'We have to sit on wheelchairs to move, anyway. In that case, why not move them longer distances?' According to Sadique Kunjani, it is this question that urged him and his wheelchair-bound friends to undertake their first trip to Gundelpet. After around 50 such trips to destinations including Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and various destinations in Kerala, they have traversed more than 70,000 kilometres and are gearing up for more.
Sadique, who was confined to a wheelchair after being affected by muscular dystrophy in childhood, met many like him at the 'Santhwanam' camp organised by the Perinthalmanna Municipality, years ago. Sadique's friend Rahul's movements were restricted following a spine injury. He also became friends with Bhadarusaman, his wife Muneera, Sujeev, Vivek, Nishad, Saji, Jaffer, Abubaker, Shaji and Salim, who all have similar stories to tell.
A new bond The wheelchairs, the motorbikes and their stories fuelled bondage among them that stood the test of time. The camp took them to many enthralling destinations, especially on buses. As they were not in a position to stretch themselves while sitting on bus seats, they missed many breathtaking vistas.
When Sadique and his friends tried to soak in the wonderful sights with the help of volunteers, they were haunted by the thought that they were invalid. Finally, the travel buffs decided to travel sans volunteers. “We decided to travel on scooters attached with extra wheels, which were used for local transportation.
