As he went deep into Africa, he also did what locals do.

"I tried dreadlocks, which needed to be taken care of every two or three days," he says.

When he dropped by a primary school in Kenya, he joined several Chinese living there to raise money to buy food, stationery and toys for the children after hearing some of them were homeless or their parents couldn't afford tuition.

"The principal received our donation in person, expressed gratitude for the good hearts of our Chinese people, and I saw our national flag in his office and felt very proud," Zhu says.

People's good will has been a highlight of his trips.

He met a small hotel owner when he was cycling in Ecuador, South America, in 2016. After he knew the owner had been to China multiple times and was a fan of the Chinese culture and food, Zhu took the initiative to cook him a Chinese dinner.

"He was very happy and, in return, offered me a night of accommodation for free," Zhu says.

The same thing happened when he met an elderly man in Peru.

Together, they treated the man's friends to a homemade Chinese dinner. Zhu also taught the man to cook fish the Chinese way, and love of Chinese cuisine immediately bound them together.

"I was even invited to attend his daughter's engagement banquet afterward," Zhu says.

Yet, it hasn't all been smooth riding.