Feature: British panda enthusiasts to depart on epic trip to panda homeland

Two British panda enthusiasts were awarded travel certificates on Friday in the London Zoo to start their journey to the homeland of the giant panda in southwestern Sichuan Province in China.

Shiran De Silva, a travel junkie, and Vanessa Clements, a TV producer, were selected as the only two panda fans from tens of thousands in Britain to visit Sichuan Province.

De Silva is going to cross the English Channel to join a driving team containing 10 other panda fans from across Europe, experts, as well as a media team to continue the trip.

The event, organized by Sichuan Tourism Administration, began in December 2014 with the recruiting of European panda fans.

In a journey stretching about 20,000 km, the lucky winners will travel through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The group is expected to arrive in Sichuan about two months later.

De Silva, a travel enthusiast who has visited China more than 25 times, said he first saw the giant panda in Wolong, Sichuan in 1994. "When I first saw the panda, I thought we needed to protect this amazing creature," he said.

He said he visited 42 out of the 47 world heritage sites in China. "China is a big country with big potential, full of interesting and beautiful experiences. The country has so much to offer to the people and to the world," said De Silva.

Clements, who will join the event in India later in July, said she visited the pair of pandas in Edinburgh Zoo, but looked forward to traveling to the homeland of the endangered animals in China.

"I've never been to this country before and it's going to be an amazing way to explore this country by driving. The adventure will be a very nice experience," Clements said. Endit