Xiao Wu talked proudly about her money-saving tips
“One person, nine countries, 16 cities, a 20-day long journey—I made it!” A post-90s girl, Wu Jiangping, spent around 15,000 yuan to travel across Europe alone, becoming an internet sensation and winning admiration from many young people. Yesterday, reporters conducted a phone interview with Wu Jiangping.
Saving money by transiting through Moscow
“I’m still a student, and the money I spend is my parents’—I can’t be extravagant when traveling.” Before the trip, Xiao Wu made a detailed travel plan. “Transportation is the biggest expense in travel, and this trip to Europe cost me nearly 10,000 yuan.” To save money, she bought a multi-country Eurail pass online in advance and booked cheap flights with a European budget airline (Ryanair). “The Barcelona to Paris flight was the cheapest, only 25 euros, which is about 200 yuan,” said Xiao Wu proudly about her money-saving strategies. “In short, I went all out with budget travel.” On January 31, Xiao Wu departed from Beijing, transited through Moscow, and headed for Europe.
Encountering extreme cold in Italy
Upon first arriving in Europe, language barriers and unfamiliar transportation meant Xiao Wu had to rely on pointing at maps to ask for directions. Following vague instructions, she made her way from one destination to the next, guessing as she went. “I took a lot of wrong turns, but it also sparked my sense of adventure.” The foreign charm of Italy lifted her spirits, but an unexpected snowstorm trapped her in Florence. Trains were delayed due to the extreme weather, leaving her shivering at the station. “When I couldn’t stand the cold anymore, I mustered the courage to get into a roadside taxi and begged the driver to let me wait inside for a while.” Xiao Wu laughed self-deprecatingly as she recalled the embarrassing moment. Later, she was led by Red Cross volunteers to the police station at the station, but police regulations didn’t allow overnight stays for passengers, so she had to leave again. “I’ve never felt a night drag on so long.” Xiao Wu remarked with emotion. Finally, a train arrived, and she rushed to Venice without a break, only to find her flight had already taken off when she got to the airport. Sleepless, hungry, and cold, Xiao Wu sat on the ground and burst into tears. “I was a bit homesick and upset about wasting the plane ticket money. But I didn’t think about giving up—it was just an emotional release.” Looking back, she realized that the missed flight actually boosted her confidence: if she could get through the toughest situation, what else couldn’t she handle?
Next stop: Africa
After Xiao Wu’s post about her solo European journey was published on Renren, many people expressed admiration for her bravery, and quite a few netizens sought her advice on “budget travel.” In response, Xiao Wu said that to be a “budget traveler,” preparation before the trip is crucial. First and foremost, safety comes first—Xiao Wu often hangs a whistle on her backpack. She explained that blowing the whistle in an emergency can serve as an alarm to help get her out of danger. Secondly, it’s important to make a detailed travel plan and do thorough preparatory work so you can stay calm and save as much money as possible while traveling.
“Looking back on those 20 days, they were incredibly amazing and also terribly rough. The beauty I experienced and the hardships I faced far exceeded my expectations—but that’s probably what makes travel so memorable.” Xiao Wu’s thoughts seemed to drift back to Europe.
As for future travel plans, Xiao Wu said she looks forward to visiting Africa and exploring more of the world.