"Every day, I hold my phone eagerly waiting for his updates, watching him travel from one end of the world to another, braving the elements and camping along the way," Chun says.

"When he's hungry, he cooks for himself. At night, he sleeps in a tent. In this incredibly simple way, he practices his own pursuit."

Chun says Zhu has inspired him to maybe do a cycling tour of the world himself.

After years of cycling, Zhu says his biggest discovery is that he loves his home country even more.

"It's especially true when you go through troubles and close calls in a foreign land," Zhu says. "Plus, China is blessed with many enchanting and spiritually significant places."

He is particularly impressed by the diversity in Tibet and Xinjiang.

"While cycling along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, I encountered many Tibetan friends who were walking to Lhasa. I waved to them, and they warmly responded with 'hello' in Tibetan," he recalls.

"I also witnessed pilgrims prostrating themselves and paying their respects in this sacred land. Their unwavering faith and devotion left me in awe," he says.

After the Olympic tour, Zhu says he will continue to explore the world on his bicycle and fulfill his childhood dream of touring the whole world with his feet.

Being a veteran traveler, Zhu has often been asked about his understanding of the truth of travel.

"I think the best answer is to enjoy everything that is possible during travel, no matter if it is good or bad," Zhu says.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn