The launch party set the scene on Saturday, then Durbar Square sealed the deal. On Sunday 1st June the mighty Rickshaw Run teams set off for a bucketload of adventure...
The ancient temples and Royal Palaces of Durbar Square, and hundreds of onlookers wandering what the blazers the tourists were up to, formed the perfect backdrop for the newly pimped Rickshaws.
The brave teams had already sent their vehicle bodywork designs and interior decor requirements to the long distance pimping team via the Rickshaw Run website. So when they arrived it was only a matter of adding the odd finishing touch to the newly decorated auto-rickshaws and of course learning how to drive a tin can with three wheels and handlebars!
The very nice chap who is in charge of the Nepal Tourist Board, Mr Prachanda Man Shrestha, cut the start ribbon. (Oh yes, there was an actual red ribbon, placed across the start line after wrestling the traffic out of the way!)
Kathmandu has been very kind to the Rickshaw Run but with two weeks of all sorts ahead, teams made off from lofty Nepal to swap big Himalayan hills for the sub-continental jaunt to the southern beaches of India.
So far so good - the recipe for mayhem and mishaps has done a stirling job.
Team Darjeeling Fling report on day 2: "We finally choose a name for our rickshaw... She is called lucky. We then promptly broke down for two hours on a mountain pass. Onwards to the border..."
Chin up chaps, it could be worse! Sari We're Late sent in a text update to the website reporting: "Great drive but 3 breakdowns..."
Other reports from the field have included the drinking of more beer (not while driving), valiantly soon after the launch party, less than solid stools, missing vital turnings, losing maps altogether and generally having nothing short of a ruddy brilliant time already.
The atmosphere at the launch was fantastic and Kathmandu is set to re-appear in the routes of future Runs after such a great reception this time round.
Teams are sending in updates to the website with text messages and once they get more into the groove we're expecting lots more so check out the latest and follow their progress!
Track the Teams here