The dark gray Toyota Fortuner is parked at a highland viewpoint. The tail has a "Route 318 Must-Go" sticker. The license plate is Malaysian, PMX 1191.
A white pickup truck is parked behind it. In the distance are endless grasslands and rolling mountains. The sky is overcast, as if it's about to rain.
This is Ah Wei's convoy. They just finished a section of Route 318 and stopped at the viewpoint to rest and take in the scenery.
A buddy in a white jacket stands at the viewpoint railing, taking photos of the distance. The wind blows his jacket billowing.
"This place is really high. It feels like the clouds are under our feet," Ah Wei walks over and stands next to him.
"Yeah, over 4,000 meters. But the scenery is really something," the buddy nods, pointing at the grasslands in the distance. "Look at that grassland, how beautiful it is."
Ah Wei follows where he's pointing—the green grassland stretches all the way to the horizon. The distant mountains are half-hidden by clouds, vague and indistinct, like a fairyland.
He's driven all the way from Malaysia, through so many places, but still thinks the scenery here is the most stunning.
"Let's go," Ah Wei claps him on the shoulder. "Better scenery waits for us ahead."
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Route 318 is called "China's Scenic Avenue." It runs from Shanghai to Zhangmu in Tibet, totaling over 5,000 kilometers. You drive all the way from the East China Sea coast to the roof of the world. The scenery changes dramatically along the way, making it a holy land in the hearts of many road trippers.
"I've wanted to drive Route 318 since high school," Ah Wei says. "Today I finally made it. Although it's tiring, it's worth it."
Indeed, some dreams are worth traveling thousands of kilometers to fulfill. Driving your own car on China's most beautiful highway—that's probably an experience many people will never forget their whole lives.