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{{short description|German world traveler}}
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'''Gunther W. Holtorf''' is a ] world traveler who, often in company of his partner Christine, journeyed approximately {{convert|560000|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.spiegel.de/reise/fernweh/gunther-holtorf-deutscher-kehrt-nach-26-jahren-weltreise-zurueck-a-996071.html|title = Ein Mann und sein Geländewagen: 26 Jahre auf Weltreise|date = 8 October 2014|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/522815/Adventurer-25-year-drive-Mercedes-Otto-Gunther-Holtorf|title = Adventurer finishes his intrepid 25-year drive around the globe in 'Otto' the Mercedes|last = Perring|first = Rebecca|date = 24 October 2014|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015}}</ref> across the world in his ] ] named "Otto", visiting 215 countries in 26 years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/newsspec_8703/index.html|title = Gunther, Christine and Otto|last = Mulvey|first = Stephen|date = 9 October 2014|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015}}</ref>
}}


== Travels ==
'''Gunther Holtorf''' is a German who drove 549,000 miles across 177 countries miles in a ] ] named "Otto" from 1988 to 2014. It was planned initially as a two year trip across Africa, but evolved into an objective to see the world. Sleeping in or next to the vehicle, he was accompanied on most of the journey by his fourth wife Christine Holtorf, although she died in 2010. Other companions were his third wife Beate for a trial trip before Christine, and after Christine's death, his adopted son Martin (Christine's son) and then his friend Elke Dreweck, but he also travelled alone.
Holtorf had a lengthy career with ] beginning in 1958,<ref>{{cite web | publisher = ] | title = Gunther Holtorf, Ex-Lufthansa-Manager Abenteurer und Weltreisender | url = http://www.br.de/radio/bayern2/gesellschaft/eins-zu-eins-der-talk/gunther-holtorf-110.html | date = 28 February 2015 | access-date = 25 April 2015}}</ref> and eventually became an overseas representative; he was later a managing director at ].<ref name=ft /> He developed a love of travel while working in Argentina.<ref name=ft>{{Cite news|url = http://www.ft.lk/2010/12/16/gunther-holtorf-tours-sri-lanka-in-1988-mercedes-benz-300-gd/|title = Gunther Holtorf tours Sri Lanka in 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 GD|date = 16 December 2010|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015}}</ref> In 1989, Holtorf left his job to take an on-the-road journey, beginning with the idea of spending 18 months discovering the African countryside in his 1988 G-Wagen.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18910560|title = Gunther Holtorf's 23-year road trip|date = 24 July 2012|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015|archive-date = 22 February 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150222003828/http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18910560|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url = http://www.outsideonline.com/1912491/worlds-greatest-traveler-1988-mercedes-has-been-172-countries|title = The World's Greatest Traveler: A 1988 Mercedes That Has Been to 172 Countries|last = Seminara|first = Dave|date = 7 January 2013|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015}}</ref> He was accompanied on this initial trip by his third wife Beate, and after their divorce embarked on another leg with companion Christine beginning in 1990.<ref name=":0" /> The couple subsequently traveled a few months out of most years, with a hiatus in 2000 and most of 2001, until picking up intensity in 2005 and beginning to travel almost non-stop throughout the year. After Christine developed cancer, her son Martin sometimes took her place as Holtorf's traveling companion, beginning in 2007. After her final trip in May 2009, Christine settled in ], where the couple wed several weeks before her death in June 2010. Holtorf resumed traveling with Martin or with Elke Dreweck until 2014.

For the first five years, Holtorf and his companion traveled through Africa, thereafter shipping the car to South America to continue their journeys there.<ref name=":0" /> Through subsequent years, they traveled upwards through Central America, the United States and Canada before traveling south again and shipping the car to Australia and Asia and through the Caribbean and into other regions of the world. By the end of the voyage, Holtorf had driven through 179 countries in 26 years. In some countries Otto was the first personal car permitted belonging to a foreigner,<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url = http://www.thelocal.de/20141009/77-year-old-returns-from-215-country-world-tour-holtorf-otto-mercedes|title = 215 countries, 26 years and one engine|date = 9 October 2014|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015|agency = Deutsche Presse-Agentur}}</ref> and Holtorf was the first Westerner to drive in ].<ref name=":1" /><ref>. ''Vanilla Magazine''. October 17, 2014.</ref><ref>Browne, David. . '']''. February 11, 2015.</ref>

Holtorf traveled inexpensively, avoiding hotels and sleeping in the car, from which the rear seats were removed, or in hammocks pitched near it, supporting his trips by ].<ref name=":1" /> His map of ], begun before his voyages in 1977 but updated during them, is the first detailed map of the city.<ref name=":3" /> As of 2001, it was 385 pages long.<ref name=Eyerly>{{Cite news|url = http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2001/08/26/gunther-w-holtorf-still-putting-jakarta-map.html|title = Gunther W. Holtorf still putting Jakarta on the map|last = Eyerly|first = David|date = 26 August 2001|work = ]|access-date = 25 April 2015}}</ref> Holtorf has also extensively photographed his voyage.<ref name=":2" /> His car is displayed in the Mercedes ] in ].<ref name=":3" />

==Works==
* 1970 - ''Hong Kong - Welt Der Gegensätze'' published in English as ''Hong Kong - World of Contrasts'' (translator Donna Silberberg)
* 1977 - ''Jakarta-Jabotabek Street Atlas and Names Index'', first published as a folded map and subsequently expanded in many editions such as the 12th edition of 2001, which was a book of 385 pages.<ref name=Eyerly/>

==See also==
* ]

==References==
{{reflist}}


== External links == == External links ==
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{{Persondata

| NAME = Holtorf, Gunther
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = German writer
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holtorf, Gunther}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Holtorf, Gunther}}
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Latest revision as of 02:48, 28 November 2023

German world traveler
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (December 2015)
Gunther Holtorf, 2015

Gunther W. Holtorf is a German world traveler who, often in company of his partner Christine, journeyed approximately 560,000 mi (900,000 km) across the world in his G-Wagen Mercedes-Benz named "Otto", visiting 215 countries in 26 years.

Travels

Holtorf had a lengthy career with Lufthansa beginning in 1958, and eventually became an overseas representative; he was later a managing director at Hapag-Lloyd. He developed a love of travel while working in Argentina. In 1989, Holtorf left his job to take an on-the-road journey, beginning with the idea of spending 18 months discovering the African countryside in his 1988 G-Wagen. He was accompanied on this initial trip by his third wife Beate, and after their divorce embarked on another leg with companion Christine beginning in 1990. The couple subsequently traveled a few months out of most years, with a hiatus in 2000 and most of 2001, until picking up intensity in 2005 and beginning to travel almost non-stop throughout the year. After Christine developed cancer, her son Martin sometimes took her place as Holtorf's traveling companion, beginning in 2007. After her final trip in May 2009, Christine settled in Bavaria, where the couple wed several weeks before her death in June 2010. Holtorf resumed traveling with Martin or with Elke Dreweck until 2014.

For the first five years, Holtorf and his companion traveled through Africa, thereafter shipping the car to South America to continue their journeys there. Through subsequent years, they traveled upwards through Central America, the United States and Canada before traveling south again and shipping the car to Australia and Asia and through the Caribbean and into other regions of the world. By the end of the voyage, Holtorf had driven through 179 countries in 26 years. In some countries Otto was the first personal car permitted belonging to a foreigner, and Holtorf was the first Westerner to drive in North Korea.

Holtorf traveled inexpensively, avoiding hotels and sleeping in the car, from which the rear seats were removed, or in hammocks pitched near it, supporting his trips by map making. His map of Jakarta, begun before his voyages in 1977 but updated during them, is the first detailed map of the city. As of 2001, it was 385 pages long. Holtorf has also extensively photographed his voyage. His car is displayed in the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart.

Works

  • 1970 - Hong Kong - Welt Der Gegensätze published in English as Hong Kong - World of Contrasts (translator Donna Silberberg)
  • 1977 - Jakarta-Jabotabek Street Atlas and Names Index, first published as a folded map and subsequently expanded in many editions such as the 12th edition of 2001, which was a book of 385 pages.

See also

References

  1. "Ein Mann und sein Geländewagen: 26 Jahre auf Weltreise". Der Spiegel. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  2. Perring, Rebecca (24 October 2014). "Adventurer finishes his intrepid 25-year drive around the globe in 'Otto' the Mercedes". Daily Express. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  3. ^ Mulvey, Stephen (9 October 2014). "Gunther, Christine and Otto". BBC News. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. "Gunther Holtorf, Ex-Lufthansa-Manager Abenteurer und Weltreisender". Bayerischer Rundfunk. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Gunther Holtorf tours Sri Lanka in 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 GD". Daily FT. 16 December 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  6. ^ "Gunther Holtorf's 23-year road trip". BBC News Magazine. 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  7. ^ Seminara, Dave (7 January 2013). "The World's Greatest Traveler: A 1988 Mercedes That Has Been to 172 Countries". Outside. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  8. ^ "215 countries, 26 years and one engine". The Local. Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  9. "Coppia tedesca viaggia per 26 anni, 177 paesi e 550 mila miglia con un Mercedes Classe G". Vanilla Magazine. October 17, 2014.
  10. Browne, David. "A Record-Breaking Road Trip Across the World". Men's Journal. February 11, 2015.
  11. ^ Eyerly, David (26 August 2001). "Gunther W. Holtorf still putting Jakarta on the map". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

External links

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