Blog - Rolf Potts

Travel deviations can be as appealing as travel plans, with Ari Shaffir 20.09.2022 ↓

Ari Shaffir talks about why getting lost on the road can be a good thing, as presented in Rolf's new book, The Vagabond's Way.

The Vagabond’s Way: An audio introduction to Rolf’s new book 23.08.2022 ↓

An audio excerpt from the introduction of Rolf's new book, The Vagabond's Way

Vagabonding audio companion: Love, finding home, and telling TV travel stories 16.08.2022 ↓

Travel-TV host Ernest White II on the nuances of Kansas, and what home reveals about travel

“On the Ice”: What it’s like to live and work at Antarctica’s McMurdo Station 02.08.2022 ↓

The joys and challenges of living and working in Antarctica, with Karen Pszonka

A Critical Race Theorist’s guide to writing smut novels, with Dr. Kevin Harrison 26.07.2022 ↓

Kevin Harrison on storytelling from places and people we don't typically hear about.

Traveler ideals, hospitality, and the disappearance of an Italian priest in Syria 12.07.2022 ↓

The life and disappearance of Father Paolo Dall'Oglio and his travelers' sanctum in Syria

Refuse to be Done: The art of creative persistence for long-haul projects 28.06.2022 ↓

Creative persistence: The art of writing (and finishing) better long-form narratives

Marcia DeSanctis on revisiting places, souvenirs, and travel as self-reinvention 14.06.2022 ↓

Marcia deSanctis on revisiting places, souvenirs, and travel as self-reinvention

Chris Guillebeau on life goals, work, and travel as alt-university [encore] 31.05.2022 ↓

On confronting discontent, travel as education, and how to write a Big Idea book.

Hitchhiking for pastries: The art of structuring a journey with an obsession 17.05.2022 ↓

Sophia Bentaher on her experience of hitching Europe in search of pastry recipes.

How to embrace uncertainty and redefine success by taking a “pathless path” 03.05.2022 ↓

Embracing uncertainty and discomfort as the pathless path to true success.

What travel teaches you about the human body, with Dr. Jonathan Reisman 19.04.2022 ↓

How travel helps you better understand how your body works

The creative art of making a living as an adventurer, with Alastair Humphreys 05.04.2022 ↓

Alastair Humphreys on making a living as an adventurer

The strangers we meet on the road, and how they can deepen our journey 22.03.2022 ↓

How the people we meet by accident as we travel can deepen the journey

Vagabonding audio companion: What it’s like to come home after a long trip 08.03.2022 ↓

How to take the attitude of long-term travel back home with you.

Meghan Daum on career-reinvention, flyover country, nuance, and Gen X 22.02.2022 ↓

Author Meghan Daum on career-reinvention, flyover country, and voices of generations

Paul Theroux on reading, teaching, and slow travel in Mexico [encore] 08.02.2022 ↓

Paul Theroux on aging, slow travel, and the inherent complexity of Mexico

How inexpensive countries are the secret to prolonging the journey [encore] 25.01.2022 ↓

Planning long-term journeys around the world's cheapest destinations, with Tim Leffel

Lost in the Valley of Death: The life and disappearance of Justin Alexander 11.01.2022 ↓

Journalist Harley Rustad on the mysterious disappearance of Justin Alexander in India.

A mixtape (of sorts) about mixtapes: Music as intimate communication 28.12.2021 ↓

Rolf and his friends recall the bygone rite of making cassette mixtapes to share with friends

Holiday Special: Celebrating the Sears Christmas Wish Book [encore] 14.12.2021 ↓

The Sears Christmas Wish Book was (truly) great American literature (with Tod Goldberg)

Digital nomadism [bonus]: How technology has changed the way we travel 30.11.2021 ↓

In this bonus outtake from "The Nomads," Rolf talks about how technology affects travel.

Van Life before #VanLife (encore): Revisiting a classic USA road trip 02.11.2021 ↓

Rolf recounts his first 8-month vagabonding trip 27 years ago.

Tales from the vagabonding trail: Discussing “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There” 12.10.2021 ↓

Rolf discusses his travel book "Marco Polo Didn't Go There" with the Nomadic Network book club.

Vagabonding audio companion: Travel brainstorming, with Ari Shaffir 28.09.2021 ↓

In this remix episode, Ari Shaffir and Rolf brainstorm on where to travel next