On February 10, reporters confirmed that the journey has long been completed, and Mr. Luo has returned to his home in Haikou, Hainan.
From Tropical Island to Winter Wonderland
The story began on January 28 when the popular Douyin account ๆญชๆไป็ ็ฉถๅไผ (YChina) — with over 8 million followers — uploaded the first of several episodes:
"Episode 1: Taking a taxi from Hainan straight to Harbin — Any driver brave enough to accept?"
"Episode 2: Took a cab from Hainan to Harbin — Did the Hainanese freeze the moment they reached the mainland?"
"Episode 3: Realized a driver's 39-year-long dream by taxiing from Hainan to Harbin?"
"Episode 4: Our driver cried — Taxi from Hainan to Harbin ends in tears?"
The cinematic, documentary-style video series drew massive attention. Netizens were especially drawn to the personalities of the two foreigners: one of them is none other than Raz Galor — affectionately known to Chinese fans as "Lao Gao" — a familiar face online and founder of YChina. Born in Israel in 1994, Yosha is a graduate of Peking University's School of International Studies and has been widely covered by state and national media.
His travel partner in the taxi was Xiao Weihong, a French national. The duo initially struggled to find a driver willing to accept such an ambitious journey via ride-hailing apps. After several rejections, they finally connected with Mr. Luo — a taxi driver from Hainan — who boldly accepted the offer.
A Journey of "Firsts" for Mr. Luo
The group started their journey from Haikou, took the ferry across the Qiongzhou Strait to Xuwen Port in Guangdong, then drove north. Along the way, they visited Guilin and Yangshuo to enjoy the stunning karst landscapes. After experiencing car troubles in Guilin, they rented a new vehicle and resumed their route, stopping in Yueyang (Hunan), Kaifeng (Henan), Beijing, and Shenyang (Liaoning), before finally arriving at the Ice and Snow World in Harbin, Heilongjiang.
Before departure, the foreigners prepaid Mr. Luo 15,000 yuan and promised to cover all travel expenses along the way.
The videos captured many touching moments with Mr. Luo, who had not finished middle school and rarely traveled far from home. He emotionally shared that this journey gave him a string of "firsts":
"My first time seeing Guilin's scenery,"
"My first time seeing the Yangtze River,"
"My first time eating Changsha's stinky tofu,"
"My first time visiting Beijing,"
"My first time seeing Tiananmen in person,"
"My first time seeing snow."
He frequently called his family during the trip to share his joy and amazement.
Back Home with Memories of a Lifetime
According to screenshots from Mr. Luo's WeChat posts, the group departed Hainan on January 19 and arrived in Harbin on January 23. Luo updated his feed multiple times daily, chronicling each stop. On January 24, as he prepared to return home, he posted a heartfelt thank-you message to his two foreign friends, saying: "They gave me so many firsts in life. They made my life incredible."
On the evening of February 9, Mr. Luo appeared in a livestream, beaming as he told viewers he was safely back in Hainan. He explained that he flew from Harbin to Guilin and then drove back home.
A representative from the production team confirmed to reporters that the trip had concluded, and both travelers are now in Milan, Italy.
This modern odyssey — a blend of unlikely friendship, scenic discovery, and heartfelt moments — continues to resonate with millions online.