Pedaling cross-country to chase dreams

Challenges and dangers

Not always smooth, there are unexpected twists and turns on the road, especially during a solo trip, according to Zhang.

On the fourth day of his journey, two wheel spokes of Zhang's secondhand mountain bike broke due to the heavy load. After changing the spokes and servicing the vehicle at a local bike repairing shop for an hour, which cost about 15 yuan, Zhang hopped back on his bike, ready for his ride to Hanoi.

The next morning in Hanoi, Zhang found his bike, which was parked outside the hostel that he stayed in, was stolen.

Although Zhang called the police, he was frustrated and thought of giving up. On second thoughts, he found a bicycle store nearby and bought a new bike.

"For a riding enthusiast, a bike is more than a form of transport, it is a way of life," he explains.

Under Zhang's post on video-sharing platform Bilibili, Zhu left his safety tips: Mind the motorcycle thieves in cities and keep your smartphone in the pocket.

From his 12-year nomadic lifestyle on his bike, the memory of being robbed is still fresh in Zhu's mind — which was en route from Egypt to Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

"It was a scorching day and I felt exhausted after a long ride. I parked my bike under a tree for a rest. As I was taking out a bottle of water from my backpack, I was struck on my head from behind," Zhu recalls, adding that his smartphone fell and was taken away by the robber.

In excruciating pain and head bleeding, Zhu chased the man but lost him in a farm along the road. Staying in hospital for a week, Zhu recovered and continued his journey.

Zhu also got robbed in Pakistan and Iran and after these experiences, he learned to use nunchucks (weapon used in martial arts).

"Despite the dangers, I am happy that I chose this path. What's more important is that I never gave up but kept riding," Zhu says.