Vagabonding

I was watching a random YouTube video of Tim Ferris where he mentioned this book called Vagabonding as his all time favorite. I looked it up and found that it’s a travel book, specifically long-term travel. I didn’t need to hear more and bought it right away.

That was Tuesday and I finished the book by Saturday. It’s the fastest I’ve read any book! I just couldn’t put it down. It is that good.

Okay so what exactly is “vagabonding”?

Rolf Potts is a seasoned traveler (or vagabonder in his own words) who’s traveled across 6 continents and over 60 countries. This book is not his travelogue. Neither is it a guidebook that tells you where to go and what to do.

This book is about the philosophy and ethic of travel. It gives you the reason to travel, it sets the right expectations. It shows you what’s possible if you just gather the courage to set foot on the road. And of course, it gives you insights and tips for every step, right from planning, packing, and budgeting, to making friends and volunteering.

The reason I liked this book so much is that I could resonate with every single sentence. It reminded me of my solo travel experience in Bangkok. The very reason I made that trip is written here. The kind of decisions I made, the perspectives I gained, the emotions I felt over the course of my journey are all documented here. The sort of disconnection I felt when I got home is expressed here too.

It seemed like the book read my mind. It also seemed that I was almost always predicting what the next paragraph is going to say. The self-proclaimed “uncommon” guide to the art of long-term world travel didn’t seem all that alien to me. Maybe because I am a vagabonder without knowing it :P.

The book is divided into 5 parts. The first part is about finding the inspiration to travel. It’s about cultivating the right attitude even before you start your journey. When you’re at home, when you make that bucket list, when you’re researching and saving money. Rolf says that more than that nomadic lifestyle, this attitude itself is vagabonding.

The second part is all about preparation. How can you save ample amount of money to eventually quit your job and go travel. Or how you can take your work with you. Or how you can find jobs or gigs in the country you’re visiting.

Rolf also advices that the secret to travel for an extended period of time is to keep things simple. Stay in cheap hostels, eat street food, take buses and trains, and pack extremely light. Travel doesn’t require hefty amounts of money, just the right attitude.

Also do your research but don’t over-research. It’s possible to gather every tiny bit of detail about a place and then be disappointed when you actually get there. Leave out some things to chance and see how it surprises you.

The third part is about the journey itself. Once you’re on the road, what should you do? Well, the first advice Rolf has to give is that don’t set any limits on yourself. If you originally thought that a one month trip is good enough, and you don’t wanna end it now, just don’t. Keep going. If you thought that you’d enjoy adventure sports but don’t, then let it be. Maybe wander around the city, nobody’s stopping you. Just don’t set any arbitrary constraints, vagabonding is an organic experience that grows with you.

And then the most important aspect of travel — people. Just go and meet your neighbors, talk to the hotel staff, grab a coffee with a stranger, accept a dinner invitation from a local family. Open yourself to the people you encounter on your travels and they can teach you a lot about the place and culture.

Oh one last thing — get adventurous. And no we’re not talking about cliff jumping or scuba diving. We’re talking about simply doing something uncomfortable. Maybe take salsa classes. Maybe take a random bus, get off at a random stop and figure your way back. Maybe try a meal you think you’d hate.

Then the forth part — what to do in the long run. Or in other words, how to keep enjoying the journey. It’s not easy. No matter how fun, things get repetitive and mundane, even on the road.

A couple of solutions here. One, set the right expectations. Keep it real. Don’t imagine every day to be filled with dopamine and adrenaline. Sure some days will be extraordinary, but since we’re traveling for a long time, some days could be boring. Just accept it as a part of the plan.

Second, mix-and-match. If you’ve been keeping things slow, maybe hop a few cities. Maybe you’ve done enough hikes, and it’s time for a beach vacay? And if you’ve been mingling with the locals since the beginning of the trip, maybe take some time off and read a book. Basically, when things get repetitive, try breaking the routine.

Okay, the last part. Kinda important, but the book doesn’t provide much help (maybe because it can’t?). The end of your journey. It’s the hardest. Not just because the fun is over and you need to get back to your ordinary life. But also because there’s nobody who can relate to your adventures. It’s painful.

Rolf says that there’s nothing you can do to make them understand. So stop trying. Instead, focus on getting back to your old but new life. It’s new because you’re a new person. You have learned so much in your travels and now you can apply the same to your day-to-day life. You can make it interesting.

You now have a much broader world-view. You understand more of the world than before because you’ve experienced it first hand. Nobody can teach you that. And nobody can take that away from you. So even when you’re not traveling anymore, it stays with you. The vagabonding attitude stays with you.

And of course, the spark never dies. You will take your next trip soon.

Even in a thousand words, I could not scratch the surface of this book. All I did was to dump some of Rolf’s opinions at you. So it’s best that you read the book yourself.

Hoping to travel soon! Where do you wanna go? Let me know by replying to this email or commenting on the website.

Good night,
Aachman