Journey into the unknown is cycle of discovery

Last September an American embarked on a solo trip through Southwest China on a standard bike she had bought at a local shop. In three months Jennifer Holstein cycled 2,500 kilometers through three provinces with just two small bags.

Holstein shares her biking experience in a recent episode of China Daily's My China Surprise, which features the stories of local expats sharing their unique and interesting perspectives on what they find surprising about China.

In an exclusive interview with China Daily, Holstein speaks out on why she decided to cycle across a foreign country. According to Holstein, "many people dream about traveling the world and taking huge risks, but never do". She encourages others not to "spend their life hoping that one day they will be able to achieve their wildest dreams, but to try first, the rest will work itself out".

In Holstein's case she was just an average girl living in Beijing. She lived in a beautiful local Chinese-style hutong home and worked a job she loved at Pingo Space, a local education company. Her life was already great. But, Holstein felt the urge to travel the world and itched for adventure.

It was mid-August of 2021 that Holstein recalled that the idea came to her to travel China by bicycle. At that time, Holstein had never cycled for more than 20 kilometers around her local city of Beijing and was then determined that she would take a 2,500-kilometer journey by herself.

During her first leg of travel, Holstein boarded a train to Chengdu in Sichuan province, her starting point for the cross-China cycling journey. Holstein remarked that "traveling in China is so easy, it cost only 700 yuan ($100) to take a train with her bicycle halfway across China, one of the largest countries in the world".

According to Holstein, the cost of travel in China is incredibly affordable. She remarked in her interview that she "never spent more than 100 yuan on a hotel the entire journey" and that she was able to survive for the entire three months on a budget of 10,000 yuan for food and lodging.

In the episode of My China Surprise, Holstein spoke about the safety of traveling in China. Holstein said it was amazing how safe it is to travel in China alone, especially at night, remarking that she often goes for runs in the early morning or late in the evenings without any fear. Additionally, during her three-monthlong journey she never felt scared, despite being in completely new and unknown places.

Holstein recalled a time along her journey that she met strangers along the side of the road and accepted an invitation to live with them in the mountains. Holstein said in her home country "she would never have gone with five strangers into the woods, mainly because of the fear she may never come back".

Additionally, Holstein spoke on the various encounters she had with local Chinese people. Holstein praised them for their kindness and hospitality. Including several stories of people helping Holstein when she found herself in bad situations.

Holstein recounts an experience from the beginning of her trip when she found herself stuck in a tunnel with a flat tire. She explained that it was dark and hot, and she was so scared because she had never changed a tire before. Suddenly, a group of cyclists old enough to be her grandparents came and rescued her.

The instances of kindness were too many to recall, and through her travels Holstein met over 100 new friends. Holstein remarked that over the period of her 90-day journey she was treated to a meal 42 times.

In addition to encountering the kindness of people across China, Holstein also experienced several unique cultural experiences.

Along her journey, Holstein attended three local weddings. In her My China Surprise video she spoke about one wedding in detail. "I was in the middle of a small village in Sichuan province, and I was taken into a local Tibetan family's home and they invited me to take part in a wedding. They gave me a dress and even did my makeup. I never thought I would ever have the chance to take part in a Tibetan wedding," said Holstein.

Many people asked Holstein how she was able to travel for so long and why she could manage to be away from work. Holstein replied that, in fact, she never stopped working. She said: "There is internet everywhere in China, in the mountains, by the oceans, even in small remote villages."

In fact, internet became a large part of her journey. Holstein depended on the internet around China to continue her work online, and to continuously update a WeChat group of people following her journey.

Holstein used WeChat, China's largest social media platform, to update hundreds of close friends who were following along in her journey. Holstein would post the interesting and unique things she saw along the way. Including a market in which she stumbled upon a man making veneers (false teeth) for local people on the spot from a local stand. A topic that really intrigued the group.

Her WeChat group offered support and encouragement along her journey. "I never felt unsafe or alone, because I had hundreds of my friends 'following me'," said Holstein. One big supporter of Holstein's journey wrote in the group, "So proud of you! You are a lucky woman who has made your own luck."

In addition to biking for her own passion and curiosity, Holstein also linked her ride to raise money for charity. Holstein often said that China has given her so much support, the least she could do is to support China, too. Over her journey, Holstein raised 22,000 yuan for the United Foundation for China's Health, which provides and facilitates medical care to orphans, migrants, abused woman, and anyone else in need of care in China.

Holstein's connection with China started when she was only 5, when she started learning Chinese at her local public elementary school. Her first visit to China was in 2009, after her visit she remarked,"I love the people and the culture so much, and I have always felt like China has been a second home." Before starting to work in China, Holstein was a study-abroad student for several years at local Beijing schools, including a local high school and Peking University.

To listen to more about her inspiring story, watch her episode of My China Surprise by scanning the code.