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Post-90s boy sets up stall at university to fund trip
To fulfill his cycling dream, he gave up the college entrance exam and cycled to Everest Base Camp; to realize his European travel dream, he rode solo through Russia’s Siberia region. Now, in pursuit of his hitchhiking dream, he chooses to travel across the country with no money or phone... Yesterday afternoon, ...
Selling books on campus to experience budget travel
This post-90s young man has shoulder-length hair and wears a dark blue checkered shirt—so much so that at first glance, one might mistake him for a girl, but this is just his artistic vibe.
Li Shangcong told the Chengdu Evening News that he set off from his hometown in Shangqiu, Henan, on the 1st of this month without any money or phone, carrying only a backpack loaded with over 40 books and a DSLR camera to begin his journey. On March 4th, he hitched over a hundred rides to reach Chengdu. To raise some travel funds, he decided to sell the more than 40 books he had brought along. “I’ve made about 150 yuan these past two days,” Li said, adding that he hopes to use this method to complete his travels to Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, and even Guangzhou.
Once solo into Everest, crossed Siberia
Speaking of Li Shangcong’s cycling adventures, the story is quite remarkable. In his second year of high school, he spent two months cycling solo to Tibet, reaching Everest Base Camp at an altitude of 5,530 meters. When the college entrance exam was approaching, he cycled off to Europe instead of taking the test. Last April, he pedaled his mountain bike northward with just 2,000 yuan to his name, passing through Beijing, Shenyang, Harbin, and eventually crossing into Russia’s Chita.
Li Shangcong said he cycled over 2,000 kilometers within Russia. “The language barrier was the biggest challenge, but it also helped me pick up some Russian.” Eventually, he could communicate with locals using simple Russian. After spending three months in Russia, he had to return home due to visa expiration. During his stay, hospitable Russians provided him with food and lodging, and some even gave him 1,000 or 2,000 rubles.
Mind grows steadier, life lessons learned
“My mindset has changed—I’m not as extreme as before,” Li Shangcong said when talking about his experiences during the trips. In the beginning, influenced by teenage rebelliousness, he wanted to take an unconventional path and sometimes came off as stubborn. But a series of travel experiences broadened his horizons and taught him how to interact with others. “I learned how to better communicate with strangers and how to conduct myself in life.”
“Made many friends, both Chinese and Russian, who all helped each other.” Throughout his travels, Li received help from many kind-hearted people. “I also try my best to help others—that’s how kindness gets passed on.”