The vehicle chosen by Augustine and his wife for his journey through the forests of south India is a humble scooter.
Undeterred by his hearing impairment, the 57-year-old Kottanellur native has covered numerous forests and clocked thousands of kilometres.
They have already conquered the ghats of Nilgiri hills, Nadukani, Gudalur, Ooty, Coonoor, Mysuru, Srirangapatna, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Muthanga, Mudumalai and Thirunelli and the mountain passes of Kuttiyadi, Nadukani and Thamarassery.
During their trips, they carry with them medicines, water, food, route map and tools to repair in case the scooter develops a snag. Since he is hearing impaired, Augustine uses an earphone while riding the scooter.
While talking about their trips, he recalled that they had a miraculous escape from a wild elephant while they were travelling through Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.
For the past 33 years, Augustine has been a Manorama agent in Kottanellur. Passionate about reading and forest travels, Augustine has been the secretary and librarian at Kottanellur library since 1978. Augustine, who has decided to donate his organs after his death to Thrissur medical college, is already preparing for his next trip in December. Emily does not even care about her health while travelling with her husband. Their passion for travelling, which is five years old, is growing younger with them.
