Forget coach tours and flag-toting guides: For a new generation of Chinese, DIY road trips and immersive adventures are the new way to travel. On The Road, a long-running reality series on Youku.com, centers around the world travels of Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong, a wealthy young couple who have taken this trend to extremes.
Zhang, an ex-soldier and street food vendor, had been inspired to re-evaluate his life after volunteering in relief efforts during the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake. After four years of preparation, Zhang and Liang undertook a 231-day voyage by sailboat from Shanghai to Antarctica, passing through a dozen countries, exploring danger zones, encountering pirates and polar bears on the way—and even ISIS. After becoming the first Chinese couple to marry at the South Pole, they took a 16-country road trip through Central Asia and the Middle East.
In this latest episode of TWOC TV, we invite hosts Zhang and Liang, along with the director of CCTV’s iPanda.com, Yi Wei, to share the wonders found On The Road—the meals, the sights, the people, and places—and discuss the show’s transformation over the last decade.
TWOC TV EP. 14 – Part 1
TWOC TV EP. 14 – Part 2
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