After a long, long walk, his destination still beckons
2020-11-23
Zhao Fanchao takes a selfie on his way through Sichuan province in November, 2020. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Even with 1,500 kilometers remaining in his journey, Zhao Fanchao has begun to look forward to the day when he can finally stand in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region.
Pulling a modified tricycle loaded with his luggage, Zhao, 30, started his journey from his home in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on May 1.
Over the past 200 days, he has crossed seven provinces, including Jilin and Liaoning, as well as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Tianjin municipality. He arrived in Sichuan province at the beginning of November.
"I planned to enter Tibet at the end of this month and finally arrive in Lhasa around Spring Festival in 2021," he said. "I'm excited that I can welcome the new lunar year there.
Zhao Fanchao takes a selfie on his way through Sichuan province in November, 2020. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
"I have never been to Tibet, but the holy and pure scene of the Potala Palace has always deeply attracted me. So I made it my destination.
"There is no particular reason for the choice except my wish to travel somewhere different."
To reduce the burden, he took only a few clothes and necessities. To save money, he cooked meals with some simple kitchen tools and spent most nights on the tricycle.
He had to hike a minimum number of hours every day in order to reach his destination as early as possible.
Zhao Fanchao takes a selfie with a stray dog on his way through Sichuan province in November, 2020. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
"The longest time I hiked in one day was about 12 hours," he said. "Thanks to several years of military life, I am in good physical shape."
However, Zhao sometimes stops to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
"When I walk through the cities, I like to visit the parks and the scenic areas to see more different people, scenery and cultures," he said. "I also enjoyed myself in the uninhabited mountains."
Almost every day, he spends several hours on the livestreaming app Douyin (TikTok), sharing stories of his journey. Now he has more than 230,000 fans and has received countless likes.
Zhao Fanchao takes a selfie on his way through Sichuan province in November, 2020. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
He was also invited to open an online store on Douyin in September because of his popularity.
"My fans are deeply concerned about my route, my safety and the delicious food from my hometown," he said. "I sell Harbin sausage, a local specialty from there, which is greatly welcomed by my fans."
He feels proud when he receives praise and encouragement from strangers once they find that he comes from a remote place, he said.
"There have also been lots of people who provided help to me during the trip, which made me feel quite warm."
