Zheng does bungee jumping in Kathmandu, Nepal. [Photo provided to China Daily]

And when she was in Lijiang, customers would sit in the yard of her cafe and have breakfast, while listening to music.

"You can lead a life of leisure, and enjoy the slow pace in both cities," she says comparing Lhasa and Lijiang.

Zheng is an experienced backpacker and often stays 15 to 30 days in one place.

Once in Nepal, she and other Chinese travelers sang Chinese songs in the streets, attracting other Chinese tourists nearby. All of them then sang the Chinese national anthem together. Also, some foreigners followed them and started to sing songs of their own countries, she says.

In 2013, she hitchhiked to Lhasa.

"I was touched by the mutual trust among strangers and all the help I received. It's difficult to have this kind of trust in big cities, where you tend to be cautious about others."

But hitchhiking in the area was tough and tiring.

"You had to live rough in the wild. You may not be able to get a free ride or a meal for hours. Also, there was too much sun during the day and sometimes I had to camp in heavy rain," she says.

Her tip to youngsters: save money first and then decide on a destination. What matters most is enjoying the trip.

Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn