Gu Yue, an ethnic Chinese from the United States, is a legendary traveler. He once spent two years and one week retracing his roots from Seattle back to Beijing; he has also hitchhiked from Beijing through 16,000 kilometers and 13 countries to reach Berlin; and he even traveled from Alaska all the way south, traversing the entire American continent over 33,000 kilometers to finally arrive at Ushuaia, completing the longest overland journey on Earth. These legendary feats are now part of history, and in 2014, he embarked on a new journey.
In recent years, negative news about India has been frequent, and mainstream Chinese society has begun to develop certain biases toward this ancient neighbor that once stood alongside the other three great civilizations. Undoubtedly, choosing to travel to India is a journey outside the “comfort zone.” Gu Yue not only has to step out of his own comfort zone but also takes along some “ordinary people” who have never traveled long distances, to experience discomfort and a different kind of travel life. This is precisely the spirit of “Follow Me on a Trip” — follow your heart, and never stop moving.
India has a mixed tropical monsoon and tropical desert climate, resulting in diverse natural environments. It is home to both the world’s wettest place, Cherrapunji, and the extremely arid Thar Desert. Viewers will follow Gu Yue’s perspective to experience this astonishing natural world. In addition, India’s unique local customs, religious beliefs, cuisine, music, culture, and films will also be prominently featured in the TV series.
The TV series will adopt a two-part format. The first part features Gu Yue and a white-collar worker from Beijing named Wang Rong. The two set off from Agra, pass through Mumbai, and arrive in Khajuraho. Along the way, they encounter desert landscapes, Bollywood glitz, as well as the hardships of India’s underprivileged. The pain borne by people in developing countries and the reflection of wealth and poverty lend this journey a profound humanistic depth.
The second part of the journey takes a dramatic turn, with Gu Yue’s travel companion becoming Li Lei, a Beijing taxi driver. They drive a customized tuk-tuk that they imaginatively modified, heading north all the way to the wettest place on Earth, Cherrapunji. Along the way, Gu Yue and Li Lei experience — practicing yoga in the morning light, bathing in the waters of the Ganges, meditating by a Shiva fire ritual, and sipping tea in the mountain streams of Darjeeling. If Wang Rong’s journey is full of observation, then Li Lei’s is full of immersion.
There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes, and there are a thousand versions of India in a thousand people’s hearts. The journeys of Wang Rong and Li Lei will offer us two completely different experiences, which is precisely why Gu Yue didn’t have them travel together but instead divided the trip into two segments. Different destinations, meeting different people, experiencing completely different stories and lives — perhaps this is the insight Gu Yue wants to share with us: seeing too many stories and harboring dreams for too long mean nothing compared to setting off now, letting the body follow the heart. This also deeply aligns with the spirit of the Lafuma brand, which embodies reverence and piety for nature while fearlessly embracing challenges and dangers.
In short, "Xingzhe - Follow Me on a Trip" offers plenty of highlights. To learn more, be sure to tune in to Travel Satellite TV. Starting August 30, tune in daily at 21:00 to experience the travel spirit of “follow your heart, and never stop moving.”
In short, "Traveler - Travel with Me" has plenty to offer. To learn more, be sure to tune in to Travel Satellite TV. Starting August 30, catch it daily at 21:00 to experience the travel spirit of "Follow your heart, and never stop moving."