Father, daughter drive 30,000 km to attend college

Instead of just seeing off his college-bound daughter at an East China airport, Huang Haitao decided to turn it into a road trip – a 30,000-kilometer road trip.

Huang and his daughter, Yixin, made the epic 108-day journey from their home in Nanjing to Seattle University in Washington, US by driving across the Asian continent.

The pair drove through more than 25 countries – from China to the UK – before crossing the Atlantic by air and resuming their road trip in North America, Yangtze Evening News reported Saturday.

Arriving at the campus on Monday, September 11, Huang declined the college’s offer to throw a welcome party after hearing about their intercontinental voyage.

“Xinyi came to the university to study,” said Huang, “It was just a great life experience for both of us.”

Huang said the trip turned out to be an invaluable part of his daughter’s and his own education.

“She began to realize the importance of continuing to learn,” said Huang. “I saw the road trip as a vivid life lesson where the world is no longer in books. It takes a shape of its own.”

Huang said he had the idea back to 2013 after he promised Xinyi a road trip if she got accepted by a US college.

The logistics, however, proved difficult. Much of the driving was done through Russia, which took more than 20 days alone, Huang explained.

“We got all our documents and plans in order two days before we left,” Huang said.