'Senior backpackers' trot the globe
- By Daniel Xu and Wu Jin
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China.org.cn, September 6, 2011
Sharing their lifestyle
The couple’s expanded horizons did not stop with grand ideas of the outside world; the many foreign lands also led them to reflect on the place they have always known – home.
Both Zhang and Wang are fluent Web users; Wang, especially, enjoys blogging about her travel experiences. "I just love to show off, to be honest," she said mischievously.
After Wang had become comfortable with life as a backpacker, she had one goal in mind when she joined Weibo (a Chinese microblogging service similar to Twitter): to convince her peers that they can also live this lifestyle after retirement.
As it turned out, however, the vast majority of her 40,000 followers are of a much younger generation. One of her fans said she told her father about the couple’s exploits and was responded with: "They are rich. Or crazy."
Wang said she never thought the "generation gap" that other parents experience with their children now exists between her and similarly aged friends. They still chat often about the usual stuff: kids, daily routines, the neighborhood; but she’s the most excited when a young blog reader asks her for backpacking advice and when someone she had met on the road reconnect with her through the Web.
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A wooden bridge in Pantanal wetland, Brazil, was reddened by the sunset. The scenery was captured by Zhang Guagnzhu and Wang Zhongjin, a couple of backpackers from China, who spent four years travelling all around the world. [Courtesy of Wang Zhongjin] |
Still, the couple hoped to clear up the misperception that money is the biggest obstacle to traveling the world.
"Countries like those in Europe and North America have made transportation, lodging and other key tourism components very convenient for travelers," Zhang said. The couple said the youth hostels had taken some getting-used-to, but once they did, the hostels – where oftentimes eight to 10 backpackers share a room – have become their favorites.
"On top of being extremely affordable, the hostels provide great common areas for backpackers to meet and talk with one another to share tips and experiences," Zhang said.
Zhang said with careful planning, many seniors can start their own world tours as backpackers rather than suffering the high costs of tour groups and being herded like sheep.
"If you are healthy and have enough savings to afford an average car in Beijing, you can do what we do. The tougher part is having the guts and the dedication."
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