Travelling has been the life and soul of Sangeeth and Kavya since they met each other. Their friends and loved ones say that the couple lives to learn about new places so that they can explore them next, and they even love talking about travelling. They share their experiences of visiting new places and meeting new people on their Instagram page, ‘Life on Roads’. The couple, both natives of Pattambi, hope that the videos and posts they share on their page will inspire others to explore the world.

Sangeeth and Kavya, who have been travelling for more than ten years, claim that they have travelled around India at least six times. They continue their journeys to the remote villages and unexplored spots on an incredibly affordable budget. When their careers became a barrier to their passion for travelling, they didn’t hesitate to quit their jobs. During their trips, Sangeeth and Kavya do not rely on hotels for food and accommodation. Now, the couple, who is committed to travelling without hurting the planet, plants a tree wherever they go.

Love for travel
VV Sangeeth, who hails from Pattambi, and Kavya, who is from Koppam, had been childhood friends since they were in school. It was their love for travelling that brought them closer. Although they had studied at different colleges, Sangeeth and Kavya’s common love for travelling strengthened their bond. After college, both moved to Bangalore, where Sangeeth worked at a multinational company while Kavya was a dairy technologist. They found time to enjoy long-distance trips on bikes at least two or three times a year. They chose to stay in tents instead of booking hotels for accommodation. Sangeeth and Kavya soon enjoyed overlanding and continued such trips for over five years. Besides, they also planned short trips, which they could manage while working full-time.

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They saw those trips as ‘trailers’ of the bigger ones they dreamed of setting out. When their careers didn’t allow them to take such long trips, they quit their jobs and chose freelancing. Their trips on two-wheelers didn’t have any particular destinations. Sangeeth and Kavya travelled to the remote Indian villages, the fabulous mountains and the scintillating terrains of this mighty land. They hardly get bored of travelling to the same place as new and unique sights and experiences await them each time.

The couple desired to plant a tree on the wayside as a way to preserve nature. In an impressive feat, they planted more than ten thousand trees in the last 1.5 years. Interestingly, they monitor these trees using GPS tags and make arrangements to water them with the help of volunteers on social media. Their new aim is to plant 1 lakh trees and plants in the next five years.

Drogo and Bheeman
They explored the soul of India as they visited the villages and the countryside. Meanwhile, they planned a one–year overlanding when they wished to expand their journeys. When they felt that they needed a four-wheeler to make their journeys comfortable, they purchased an Indian Force Gurkha van and named it ‘Bheeman’. “Malayalis spent one-third of their income on their wedding. But, we weren’t interested in that. We utilised that money to buy Bheeman,” say Sangeeth and Kavya. They made a few modifications to the van so that it became their home during long-distance trips. Arrangements have been made inside the van for them to cook and sleep. Most of these modifications were done by the couple themselves.

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Meanwhile, their pet dog Drogo has been accompanying the couple since he was just six months. Drogo managed to survive when the temperatures plummeted to minus 22 degrees and when the mercury shot to 49 degrees Celsius. It is often Drogo who warns them of the perils at the places where they plan to erect the tent. Kavya recalls how Drogo had saved them multiple times from dangerous animals and humans. Sangeeth and Kavya, along with Bheeman and Drogo, had set out for the biggest trip of their lives just fifteen days after they tied the knot – the spectacular ‘Life on Roads’ that lasted for over 1.5 years.

Unforgettable experiences
Sangeeth and Kavya ensure that their trips are mostly eco-friendly without burning holes in their pockets. They usually carry a few pairs of clothes, food items, a portable bathroom and a tent in their van. The couple begins their journey early in the morning and manages to cover at least 400 – 500 kilometres daily. Sangeeth and Kavya take turns driving and spend no more than Rs 200 daily. They wash their clothes in the lakes or ponds and continue their journey after drying them. Moreover, they cook all their meals inside the van and never stop at a hotel or eatery to have food. “There is no shortage of rice in Palakkad. So, we make sure to be home during the harvest season to store enough rice for our next trip,” says Sangeeth and Kavya, who enjoy rice. They have experienced both good and bad things during their trips. In some places, they are received with warmth and affection, while others have not been that friendly.

Sangeeth and Kavya started a social media page to share their travelling experiences and tips with the world. Besides, it proved to be an effective way to fight loneliness when they must stay away from their respective families for longer periods. They showed new places, spoke about the people they met and even shared interesting snippets of knowledge through their social media page, which has around 3.5 lakh followers. The couple’s simple dressing style and sustainable living are what draw viewers to their page.

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But they are not immune to online bullying either. The same dressing style and sustainable life that earned them praise have become the reason for online hatred, too. But Sangeeth and Kavya brush aside these criticisms and nasty comments with their ‘chill’ attitude. “People might have lots of problems in their life. Posting such nasty comments may be a way to forget their problems. We have no complaints and plan to continue this lifestyle,” says Sangeeth.

Dreaming to travel
Sangeeth began exploring his vicinity when he started delivering milk to the houses in the neighbourhood as a young boy. Soon, he strongly desired to see the places beyond his area. Kavya, too, shares this idea and says that one should ignite a spirit of curiosity to explore places. Although they have travelled extensively around India, the couple still believes that there is more for them to see and experience. Meanwhile, Bhutan is the only foreign country they have visited until now. Sangeeth and Kavya confess that they do not wish to travel abroad to see places. Now, they aim to carry the paddy from their village to the country's remote corners. Sangeeth and Kavya are eagerly waiting for the harvest season so that they can take a piece of their land to the rest of India.

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