Inspirational couple travel the world by saving $6 a day

Vihjan and Mohana have visited 23 countries during their 45 years of marriage. Photo / Instagram, Antoinelewis

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If money has been holding you back from travelling more, you're sure to find some inspiration in this story.

An Indian couple who are both almost 70 years old have travelled the world by saving only 300 rupees – or $6.20 – a day.

Married for 45 years, Vijayan and Mohana run a small tea shop in Kochi, a port city in south west India, which they opened in 1963.

They may not figure in the Forbes Rich list but in my view, they are amongst the richest people in our country.Their wealth is their attitude to life. The next time I’m in their town I am definitely dropping by for tea & a tour of their exhibits.. pic.twitter.com/PPePvwtRQs

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) January 9, 2019

Their goal was to visit as many countries as possible and they have already managed to tick 23 off their list, including Singapore, Switzerland, the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Peru.

In a short documentary video on Twitter, shared by chairman of the Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra, the couple tells their remarkable story – and it's since been retweeted over 11,000 times.

Their business, Sree Balaji Coffee House attracts around 300 to 350 customers a day and is renowned for producing a great cuppa.

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They tell a million stories 🌠🌈

A post shared by ANUJ NAIR (@anujnair7) on May 6, 2017 at 6:03am PDT

Vihjan and Mohana save a small amount every day and also apply for bank loans, which they then pay off for three years following a trip – and repeat this cycle constantly.

The shop is decorated with maps showing the places they've visited, along with a collection of bank notes from every country they travel to.

Carefully planning each trip, the couple keep their expenses to a minimum and spend very little along the way.

As they have no employees, they also save money by acting as both workers and management.

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To be happy in life you don’t have to be a millionaire or get a highly paid job or find that insta perfect life; all you need to do is just follow your “heart “!♥️ This is what Vijayan chettan and Mohana chechi, an old couple who runs a tiny little tea shop in Kochi shows us with their life.All he had ever dreamt of was to travel every nook and corner of this World 🌎; not alone but with his best half, Mohana Chechi. Inspite of their financial insecurities, health conditions and other hurdles ; they have visited almost every scenic destination in India along with 22 other countries including Egypt,France,Britain,UK,Dubai ...the list goes on.The couple would take loans to travel, come back n repay them in next 3 years and the cycle goes on.So guys if you have a damn serious passion for something within ; never ever let it go , infact hold it tight ! People might mock at you, call you crazy but one day they ll admire you for all the craziness that you have done! Never ever let the circumstances or boundaries around limit your dream ; let the fire within give wings to them!🙂🙌🏻 . . . . #streetdreamsmag #huffpostgram #handinframeshot #moodyindia #asia_photo_magazine #yourshot_india #photographers_of_india #click_vision #ourmoodydays #passionpassport #globetrotter #wanderlust #instaindia #ig_color #travel #travelblogger #storiesofindia #travelphotography #mypixeldairy #snapseedindia #squadof4 #rop_ #kerala #kerala_360 #kochi #nte_click #cntgiveitashot #explore #streetphotography . . ****************************** @photographers_of_india @rang_of_photography @visual_creatorz @click_vision @moody_india @insta_photography_club @ig.tones @yourshot_india@official_photography_hub @instaindians_ @photographers.of.india @snapseed.in @world_photography_page @pictures.of.india @indian.photography @indian.photo @snapseededitors @photofieteam @vsco_360 @vscoindia.co @awesome.photographers @official_photographers_hub

A post shared by Dr.Meera Fathima| Food Stylist (@abeginnerslens) on Sep 19, 2018 at 7:32am PDT

When asked what he has learned from all his travelling, Vihjan says simply: "It will change your mind and your culture."

Their dream for next year is to visit Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Greenland and Norway.

It's not the first time the couple's story has been told – they were also the subject of a documentary called Invisible Wings, which was presented at the Filmfare Awards in 2018, winning an award for Best Film in the non-fiction category.

So if you've yearning to travel, Vihjan and Mohana are proof that anything is possible if you're dedicated enough to follow your dreams.

This story was first published on nzherald.co.nz on Jan 14, 2019.