He set off on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway with just 4,000 yuan.
On the 25th, when interviewing Wang Xingguo, he was on a train from Tibet to Xi'an and completed the interview with intermittent signals.
From April 9 to April 23, Wang Xingguo, a young man from Jinan, finally reached the dreamlike Potala Palace, marking the end of his 15-day hiking journey. Touching the hard yet warm stones of the Potala Palace, Wang Xingguo felt an urge to cry for the first time. Reflecting on the hardships along the way, he felt both regret and fulfillment.
In recent years, more and more people have been hiking into Tibet. As one of them, 20-year-old Wang Xingguo had his own reason: the confusion of youth.
Last year, after graduating from a vocational technical school in Jinan, he had trouble finding a job. Having not attended a regular university and only studied a three-year computer science diploma, this invisibly added to his sense of inferiority. After graduating from the diploma program, he suddenly found that he no longer liked the computer field. He looked for a job for a year but couldn’t find anything related to his major, ending up with roles like supermarket salespeople, waiters, and telemarketers.
“When I was in college, one of my teachers once said, if you feel lost, go out for a walk.” That’s when Wang Xingguo got the idea to hike the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. One reason was to challenge himself, and another was to cleanse his body and mind in a place like Sichuan-Tibet and find a goal in life.
On April 9, despite strong opposition from his parents, Wang Xingguo boarded a train from Jinan to Chengdu. He brought two sets of spare hiking gear and 4,000 yuan, with the hiking equipment gifted to him by a teacher during a job interview. He only bought a hiking backpack. Before this, Wang Xingguo had never left Jinan.
Hiking and hitchhiking, and even encountering robbery
Traveling alone from Chengdu onto the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, he had to manage everything by himself. The first time he hitchhiked was on the third day after he set off. When he reached Erlang Mountain, he had already walked dozens of kilometers and was extremely exhausted. The winding mountain road had heavy traffic, and it was drizzling, making walking very dangerous. So he decided to hitchhike right there, but no cars stopped for a long time. By then, he was cold, hungry, and utterly worn out. Finally, a jeep drove quite a distance away before turning back to pick him up. The driver apologized, saying he hadn’t seen Wang trying to flag him down. Once inside the car, Wang was so moved he almost cried.
And so, he walked and hitchhiked along the way. Hitchhiking on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway was very difficult—sometimes he couldn’t get a ride all day and had to walk. When he was too tired to continue, he would take out his sleeping bag and sleep by the roadside. For the first few days, he slept outdoors alone, but after an encounter with robbers, he no longer dared to sleep outside alone.
On the eighth day of his journey, after arriving in Xinzhongqiao, he went to play on the bridge. As soon as he got there, a crowd surrounded him and tried to snatch his belongings. Some tried to take his trekking poles, others his waist bag. The waist bag contained his phone, wallet, and all his valuables. Frightened, he ran desperately toward town. Once in town, with more people around, no one brazenly tried to steal from him. From then on, he never dared to sleep outside alone again and instead stayed in youth hostels for 15 yuan a night.
After entering Tibet, due to fewer vehicles, the chances of getting a hitch decreased, and he often had to walk. When he reached Wula Mountain, with an altitude of over 4,000 meters, there were no cars, and he had to walk step by step. The winding mountain road was extremely long, and he almost wanted to give up the trip. The 33-pound luggage on his back felt like a thousand pounds. Out of helplessness, he walked while discarding items, throwing away books, tents, anti-slip mats, and other gear until he slowly made it through that tough stretch.
Though regretful, the gains were substantial
Throughout this journey, Wang Xingguo brought 4,000 yuan and spent 2,000 yuan. “Along the way, I didn’t dare spend a penny more, living frugally, afraid I’d run out of money to get home.” After arriving in Tibet, he bought many souvenirs for family and friends, leaving just a little money for the return trip.
Speaking about the Sichuan-Tibet trip, Wang Xingguo said he deeply regretted it. What he regretted most was feeling he had let his parents down. “I acted impulsively when I left, causing my parents to worry about me, and I feel that was very wrong.” However, Wang also said it was absolutely worth it. “Along the way, I did many things I wouldn’t normally dare to do, couldn’t do, or didn’t have the chance to do. I met many people, saw many things, and learned a lot.”
Wang Xingguo said that after returning, he would seriously look for a job. He has gained a deeper understanding of life, rediscovered enthusiasm for it, and considers it a very worthwhile experience.