Balancing travel business and family

Traveling around the world is a dream for many people but only a few get the chance to turn that dream into reality.

A 53 year old man from China has gone viral online after spending 33 years traveling around the world visiting 233 countries and regions during his remarkable journey.

According to a report Chen Jinwei, from Zhejiang province recently completed his long journey and returned to his hometown of Zhuji.

Journey began in 1993

Chen, who owns a machinery company, started his world travels in 1993 with trips to Singapore Malaysia and Thailand.

At that time the internet was not widely available so Chen wanted to see the world with his own eyes and learn about different places and cultures.

Despite spending decades traveling he did not abandon his business or family responsibilities. Instead he created a routine that allowed him to manage both his work and his passion for travel.

He would often return to China stay for about a month and then leave again for another international trip.

Difficult journeys and unexpected Challenges

Over the years, Chen visited many challenging destinations, including remote areas near the poles.

His first attempt to reach Antarctica in November 2015 failed after his ship broke down during the journey. However he did not give up. He finally reached Antarctica in January 2016.

He also faced difficulties while trying to visit Tokelau a small island territory in the Pacific. His first attempt failed but he returned about a year and a half later and successfully reached the island.

During his travels in Africa, Chen suffered from malaria. He also experienced an earthquake in Greece. Such unexpected situations taught him how to deal with difficult circumstances while traveling.

More than just visiting places

For Chen traveling was not simply about taking pictures or visiting famous tourist attractions.

He said he tried to spend as much time as possible in each place and interact with local people to better understand their culture and way of life.

During his journey Chen also collected currencies from 198 countries.  He later donated the collection to a charity.

Spent more than $1.5 million

Chen reportedly spent around $1.5 million more than Rs410 million during his 33 year journey around the world.

Now that his incredible journey has come to an end Chen plans to spend more time with his children and parents.

His story shows how a lifelong passion combined with patience and careful planning can turn a dream of seeing the world into reality.