A life cycle full of adventure

Zhu came across severe weather on his way to the Arctic in 2020.

"The wind was howling, with dust flying all around, and the whole place was wilderness," Zhu recalls.

"In case of an accident, I might be thrown off the road and face life-threatening danger," he adds.

Fortunately, he got through and eventually saw the aurora borealis in Alaska.

Moreover, he suffered robberies during his stay in South Africa, Pakistan and Iran and dodged attacks from bears and other wild animals in Canada.

"During my 11 years of cycling, I've had two bikes stolen and one retired, and currently, I'm riding my fourth bike, which has accompanied me across four continents, carrying my mobile home," Zhu says, adding that the items he packs include a tent, a sleeping bag, a moisture-proof pad, clothes for all seasons, a ukulele and various tools for unexpected circumstances.

"It weighs approximately 30 kilograms," he says.

He has spent about 250,000 yuan in total on the road, and earned approximately 220,000 yuan through offering purchasing agent services, writing travelogues and filming videos.

To cycle around the world, Zhu says it's important to learn various skills.

"When the tire bursts, you have to fix it yourself. When camping outdoors, you have to cook using available resources. When interacting with people from different countries, you need to manage the languages," he says.

Chun Tian from Beijing has been following Zhu's travel online over the past few years.