How far would you go to make your travel dreams come true? This 23-year-old guy from Kerala is living his travel dreams in the most offbeat and certainly outstanding way. Nidhin Maliyekkal, who calls himself a chaiwala and film dreamer, cycled from Kerala to Kashmir, and sold tea all along the way to manage the expenses. By embarking on this journey, Nidhin earned name, fame and an experience of a lifetime.
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Life Is Like A Cup Of Tea, It’s All In How You Make It…
They say, when there is a will there is a way. Nidhin who had lost his job amid the pandemic and was cooped at home for around nine months decided to venture out to travel across the country to learn about various places, the people and their cultures. He wanted to gain this experience as it would also help in to become a good filmmaker. But then, he didn’t have the money needed for the trip. But Nidhin was still hopeful.
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On January 1, he stepped out with only ₹170, 1 kg of sugar, 1 kg of tea powder and a borrowed Hercules bicycle. His chai making skills helped him in the rest of his journey. Nidhin has also been spotted with inspiring quotes, while on his journey, like “Life is like a cup of tea, it’s all in how you make it.”
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Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Himachal….. And Finally Kashmir
Nidhin travelled through Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and more to finally reach Kashmir. While the journey was thrilling, it wasn’t without challenges. In Kashmir, Nidhin had left his Adhar card in a lodge and realised that after cycling around 45 kilometres. The lodge owner was kind enough to drive to the Sangam Police Station to return him the card. He also got assistance with ingredients from local tea sellers when he ran out of his supplies.
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Also Read: This 25-Year Old Boy Tested Positive For COVID-19 At Base Camp, But Still Conquered Everest
On his way of returning, by the time he reached Uttar Pradesh, the nation was under the plight of the COVID-19 second wave. So, he had to take the rest of his return journey on the back of a lorry. But the journey has made his soul highly wanderlust and he desires to scale Mount Everest someday.