Vagabonding

By: Rolf Potts

Narrated by: Rolf Potts

Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's Summary

Vagabonding is about taking time off from your normal life - from six weeks to four months to two years - to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Veteran shoestring traveler Rolf Potts shows how anyone armed with an independent spirit can achieve the dream of extended overseas travel. Potts gives the necessary information on:

• Financing your travel time
• Determining your destination
• Adjusting to life on the road
• Working and volunteering overseas
• Handling travel adversity
• Re-assimilating back into ordinary life

Not just a plan of action, vagabonding is an outlook on life that emphasizes creativity, discovery, and the growth of the spirit. Visit the vagabonding community's hub at www.vagabonding.net.

©2002 Rolf Potts (P)2013 Tim Ferriss

I wanted to love this book...

But in the end I'm not really sure who it's for. For an experienced traveler this book is very much a sermon to the choir. Ideas like "eat the local cuisine instead of pizza" and "don't just hang out where all the tourists are" seem so obvious as to almost feel condescending (though I know that wasn't the authors intent). I suspect that "the beaten path" has never really appealed to anyone who would be interested in this book so again much of the advice seems like common sense (at least for the books audience) Also travel style is a very personal thing and the author can come across like there's one right way to do it. That said I love the idea of this book and there are definitely some interesting sections, I guess I was just hoping for more.

24 people found this helpful

Meh

I was quite excited for this book based on the recommendation of Tim Ferris. However, short of some entertaining anecdotes, I did not find that it offered much of value.

26 people found this helpful

Loved it! - Great resource

Very interesting book with applicable details related to traveling from prepping before to getting back home.

4 people found this helpful

Great listen!

Has definitely affected the way I think about consuming products (Will this hold me down in the future? Could I put this money toward a great meal in Japan someday? If I lose this object traveling, can I easily afford to replace it, or will it be a huge loss?).

Short enough that it's a relatively quick listen, and well worth it. Long enough to still provoke lots of thinking.

12 people found this helpful

Not impressed..

I expected to learn a lot about how to travel asks live fairly comfortably on a REALLY tight budget (Vagabond) and it turned out to be more of an empowering lecture that encouraged you to realize that Y.O.L.O. and that you should drop your life and take off, essentially... Ugh..

25 people found this helpful

my advice: pass on to the next book

this was the most obsolete audio I've ever listened to. hearing Tim Ferris literally drooling over this book in his recommendation by calling it a game changer and a 'must read' made me want to know what it was all about, obviously I was disappointed. spare yourselves the money and go travel

28 people found this helpful

review of a well seasoned traveler.

I like to read books where I come out with something. I've been thinking about reading this book for a long time, since Tim Ferris was a fierce supporter. But I struggled to see what pointers I could take on this book.

Many of the "conclusions" are opinionated, posing a right and wrong way of traveling. Myself, I travel rather similar to how the author of the book has done, but I find that most of his advice is common sense, the rest is just his opinion, which sometimes coincides with mine, and sometimes not.

For someone that has never traveled outside of package tours, this book my pose a different way of traveling, something that many people can enjoy and learn from if they try. I was expecting to find something creative and different from what I saw, instead I just saw criticism of those that do package tours, drugs or alcohol.

I'm not saying the way he travels is not interesting, I'm saying that if this is what you like, this is what you will do. If someone rather go to a club med, well, there can be something in that too, different tastes make up for different traveling ways.

My self, I like to mix up a bit of everything.

33 people found this helpful

Excellent book for anyone who travels regularly.

If you enjoy traveling off the beaten path this is a must read. Perfect for those who care more about experiencing life rather than buying happiness.

5 people found this helpful

good philosophy

A good read even if you dont want to backpack across Asia give it a try. Travel and exploration can be achieved closer to home too. Open your eyes and heart and enjoy all the moments of your life.

1 person found this helpful

Self reflection on long term travelling

What did you love best about Vagabonding?

The book challenged me to look at travelling from a new and wider perspective. It provoked me to reconsider the real necessities in my life.

3 people found this helpful

A great listen.

The narration was great with bought an easy listing vibe to the book. Full of light hearted theory which really gets you thinking about what travel is really about.

1 person found this helpful

Mostly mundane, common sense.

Any additional comments?

Very dull overall. I expected a lot more from a book that was so highly touted by Tim Ferriss. Nothing to take away I'm afraid, and presented in a tone and style that made listening a struggle.

3 people found this helpful

More about why&how we travel than how to payforit

I didn't learn anything new about financing travel or cutting costs during travel, but part about why we travel and how to approach it was realy good!

1 person found this helpful

Excellent insight into backpacking

Excellent book written in a friendly understandable manner with great insight into travelling.

A must for anyone considering going backpacking for any length of time.

1 person found this helpful

Interesting

What made the experience of listening to Vagabonding the most enjoyable?

Worth a listen. One area I would have liked a lot more depth on is finances. A lot of the excerpts he puts in from vagabonders all over the world seem to be freelance writers - what about the rest of us? That said it is still inspiration to just set off and follow your feet.

3 people found this helpful

Great advice for the long term traveller

Apart from the really useful insights into long term travel, there is much in the mindset and attitudes required, that can be translated to other areas of life and living.

Wished it was longer!

Rolf Potts manages to engage the listener straight away with his humorous tone, articulate text and fascinating content. This book delves more into the mind and fears but also joys to be had by the serious long term itinerant as opposed to the impatient desires of the bog standard, quick moving back packer. Yet, his unbiased, balanced viewpoint shows respect for all types of travellers while he honestly explores how each type of traveller can get the most out of what they do. He explains how to deal with the mental strain of self discovery, even disappointment that can particularly plague a long term traveller. I loved this book as it unearthed beautifully, the thoughts and feelings I had actually experienced myself after a 4 month stay in Central America. And I can say he was spot on. Considering I only stumbled across this book because it was mentioned in another book, I am so happy I found this. This book is for any person that is interested in how to mentally and practically cope with changes of his environment, how to challenge and analyse his own viewpoints and how to view his standards in comparison to others. You're probably also the type of person that wants to enhance your personality whilst having a great time travelling the world. If that is the case, this book will enrich your experience and help you stick with it. Personally I feel this is a great book to be read and reread. Not just for Vagabonders but for Everyone.

amazing book - life's perspective changer

One of the best book that I ever listened to.
I do really recommend it.

Disappointed at lack of depth

I was expecting more, based on so many high rated reviews and recommendations. But I found the information to be mostly common sense. After a few short trips myself, I had learned many of the lessons already. And that’s the best way to learn in my opinion. I hoped to hear more about how to actually plan time/finances to be able to do this long term, but only the first couple chapters skimmed over this.

Outstanding for travellers and home stayers alike!

I recently decided to quit my job and go to South East Asia for an extended vagabonding with no time constraints. I wish I had found this book years ago though as I would of then started saving up earlier! But there is only one perfect time to go vagabonding... NOW. Always now 😄
I will be buying this in paper Form as well and most likely buy it in bulk to give away for birthdays and other gifts.