German youth Alex Miller appeared at the One Way Street Salon with his new book "Hiking Through China," engaging in a dialogue with well-known columnists Rou Tangseng and Wuyue Sansheng. "Hiking Through China" is a true account of Miller's 4,646-kilometer trek from Beijing to Xinjiang, a work born from his immersive experience interacting with various strata of Chinese society.
The greatest joy lies in overcoming fear
"When I was an exchange student at the Beijing Film Academy, I often skipped class to visit big cities. Later, I found that I was more interested in places that were 'off the beaten track.'" This might have been the beginning of Miller’s travels in China.
In the early stages, Miller wasn’t very confident either. "I didn’t know if I would get my stuff stolen or encounter unfriendly people. But I found that it was actually the rural folks who were more down-to-earth and willing to help. They left a very good impression on me." Miller said that the greatest joy in life is actually overcoming that feeling of fear. "It’s not about being fearless that makes you cool, but about doing something even when you’re afraid."
The highlights and challenges of the journey
The most memorable part of the trip for Miller was Dunhuang. "You have to walk through the Gobi Desert for three days in uninhabited areas, and when you finally arrive, you realize it’s the most perfect place—every plant makes you want to touch it."
Besides being awed by this kind of "perfection," Miller was also once "scared." "The Taihang Mountains area is full of coal mines, everything is black. When I got to Taiyuan, I was really scared. That feeling of being scared was even stronger than the feeling of beauty I had in Dunhuang."
Hiking presents countless difficulties. But for Miller, the biggest challenge isn’t the physical hardship, but how to manage the flaws in one’s own character. "That’s what really hones you."
Travel has nothing to do with age, but everything to do with dreams
At the salon that day, seasoned traveler Wuyue Sansheng shared his own experiences to tell readers that travel can bring you more. "My own behavior and travel can be divided into two parts: one is when you have nothing, so there’s nothing to lose. The other is when you have something, and I found that every time I came back, there was always an opportunity waiting for me, because with rich experiences, I had more opportunities than others."
But most young people like Miller still feel apprehensive about such long-term travel. In response to this situation, Rou Tangseng believes our pursuits should shift "from what we own in a lifetime to what we experience."
And for Miller, dreams are the true driving force behind travel. "If you feel this dream is something you must do, then it has nothing to do with anything else."