66-year-old grandma, who cycled solo across 12 nations, now aims for the world | Trending

At 66, Li Dongju from Zhengzhou, China, has embarked on an extraordinary journey—cycling solo across multiple countries and continents. Having already pedalled through 12 nations, including Cambodia, France, and Australia, she has set her sights on reaching a total of 100. She funded her travels working as a house cleaner for a year.(Pexel) “My goal is to visit at least 100 countries,” she told CNN Travel. “Travel is like a drug. Once you taste it, you just can’t stop.” Despite her adventurous spirit, Dongju faces significant challenges. She only speaks Mandarin and relies on translation apps to communicate. Travelling on a limited budget, she often camps in parks, gas stations, and even cemeteries, or stays with strangers who offer her shelter. Her passion for cycling began in 2013 after her divorce led to depression. Feeling lost, she was inspired when she saw a group of cycls riding past her. “Before cycling, I was heavily dependent on others … and felt like a frog in a well,” she said. “Now, I’m a wild wolf—free, fearless, and independent.” Well equippedDetermined to take up the sport, she bought a helmet, while her son gifted her a folding mountain bike. Her first major plan was to cycle to Tibet, but at the time, she only had 170 yuan ( ₹1,960) to her name. Since being laid off from her textile factory job in 2002, she has survived on a monthly pension of 3,000 yuan ( ₹34,500). To fund her travels, she worked as a house cleaner for a year, saving enough money to begin her journey through Southeast Asia with two experienced cycls she met online. Also read: Man walks out with ₹1.66 lakh after bank employee makenly hands over wrong currency notes However, a week into the trip, she lost track of her companions in Vietnam. Fortunately, she found a local cycl who spoke Mandarin and helped her return home safely. Instead of giving up, she planned another cycling adventure, this time riding through 20 cities in China with her poodle, Xili, who passed away in 2023. To sustain her travels, Dongju took on cleaning jobs at spas and hotels along the way. In 2016, she returned to Southeast Asia with two elderly cycling friends. After three weeks, they returned home, but she continued the 70-day solo journey through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Her passion for cycling has taken her across six European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. However, her trip to New Zealand was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, she is preparing for her next adventure, meticulously researching a cycling route from Kazakhstan to the United Arab Emirates. Also read: 35-year-old professor with ₹1.16 crore income ls strict criteria for girlfriend: ‘Slim, born after 2000’