Father and son backpack around China for a week with only $20

Father and son backpack around China for a week with only $20

How much money do you usually bring along with you when you travel?

Most travellers may set aside an average of $80 a day for meals, accommodation, and transportation.

For a pair of father and son pair from China, 100 yuan (S$20) was all they spent on a week-long trip.

On July 7, outdoor enthusiast Pu Wei took his eight-year-old son on an educational journey that saw them backpacking from Xi'an to Lanzhou, covering a total distance of 700km.

The duo managed to last till the third day without spending a single cent, reported People.cn.

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How did they do it?

Mr Pu and his son travelled on foot and hitched rides from others, and exchanged hard labour for food and accommodation.

During their journey, the pair were touched by many offers of free food and rides from kind strangers. However, they also faced rejection from others who were wary and apathetic.

In his Weibo blog, Mr Pu shared photos of the father-son bonding trip, and reflected on the life lessons they had learnt along the way.

"Most children in modern society live sheltered lives and often have a poor understanding of reality," he mused in one blog post.

Through their travels, Mr Pu was glad to see a positive change in his son's attitude. Although their journey was tough, the boy did not complain and was eager to earn his keep.

The father told ThePaper.cn that he had embarked on the journey hoping to teach his child about perseverance, as well as to experience the generosity of others and the harshness of reality.

A fruitful trip indeed.

rissaho@sph.com.sg

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