Qingdao taxi driver rides bicycle across 22 Olympic cities.
With just a bicycle and a mobile phone, no companions, and no knowledge of foreign languages, Li Jiawei, a 55-year-old taxi driver from Qingdao, embarked on the most important journey of his life on June 16 last year. So far, he has cycled through all 22 Olympic host cities, covering nearly 20,000 kilometers by bike. After two years, Li Jiawei returned to Beijing and completed his Olympic journey in front of the Bird’s Nest.
No Foreign Language Skills — Communication Relied on Gestures
On December 19, Li Jiawei returned to Beijing from London. Accompanied by fellow cyclists, he visited the Beijing Olympic Center, where the Bird’s Nest was the final venue on his plan. Li Jiawei knows almost no English or any other foreign languages, yet he spent two years cycling through 22 Olympic cities around the world. “I only speak Qingdao dialect, and my foreign language skills are limited to simple words like hello, yes, and no. Abroad, I rely entirely on sign language and gestures to communicate,” said Li Jiawei. Once in Austria, when he asked a Chinese person for directions, the person surprisingly responded in Qingdao dialect. It turned out that many local medical workers were from Qingdao. That evening, Li Jiawei had a meal with fellow townsmen and thoroughly enjoyed speaking Qingdao dialect.
Of course, there were also awkward moments when asking for directions. Once, in Barcelona, he couldn’t find a restroom and had to pantomime pulling up his pants before the police finally understood. Due to his lack of English, Li Jiawei mostly relied on his mobile phone’s GPS to find his way. “Cycling doesn’t always mean pedaling. When encountering areas that require crossing mountains or taking boats, I take trains and ferries,” said Li Jiawei. Although the language barrier posed many challenges, he persevered.
At every Olympic city, Li Jiawei would first visit the local Olympic stadium or memorial, ask the director or officer to stamp the Olympic seal on his Olympic flag, and have them sign their name.
Hit by a Car and Stalked by Strangers
Over the two years of cycling through 22 cities, Li Jiawei experienced many dangerous moments. In early October this year, about 300 kilometers away from Washington, Li Jiawei was knocked more than 5 meters by a truck. Fortunately, he wasn’t seriously injured and got up shortly after the accident. “The driver had been on the road all night and was driving while fatigued. He fell asleep when he hit me. Later, he sincerely apologized and even invited me to recover at his home for three days. Seeing that his family was indeed struggling, I didn’t make things difficult for him,” said Li Jiawei. Another time, in late October last year, he encountered a severe snowstorm in the Alps with temperatures dropping to -14°C. While cycling in the deep mountains, cold and exhausted, he only noticed upon finding shelter that one of his sneakers had fallen off. In November last year, while cycling in the sparsely populated mountainous area of southern Italy, he was tailed by a car. When Li Jiawei looked back, he saw two men in the car. He stopped to let them pass, but instead, they also stopped and walked toward him with ill intent. In a panic, Li Jiawei revealed a small square leather pouch on his waist that looked like a gun holster from a distance. The two men stopped in their tracks, and just then, a police car arrived — Li Jiawei narrowly escaped danger.
Secured German Visa with a Single Photo
“Of all my visa applications, the UK visa was the hardest to get,” Li Jiawei told reporters. He was rejected by the UK twice, by Kazakhstan once, and by Germany once. Eventually, he secured the German visa by showing a photo with Juan Antonio Samaranch. The main reason for his rejections was that he lacked the financial conditions required by the visas. “I post my travels on Weibo, and many netizens interact with me. Later, my story was reported by media both domestically and internationally, which helped me successfully apply for the UK visa,” said Li Jiawei, crediting the press for his success.
Li Jiawei used to drive a taxi and owned two vehicles. After starting to plan his Olympic trip, he sold one and contracted the other to a friend. His family savings, apart from funding his son’s university education, were entirely used for his travels. Li Jiawei told reporters that the taxi company sponsored part of the money, and relatives and friends lent him some. It was the support of everyone that gave him the chance to realize his dream. Over two years, Li Jiawei spent a total of 260,000 yuan, becoming the world’s first person to cycle solo through all Olympic cities. “I plan to keep cycling. My next goal is to visit all cities that have hosted Winter Olympics,” said Li Jiawei. He no longer wants to travel alone and hopes to gather fellow riders with similar dreams to join him.
Heartfelt Words
Ignoring Others’ Opinions — Fulfilling Dreams Is What Matters Most
Li Jiawei told reporters that when he was young, seeing foreigners cycling in Qingdao sparked his dream of traveling abroad by bike. “Back then, it was a time for settling down and building a career, so the dream was hard to achieve,” said Li Jiawei. After China successfully hosted the Olympics in 2008, he began preparing for his global Olympic journey.
Of course, some people did not understand Li Jiawei’s actions. “Leaving my family and quitting my job — many people thought I was foolish, but I don’t care. Cycling through Olympic cities is my dream, and I’m determined to achieve it,” said Li Jiawei.
Initially, when Li Jiawei shared his cycling plan with his family, everyone opposed it. To his son, the plan seemed too unreliable, and he strongly advised against it. But Li Jiawei was full of confidence in his Olympic journey. After completing his European trip, his family’s attitude shifted from opposition to support. Seeing his father’s determination and perseverance, his son turned around and fully backed him in achieving his dream.
The Journey
Two-Year Cycling Odyssey Spanning Four Continents
On February 22 this year, Li Jiawei set off from Qingdao’s May Fourth Square to South Korea and Japan. He then traveled to the United States, beginning in Los Angeles and cycling eastward through five former Olympic host cities: Denver, St. Louis, Atlanta, Washington, and New York. He then headed to Montreal, Canada, with his final stop being Mexico City, Mexico. After returning to Beijing from Mexico, he secured a visa for the UK. On December 12, Li Jiawei arrived in London and spent three days cycling around the city.
On July 14 last year, Li Jiawei cycled across the China-Russia border into Moscow, where he met two university students from Beijing. The three traveled together. They cycled through Finland, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy — a total of 14 countries — arriving in Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics, on December 23. The entire journey lasted over six months and covered more than 11,000 kilometers. He crossed 16 countries, 10 of which had hosted the Olympics. Li Jiawei visited all the Olympic cities among them: Moscow (former Soviet Union), Helsinki (Finland), Stockholm (Sweden), Berlin and Munich (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), Paris (France), Barcelona (Spain), Rome (Italy), and Athens (Greece). Later, he also cycled to Sydney and Melbourne before returning to Qingdao for a break.