Is it dangerous to travel in China? Is it forbidden to move freely, take photos and investigate what life is really like? Have international geopolitics and propaganda in our media at home in the Western bloc affected our view of the populous country to the east? British video blogger Mike Okay, 28, is hitchhiking 2,000km across the country to investigate, document and hopefully get answers to his questions.

Mike Okay is embarking on an audacious 2,000km journey across China, with the ambition of challenging conventional wisdom about the country. With a daily target of 500 km, he plans to reach Beijing in just four days – a plan marked by both courage and a sense of adventure. The journey begins with him presenting a small piece of paper, written in Chinese, which clearly explains the purpose of his journey. As he puts it:

– I have this piece of paper in Chinese. It basically says: who I am and what I’m trying to do, and it’s really fucking helpful.

The journey quickly picks up speed as he gets his first ride within the first few minutes. Although the drivers are traveling at high speeds and at some risk, he is met with unexpected hospitality – they happily share eggs and a red Chinese soda, which Mike says may even be illegal in the UK. As he makes his way through the changing itineraries, with drivers altering their route to drop him off closer to Beijing, he is sometimes forced to walk along the side of the highway – a risky but necessary part of the adventure.

Along the way, he encounters everything from mysterious tombs with ancient stone patterns to encounters with the local police. In one incident where he is asked to disembark at a service facility, he is met with unexpected kindness: the police offer him lunch and directions. This unexpected humanity is a recurring theme throughout the journey and contrasts strongly with the otherwise cold and unpredictable landscape.

Spending the night in a wind turbine factory

One night, Mike finds himself in an uncomfortable situation when, after being misdirected, he is forced to spend the night in an abandoned wind turbine factory. Despite the eeriness of the place, he finds a gas station nearby, where he buys beer and snacks to keep his spirits up until morning. As he travels through China’s varied landscapes – from deserts to lush green areas – the language barriers also become apparent. Misunderstandings and misinterpretations marked several encounters with local drivers, where he sometimes had to wait a long time for the next ride or even take a taxi out of the city center.

In one of the most memorable encounters of the trip, he bonds with Mr. Chen, a British-speaking truck driver who soon becomes an unexpected friend. Mike describes how meeting Mr. Chen opens up a new dimension of the trip – one where the helpfulness and genuine friendliness of everyday people takes centre stage. He notes:

– His name is Mr. Chen, which I feel bad about because he said, ‘I’ve been driving with you for ten hours and you don’t even know my name’.

The journey ends with Mr. Chen, after helping him through both linguistic mishaps and unexpected detours, taking him towards Beijing where Mike plans to end the adventure with a train ride into the city. Despite all the challenges – from dangerous highways to feeling isolated – Mike highlights how meeting ordinary people, from customs officers to friendly police officers, revives his faith in humanity.

With a mixture of laughter, frustration and wonder, Mike Okay gives us a unique insight into everyday China – far from the touristy facade and with a humane side rarely seen in the Western bloc’s establishment media.