YouTuber hitchhikes across China’s biggest desert using only Google translate

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To immerse personally in Tibetan culture, YouTuber Mike Okay found himself facing travel restrictions into the country. Consequently, his only option to interact with genuine Tibetans and explore that region was to traverse the vast Gobi desert, leading him to the border.

Mike couldn’t access Tibet directly, but towns nearby have seen people from Tibet migrate. Therefore, he decided to travel from Ruoqiang to Dawu, a journey roughly 2000km (1200 miles) long – quite a distance for a hike, especially through the Taklamakan Desert.

As a keen admirer, I often ponder about the enigmatic expanse commonly referred to as the “Sea of Death,” the second most extensive desert globally and the vastest within China’s borders – even eclipsing its esteemed neighbor, the Gobi Desert situated to the East. Despite China’s reputation for being densely populated, the majority of inhabitants reside in its Southeastern provinces. The remainder of this expansive nation is largely desolate and challenging to traverse, especially when Tibet can’t be accessed directly by air travel.

Mike, despite his limited knowledge of Chinese, wasn’t discouraged. He successfully thumbed a ride across the desert primarily with the help of Google Translate. He was astonished by the generosity of the individuals he encountered during his journey.

YouTuber treks across China thanks to the kindness of locals

Mike aimed to authentically portray China, interacting directly with its people and uncovering the less-explored regions that few others have a chance to experience on their own.

In summary, he created a sign indicating he was hitchhiking, prepared a folded letter detailing his reasons for traveling to that region, then embarked on an adventure to traverse the desert with this setup.

Despite a few hiccups along the way, I managed to reach my destination, all thanks to four generous motorists who lent me a hand (or rather, a ride).

Initially, one driver volunteered to take Mike on a journey from Ruoqiang to Golmud. Noticing Mike seemed bewildered, he decided it would be more convenient to provide a ride towards the main road rather than attempting to guide him with Google Translate or risk him going astray.

The second individual, who turned out to be a police officer and remained unidentified, provided a ride for 43 miles into the desert. Eventually, they reached a toll booth where a truck driver warmly received them. Despite this initial connection, he eventually needed to leave the truck.

Further along, he inquired of the attendant at the roadside booth if it was possible for him to set up his tent nearby and rest for the night. Surprisingly, the booth attendant offered him a spot on the couch inside his office to spend the night instead.

He entered expecting puzzlement from the staff members, yet was warmly received with outstretched arms instead.

I find this nation incredibly reassuring for travel. No matter the location I end up in or how isolated I might feel, I’m always confident I’ll be alright because the locals are so helpful and kind. It’s almost unthinkable.

In the video, the fourth and last meeting turned out to be the most significant. He crossed paths with two individuals whom he spent several days alongside. Remarkably, these men were headed in his direction and graciously agreed to let him join them for a journey of several hundred miles.

One man expressed that visiting China is equivalent to stepping into our home. As gracious hosts, we value the tradition of hospitality and extend this warmth particularly to our foreign guests. When you come to China, it’s customary for us to invite you to a meal. Having met you, we consider you our friend, so please allow us this chance to treat you.

They spent time dining together, had a night out at a bar, enjoyed a game of pool, and unexpectedly embarked on a multi-day road trip across the country. They were kind enough to make a brief stop in Dawu, a town Mike was eager to explore, allowing him to immerse himself in some of the rich Tibetan culture he had traveled so far to encounter.

The majority of individuals he encountered were unfamiliar with foreigners, yet eager to interact with him. In fact, he spent an entire day away from the camera, setting aside his film gear, to simply savor time with the new friends he’d made, before it was time for them to go their separate ways.

Mike intends to travel the entire length of China, followed by hitchhiking across Vietnam during his world travels.

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2025-07-23 01:18