Hitching around the world
0 
|
|
|
Gu Yue, on the road. |
After hitchhiking their way from Beijing to Berlin, Gu Yue, a Chinese American backpacker and Liu Chang, a Chinese documentary maker, are planning their next big adventure - Alaska to Argentina. Seeking sponsorship for the longest land crossing in the world, Gu spoke in Beijing last Saturday to share his love of travel and freedom.
The pair's first trip from Beijing was spurred by the departure of Gu's German girlfriend Ilka to Berlin. Gu drew inspiration from On the Road by Jack Kereou and decided to visit her in a unique way, teaming up with his friends at China's The Travel Channel to document his mission.
"Take the airplane to see my love? That is too easy for me, you can't feel the change in your heart. You will value the love between you after more hardships," Gu explained.
"She was not against it, but she was a little worried about it, because I had to go through so many countries, including some countries that she felt it is not so safe," Gu said of Ilka's reaction to his plan. "She also worried that the time may be too long. Later she understood it and understood this is my passion."
So, for 80 days, 88 hitchhiking-encounters, 13 countries and 16,000 kilometers, adventurer Gu Yue and documentary maker Liu Chang made their way to Berlin from Beijing. During their final leg, Gu prepared flowers for his girlfriend, who they ended up running into by chance. When walking to her home, Ilka almost cycled right past them.
The entire trip cost Gu about 24,000 yuan ($3,500) and with the documentary of the journey airing earlier this year, several people have expressed their wishes to follow suit.
"Hitchhiking makes me realize I should help strangers more, to open my heart. This world is not as dangerous as we imagine, as long as you have courage, step out of your everyday life, you will find someone who would help you," Gu said.
"You can't dress too poorly, nor too well," Gu advised. "Better to be like a student and most importantly, you need to be thick-skinned, even if they do not want to pay attention to you, you still need to insist. Sincerity is also important and difficult, people can tell you are a good person from your body language, your eyes, you attitude."
Gu began backpacking as a student in 1998 and took a two-year round-the-world trip in 2003 traveling through 18 countries.
"After almost one month of working, I began to think about what I wanted. Will it be the same from 22-60, living like this from 9am-5pm everyday? I felt I needed something more," he said.
"For me, traveling is a lifestyle, traveling reminds me what life is about, reminds me how easy it is to be happy. I am really interested in finding the diversity, really exotic things in the world and so many beautiful people, beautiful landscapes, I just feel like we live in an age where travel is just not fancy anymore, not very difficult, so we all can take some time from our everyday life, from our everyday puzzle, to find out what the world is about," Gu told the Global Times.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments