Common Talk Weeklyshuang yu zhou kan
issue date

World in your doorstep
February 18, 2004
By Angela Lehmann
Photo by Yao Fan

环 游世界是许多人心中的梦想，但是能真正实现这个梦想的人微乎其微。朱兆瑞，一个MBA的经济旅行家，2002年自费 3000美元，行程77天，进 行了28个国家和地区的单身环球旅行。“用头脑去行走，用智慧去生活，我用我的智慧与勇气，完成了这个梦想。”他在《3000美金，我周游了世界》一书中 说道。该书是根据他亲身的旅行经历编写而成。在他莅临厦门售书之际，本报记者采访了他。

The smell of hot coffee drifts through your bedroom door in the morning. You open the window and instead of the hustle and bustle of Xiamen you can see London Bridge. Perhaps the Sydney Opera House, the Taj Mahal（泰姬陵） or the great Pyramids. According to one Chinese man, this and more is possible — and for a very small amount of money.

Mr. Zhou Zhaorui woke up in 28 countries around the world and spent only 3000 USD. After six months of careful planning, Mr. Zhou set off for his 77-day budget trip around the world. Now he has published a book about his journey and is visiting universities throughout China encouraging people to get out into the world of travel.

“If I can do it, anybody can” he says. “It took some preparation and effort but now I have seen so many amazing places that otherwise I would just read about in books.”

The idea for Mr. Zhou’s world trip began to develop as he completed his MBA degree. He wanted to visit famous cities, universities and companies he had researched and written about in his thesis. During his travels he made full use of economic theories he had learned during his studies. Nevertheless, it is the lessons learned while on his travels that he is keen to pass on, saying that Chinese people need not think that travel is out of their reach.

“The first and most important thing is to have the courage to fulfil your dreams. The world is not as terrible as you think — go out and see it. Start small. First go to a near place, somewhere else in Asia like Thailand or The Philippines. Then start to make bigger travel plans,” he says.

Newspapers and maps became Mr. Zhou’s best friend while on the road. When arriving in a new city his first stop was to collect a map and study it. “I knew how to get around the city before I even left the airport,” he says. His second stop was buying a local newspaper and reading it closely for cheap deals for hotel rooms and tickets.

“The trick is using your mind,” he says. “For example, from New York to Boston it is $300 more by air than by train. By studying the local newspapers I found a bus ticket for $83 but I still wasn’t satisfied. So I went to the China Town in New York — the biggest China Town in the USA. By talking to the people there I found there was a shuttle bus for just $20. All the other travelers were Chinese so they could give me a lot of information. I think they got tired of me because I asked so many questions!”

In the last fifteen years the budget travel market around the world has grown enormously. Young people from Australia, New Zealand and Europe particularly are taking time off from study and work to spend time seeing the world. Known as “backpackers”, these budget travelers usually have a flexible schedule and spend a relatively long period of time on their adventure. The growth of the backpacker market and increased competition in places like the U.K. are leading to cheaper and cheaper prices for tickets and accommodation.

“From London to Paris by ferry costs around ￡398 inclusive. A look through the newspapers will lead you to an airplane ticket for just ￡0.40!! ￡10 return!”

Mr. Zhou explains. Across Europe, Australia and North America budget accommodation in Youth Hostels is the first choice for most backpackers. Cheap rooms are often shared and facilities are basic but they provide a great place to meet similar minded people and investigate options for the next leg of your journey. “Budget travel doesn’t need to be uncomfortable,” Mr. Zhou says. “If I had the choice between $10 for a five star hotel, $5 for a two star hotel or hostel or $0 to sleep on the street, I would choose the second option. I was not trying to break any records. It’s important to be safe and have a good time while traveling.”

Travel needs an investment not just in money, but also in the time and effort spent researching the best way to do something. Such an investment, however, could reap（收获） priceless rewards. “Traveling 10,000 miles is like reading 10,000 books,” says Mr. Zhou.

Mr. Zhou has five pieces of advice for those who dream of a round the world adventure.
  • Traveling is a lifestyle choice. Foreigners spend a lot of time traveling. Consider it an important part of life.
  • Traveling is an investment in yourself. Traveling when you are in your 20s is different from traveling in your 60s and 70s. If you travel while you are young you can later use the lessons you have learned in your life.
  • Traveling is not torture; it is enjoyment. Economic traveling can be relaxing.
  • Traveling doesn’t mean going to fancy resorts. Resorts are simply for consuming, not developing yourself. The lessons learned from traveling cannot be valued by money.
  • Travel is adventure, not taking risks. You don't need to go across a desert or climb Mt. Everest. These are risks and you should cherish your life. Travel can be safe.