Travel, twice the fun

Wherever they go, Sujith and Sarath are used to being stared at. Bemused, the twin brothers, who know well that they look like Xerox copies, enjoy the baffled faces of people, especially when they talk – even the voices are the same. The tastes and preferences of these siblings have always been similar and as they grew up, they found a common passion in travel. And together, the twins embarked on a twin city journey; each time they set off from home, they end up covering two cities in one go.

“Each journey is a different experience and we want to enjoy it together,” share the 22-year-old youths from Paruthipara, Shoranur, who are just back from a Mumbai-Gujarat visit.

Born to Sasikumar and Nalini K.P., the duo was inseparable throughout their schooldays. Their games and local expeditions to Attappady forest,

Nelliyampathy, Malampuzha Dam and Dhoni Waterfalls were all together. But when time came for them to choose their higher education, Sujith chose to do a BSc in Petrochemicals and went to Aluva whereas Sarath stayed in Palakkad to pursue BSc in Industrial Chemistry. 

“Until then, it was family trips, but during graduation, I got a chance to travel across the country as part of National Cadet Corps camps and training sessions,” recalls Sujith, who missed his brother and wanted him too to experience the joy of exploring places.

“I had not gone anywhere beyond Kerala and the idea was tempting,” Sarath says, explaining how the twin city trip mission began. The two were particular they themselves would fund their trip and won’t depend on their parents. Sujith saved from his sales job and Sarath, a marketing executive, did his part.

They started off with neighbouring places – Wayanad, Alappuzha, Munnar and then, Mysore, Kodaikanal, Bengaluru and Goa. Later, they went with the twin-city plan. Ask why, they say, “Two is always better. We get to know the versatility of two places in terms of culture, language and geography while travelling from one place to another.”

Everywhere, they never miss curious eyes. Chuckling, Sujith says, “People stare at us in confusion and try to spot any difference between us. When they hear our voices, they get amused even more. Sometimes, people come to us to click selfies.”

The duo makes it a point to keep their journeys short and economical. “The Mumbai-Gujarat trip lasted 17 days. During our trip to Mumbai, we stayed in Alibaug,” says Sarath, adding, “Alibaug reminded us of Alappuzha – the landscape and ambience are very similar. There, we got a chance to witness a Marathi wedding. Their traditional customs were enchanting.”

In Mumbai, they visited Alibaug beach, Varsoli beach, Navi Mumbai, Taj hotel and Gateway of India, whereas in Gujarat, they explored Thol Bird Sanctuary, Tirupati Rushivan, Nalsarovar, Sun Temple, Akshardham, Gandhi Ashram, Gujarat Science City and Ahmedabad. They are planning their next to Rajasthan and Delhi.

With each journey, the curiosity increases and they plan their next on return. However, the most beautiful part of the journey is having the twin brother beside. “It’s a unique feeling; there are no differences of opinion, taste or special preferences. It’s just us with nothing else to bother about,” say Sujith and Sarath.