Two young Shenzhen men hiked from the city to Beijing in an eight-month-long journey fraught with danger and obstacles, the Daily Sunshine reported Saturday.

The two men, who identified themselves only as "King" and "Come," quit their jobs and started their cross-country trek last April with "a mission of taking control of their own lives," the Daily quoted "King" as saying.

"King" and "Come," both 27, were classmates in senior high school in Shenzhen. Later "King" worked as an IT engineer while "Come" worked for a public relations company. "King" said he had never backpacked before the trek although he had heard a lot about backpacking. "I have always wanted to get out of the city to have a taste of different life. But I was tied to my work, which took up most of my time, feeling like a work slave. I felt suffocated," said King.

"King" met "Come" early last year at a school alumni reunion, and the two decided to do something memorable to mark the last years of their youth. They finally hit upon the idea of hiking to Beijing.

After quitting their jobs, they worked out a detailed schedule for the trek. "King" wanted to experience customs in different regions and see heritage sites along the way while "Come," a fan of street dancing, hoped to collect material to make a documentary.

They left Shenzhen on April 17, carrying heavy rucksacks. The first three months were the most difficult of their journey.

Lacking in physical training, the two hikers soon realized the enormity of their task. "After the first day walking of 15 kilometers, our feet were full of blisters. It hurt," said "King."

"Come" said his 25-kilogram load felt as heavy as a mountain on the second day. "My whole body ached."

But neither man wanted to give up. "We encouraged each other to carry on," King said. The two men began to adjust the tempo of their walking to reduce energy consumption.

They reached Jiangxi Province after three months, and the two men began to enjoy their journey. As they were carrying a limited amount of cash, the two stayed in budget hotels throughout the journey. "We've met many nice people on our way, who offered us discounted accommodation and sometimes a big meal to show their respect and admiration to our mission.

They arrived in Beijing on Dec. 16 after eigth months of walking. "I lost 15 kilograms in eight months, but I neer felt so energenic," said "King."

"Come" said he videotaped street dances along the journey. "It's amazing to see such diverse styles of street dances in different places," said Come, who is now sorting out the material and trying to make a short documentary.

Editor: Yan