A young Sichuan office worker quits his job to hike through 11 provinces on just 3,000 yuan

　　"In one's lifetime, there should be at least two impulses: one for love that defies all reason, and one for a spontaneous journey." However, not everyone has the courage to follow their heart.

　　On November 7, Guo Jun, who graduated from Xihua University two years ago, returned to his alma mater's city—Chengdu. For him, this journey would mark a special chapter in his life: quitting his white-collar job, spending just 3,000 yuan (actually, he didn’t even use all of it, having 400 yuan left), hiking alone through 11 provinces over four months, covering a total distance of 11,000 kilometers (including hitchhiking). If it weren’t for the birth of his nephew, which required him to rush back as an uncle to celebrate, his footsteps would have continued: three years to travel across China and then to Africa.

　　So far, he has completed the following hiking route: Hangzhou, Zhejiang—Anhui—Jiangxi—Hunan—Guangxi—Guiyang—Yunnan—Tibet—Qinghai—Gansu—Chengdu, Sichuan.

　　With single eyelids, white-framed glasses, and a pair of dimples when he smiles, he looks very gentle—hardly someone you’d associate with a backpacker.

　　Two years ago, after graduating from Xihua University, Guo Jun went to work in other provinces. His first job was in Shanghai, and his second in Hangzhou—both involved nine-to-five schedules with weekends off.

　　Perhaps it was the voice in his heart saying "on the road" that called to him. During that year in Hangzhou, Guo Jun became a "couch host." "Back then, I often hosted college students who were traveling to Hangzhou on a budget," Guo Jun admitted. Even though his rented single room didn’t actually have a sofa, many "couch surfers" slept on the floor or shared his bed; if a female couch surfer came, Guo Jun would even give up his bed and sleep on the floor—but none of this stopped the warmth from being shared.

　　The more couch surfers he met, the stronger Guo Jun’s desire to "go out" became, and the "spark" that led to his resignation turned out to be a beautiful photo of a girl’s back. A girl, sitting inside a fence, with her backpack set aside beside her, facing Erhai Lake surrounded by mountains on three sides. "When my friend showed it to me, I instantly felt that this was the life I wanted," Guo Jun said excitedly. Even though to this day he still doesn’t know who the girl in the photo is, the voice in his heart saying "go see the outside world" had already sounded.

　　Without telling his parents, Guo Jun quit his 3,000-yuan-a-month job. With a DSLR camera, a sleeping bag, a few clothes, and some emergency medicine, Guo Jun set off on his "journey" with simple gear. On July 13, he departed from Hangzhou, walking along the ancient Huizhou-Hangzhou Trail, passing through Jixi, climbing Huangshan, and going through Jingdezhen, all the way to Hunan. "At first, I wanted to walk from the farthest east to the farthest west." And so he kept heading west, visiting the beautiful Shangri-La and crossing the uninhabited Hoh Xil region.

　　Along the way, there were many joyful and difficult moments. But what Guo Jun remembers most clearly are the happy ones.

　　On July 31, in Fenghuang, Hunan, Guo Jun celebrated a birthday he’ll never forget in his life. "A group of strangers I’d never met before carried me to float lanterns on the river, watch the Tuo River, and eat cake." During his time in Fenghuang, Guo Jun got injured: he accidentally cut his left foot and needed three stitches.

　　Unexpectedly, the fellow travelers he was sharing a meal with somehow found out and insisted on carrying him, despite his injured leg, to the edge of the Tuo River to float lanterns, eat cake, and fulfill his birthday wish of seeing the river. One traveler even played "Happy Birthday" on the guitar. "I think this is the answer I was looking for. Such a touching birthday—I’ll never forget it in my life."

　　For safety reasons, there’s a saying among travelers: "Don’t go to Tibet in October." And Guo Jun arrived in Lhasa just before National Day, when the weather started to get cold. On the section of the Tanggula Mountains, he experienced two extremes—"fire and ice." "There was one stretch where the sides were lined with deciduous trees, and the wind blew the leaves down slowly—it was beautiful." Seeing such a scene, Guo Jun was completely enchanted. He slowed his pace and turned down several drivers who offered him rides. But as the sky gradually darkened and the temperature plummeted, there were almost no people on the road, and getting a ride to the next village became a luxury.

　　What to do? This was the Tanggula Mountains. "I was only wearing two layers of clothing, and the cold wind was seeping through the gaps, freezing me to the bone." Guo Jun had no other choice, and fear gradually crept in. He kept walking slowly, with nothing around him but the sound of the wind and the endless Gobi Desert. He walked like this for about 40 kilometers. Left with no other options, Guo Jun sat down in the middle of the road, hoping to flag down a passing car. Because it was so cold, he would walk a bit after sitting for a while. Fortunately, he finally managed to get a ride. "At that temperature, if you put a wet towel outside, it would freeze in no time."

　　Guo Jun’s actions were opposed not only by friends but also initially disapproved of by his parents and family. On September 27, Guo Jun arrived at the entrance of the Potala Palace. He called his mother, who told him on the phone, "Go do what you want to do." Hearing this, Guo Jun burst into tears.

　　Guo Jun had quit his job without telling his parents and had always reported good news but hidden the bad. His mother’s change of attitude made him realize that his family supported and blessed him.

　　Friend: His actions are too idealistic

　　"Actually, I don’t really support his actions—they’re a bit idealistic," said Sun Tao, who was in the same class as Guo Jun for four years. In college, Guo Jun was the class commissar, gentle and polite, but this "adventurous move" really surprised everyone. "After all, when you come back, you’ll still have to face all the problems you need to face."

　　Guo Jun told me, "Going out" is really simple—it’s just about wanting to see the outside world and how others live. Now that he’s taking a temporary break, it’s also to prepare for better "journeys" in the future. "The distance" has always been a very appealing word, with countless people forging ahead, venturing out to seek it. In truth, this story is really simple, and every person should be simple too—it’s just because you want to do something meaningful.

　　Guo Jun said that everyone has a different life, their own life, and that’s just fine.

　　Some say that in one’s lifetime, there should be at least two impulsive acts—one for love that defies all odds, and one for a trip taken on a whim. Many travelers use this as their rationale for “setting out,” and so does Guo Jun. Heading westward, he reached the Tanggula Mountains, and has now returned to Chengdu for a break. He plans to spend three years not only hiking across China but also traveling to Africa.

　　[Epilogue]

　　Now, this home-loving Cancerian boy has specially altered his itinerary to detour to Chengdu and then head back to Anhui to see his newborn nephew, due to his sister having a baby. On November 14, he returned to his hometown. “I’ll take a short break before setting off again, probably in the second half of next year,” Guo Jun arranges his future plans, intending to earn some travel money before heading out again. “I won’t stop—I want to travel across China and hike to Africa before I turn 28.”