Russian Forrest Gump - a journey on foot from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok

A traveler from St. Petersburg, Sergei Shcheulin, left his native city 1.5 years ago and during this time covered the distance to the Jewish Autonomous Region. He plans to go to Vladivostok and spend some time there. He also plans to go to Sakhalin and further to Kamchatka. Sergei is in no hurry to return to his hometown.

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Sergey Shcheulin is 24 years old. Born and raised in St. Petersburg. After school he tried to get a job. However, according to him, employment in the Northern capital is problematic. He managed to get a job only as a poster of announcements, where he did not stay for a long time - he was drawn to the road.

“Actually, I have been doing this for five years. At first he walked, so to speak, for short distances. Walked around St. Petersburg. The city is big. By the way, I didn't completely bypass it. Then he went to the Crimea. I have been to Sochi several times. Then it moved on to longer distances. So I decided to go to Vladivostok, ”says Sergey.

According to him, he does not pursue any goal. He just wants to look at Vladivostok, get to know the people.

“I have no relatives in Vladivostok. I decided to go to this city out of pure curiosity. A year and a half ago I decided - why not walk to Vladivostok - and went. I plan to stay there for a while, meet people, see the sights,” says the traveler.

During the journey, Sergei visited such cities as Omsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk. To earn a living, periodically gets a job as a handyman or watchman.

“Sometimes, I’ll get a job somewhere at a construction site or as a handyman. Recently passed through the Amur region. There, for some time in Zavitinsk, he lived at the church. I liked it very much. But I decided to go further. In general, I don’t stay anywhere for a long time, ”said Sergey.

According to him, during the journey he was rarely noticed. Only in the JAR did many sympathetic people appear.

“People didn’t really respond to me. They were treated like an ordinary person. Very rarely someone saw me as a traveler and shared food or money. Compassionate citizens appeared only here, in the Jewish Autonomous Region. Now drivers often stop on the highway. They offer a ride. I refuse. I like to just go. Usually, after talking, the drivers share food with me, give me money. Yes, and residents of various settlements now often come up, ask where I'm going and from where. As a result, they also give some food, money, clothes, ”said Sergey.

The traveler spends the night wherever he wants: near the highway, under the bridge, and sometimes at the police station.

“Most often, of course, you have to spend the night near the road or under a bridge somewhere. A couple of times I spent the night in the entrances, but I prefer not to do this, since I myself have a negative attitude towards homelessness. Sometimes there are kind people who will let you into the house. Sometimes I get a job to wait out especially severe frosts. Sometimes you have to spend the night at the police station. By the way, law enforcement officers usually quickly find out my identity. I give the phone number of relatives. The police call them up, and all issues are resolved. But the police offer to wait out the night in the department, as it is very cold at night in winter. Of course, I agree, ”says Sergey.

As the traveler says, at first his relatives did not welcome his decision to travel, and the first few times in his absence they turned to the police with a statement about the search. But later they got used to it and do not feel much anxiety for him.

“Mom doesn’t have much time to miss me - we have a large family and she is now raising her youngest son. My father died at the end of January. My grandfather told me about this when I was once again detained by the police. By the way, he was a scientist - a professor of physical and mathematical sciences, ”Sergey shared.

Sergey plans to spend some time in Vladivostok and then go to Sakhalin. The traveler also wants to visit Kamchatka. Then decide on the next route. He has no plans to return to his native land.