Couchsurfing in China

Couchsurfing in China
Author: Stephan Orth
Publisher: Black Inc.
Total Pages: 239
Release: 2020-04-28
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1743821344

China can be a challenging travel destination, with its strict visa conditions, the language barrier and internet censorship. Couchsurfer Stephan Orth chooses a different path than most and gains an insider view of the nation, directly from the living rooms of locals. He talks to them about their dreams and fears, and about where this huge country is heading. Concrete facades sometimes conceal great surprises, and Orth is on a mission to discover the real China. In Couchsurfing in China, the award-winning travel journalist spends three months exploring the Middle Kingdom: from the gamblers’ paradise of Macau, to the mountainous region of Yunnan Province, to the city of Dandong on the North Korean border. Orth visits high-tech megacities and remote villages, meeting artists critical of the regime and ethnic minorities forced into re-education camps. Utterly out of place, he finds himself censored as a guest on live TV and almost joins an outlawed sect. On his travels, Orth uncovers the complicated realities of life in a country that encompasses a bewildering mixture of old and new, natural and artificial, beautiful and chaotic – a place poised to become the future number-one world power. The result is an intriguing travelogue full of insight, humour and revelation.

Couchsurfing in Iran

Couchsurfing in Iran
Author: Stephan Orth
Publisher: Greystone Books Ltd
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2018-05-01
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1771642815

Included in the 2018 summer reading list by New York Times Books A modern-day glimpse into the surprising reality of life in Iran. Iran: A destination that is seldom seen by westerners yet often misunderstood. A country that simultaneously “enchants and enrages” those who visit it. A place where leading a double life has become the norm. In Couchsurfing in Iran, award-winning author Stephan Orth spends sixty-two days on the road in this mysterious Islamic republic to provide a revealing, behind-the-scenes look at life in one of the world’s most closed societies. Through the unsurpassed hospitality of twenty-two hosts, he skips the guidebooks and tourist attractions and travels from Persian carpet to bed to cot, covering more than 8,400 kilometers to recount “this world’s hidden doings.” Experiencing daily what he calls the “two Irans” that coexist side by side—the “theocracy, where people mourn their martyrs” in mausoleums, and the “hide-and-seek-ocracy, where people hold secret parties and seek worldly thrills instead of spiritual bliss”—he learns that Iranians have become experts in navigating around their country’s strict laws. Though couchsurfing is officially prohibited in Iran—the state fears spies would be able to travel undetected through the country—more than a hundred thousand Iranians are registered with online couchsurfing portals. And thanks to these hospitable, English-speaking strangers, Orth gets up close and personal with locals, peering behind closed doors and blank windows to uncover the inner workings of a country where public show and private reality are strikingly opposed.

High Tech and Hot Pot

High Tech and Hot Pot
Author: Stephan Orth
Publisher: Greystone Books Ltd
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2020-08-18
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1771645644

An award-winning writer reveals a changing China—one conversation and adventure at a time. When Stephan Orth lands in China, he knows it’s his last visit, having lied about his job as a journalist to get into the country. So, he makes the most of it, couch-surfing with locals instead of hitting the nearest hotel. Starting in Macau—a former Portuguese colony and now gambler’s paradise—Orth takes on the world’s biggest casino. Next, he visits Shenzen, where more than 200 million sidewalk cameras monitor citizens who win and lose points on Sesame Credit, an app that sends data to Alibaba—and to the government. As his adventure continues, Orth encounters a bewildering mix of new tech and old traditions. Over a steaming bowl of hot pot, he learns ancient chopstick etiquette from a policewoman who later demos the facial recognition app she could use to detain him. He eats dog meat as a guest of honor one day—and finds himself censored on live TV the next. He even seriously considers joining an outlawed sect. Self-deprecatingly funny, compassionate, and observant, High Tech and Hot Pot is a formidable addition to a well-loved series, and offers a timely travelogue of an enigmatic country poised to become the world’s next superpower.

A Hore in China

A Hore in China
Author: Jeanie Hore
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2013-02-05
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1479744247

In 2003 I was given the opportunity to go to China to teach English. I had a contract for one year. I realized that life in China was more interesting than anything I had experienced before so I stayed. This book contains many antidotes and stories about what happened to me, around me and in China generally. This is a first-hand view of everyday life in China.

Couchsurfing in Russia

Couchsurfing in Russia
Author: Stephan Orth
Publisher: Black Incorporated
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2019-05-07
Genre: Russia (Federation)
ISBN: 9781760640231

'In the late summer of 2016,' writes award-winning travel writer Stephan Orth, 'a journey to Russia feels like visiting enemy territory.' In this humorous and thought-provoking book, Orth ventures through that vast and mysterious land to uncover the real, unfiltered Russia not seen in today's headlines- authentic, bizarre, dangerous, and beautiful. Sidestepping the well-trod tourist path by staying with an eclectic array of hosts, he bumps into gun nuts, internet conspiracy theorists, faux shamans, and Putin fans; learns to drive in death-defying Russian style; and discovers how to cure hangovers by sniffing rye bread. But he also sees a darker side of the country, witnessing firsthand the effects of Putin's influence in the run-up to the American election and the power of propaganda in this 'post-fact' era. Weaving everything together with thoughtfulness and warmth, Orth follows the bestselling Couchsurfing in Iranwith another complex, funny, and personal travelogue - a colourful portrait of a fascinating and misunderstood country.

Jamaican in China

Jamaican in China
Author: Walt F.J. Goodridge
Publisher: a company called W
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2021-06-09
Genre: Travel
ISBN:

Follow my amazing six-month nomad adventure through Beijing, Kunming, Xishuangbanna and Hainan in the People’s Republic of China, along with stints in Singapore and Laos! See Asia like you’ve never seen it before–through the eyes and experiences of a nomadic, minimalist vegan Jamaican vagabond (that would be me!) With tons more never-before-published stories, bloopers, and photographs of my nomadpreneur life in China! (340 pages; 7" x 10"; ISBN: 978-1478326892) Read more at : https://www.waltgoodridge.com/books/

My Couch is Your Couch

My Couch is Your Couch
Author: Gabriele Galimberti
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2015-09-01
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 0804185581

Tour the world from inside other people’s homes Documentarian and photographer Gabriele Galimberti traveled the world for more than two years. He stayed only with members of the diverse, multicultural Couchsurfing.com community, the social network website that connects travelers with hosts across the globe. The stunning photography collection in My Couch Is Your Couch reveals the wide range of spaces we can call “home.” Sleeping everywhere, from a castle-like estate in Germany surrounded by a moat to a hut in Fiji made of metal sheeting, from the recording studio and flat of an indie band in London to a cube-shaped cement home in rural Morocco adorned only with Berber carpets, Gabriele saw the world and its cultures from the inside. Across six continents, he photographed his hosts at home, at work, and at play, and in doing so, captured the essence of each person and place. My Couch Is Your Couch is about sharing and learning; it presents moments of awkwardness and discomfort, friendship, and sometimes even love. Ultimately, Gabriele reveals what’s at the center of travel: connecting with other people.

Behind Putin's Curtain

Behind Putin's Curtain
Author: Stephan Orth
Publisher: Greystone Books Ltd
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2019-05-07
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1771643684

"Journalist Orth delivers a jaunty description of his travels...[that] armchair travelers will enjoy." —Publishers Weekly “Funny, insightful, and mind-bendingly entertaining. Stephan Orth is a fearless and fabulous tour guide to the real Russia and its people." —Lisa Dickey, author of Bears in the Streets: Three Journeys across a Changing Russia

The Future of Airbnb and the ‘Sharing Economy’

The Future of Airbnb and the ‘Sharing Economy’
Author: Jeroen A. Oskam
Publisher: Channel View Publications
Total Pages: 250
Release: 2019-04-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1845416759

This book deconstructs the ‘sharing’ marketing narratives surrounding Airbnb and similar platforms. It provides a conceptual analysis of the ‘sharing economy’ and accommodation sector and furthers the ongoing discussion surrounding Airbnb and the social sustainability of city tourism. The volume analyses the touristification of neighbourhoods in the context of broader economic and ideological shifts, thus bridging the gap between academic and social debate. It presents four different city scenarios of potential future developments and evaluates the effects of different regulatory responses, giving readers an understanding of the forces and factors at work and envisioning the ultimate consequences of current developments. The book will appeal to students and researchers in tourism and hospitality studies, futures studies and urban planning, as well as to policymakers and strategists in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Dame Traveler

Dame Traveler
Author: Nastasia Yakoub
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2020-03-03
Genre: Photography
ISBN: 1984857916

A breathtaking celebration of Instagram's premier solo female travel community, featuring 200 striking photographs—most of them all-new—plus empowering messages and practical tips for solo travelers. “For those with passports full of stories, this book carries you away to every dreamy corner of the earth. I can’t stop flipping through these visually incandescent pages to see where I’m capable of traveling to next!”—Caila Quinn, The Bachelor contestant and lifestyle and travel influencer From backpackers in Peru to artists in Berlin to storytellers in Morocco, Dame Traveler celebrates the diversity and bravery of women from around the world who are not afraid to think (and live) outside the box. The revolutionary Dame Traveler Instagram account was founded by Nastasia Yakoub, who was born into a strict Chaldean-Middle Eastern community where women are expected to marry young and put aside other personal ambitions. But at the age of twenty, Nastasia embarked on a solo trip to South Africa to volunteer at an orphanage in Cape Town, which sparked a love of world travel. Recognizing a void in the travel industry, she founded Dame Traveler, the first female travel community on Instagram, now more than half a million strong. Nastasia herself has traveled to sixty-three countries on solo adventures, sharing colorful photos of her tantalizing travels along the way. Dame Traveler celebrates these women with a photographic collection of 200 stunning images paired with inspiring captions, 80% of which have never been seen on the Instagram account. Organized into sections on architecture, culture, nature, and water, each entry features travel information, plus tips, advice, unique solo-travel experiences, and wisdom from contributing globe-trotters to embolden the next generation of Dame Travelers.