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A life cycle full of adventure

2023-06-30

Zhu Zhiwen's suntanned and weather-beaten face and his bag-laden bicycle are evidence of his negotiating the road of fate on two wheels

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▲ Zhu Zhiwen with schoolchildren in Kenya, in 2015. CHINA DAILY

Indeed, the man in his 30s has been on the road, on his most recent trip, since March.

Zhu started his adventure, an "Olympic trip", from Beijing and had spent several months traversing mountains, deserts and prairies through the country's vast land, including Shijiazhuang of Hebei province, Taiyuan of Shanxi province, Yan'an and Xi'an of Shaanxi province, Lanzhou of Gansu province and Urumqi of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Zhu was spotted in Khorgas, Northwest China's Xinjiang in mid-June. He spent a few days there to receive the necessary equipment and supplies he ordered online and had related procedures done for traveling abroad.

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▲ Zhu displays a sign offering him best wishes from a friend in Khorgas. CHINA DAILY

He planned to go on from there to cycle past the national boundaries through Kazakhstan, Iran and other Asian countries, and then Turkiye to enter Europe.

"My destination is Paris, France, before the Summer Olympics on July 26, 2024," says Zhu, who was originally from a small village in East China's Jiangxi province.

"It's my way of celebrating the Games," Zhu says.

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▲ Zhu experiences the bitter weather in the north of Canada, in 2020. CHINA DAILY

Over the past 11 years, Zhu has traveled through 45 countries and regions across four continents, covering a distance of over 90,000 kilometers.

"From Asia to Africa, from South America to North America, I have encountered many wonderful people and experiences, and witnessed various unique customs," Zhu says, adding that he has also had his fair share of challenges and even life-threatening situations.

"But everything was worth it," Zhu says.

The idea of traveling around the world budded when he was learning about geography at school.

"My classmates joked about my insanity, but I couldn't help but picture all the beautiful and wonderful scenes awaiting me," he says.

After Zhu raised about 200,000 yuan ($28,100), he quit his job at a Shanghai trading company to go cycling in 2012.

"I figured I had lived at least a quarter of my life already, and I didn't want to waste time waiting," he recalls.

His parents initially opposed his decision. "My mother was worried about what if something happened to me on the road," he says.

However, his persistence eventually won their tacit consent.

Zhu embarked on his first daredevil journey from Shanghai when he followed National Highway 318 and cycled westward through Zhejiang province, Chongqing, Sichuan province and the Tibet autonomous region before making inroads in Nepal.

"It was like a dream and my heart was pounding," Zhu says about the moment when he set foot in the foreign land.

Everything was new and exciting to him, from the welcoming Nepalis who invited him to their home to the way locals went about their lives.

As he went further to Ethiopia in 2014, he was amazed by the indigenous tribal women wearing big circular or oval discs inserted in their lower lips.

"They also liked to adorn themselves with patterns all over the body, such as those featuring cow horns and tree branches," Zhu says.

As he went deep into Africa, he also did what locals do.

"I tried dreadlocks, which needed to be taken care of every two or three days," he says.

When he dropped by a primary school in Kenya, he joined several Chinese living there to raise money to buy food, stationery and toys for the children after hearing some of them were homeless or their parents couldn't afford tuition.

"The principal received our donation in person, expressed gratitude for the good hearts of our Chinese people, and I saw our national flag in his office and felt very proud," Zhu says.

People's good will has been a highlight of his trips.

He met a small hotel owner when he was cycling in Ecuador, South America, in 2016. After he knew the owner had been to China multiple times and was a fan of the Chinese culture and food, Zhu took the initiative to cook him a Chinese dinner.

"He was very happy and, in return, offered me a night of accommodation for free," Zhu says.

The same thing happened when he met an elderly man in Peru.

Together, they treated the man's friends to a homemade Chinese dinner. Zhu also taught the man to cook fish the Chinese way, and love of Chinese cuisine immediately bound them together.

"I was even invited to attend his daughter's engagement banquet afterward," Zhu says.

Yet, it hasn't all been smooth riding.

Zhu came across severe weather on his way to the Arctic in 2020.

"The wind was howling, with dust flying all around, and the whole place was wilderness," Zhu recalls.

"In case of an accident, I might be thrown off the road and face life-threatening danger," he adds.

Fortunately, he got through and eventually saw the aurora borealis in Alaska.

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▲ The Rocky Mountains, Canada, provide a spectacular backdrop in 2020. CHINA DAILY

Moreover, he suffered robberies during his stay in South Africa, Pakistan and Iran and dodged attacks from bears and other wild animals in Canada.

"During my 11 years of cycling, I've had two bikes stolen and one retired, and currently, I'm riding my fourth bike, which has accompanied me across four continents, carrying my mobile home," Zhu says, adding that the items he packs include a tent, a sleeping bag, a moisture-proof pad, clothes for all seasons, a ukulele and various tools for unexpected circumstances.

"It weighs approximately 30 kilograms," he says.

He has spent about 250,000 yuan in total on the road, and earned approximately 220,000 yuan through offering purchasing agent services, writing travelogues and filming videos.

To cycle around the world, Zhu says it's important to learn various skills.

"When the tire bursts, you have to fix it yourself. When camping outdoors, you have to cook using available resources. When interacting with people from different countries, you need to manage the languages," he says.

Chun Tian from Beijing has been following Zhu's travel online over the past few years.

"Every day, I hold my phone eagerly waiting for his updates, watching him travel from one end of the world to another, braving the elements and camping along the way," Chun says.

"When he's hungry, he cooks for himself. At night, he sleeps in a tent. In this incredibly simple way, he practices his own pursuit."

Chun says Zhu has inspired him to maybe do a cycling tour of the world himself.

After years of cycling, Zhu says his biggest discovery is that he loves his home country even more.

"It's especially true when you go through troubles and close calls in a foreign land," Zhu says. "Plus, China is blessed with many enchanting and spiritually significant places."

He is particularly impressed by the diversity in Tibet and Xinjiang.

"While cycling along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, I encountered many Tibetan friends who were walking to Lhasa. I waved to them, and they warmly responded with 'hello' in Tibetan," he recalls.

"I also witnessed pilgrims prostrating themselves and paying their respects in this sacred land. Their unwavering faith and devotion left me in awe," he says.

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▲ A photo with admirers in Panama, in 2018. CHINA DAILY

After the Olympic tour, Zhu says he will continue to explore the world on his bicycle and fulfill his childhood dream of touring the whole world with his feet.

Being a veteran traveler, Zhu has often been asked about his understanding of the truth of travel.

"I think the best answer is to enjoy everything that is possible during travel, no matter if it is good or bad," Zhu says.

Reporter: Yang Feiyue

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