Everyone can travel the world – it doesn’t matter what social status, family status or how big your bank account is – the only thing you must do is take your time and travel.
The author Rolf Potts hits the road permanently. He talks about his own references, by giving ideas how easy it is to do travel the world. The author presents his material in a clear and well-patterned way, offering not only insights from his many years of extended travel, but also plenty of online resources, profiles of great historical travellers, and insights from other Vagabonders. The book is not only about how to do travelling but also shows up different ideas how to think about life and work. Vagabonding is defined as the act of leaving behind the usual surroundings to travel independently for an extended time. The book describes how the modern world convinced us that long-term travel is only for the superrich, what is evident is that this is not the case. Long-term travel can be accessible affordable and realistic if you want it to be. Vagabonding is possible regardless of demographics, age, or income.
Rolf Potts, Vagabonding: “Long-term travel isn’t about being a college student; it’s about being a student of daily life. Long-term travel isn’t an act of rebellion against society; it’s an act of common sense within society. Long-term travel doesn’t require a massive “bundle of cash”; it requires only that we walk through the world in a more deliberate way.”
Many people are stuck in their daily routines, it’s hard to get the free time and money to travel. The idea of leaving behind all your belongings and travel the world is tempting. The wish to carry out this dream, is often destroyed by the lack of certainty. The mental issues you are facing are clear. At first you must change the way you think about money and belongings. This mind change is not achievable during your trip, you must adopt this lifestyle long before you hit the airport. A minimalistic way of travelling makes it possible to get to many countries with a manageable amount of money.
When you loosen your grip on the certainties of life, vagabonding is easier than you think. By neglecting the tour guides and charter buses, you’ll need to interact with strangers and locals. You will arrange your own transportation, order your own food, carry your own bags, and start your own trip. While you should try your best to be safe, it won’t be perfect. Occasionally, you will look foolish or be ripped-off. You should always remind yourself that this is a unique experience, and at least you’ll have a story to tell. Also, you need less planning than you think. In fact, you shouldn’t plan everything ahead of time. Make choices as you go. Travelling can be tremendously more valuable, it can literally change your perspective on how you see the world.
The practical travel routines are often tiring and sobering. The euphoric moments, as usual in life, only occur at certain points. But what traveling does is to let you break through your daily habits. Force yourself outside of your daily schedule. It almost seems like one of the basic behaviour patterns that somebody might need to break is that of overthinking what it is going to be like. Open yourself up to the idea that it may not be as uncomfortable or being around people you don’t know is going to be an enjoyable experience. It’s not going to be uncomfortable, but even just slightly changing your idea of what comfort means. This will help you to strip away all the rituals, routines, and possessions you’ve accumulated. You are simpler than you think.
Travelling is a way of learning. You will meet different languages, cultures, landscapes and life circumstances. The most valuable part of travelling is to take all this impression and learn from them. Be curious and take time to learn about worlds outside. This book is for the 18 year old, who wonders how to fill the gap time she has between high school and college, the 45 year old freelancer, who’s not bound to any location for his work, but still doesn’t travel, for those who might be hesitant about trying a digital nomad lifestyle and anyone who’s never been away from home for more than a week.
Dominik Eberharter 