• Vagabonding

  • An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel
  • By: Rolf Potts
  • Narrated by: Rolf Potts
  • Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (4,662 ratings)

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Vagabonding  By  cover art

Vagabonding

By: Rolf Potts
Narrated by: Rolf Potts
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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

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What listeners say about Vagabonding

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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    3,093
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

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.

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40 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

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.

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40 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

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.

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37 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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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

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33 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

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..

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30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

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.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it! - Great resource

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

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Legendary

If you could sum up Vagabonding in three words, what would they be?

revolutionary practical inspiring

What other book might you compare Vagabonding to and why?

It has convinced me to live abroad indefinitely.

What about Rolf Potts’s performance did you like?

By speaking clearly about his philosophy and using good examples.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

not for seasoned travellers.

What disappointed you about Vagabonding?

Despite my poor scoring I would definitely recommend this book to an 18 year old or someone who only does packaged holidays.There are a few moments of profoundly good advice and perspectives which could have been summarised in 10 minutes.Severely lacking in information that I could use.Not sure if I will pay attention to books recommended by Tim Ferriss.

Would you ever listen to anything by Rolf Potts again?

I would love to hear about Rolf's own adventures.

How could the performance have been better?

Better chapters packed with information that i can use.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

disappointment of my time wasted.

Any additional comments?

not everything Tim Ferriss recommends is of value.

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4 people found this helpful