67 countries, 6 continents: Kerala merchant navy officer cum influencer shares experiences

Be it the rough seas or the enchanting destinations around the world, Malayali Merchant Navy officer Vishnu Sudhi loves a good adventure on any day. Working on a ship is no easy task, as it comes with its own share of risks. But Vishnu says he enjoys such risks and even documents the thrilling moments in his video camera. He then posts these videos on his YouTube channel for his audience. He had visited countless countries even before travel vlogging was a thing on social media. In addition to his role as a committed officer, he is a passionate travel vlogger on Instagram as 'Vichu Sailor.'

35 countries in 6 months
Vishnu was just 19 years old when he got into the Merchant Navy in 2014. Dubai was his first destination. Vishnu soon realised that there wasn’t much in Dubai for him to explore other than the exciting desert. He then moved to Mumbai and began working on a cruise ship, which opened up significant opportunities for him. Vishnu also worked in the US for some time until COVID-19 broke out. He travelled to 35 countries and 160 destinations on five continents within six months.

He has also worked on a cargo ship transporting hazardous materials, including LPG. The video of him cooking on the cargo ship was the first one that clicked. After that, Vishnu’s videos from the ship began garnering more than a million views. He visited the Great Wall of China, the pyramids of Egypt and New York in 2018 and 2019. Vishnu also shares glimpses of his life on the ship, including braving the rough seas, facing deadly pirates and other natural calamities.

Star of social media
“I started enjoying it when I worked on a cruise ship. It wasn’t a big deal at the time, as Instagram wasn't yet popular. Besides, there weren’t many vloggers in Malayalam during those days. I, too, had no idea about it. For me, collecting as many memories as possible was more important than vlogging. Gradually, I started recording videos at the places I visited,” recalls Vishnu, who is the head of cooking on the ship.

Vishnu says that working on a cruise ship offers numerous opportunities. He doesn’t sit idle even when he returns home for the holidays. He works as a guide, accompanying foreign tourists to many beautiful destinations. Vishnu is associated with a German travel company that assigns regional guides to tourists. He is required to accompany foreigners who travel solo or in groups as a guide. One should read and understand the company's rules and regulations before registering on its website. Meanwhile, a video with a tourist from Denmark had become viral, making Vishnu a familiar face on social media. The tourist who came for seven days returned only after 16 days. He returned last December to explore additional locations with Vishnu.

The tempest
Vishnu was on a ship when Cyclone Biporjoy hit in 2023. It was a severe cyclonic storm that caused several damages when it made landfall. However, a ship cannot be stopped during tempests or cyclones. It should always move forward, braving even the worst storms. Vishnu states that a ship will halt only if the Coast Guard issues a warning. He has already visited 67 countries and six continents. The sailor now dreams of visiting the seventh continent, the mighty Antarctica, to experience new adventures.