bath, United Kingdom, are childhood friends and as teachers - at the Royal Grammar School in Guildford, Surrey - are passionate about education and its importance for each child and the global community.Their arrival in the Argentine capital comes after a tumultuous journey for the pair which has seen them take in 39 countries and traverse more than 40,000 km (24,800 miles) around the globe.
"Well, we started in August 2012 and we've been travelling for sixteen months, we've been through 39 countries, through Europe, Africa, Asia and South America and we have just finished here, 42,000 kilometres later in Buenos Aires," said Gough.
Four years of planning and saving enabled them to start their journey, which has taken them through parts of Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.
Sponsorship has kept the tuk tuk moving, with the pair looking to raise awareness of educational challenges facing the world.
"During this trip we wanted to draw attention to some of the educational challenges facing the world today. By 2015, every primary age child should have access to education according to the millennium development goals. But even now, 57 million primary age children are out of school and it's quite hard to understand, 57 million is really a big number hard to understand. Our journey has taken 42 thousand kilometres all way around the circumference of the world. When it is set up those 57 million children out of school could stand hand in hand along our entire route," said Sears.
With all donations they receive during their trek going to support projects in Egypt, Kenya, Malawi,Nepal and Sudan, their world-record feat has helped their cause.
"So, in northern Peru we broke the world record. Well, surpassed the world record, which was great but it was never really something that we necessarily set up to do. It wasn't the main mission of the journey. The journey was about education, and breaking the world record in driving in a tuk tuk means basically that more people will speak to us and means we'll get better opportunities to talk about education," added Gough.
Part of their journey included searching out inspiring educational projects through which they can raise funds with their charity, Tuk Tuk Educational Trust.
"In every country we're passing through we try to find local education projects. Grass roots projects set up by local people for local people and seeing these inspirational people that work in their own communities doing so much with so little for us that's been the most awarding part of the whole trip," said Sears.
Along with raising awareness for education, the pair look set to break the Guinness World Record for "the longest journey in an auto-rickshaw." Current record holders are Susi Bernsel and Daniel Snaider at 37,410 km (23, 245 miles) in 2005.