Summary of Vagabonding | Rolf Potts | Talks at Google

00:00:00 - 00:55:00

Rolf Potts discusses the idea of vagabonding, or traveling without a specific plan or destination in mind. He says that it's important to be creative and to avoid getting caught up in the "country-counter" mentality. He also advises travelers to use guidebooks to inform themselves about cultural norms and which areas to avoid.

• 00:00:00 Ralph Potts, author of Vagabonding, talks about the benefits of long-term world travel, and how to go about it. He also discusses his book, which discusses the art of traveling slowly and deliberately. He discusses a scene from Wall Street where Charlie Sheen discusses his dreams of riding a motorcycle across China before he is 30 years old. He then reads a chapter from the book, which discusses declaring one's independence from limitations and imaginary lines. He takes questions from the audience.
• 00:05:00 Rolf Potts discusses his experiences as a vagabond, and how long-term travel is not limited by age, income, or location. He also discusses the importance of taking time for oneself, and the benefits of vagabonding as an outlook on life.
• 00:10:00 Rolf Potts discusses how easy and affordable traveling can be, how he moved around to various countries for a two-and-a-half-year journey, and how he "became politically neutral" in Israel by walking across the country in 2000. He also discusses some of his other travels, including kayaking in Burma, volunteering in a Buddhist monastery, and finding the perfect beach.
• 00:15:00 Rolf Potts travels around the world, and has written a book about his experiences. He discusses some of the things he's done, and how affordable healthcare can be in other countries.
• 00:20:00 Rolf Potts talks about how he enjoys traveling to new and different places, but also enjoys sticking to established tourist areas. He advises finding a place where the locals are friendly and open-minded, and not trying to be a "tourist" in their own country.
• 00:25:00 Rolf Potts discusses the idea of "getting off the tourist trail" by walking in any direction from the tourist trail. He advises that it is important to be realistic about one's role and be grateful for hospitality.
• 00:30:00 Rolf Potts discusses how he has traveled for a long time and how he balances writing about travel with the spiritual aspects of his experiences. He also discusses the competitive nature of the travel writing market and how a writer can make a living through simplicity.
• 00:35:00 The author of the video discusses the different types of travel writing and how it can be difficult to sell stories in the more spiritual or personal narrative-driven niche. He also mentions that it is easier to sell travel advice articles, and that as a woman, it is easy to travel by oneself.
• 00:40:00 Rolf Potts discusses the idea of vagabonding, or traveling to different places without necessarily having a plan. He says that it's important to be creative and not be a country counter, and that it's important to avoid violent reactions to mugging or other situations. He also discusses the importance of guidebooks and advises travelers to use them to inform themselves about cultural norms and which areas to avoid.
• 00:45:00 Rolf Potts discusses how he got into his profession and how to make travel easier by taking extended absences or sabbaticals.
• 00:50:00 Rolf Potts encourages Vagabonds to take five months off in between travels to refresh and rejuvenate. He advises against being too attached to material possessions and says that it is important to find new experiences and relationships to keep oneself motivated.
• 00:55:00 Rolf Potts discusses the benefits of vagabonding, which he did while he was robbed in Turkey. He advice for those in a similar situation is to find joy in hospitality, and to be more receptive to being a good host.