For 33 days, a little over a month, if Cao Yancheng had gone to work as usual at Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park, he could have continued to comfortably earn his million-dollar annual salary. But last June, he no longer wanted to live through the same 33 days, chose to break free from societal norms, mustered the courage to “set out,” and fulfilled his dream of circling the island.
According to Taiwan’s China Times, Cao Yancheng, nicknamed “Little Cao,” has an impressive resume — a master’s degree in electrical engineering from National Chung Cheng University and a role as a R&D engineer at HTC. In others’ eyes, he was a “successful person” with high education and a high salary. Yet he jokes that all of this was a “money-chasing, liver-burning” life. “My body fat number kept getting higher, my friends fewer, and I knew I couldn’t go on like this. I wanted to rediscover my passion for life.”
“Traveling around Taiwan is a dream for many, and I’m no exception. When I watched the movies ‘Island Etude’ and ‘Bang Bang Tang,’ I got teary-eyed.”
This seed stayed in Little Cao’s heart until he quit his job and traveled to Tibet independently. There, he met an elderly man from Shanxi who said, “I’d love to circle Taiwan.” That struck a chord — not just Taiwanese people dream of it, so why not him? And so, his own dream began to take root.
Day 1: Almost backed out
There are many ways to circle Taiwan — some bike, some ride motorcycles. As a tech industry elite, Little Cao chose the most primitive way: hiking on foot.
Engineers tend to think things through, and the night before he set off, he lay awake, running scenarios in his head: “What if it rains — should I postpone?” “Will Day 1 be too tough?” “How do I handle my luggage?” He even prepared a fallback: “I never actually announced I was going on a round-island trip. I’ll just say I’m having dinner with classmates the first night, and maybe they’ll drive me to the station to go home...”
With thoughts of “how naive can I be,” Little Cao started running from Taoyuan Railway Station. That’s right — “running around Taiwan” was his original plan, but he soon switched to “hiking around Taiwan.” He laughed and said, “No one knows what I’m doing anyway.”
Under the blazing June sun, he got sunburned and was sore all over on the first day. It’s not like he didn’t want to give up — but Little Cao had a trick: he sent backup luggage to 7-Eleven convenience stores at upcoming stops, saving himself the burden of carrying everything and forcing himself to keep going.
Route planning: stick to railway lines
For the western part of Taiwan, Little Cao hiked along railway lines — one, it’s lively and easy to find accommodations; two, it’s convenient, in case he suddenly wanted to quit, he could just hop on a train and go home.
His daily walking distance varied depending on where he’d stay. He’d first choose the accommodation, then plan the walking route. So sometimes he’d arrive early with time to explore nearby, other times he’d have to walk in the dark, feeling uneasy.
The most extreme day was on the Beiyi Highway, where he met two ultra-marathon runners. With their company and encouragement, he ended up walking and running the entire Beiyi route in 14 hours, tapping into his own “ultra-marathon potential.” Though the rush wasn’t planned, it was an unforgettable experience.
Crisis #1: The temptation of hitchhiking
Along the journey, he developed an allergic rash so itchy he had to see a doctor. Despite swollen feet, he insisted on continuing — even the doctor was surprised. On the way from Changhua to Tainan, he faced heavy rain and had to pause. Although people urged him not to do something so crazy in summer and to wait for cooler autumn weather, he thought, “There’s never a perfect time.”
Besides physical and weather challenges, the real crisis Little Cao faced was his parents’ lack of understanding.
He didn’t dare tell his parents the truth before setting off. Only after arriving in Taichung did they find out through his social media check-ins, and they called incessantly, urging him to come home, worried about his safety. To get their approval, he compromised and avoided the dangerous Su-Hua Highway.
Another challenge was the temptation to hitchhike. There are many kind-hearted people in Taiwan. On the first day, a motorcyclist offered him a ride. He resisted the first time, making it easier afterward. He joked, “It’s just that I never met a beautiful girl — otherwise, I might’ve gotten on.”
Most memorable: the kindness of Taiwanese people
“You can’t truly understand how warm-hearted Taiwanese people are until you travel around the island yourself.” In Tainan, a homestay owner heard about his dream and sponsored a night’s stay. In Pingtung, he met a cyclist also doing an island loop, who rode back to give him chocolate for energy. Two mainland Chinese students cycling around Taiwan gave him mango shaved ice to cool down.
Does traveling solo get lonely? He said, of course he envied those traveling with companions, but since this was the path he chose, he had to stick with it. Being alone also made him cherish every encounter and interaction even more.
Mini-retirement: building a life
“I’m glad I went for it.” That 33-day trek changed Little Cao’s life. What started as just a desire to go out and walk turned into an unexpected book deal. “What I Did Instead of a Million-Dollar Salary — Hiking Around Taiwan and Seeing the Taiwan in My Heart” isn’t filled with flowery prose or images, just genuine storytelling with a touch of self-deprecating humor. He happily shared that readers have been inspired to embark on their own hiking journeys around Taiwan.
He gave himself a “mini-retirement.” These days, Little Cao isn’t busy designing mobile apps but instead stands on stages sharing his hiking experiences and the lessons he learned. “Life isn’t just about work. I don’t want to become a dull middle-aged man in the future. I’m not accumulating money anymore — I’m accumulating life.”