The photo shows a self-made route map by Xiao Dong.
“Time waits for no one. Whether you have time or money or not, it’s time to get out and travel…” This is what this young man from Yongjia wrote before setting off. Last month, Xiao Dong, whose online name is “I think therefore I am,” quit his job at a company in Kunshan, Jiangsu. After mailing his belongings, he packed a simple backpack, headed south, and embarked on a hiking journey back to Wenzhou. Yesterday, more than 10 days after returning home, he leisurely sorted through photos and continued writing his travelogue. Although he had to cut the hike short due to physical strain, he gained a unique experience.
Xiao Dong is 31 years old, unmarried, and has worked away from home since graduating from university. He claims he is not an impulsive person, but felt that life lacked passion and variety. “Deciding to hike home was purely an impulsive choice,” he said. On November 19, he told his friends about it online without notifying his parents. On November 20, he set off with a backpack containing two sets of clothes, a mobile phone, a laptop, a camera, snacks, and other essentials—even though he had only previously seen others go on hiking trips online.
Kunshan, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Jinhua, Taizhou… Based on maps from his computer and paper maps, Xiao Dong mainly followed provincial roads toward Wenzhou. Without a smartphone, he mostly relied on the sun to determine direction, and when unsure, he asked others for help to avoid backtracking. “I didn’t set specific goals. I walked on national highways, country roads, ate snacks when hungry, dined at restaurants when I saw them, and found lodgings when night fell, then continued walking the next day.”
When his body could handle it, Xiao Dong walked seven or eight hours a day; when not feeling well, he only walked for three. During the trip, he sometimes uploaded photos along the way to his QQ zone via wireless internet. Passing through Hangzhou, he stayed there for four days before continuing, then passed through Zhuji, Dongyang, and other places. Along the way, his QQ status changed several times: “There are no safe roads in the world, only roads of mood and scenery,” “What I’m walking isn’t loneliness, it’s the road itself!” “Feet never stop, life never ends…” He said there were many unforgettable memories along the way—using an umbrella as a dog deterrent, bumping into an elderly cycling enthusiast who rode all the way from the northeast to Zhejiang, among others.
It wasn’t until December 13, when he reached Xianju, that he decided to stop hiking. He said that after carrying a backpack for over 20 consecutive days, his shoulders were in too much pain, and additionally, the Xianju area had many caves that weren’t very safe, so he took a bus home. According to his calculated walking route, he covered more than 400 kilometers in 23 days, spending around 2,000 yuan.
When asked if he regretted not completing the entire hike, he laughed heartily: “Not at all. I just acted on impulse, hiking to ‘measure’ the thousand-mile journey home. Along the way, I gained beautiful scenery and met many friends—things you’d never get sitting in an office. If I have the chance, I’ll be a backpacker again.”
After Xiao Dong shared his unusual experience on the “Wendu Forum,” it quickly went to the top. As of 8 p.m. on December 26, nearly 100 netizens had posted replies. Many netizens said Xiao Dong showed great courage and had an incredible experience, while others believed he was escaping real life and acting recklessly.
Reporters found that many netizens have had similar experiences to Xiao Dong. According to reports, in February this year, Wenzhou student Li Shengbo took a one-year leave of absence, spending seven months hiking and one month cycling across the country on a “budget trip.” Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada popularize the concept of a Gap Year, which refers to taking an extended period (usually a year) to travel or engage in volunteer work with non-governmental organizations. Common Gap Year periods include the time between high school graduation and university enrollment, between university graduation and starting a job, or after working for some time.