Dear Mr. Orth, what have you been busy with lately?
Currently, I'm working on a photobook about Iran with two photographers - it will be published by "National Geographic" in October.
“Couchsurfing in Iran”, “Couchsurfing in Russia” – are you planning an even more extensive series? Can you give us some more background about the idea behind these books?
The idea is to give the readers an impression of countries that is different from what you normally get in news outlets. I don't focus on politicians, scientists, celebrities, but on regular people and their stories. Often, their stories are much more interesting than the stories about the "elite" of a society. And yes, there will be a third book in this series. I haven't decided where I'll go next, but it will not be France or Italy, that's for sure.
You have co-authored another series of books containing funny and unexpected travel anecdotes. Do you have a favourite anecdote from this series or from your own travels?
One of my favourite anecdotes is about a flight attendant who looks out of the plane window and screams: "Oh my god, THE WING!" And then goes on: "Sorry, just kidding, I always wanted to do this. We'll start serving the drinks now." The episode is from my book "Sorry, we just missed the runway", a collection of plane travel stories.
What are, in your opinion, the ingredients of a great travel story?
I like travel narratives that don't just deal with the touristic aspects of a country. The best stories contain also some political and social issues, facts about everyday life, surprises that don't fit into the known clichés. If the writer really tries to understand how a country works, has amazing observation skills and a good sense of humor (also about his or her own shortcomings), then there is a great chance it will be a good read.
Do you read travel guides – online or offline? And what do you think will the travel guide book of the future look like?
I'm old-fashioned when it comes to travel guides: I always have one paperback guide with me, because I like mark interesting facts and add some notes. Apps I use are maps.de, a translation programm and a currency converter. I think the future of guide books will be a digital combination of apps like these mixed with "traditional" information, with interactive tools to get tips from other travelers and a possibility to connect with them.
Since last year you are a full time author – was that a hard decision to make and how is your life different now?
It definitely wasn't an easy decision, I had a wonderful job as travel editor for the website of "Der Spiegel", one of the best employers for journalists in Germany. But after the success of my book "Couchsurfing in Iran", I felt this was the right moment to quit. On the morning after my last day in the office, I boarded a plane to Russia to start researching my next book. My life is different in many ways now: I work more than before, but I also enjoy it more because I follow my passion to travel and find interesting stories around the world. One important part of my business model are also book presentations and reading events. This year, I'll do around 50 presentations - most of them in Germany, but also in France, Spain, the Netherlands and China.
Can you tell us some more about your previous travel(s) in China?
On my first visit, I worked for one month with the foreign correspondet of "Der Spiegel" in Beijing, which was an extremely interesting time because I learned so much about China in such a short time. Afterwards, I traveled to Yunnan province to see some of the famous villages there and explore the amazing nature around Lugu lake. The most interesting part of my second visit was a train trip across China: from Shanghai in the east to Kashgar in the west. It was a great experience because it gave me an impression of the diversity that stilll exists within China.
What do you expect from your participation in the StoryDrive conference and your short stay in Beijing and Shanghai this time?
I'm really looking forward to the StoryDrive conference and hope for many interesting conversations with other presenters and people from the audience. Since individual travel is becoming more and more popular among chinese travelers, I hope to inspire some people to also leave their comfort zone and start exploring other countries off the beaten track as well. I'm happy to get this chance to visit Beijing and Shanghai again. My plan is to visit some friends - and try to eat as as possible. The fantastic food is always a highlight of any China trip.
Stephan Orthwill be speaking at the StoryDrive conference in Beijing (31 May - 1 June 2017).
