AROUND THE WORLD AND HOME AGAIN

Of all the suffering Guo endured during his solo 138-day voyage, incessant homesickness was the most intense.

"Drifting alone in the ocean can make the toughest guy fragile," Guo says, frankly describing his vulnerability. "I cried countless times, sometimes because of missing my family, and sometimes just because a bird flying in the sky made me feel like I wasn't alone."

Although he could talk to his family almost every day via satellite phone calls, his homesickness grew day by day. He filled the cabin with pictures of his younger son to encourage himself to brave all the difficulties he would encounter on his way home.

"My wife and my sons were the strongest driving force during my solo sailing on the ocean," Guo says through a lump rising in his throat. "She is really a great woman for her understanding, support and taking care of the whole family."

Xiao Li runs a company on her own and is always there for her husband. "He is a simple but great man. He doesn't spend much time at home, but his heart has never left."

On May 13, just over one month after finishing his around-the-world voyage, Guo went to France to prepare for an international sailing race next year, though he has not yet decided which race he will participate in.

"I still expect new challenges in my life," Guo says over the phone. "I'm looking for the next voyage."

"Challenging the ocean is not my dream," he explains. "The ocean is just the stage for me to challenge myself and to fulfill my dream of living a meaningful life."