Silver-haired couple goes on epic motorbike trip

Wang Jianwei and his wife Zhang Youzhen pose during their motorcycle trip in July, 2015. [Photo/weibo]

If you think a multiple-country motorbike trip is just for the young, think again. A senior couple from Northwest China just came back from a trip to Laos, Thailand and Vietnam on motorcycle, Huashang Daily reported on Tuesday.

Wang Jianwei, 66, and his wife Zhang Youzhen, 64, have just spent 53 days and 11,600 yuan ($1,732) traveling 15,000 kilometers on two wheels since April 14. "My wife and I felt so happy that we still want to go out. If our physical condition permits, we will go on with our motorbike trips," Wang told Huashang Daily.

Beginning from their home in Baoji city, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, the elderly couple traveled through Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in Southwest China, and went to Laos, Thailand and Vietnam crossing the border in Yunnan, and went back to Baoji through South China's Guangdong and Hainan provinces and Central China's Hunan, Hubei and Henan provinces.

Though traveling in a car is more comfortable, the silver-haired couple chose a motorcycle because the wife gets carsick and the husband was fond of motorcycling in his youth.

After traveling through the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in Northwest China in July, 2015, the couple wanted to travel abroad like young people and they made the plan in early 2016.

The biggest challenge for the senior couple abroad is the language barrier, and the two had to make hand gestures when asking locals for restaurants, menus, hotels and directions.

On their first day in Laos, the old couple went to a restaurant for lunch. "The restaurant's owner showed us the menus after finding we couldn't speak Lao, and showed us the price on a calculator, " Wang said to Huashang Daily.

Their longest stop was in Thailand, lasting 15 days. "Thailand has many scenic spots and a sound traffic condition, which is suitable for traveling by motorbike," Wang told Huashang Daily.

Wang also felt thankful for strangers who lent them hands during their travel, saying, "We met many kind-hearted people on the way, they offered us a lot of help. We are deeply moved."

In Laos, a Chinese from Central China's Hunan province invited the old couple to live in his room for free. And a Chinese student the couple met in Laos helped them buy a local phone card and download software, and taught them how to use the software to search for the places they wanted to travel.

Returning back home, Zhang Youzhen said, "After visiting so many places, I think the scenery in our country is more beautiful."

"Seeing scenery on the motorcycle saddle is different from in the car, since in the car one only enjoys the scenery through windows," said Zhang, who could not wait for the next trip.

Like his wife, Wang also felt the scenery in China is wonderful. Wang said,"For retirees like us, traveling not only broadens our horizons, but also amazes us with beautiful scenes."

Some internet users felt encouraged by the silver-haired couple's deed, as an internet user named huaichongzi001 said, "Seeing the old couple's travels, why don't we go and enjoy our travel?"