The late birds get the world

Most solo adventurers can recount stories not just of solitude but of loneliness during such undertakings, and to cope with any such problem, Li's companion was a transistor radio. That and the encouragement of the many people he met on the way were a tremendous encouragement to him, he says.

He recounts becoming lost on a mountain path one night and encountering a teenage boy who he feared harbored ill intentions toward him, before the youngster reassured him and led him to a local hotel, capping off this hospitality by handing Li the remaining cooling ice blocks the boy had been selling earlier.

"It was a tough journey, but my great willpower forced me to keep going. After doing that I had the courage to face any difficulty."

On that journey it cost 1 to 2 yuan for a night's hotel accommodation with simple bedding and no television, and he needed a letter of introduction issued by school authorities and his employee card to be able to check in.

After reaching Beijing and being hailed as a hero, he spent 10 days there before boarding a train for the much tripper quick back to Guiyang, over two days. He was only able to afford a hard seat costing more than 30 yuan, an amount he would have to work for almost a month to earn.