E-Paper
After 2-yr break, globe-trotting Kerala tea vendor couple packs for next adventure
After a pandemic-induced break, the elderly couple of Kochi, who runs a small food joint, is busy packing their bags again, this time to Russia
After a pandemic-induced break, the elderly couple of Kochi, who runs a small food joint, is busy packing their bags again, this time to Russia. They want to witness the anniversary of the October Revolution which marked the Bolshevik Party seizing power in Russia in 1917.
KR Vijayan (71) and wife Mohana (69) had already put up a notice in their team joint announcing their much-awaited trip because they don’t want to put their regular customers in the lurch. Their Russia trip will begin from October 21 till the 28th. The globe-trotting couple has already visited 25 countries. The couple only planned to hop on this global adventure 14 years back.
“In many Russian books (once many books were translated into Malayalam thanks to Commie connections) Volga river is a favourite theme. I am excited enough to see the quiet flowing Volga,” said Vijayan, while preparing tea for his morning customers. His wife was busy peeling coconut to make Puttu - a cylindrical-shaped, steamed breakfast made of rice powder. Their last trip was to Australia in 2019.
“Since our hotel was closed on most days in the past two years, this time, I took a loan from the travel agency for tickets. Once I come back, I will pay ₹15,000 monthly and cough it up and start saving for the next adventure,” he said, adding, after every trip he turns wiser and stronger.
“It is often said that experience is the best teacher. Travel is the best experience that makes you richer,” he said. The couple’s trips are well known and many celebrities like industrialist Anand Mahindra, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher and writer-politician Shashi Tharoor have lauded them. The Kongani couple’s first trip was to Israel in 2007 and there was no looking back since then.
“Travel is in my blood. First, I visited all religious and tourist places in the country and later turned global. I visited Lord Balaji temple more than 100 times,” he said. He named his hotel in Gandhi Nagar, Kadavanthara, after his favourite deity, Sree Balaji. “Look, money will come and go but these memories will remain forever. We both will travel as long as our health permits. After every trip, we feel younger and that keeps us ticking,” said wife Mohana.
Their two daughters and sons-in-law always supported their undying passion to explore and travel. After Russia, they have set their eyes on Japan. The elderly couple has a wish. “We would like to meet Prime Minister Modi once. He has a humble origin and started his life as a tea seller. We admire him a lot,” they said, adding they are ready to go to Delhi for this.
