Sep 29, 2009. As of today the countdown has really begun. Exactly 200 days to go before OneHelluvaRide is flagged off. Seems like almost a year to go, but if you consider the length of the ever-increasing job list, it is too short a time to put everything together. Logisics, permits, team composition, equipment and not to mention the most important requirement – sponsors. Well, things have been pretty smooth so far and the results have been as good as expected. This week should be very hectic and busy and hopefully fruitful. There are two important meetings that have to be concluded this week – both media associations, one television and the other internet. I am hoping that both will bear fruit. And both are big names in the industry, which means that an association with them will make a lot of sense to the sponsors. In fact, the entire media package so far is building up to be quite a nice package. On this website is a mention of a few of them – TopGear, exchange4media and oktatabyebye. I am hoping that by the end of the week, two more names will get added on to that list. As will be the charity partners. The international one might take a little longer given the larger bureaucracy it has to go through, the Indian charity should get finalised on Oct 1, I am meeting the trustees on that day.
My aim is to offer at least double the benefits in terms of media associations to the sponsors. That has almost been reached and I hoping that with the television and internet partner,this figure will go up substantially. And then the big chore starts – meeting sponsors and getting them on board. So far every one who has heard about the expedition is all praise, and full of envy. But then, they do not have to shell out the monies. The sponsors, despite loving the concept still have to make a business decision – “What do I get for the money spent.” Fair enough, and that is what I am building up to. So far so good.
Well, 200 days and counting. Soon it will be next month, and then next week and suddenly …. tomorrow morning. I am so looking forward to this expedition. It will be a dream fulfilled and a vindication of what we have been trying to do at OutThere Adventurers for so long. This is big, being built up as such and very very global. I hope we and the sponsors can derive maximum potential out of this truly unique event. All the best to us.