"Traveling Abroad Without a Cent?"... Romantic Hitchhiking vs. Nuisance Journeys Stir Debate

Begging Locals for Food and Shelter
Concerns Over Exposure to Crime and Accidents
NYT: "Entrusting One's Life to the Kindness of Strangers"

"From today, I'll show you how far I can get in a month without spending a single cent."

A scene where the police respond to a resident's report and restrain a man participating in the 'Muilpun Travel' challenge. TikTok capture @user88532941213512

A penniless journey that began boldly with just a single backpack. A young British male influencer waves to speeding cars on the highway, hoping to hitch a ride.

However, all the cars passed by without slowing down. Changing strategies, the man headed to a VIP-only private airport for personal and charter jets. Less than 30 minutes after attempting to beg at the entrance, the police arrived in response to a report and warned, "If you continue to block private property and beg, you could be arrested."

Recently, with the surge of the so-called 'No Money Challenge' trending among young people in the English-speaking world—centered on social networking services (SNS) like TikTok—debates have ignited regarding its morality and safety.

According to Australian travel media outlet 'Escape' on August 21 (local time), this trend appears to be a resurgence of the 'begpacker' phenomenon (beg + backpacker), which provoked public outrage in Southeast Asia in 2018 when travelers funded their trips by begging on the streets.

At that time, Western backpackers continued their travels by begging or selling trinkets such as beads in countries with lower economic standards than their own, earning sharp criticism. Content about penniless journeys, which seemed to have disappeared for a while, is now spreading again, fueled by the rise of short-form platforms.

A TikTok user who succeeded in hitchhiking during a penniless trip is taking a photo with the driver after arriving at the destination. TikTok capture @JManGo

SNS users shared firsthand accounts by posting about the 'No Money Travel Challenge'. In June, a man in his 20s called 'JManGo' uploaded a TikTok video documenting his challenge as he traveled through seven towns in New Zealand. While hitchhiking, he finally met a woman driver named Jasmine who offered him a ride. Although he asked her to drop him off anywhere along the way, she kindly drove him all the way to his intended destination, creating a heartwarming moment.

The video was filled with supportive comments from local residents, such as "I work at a local bakery; come by and I'll treat you to some simple food," "Don't stop by the bus terminal because it's dangerous," and "If you come to the same place tomorrow, can we take a picture together?"

A TikTok video titled 'Traveling All Continents with No Money Day 2'. Two men fail the challenge and are using a bus. TikTok capture @Reuben Schmitz

On the other hand, some penniless travel attempts ended in failure. Reuben Schmitz, a man in his 20s, and his friend knelt in the street on their second day of travel, pleading for someone to give them a ride, but were ignored. When night came and they still couldn't hitchhike, they opted to use public transportation for safety reasons, admitting that they had "failed the challenge."

Local residents are expressing growing dissatisfaction with the trend. Recently, a resident of Switzerland voiced displeasure in the online community Reddit, writing, "I live in a village near the Mont Blanc trail that connects France, Italy, and Switzerland. Recently, two young people came all the way to my garden and asked if I could spare some food while on a no-money challenge." The resident continued, "If you don't have money, you shouldn't travel. Why should you take food that could go to people who truly need help?"

Critics argue that, even during travel, it is perfectly possible to earn trip money through legitimate work, such as working part-time on a cruise ship, and that freeloading on the goodwill of others is irresponsible. On the other hand, some defend the trend, saying, "It's simply a way for young people without much money to get out and experience the world for themselves."

The New York Times commented, "Entrusting your life to the kindness or luck of strangers abroad without carrying even minimal emergency money exposes you to crimes and safety hazards," adding, "The excuse of searching for oneself through travel cannot justify causing harm to others."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.