Recently, the streets of Zhuzhou have seen a group of young people selling bottled water and tissues to passersby at slightly higher prices. If you come across them, and if those few yuan aren’t a burden, please buy from them. Because what you’re buying is their "dream": a small local team primarily made up of university students called the "Jane Eyre Fund." Their dream is to, during this summer vacation, use the proceeds from selling their "dreams" to "hike to Yunnan and Tibet."
The group of kids who "traveled on a budget" in Hainan originally had just 20 members, but now they’ve grown the team to 120, with 70 coming from outside Zhuzhou. Even more interestingly, they’ve formed their own organization — the "Jane Eyre Fund."
"The first time I participated in this kind of 'budget travel' was in 2011, when I joined an event in Changsha to go to Beijing." In He Liang’s memory, that experience left a deep impression. "It’s an activity that can truly enhance your ability to survive in society, without neglecting fun and learning."
After returning from Hainan, He Dong, He Liang, Hu Shenyu, and Yang Chenliang decided to build a public welfare platform for their dreams. This is when the "Jane Eyre Fund" was established. "We’re not talking about doing huge public good deeds, but starting with the little things around us. Like picking up trash that shouldn’t be on the ground. During our hike to Yunnan and Tibet, we’ll be picking up litter along the way."
Through QQ and the sharing of classmates and friends, the first activity of the "Jane Eyre Fund" after its establishment felt somewhat overwhelming. By the registration deadline on May 25, the number of applicants from Zhuzhou alone exceeded 100, while 70 others came from other regions through self-selection. These included university students from Inner Mongolia and Liaoning, as well as applicants from prestigious universities in Wuhan and Shanghai.
"Traveling on a budget" means not asking parents for money
Next came the "devil training." Running 70,000 meters in 10 days — a task that seemed almost impossible to complete. Half of the 100 locally registered participants stuck it out. "Hiking from Kunming to Shangri-La, across the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, such a long distance, you never know what might happen, so high-intensity training is a must," said He Liang.
Then came the so-called "business bootcamp" — selling simple items on the street to support their "budget travel" dream. The main goal was to develop the students’ communication skills, self-marketing abilities, and courage.
"Although we faced rejection and doubt, I don’t really remember those moments of being turned down or questioned. I think we should focus more on the people who supported our dreams," wrote Wang Mengmeng, a "Jane Eyre Fund" member who passed the second round of the "business challenge," in her journal.
"Our preset basic fund was 950 yuan, which roughly covers a tent and related equipment, costing about 450 yuan. Then there are the train tickets from Zhuzhou to Kunming, and from Lhasa to Changsha, and then back from Changsha to Zhuzhou." The 950 yuan is the target amount all "business challenge" participants had to reach before departure, and the "Jane Eyre Fund" requires all participants to raise it through any "legal means" — but "asking parents for money" is considered "illegal" here. "The idea of 'traveling on a budget' also means not asking parents for travel money. If funds are insufficient, you work along the way to raise more," said Yang Chenliang.
Hiking into Tibet is all about challenging oneself
Hiking is the main method of this "budget travel," but realistically, walking from Kunming to Lhasa in 45 days is impossible. "Ride-sharing" has thus become the "best" mode of transport.
"Hitchhiking not only tests your communication skills but also depends on whether the drivers you meet are kind-hearted," said Yang Chenliang. He recounted how he was rejected many times by drivers while training alone in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang area last year, which "really hurt," but he was also warmed by kindness in Hainan this year.
Now, these energetic young people are preparing to set off for their dreams once again. He Liang said they will split into two groups in Shangri-La: one large group will head to Chengdu and take a direct train to Lhasa, while another group will hike along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway to reach Lhasa on foot.
"It’s all about challenging ourselves!" he said.