63-Year-Old Man Bikes 3,000 Kilometers Across Four Southeast Asian Countries

Carrying 8,000 yuan, he spent 62 days cycling over 3,000 kilometers—aside from taking buses and boats—to visit Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Though now considered a senior, Ji Xiucheng seems to grow more daring the more he rides. Our reporter spoke with Ji Xiucheng about his cycling experiences, and also uncovered tips and insights for overseas cycling trips for our readers.

As early as January this year, Elder Ji Xiucheng was preparing for his Southeast Asia trip. He gathered maps of the four countries, calculated his itinerary, applied for an overseas visa, exchanged 600 US dollars, and bought over 40 Chinese knots to give away during the trip. After celebrating his 90-year-old mother’s birthday on the third day of the Lunar New Year, he set off.

In photos from Ji Xiucheng’s trip, the reporter saw that apart from his bicycle, he carried only a backpack strapped to the rear seat—with a rolled-up sleeping mat on top—and a pair of shoes and a small waist bag hanging from the handlebars. “Don’t bring anything extra,” said the veteran cyclist. On this trip, he carried: medicine for stomach and heat relief, band-aids, tape; maps, pens, notebooks, flashlight, charger, a multi-tool set, lighter, bike repair tools, spare tire, brake pads, raincoat, fleece sleeping bag. Because the Southeast Asian climate is hot, his clothing was simple too: two cycling outfits, one casual outfit, one pair of quick-dry shoes. He chose clothes he’d normally be tempted to throw out but couldn’t bring himself to—discarding them if they weren’t needed. For food, just two or three bottles of water. Aside from the sleeping mat, which wouldn’t fit, all his luggage fit into one backpack. Even with this ultra-light setup, it still weighed 30 pounds.

On the evening of February 12, the third day of the Lunar New Year, he took a train from Taiyuan to Kunming, then transferred to a bus to Pu’er. He traveled through Laos, crossed the border into Thailand, and cycled from north to south. Upon reaching Bangkok, he turned east, passed through Cambodia, and arrived in Vietnam. He left Vietnam on April 9 and returned to China, then traveled to Nanning for a visit before finally taking a train back to Taiyuan with his bicycle. Along the way, he cycled through Laos with three young riding companions. “Really, ordinary people can travel abroad too. By biking, you can see more places with the least amount of money,” said Old Ji. He believes bicycles have unique advantages—they allow you to explore neighborhoods, get close to local culture, and immerse yourself in rural life. Your body gets stronger, your eyes feast on endless beauty, and you take in the wonders of the world.

When ordinary people travel, they should choose sights wisely—doing homework beforehand by researching which places are worth visiting. Also, shop rationally. Old Ji didn’t buy any souvenirs or local specialties. When cycling, keep it light—the less you carry, the better. Just see, experience, and enjoy. This time, he brought four memory cards with a total capacity of 26GB, capturing all his photos and videos, which he later shared with family and friends. He and his family feel this was the best souvenir. “Our family’s financial situation isn’t great. My wife wanted to come along, but she insisted on working to support the household. But when she heard I was going, she was very supportive: ‘Don’t push yourself too hard—if needed, we’ll pull some more money together.’” Old Ji kept expressing gratitude for his family’s support.

When it comes to independent overseas cycling, most people worry not only about the cost, but also about their bike breaking down midway, language barriers, getting lost, and safety… So how did Old Ji deal with these concerns?

1. Choosing and Riding a Bike Requires Thought

During this trip, Old Ji typically cycled about eight hours a day, covering around 100 kilometers. After arriving in a major city, he would stop to sightsee, experience the local culture, and rest for a day or two before continuing.

The nearly month-long cycling tested his bike, but his foldable bike held up well—only the brake pads were replaced twice and the inner tube once (to avoid delays, a punctured tire was swapped out and repaired later). “At minimum, a bike should have gears and be reliable. Generally, any bike over 2,000 yuan will do the job without issues like broken chains or pedals.” Ji Xiucheng recommends that those new to cycling shouldn’t compare bikes—some beginners start with bikes worth 4,000–5,000 yuan, and there are even models costing tens of thousands. The more expensive, the lighter the bike.

While traveling, Old Ji also selected bikes based on road conditions: for mountainous areas, he chose mountain bikes; to avoid retracing routes he’d already cycled, he often switched to buses and used foldable bikes.

For newcomers, safety gear is essential—helmets, gloves, and glasses should all be worn. Learn basic bike maintenance to handle small problems, choose safe roads to ride on, check the weather forecast, and avoid riding in bad conditions. It’s best to cycle with experienced riders so emergencies are easier to manage.

The main goal of cycling is fitness—don’t push beyond your limits. Gradually increase your distance based on your usual training. While riding, frequently shift your sitting position on the saddle, and rest when needed; otherwise, you may suffer later.

Always keep an eye on your bike. Old Ji brought his bike into his hotel room nearly every night, and when visiting attractions, he found secure parking—or skipped the site if no storage was available.

2. Language Might Be Tough, But It’s Not a Barrier

Old Ji doesn’t speak English, and even saying “CHINA” is a struggle—he sometimes has to point to the Chinese flag on his clothes to help. But while traveling with three companions in Laos, he managed tasks like scouting routes, asking for directions, and shopping, relying on his own communication skills. He credited his success to trial-and-error communication methods and body language.

Communication strategy: print common phrases translated into Thai, Vietnamese, etc., and carry them on paper. Old Ji selected useful sentences such as: “Can I rest here?” “Can I take a photo of you?” “Where is a restaurant/convenience store/guesthouse…” “How much?” “I’m a Chinese cycling tourist.” “Police.” “Market.” “Restroom.” “Bus station.” etc.

He prepared two full pages of these “unpronounceable” translations. Upon arriving in a country, he learned the pronunciation of common phrases—like “thank you” and “hello”—during his first meal. Restaurant owners were often kind enough to teach him, and sometimes even helped locate nearby attractions or draw maps.

Later, Old Ji lost one of his translation sheets and had to rely entirely on gestures. For example, wanting to join a street almsgiving ceremony but not knowing where it was, he mimicked monks chanting and then acted out giving food by scooping and placing imaginary items. When looking for a guesthouse, he first pressed his hands together near his ears to mimic sleeping, then squeezed his hands together to indicate a small, cheap place. “Communication is key—you must speak up and ask questions, not just focus on biking.” He added that people rarely approach you out of curiosity with questions like “Where are you from? Do you need help?” That almost never happens. If you engage warmly, locals will welcome you just as warmly. In Laos, he came across a wedding banquet and joined in, gave a gift, ate the feast, celebrated with everyone, and even danced between bites.

3. Guesthouses Are the Best Choice—Bring Slippers

During this trip, due to the heat, Old Ji camped out with a tent for a few days to save on accommodation costs. However, he doesn’t recommend bringing a tent.

For long-distance cycling trips, a tent is okay if conditions allow—but not advised otherwise, due to water access issues, safety concerns, and poor rest.

He recommends staying in guesthouses with travel companions to split costs—two people can greatly reduce expenses. Youth hostels or chain accommodations are also good options, while hotels are too expensive—no need to be extravagant. When staying in a guesthouse, safety and hygiene are a must. If the owner lives on-site, such places are usually affordable and safe.

He also suggested that in many Southeast Asian countries, it’s customary to take off your shoes upon entering a place and only put them back on when leaving. As a result, hotels generally don’t provide slippers, so you need to bring your own.

During this trip, Old Ji averaged a daily accommodation cost of just thirty to forty yuan.

4. Eat Like the Locals

While cycling, Old Ji either ate at street stalls or small eateries, never choosing restaurants. He believes that eating like the locals is the best way to truly experience the local culture and customs.

When selecting snacks, he also made a point of trying things not available in Shanxi. He emphasized that upon arrival, the first thing to do is observe — see how much locals pay for an item, then ask about the price, and only order after agreeing on a reasonable price. At the street stalls, he tried fried insects, grilled fish, grilled meat, rice noodles, and more. He stressed that you should avoid anything with fillings, such as meatballs or buns, because you can’t see what kind of meat is inside.

When ordering food, Old Ji has another trick: take photos of what you’ve eaten. If you go to another eatery and can’t understand the menu, you can show them the photos. That’s all you need. This way, you can enjoy what you want to eat without worrying about how to describe it.

5. Finding a Toilet Is a Common Challenge

Old Ji said that carrying a navigation device is essential when cycling. This time, as usual, he brought maps and a compass, but he ended up losing the compass and got temporarily lost.

If you get lost, head to a train station or any place where you can communicate or find on a map. Once you know your current location, decide your next move. Upon arriving at any destination, the first thing to do is familiarize yourself with the local roads and attractions — getting to know them is like sharpening your axe; it doesn’t waste time, it makes the job easier.

In Southeast Asia, it gets extremely hot and sunny, so bringing enough water is crucial. Along the way, one of Old Ji’s three bottles of water fell and broke. Riding through areas with no villages or shops ahead, he became desperately thirsty. Spotting water streaming down from a cliff by the roadside, he approached cautiously. The splashing water left gravel dust on his pants, and though he judged it wasn’t clean spring water, he still collected some in a cup, filtered it, and drank it. “Better to risk a stomachache than to stay thirsty — luckily, everything turned out fine.”

Old Ji didn’t carry much dry food. He explained that it depends on the environment and the route planned. If you’re familiar with the surroundings and know where residential areas are, you can bring some basic supplies as needed. If not, it’s better to bring more.

Regarding finding toilets, Old Ji also thinks it’s worth mentioning that his experience is to go to large hotels, guesthouses, hospitals, government offices, or gas stations. Seeing that you’re a visiting cyclist, they’ll usually be accommodating.

6. Visa Was Applied for Half a Month Early on Taobao

For his overseas trip, Old Ji chose to apply for his visa through Taobao. He said there are many travel agencies on Taobao that handle visa applications, which is both convenient and reliable. For 1,100 yuan, he had a travel agency in Kunming handle the visas for four countries, saving him four to five hundred yuan. To apply, he just sent his passport, photos, and other personal documents online, and the processed visa was mailed back to him.

Visa applications should be submitted about half a month in advance. Applying early is much more hassle-free compared to getting a visa on arrival. Some countries, such as Vietnam, have restrictions on entry periods, so you need to plan your itinerary accordingly. Also, visas are typically valid for 90 days, after which they expire and need to be reapplied for at additional cost, so applying too early isn’t necessary either.