Das ist kein Spaziergang

In the footsteps of the Sultan: a long-distance cultural and historical journey from Vienna to Istanbul

To find his way out of the crisis, Martin Zinggl sets off into the unknown: on foot along the Sultan's Trail. Vienna-Istanbul, eight countries, 2,400 kilometers, countless borders, visible and invisible. With time and curiosity in his luggage, he experiences new stories on old paths. The Balkans welcome him with hospitality and mistrust. Villagers give him shelter, street dogs chase him, refugees in the forest warn him: wrong way, friend! Every day is a battle: with nature, his legs, his thoughts. Every border a test, every encounter a lesson. And at some point, between pain and realization, he is further along than he ever thought he would be. With speed and depth, Zinggl tells of walking, amazement and the unknown

Martin Zinggl, born in Vienna in 1983, travels the world as a reporter, photographer and filmmaker. At the age of 24, the ethnologist conducted research on a remote Pacific island, where he discovered his passion for writing. He visited various crisis areas for "Doctors Without Borders" and reported on them. His award-winning reports have appeared in GEO, Spiegel Online and Al Jazeera. He has published several books, including "Warum nicht Mariazell?" and "Lesereise Nepal". When he is not on the road, the author lives in Vienna.