Foreword:
The family patriarch Huang Haitao, wife Huang Furong, daughter Huang Xinyi, and niece Peng Xinyao — these titles such as “the family of four traveling around the Arctic of Eurasia” and “the first volunteer family of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games” have often been associated with the Huang Haitao family over this past year.
They became the first and only volunteer family for the Youth Olympic Games, traveling as a whole family and spending a year circumnavigating the Eurasian continent. Their experiences, courage, pursuit of dreams, and dedication to life have been fully revealed through their every word and action to their fans. But the hardships of travel, the low moments when facing difficulties, and the homesickness abroad are seldom shown.
Hearing them tell their own stories might allow you to see a different side of the Huang Haitao family!
On July 24th, the Youth Olympic family, the Huang Haitao family, arrived at the ALPINE PRO (Alpine) headquarters and were interviewed in Prague:
So far, they have visited 23 countries, been away from home for nearly 100 days, and have just over a month left before their journey ends.
Traveling as a family may seem like a difficult thing to others, something to consider only when everyone has the time and mood, but for the Huang Haitao family, it’s quite ordinary. Their daughter Maomao has been used to outdoor trips since she was little.
#The Original Intention of Family Outdoor#
Q: Where was your earliest outdoor trip with your family? When did you first take Maomao outdoors? Do you still remember the situation back then?
Huang Haitao: Actually, when I took Maomao on trips, she was very young. Back then, going to Nanjing meant taking a bus that would jolt for over ten hours. Whether it was to Nanjing or Shanghai, Maomao would say she wanted to go too. Later, I took her to farther places. Once our family went to southern Jiangxi — that was during elementary school. Maomao remembers it very, very clearly, especially seeing those classic Tibetan Buddhist temples, which made quite an impression on us too.
Q: What was the initial motivation for taking your whole family on a self-driving trip?
Huang Haitao: Taking the whole family on a self-driving trip has always been my dream. Actually, what really led me to make the decision to take our family of four on a trip around China and then a journey around the Arctic of Eurasia was my pursuit of dreams. Second, I enjoy traveling with my family, and I love that feeling.
Family outdoor is still a relatively unfamiliar term for many, but for them, who are already undertaking such a grand project as traveling around the Eurasian continent, they have deeply felt the benefits that family outdoor brings.
#Family Outdoor: Before and After#
Q: What has been the biggest change for your family before and after the trip? What does being outdoors with your family feel like to you? Does it strengthen family bonds? And how is that different from not going outdoors?
Huang Haitao: The biggest change is that we’ve become happier than before. This happiness is the joy of being together as a family, enjoying the feeling of being with each other. The difference when outdoors is that we can fully let loose — we can enjoy the sunshine, the sea, breathe fresh air, and being together as a family is the happiest thing.
For the emerging culture of family outdoor, there are still many differing opinions around the Huang Haitao family.
#Differing Opinions About Family Outdoor#
Q: You traveled across China and the Arctic of Eurasia with your wife, children, and niece. What were your parents’ and your wife’s parents’ attitudes toward these trips? Did they support or discourage you?
Huang Haitao: My parents and my wife’s parents were all very supportive of our trip. Whether it was the trip around China or the trip across Europe, they continuously offered us support and encouragement throughout the entire journey. The most common thing they said was to stay safe. Of course, the trip must be joyful, but safety comes first. Their greatest wish is for us to return to China safely!
Q: During the trip, did you encounter people who opposed your whole family traveling? What did they think? Did you manage to persuade them?
Huang Haitao: This trip was planned for a year, and we faced resistance during the planning process. The resistance mainly came from our closest friends. Why would they oppose it? Only because of safety concerns. They said, why take the family if you’re going alone? Regarding their concern, I showed them a lot of the materials and plans we prepared for the trip around China and Eurasia — very detailed — proving that safety was truly not an issue. Eventually, they went from initially opposing us to slowly supporting us, and now they are even our biggest supporters!
Q: Is it worth sacrificing a year of your child’s schooling? What do the child’s school and teachers think? Also, how is the knowledge gained during the trip different from that gained in school?
Huang Haitao: It’s not sacrificing a year of schooling. This year is also about learning, just in a different way. A child’s perspective is also part of the learning process. Perhaps what they learn during the trip is different from what they learn in the classroom, but what they gain while traveling can enhance their hands-on abilities, language communication skills, independence, and more!
I feel the kids have improved — their independence has grown, and they’ve become more capable. Especially with languages, particularly English. When the children communicate with people from other countries in English, they seem very confident.
Collaborating with Alpine has helped spread the story of the Huang Haitao family more widely, and more and more people, after seeing their story, have taken action to enjoy the fun of family travel with their loved ones.
#About the Philosophy#
Q: The cultural philosophy of ALPINE PRO (Alpine) is to promote family outdoor culture. What are your thoughts on this philosophy??
Huang Haitao: The philosophy of AlpinePro is very much in line with our round-China and round-Eurasia journey. It's mainly reflected in their slogan, "Near, Far, Together!", which is about the emotional connection between people. So I believe AlpinePro’s promotion concept is very consistent with our outdoor sports philosophy.
His wife, Huang Furong: I think family outdoor culture is well worth promoting. The more families that get involved in outdoor activities and spend time close to nature, the more they can enjoy the wonderful feeling of being together. I hope more and more families will participate in outdoor sports!
Q: When you were traveling in China, you said you didn’t accept sponsorship, so what changed your mind later?
Huang Haitao: When I got in touch with AlpinePro, the key factor was actually something that moved me — the slogan “Near, Far, Together!” It completely matched our travel philosophy. That’s why I later agreed to AlpinePro’s sponsorship.
Q: Your journey has sparked a lot of discussion online, and some netizens also aspire to take a break from work or school for a road trip like yours. What advice do you have for people who have such ideas?
Huang Furong: We encourage everyone to travel with their family when they have the time, because it helps you feel closer to your family and enjoy the fun of being outdoors. Our situation is, of course, quite rare. I don’t encourage everyone to take a break from school or quit their jobs to travel, because everyone’s circumstances are different. It’s still best to choose the travel method that suits you best according to your own situation.
The Eurasian journey started in July 2012 and has been going on for a full year now. There are countless stories along the way. Let’s hear what they have to say about their Eurasian adventure!
#ShareYourEurasianJourney#
Q: What do you think has been your biggest gain from this round-China trip and the Eurasian journey so far? What about the kids?
Huang Haitao: Personally, I think my biggest gain is making many good friends. For example, I met Eva and Peter, and we became good friends right away. Through this trip, we’ve made many international friends. We can share Chinese culture with Europe, and we also hope to bring European culture to China for mutual exchange and understanding!
Huang Xinyi: I think my biggest gain is a significant improvement in my English. Because we’ve been trying hard to communicate with others and insisted on using English, I think that’s a big achievement. Also, I saw many different things in Europe, so I’ve got a clearer idea of my future goals and what I want. That’s also very important!
Peng Xinyao: My biggest gain is definitely improved communication skills, because you have to dare to speak. Before, I knew how to say things in English in my head, but I didn’t dare to talk to others. But after this European trip, I dared to communicate in English with others. The second thing is that I felt the warmth of people abroad. They are very friendly, and the enthusiasm of Europeans is a form of cultural exchange for me. That’s my biggest gain.
Huang Furong: My biggest gain is that our family has become even closer. During this trip, we were together every day, and all the things were done together by the four of us. Our relationship has become more and more harmonious, which is the happiest thing for me.
Q: Can you share the most unforgettable experience from this journey?
Huang Furong: My most unforgettable experience was probably in Norway. That day we arrived at the Sognefjord in Norway. It was incredibly beautiful, so we decided to camp there. When our car drove into a camping base, the owner was stunned. He had never seen a Chinese car come so far, all the way from China to their campsite. He had really never seen anything like it before. He was very interested in our journey, and we had a great chat. In the end, the owner let us stay at their campsite for free and even gave us some of their homemade beer to try. We exchanged it for some homemade soy milk. It was really a pleasant experience!
Peng Xinyao: My most unforgettable experience was in a small town in southern Germany. First, the town was very beautiful. Second, we happened to arrive during their classic car party. We enjoyed the party together. There were also people who introduced each classic car. Even though we couldn’t understand much, we really enjoyed the atmosphere and the whole process.
Huang Xinyi: My most unforgettable experience was when we went through customs from Russia into Finland. Really, we had stayed in Russia for almost three weeks, and finally, we were about to enter Northern Europe. I was quite excited. The two of us, Xinyi and I, ran around to handle all the procedures for the car. Using our now much-improved English, we communicated with the staff, went to buy insurance, and so on. When we finally finished and saw the customs stamp on the form, it gave me a huge sense of accomplishment!
Q: Compared to last year’s self-driving trip in China, did you prepare more thoroughly in terms of equipment or planning for this Eurasian journey? Can you briefly introduce that for us?
Huang Haitao: The equipment for the Eurasian and China trips is quite similar. It’s slightly less for the Eurasian trip. Considering the heavy load on the car and high fuel consumption, we tried to streamline our belongings as much as possible. For example, we didn’t bring an extra fuel tank. On the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, our self-contained fuel tank played a big role. At the same time, we switched all the tires to highway tires. Also, compared to China, the overall road conditions in Europe are better, so we reduced our outdoor gear as well.
In terms of planning, we were actually more detailed. Because we’re not very familiar with Europe as a whole, we paid relatively more attention to planning, especially regarding language. Also, the road conditions, itinerary, and other aspects are all clearer than in China.
Q: Although the countries in Europe aren’t very large, there are still many worthwhile places to visit. How do you decide what to include or leave out?
Huang Haitao: That’s right. Every country in Europe has its own scenery and cultural attractions. I think it depends on your personal preferences. Some people may prefer natural landscapes, while others may be more interested in cultural sites and historical landmarks. It’s best to choose based on what kind of scenery you like.
This time, we focused more on cultural attractions because I think European culture is very splendid, and I also wanted the two kids to experience more of European culture. So we leaned more toward cultural sites.
Q: Among the places you’ve visited so far, is there anything you regret not doing or seeing?
Huang Haitao: From the round-China trip to the Eurasian journey, the more you travel and the farther you go, the more regrets you accumulate. Because you don’t have time to slowly savor the beauty and culture of each place, you can only skim the surface as you move along. You just have to leave yourself time to come back again in the future!
I think the biggest difficulty of the round-China trip was the tough road conditions and harsh natural environment. For the Eurasian journey, it’s the different cultures and completely different languages. I think Europe is more challenging and more exhausting.
The first difference is that it’s okay if the round-China trip is a bit harder and more tiring, but on the Eurasian trip, you just want to go home the most. After all, being in a foreign land is a different feeling altogether.
The second difference is that traveling in Europe is just too difficult, especially in terms of the journey. Just entering Russia, we weren’t very adapted. Finding a hotel took us five or six hours. The first time, we ended up searching until 1 or 2 a.m. in the car, and the hotel prices were particularly high.
So, there are big differences between the round-China trip and the Eurasian journey. Maybe more detailed information will be shared after we return to China, where we’ll post and give a detailed account to fellow travelers about what it was really like.
Q: We saw from your fan group updates that you once slept in your car in Europe. Was that very tough? Were there any aspects of this trip that you hadn’t anticipated?
Huang Furong: It really was tough when we were sleeping in the car.
As for the unexpected parts, I’d say it was the language—and actually, language wasn’t even the biggest issue. The most unforeseen challenge we faced was the cost of living. When we were in Europe, we got in touch with friends studying there, and they warned us that prices were high. We mentally prepared ourselves for expensive items, and had a price limit in mind. But what we didn’t expect was how incredibly high the prices were in Norway. A burger that costs me 10 RMB here would be 100 RMB in Norway. A 100-RMB burger—that completely shattered my mental limit. It was just way too expensive, something we never saw coming!
How did we deal with it? We just had to tighten our belts, cut back on everything we could, and save wherever possible. Prices were high throughout all of Europe.
Q: Did you encounter any dangers during your trip? How did the kids react when facing danger?
Huang Furong: In Europe, it was fine—no major safety issues. But before we even left, we ran into flooding. Before we even reached Chinese customs, on the way to Manzhouli, we encountered floods on the vast grasslands of Hulunbuir. The roads were completely submerged and washed out. Small cars got stuck in the water and couldn’t get out, but the kids weren’t nervous at all. Throughout the journey, they were our little helpers, sometimes encouraging each other, and slowly we overcame the difficulties. I’m very satisfied with how the kids performed during the whole trip.
Promoting the Youth Olympic Games was one of the themes of the Huang Haitao family’s journey. Even with language barriers in Europe, they managed to spread the spirit of the Nanjing Youth Olympics through smiles. What did they think of the domestic promotional activities for the Youth Olympics during their time abroad?
#The Mission of the Youth Olympic Family#
Q: We saw that both the fan group and Alpinetrek supported the Nanjing Youth Olympics. What would you like to say about that?
Huang Haitao: On July 22nd, in the Czech Republic, we heard that the Asia Outdoor Exhibition and Alpinetrek had jointly launched a Weibo campaign called “Hand in Hand, Support Nanjing Youth Olympics.” Our whole family was deeply moved.
The Youth Olympics will be in its second edition next year, and funding is somewhat limited. We hope that through our travel style and interactions between drivers and the Youth Olympics, more attention can be drawn to it. Everyone is welcome to join this campaign. Go Nanjing 2014！Go Youth Olympics！
Conclusion: For parents, seeing their children broaden their horizons and gain new experiences is the greatest wish. What’s rare is that the parents also gained a lot from the experience. You can feel the atmosphere of unity and joy radiating from their genuine smiles as a family sticking closely together on the road. Not every family has to embark on a year-long road trip to enjoy the benefits of family outdoor adventures. The key to family outdoor life is this: a family, together!
That’s the story of the Youth Olympic family—the tale of a family of four traveling across Europe, Asia, and the Arctic. In the days to come, as family outdoor activities become more common, there will surely be more families practicing such family-oriented adventures, and the “Family Outdoor Hub” will definitely share even more amazing stories!
More exciting content, please click (http://topic.lvye.cn/d/nanjing2013/ Green Light Outdoor 2013 Asia Outdoor Exhibition Special)