First things first: walking costs money.

I don’t particularly enjoy talking about this issue, so I will try to finish it up in the first post – and then go on to some other more interesting subjects:

So how did you get your funding?

- I got a small heritage which was just enough to sustain myself during the period of walking. Given this opportunity, I chose to stay away from any kind of sponsorship, mainly because this meant greater personal freedom.

Any other way to get money?

- When I was employed at Frankfurt’s “Haus der Jugend” International Youth Hostel in 2002, I met quite a few backpackers who were traveling and working at the same time. Or rather they would be floating around, spend some of their money on the way, and then try to earn it back by doing bar jobs and the likes in one of their travel destinations. …Another way to get money would be getting a sponsorship of course.

How much money do you need for a trip like this?

- Unfortunately, you are always going to need more than you thought. Long-term visa can cost a shitload of money, and then there are flight tickets, insurance, vaccinations and equipment. This can easily amount to a couple of thousand euros – and that’s before you’ve even walked one single step!

Then how much do you need on an average day?

- This obviously depends on your personal habits and the environment you are in. If you can speak the language and get yourself familiar with the local culture, then you should be able to get much better deals on just about anything.

Well…?

Okay, here is a complete list of my expenses on hotels and food in euros:

What do you get for this kind of money?

- In the big cities like Xi’an or Ürümqi, I need about 5 to 7 euros a day for food, and I will try to find a three or four star hotel for 15 to 25 euros. This means internet, a hot shower, and a large TV. There will be extra expenses if I’m going to ask the hotel staff to take care of my laundry, if I want to mail something home (manners or bust), or if I feel the urge to do some sightseeing or something like that. Life in the countryside is much cheaper: I spend 3 euros on food, and maybe another 2 euros on a single room in a guesthouse. There are small hotels all over the place. Their service is very basic though – you definitely won’t be able to take a shower.

Can you manage to survive on less?

- Yes, but don’t be too hard on yourself. The road can be pretty mean as it is.

How do you handle money?

- I keep two credit cards in different pockets for safety reasons, though I hardly ever make use of them, except maybe in some four star hotels. I usually try to carry about 500 euros in Renminbi. There is a proper ATM that takes international Maestro or credit cards in virtually any large city (pop. >300.000) all over China.

Is it safe to walk around China with this kind of money in your pocket?

- Yes, I think so.

Soundtrack: Timbaland & Magoo – “Don’t Make Me Take It There”