Some tips on getting an agent for your travel book
[Above: Literary agent Sarah Jane Freymann talks to Paris American Academy students about the publishing business.] One of my...Read this article
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Time abroad can be more formative than formal education
I recently got an email from Jordan Mendenhall of North Carolina (who is currently living and working in Dublin), who...Read this article
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"Ask Rolf" at the newly revamped WorldHum.com
Last month, my travel advice column, "Ask Rolf", debuted at the newly revamped World Hum website. This column is similar...Read this article
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The joys of an open-ended journey
Often readers write in to ask my advice about purchasing round-the-world plane tickets. I usually tell them to forgo buying...Read this article
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Vagabonding with your cello (or other musical instrument)
Over at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, Matt from Ohio wrote in with a rather esoteric query: "I read Vagabonding a year...Read this article
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Seven myths of being a travel writer
Jen and Carl beat me to this days ago, but in case anyone missed it, I did want to point...Read this article
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U.S. Embassy travel registration online
A recent post-tsunami USA Today article alerted me to the fact that American travelers can now register their trip itineraries...Read this article
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Short-term work opportunities overseas
The current issue of Transitions Abroad magazine is a great reference for those seeking to integrate short-term jobs with their...Read this article
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Please give 10% (and travel to Thailand)
I am still dealing with limited online access in New Orleans, but I wanted to post a quick couple of...Read this article
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Coming up with a travel book idea before you hit the road
Justin from Missouri (who posts comments to this blog from time to time) wrote me at the Vagabonding.net Q&A to...Read this article
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Updating ATM and credit cards from the road
I recently got a question at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, and I'm hoping you all in the blogosphere can help me...Read this article
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What should one bring when vagabonding?
Adam from New York writes to ask: "What are the intricacies of packing for an extended period of solo vagabonding?...Read this article
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Volunteering overseas versus working to earn more travel money
James from Orlando wrote to pose this question: "I might have a chance to teach English in Spain. I will...Read this article
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A sabbatical success story
I always enjoy getting letters and messages from Vagabonding readers who are making time for travel in their lives --...Read this article
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Travelers need not be mere spectators
"You can go to a church and take a flash photograph of Michelangelo's Pieta or you can go to mass...Read this article
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Good advice for writing about your travels
"The well-worn adage to "write what you know" remains true, at least in the sense of knowing what interests you....Read this article
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Getting visas on the go
James Carson of Boston recently asked: "I'm planning a long trip through Europe and Asia. As I'm keeping the route...Read this article
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What keeps you inspired to travel?
Over at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, a New Jersey high school teacher named Doug wrote to tell me that he'd read...Read this article
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Your flophouse hotel survival kit
I recently got an interesting question at the Vagabonding.net Q&A. I haven't answered it yet, because I'm hoping for input...Read this article
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Keeping your employment prospects while vagabonding
I have one more piece of advice to share from the Vagabonding.net Q&A. The question comes from David Kliman of...Read this article
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How do satellite phones (and blogs) alter the travel experience?
I noticed I was quoted this week in Casey Kittrell's Travel Weekly piece, "Tools for the Trade: Staying in Touch...Read this article
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Is it OK to go vagabonding right out of high school?
Over at the Vagabonding Q&A, Andy S. from Woodbury, New Jersey writes: "I am currently 18 years old and have...Read this article
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Can vagabonding be dangerous for gay travelers?
Over at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, John B. from New York writes: "I loved Vagabonding and it has pushed me to...Read this article
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Don't overplan your travels, part II
"If you set off on down the road with specific agendas and goals, you will at best discover the pleasure...Read this article
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Teaching English in China
Over at my Vagabonding.net Q&A, a reader recently inquired about teaching English in China. "I want to travel in China,"...Read this article
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A note on traveling with expensive cameras
At the Vagabonding.net Q&A, José Yanguas of Spain writes: "I love both traveling and photography, to the point that traveling...Read this article
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Using ATMs overseas
A reader at the Vagabonding.net Q&A writes: "I receive a monthly pension that I intend use for my travel. What...Read this article
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Travel resources for college students
A reader at the Vagabonding.net Q&A writes: "I was inspired by your book and I am planning a trip to...Read this article
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Vagabonding with a digital camera
Over at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, a reader had concerns about bringing a digital camera on a long-term journey -- and...Read this article
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Don't overplan your travels
"The key to preparation is to strike a balance between knowing what’s out there, and being optimistically ignorant. The gift...Read this article
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Ideas for hiking and trekking worldwide
Over at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, a reader asks me about the worldwide trekking scene. "Having hiked the Appalachian and Pacific...Read this article
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The "Brief Safe"
[Above: Behold the "Brief Safe".] I have seen many traveler money belts and safety devices in my day, but...Read this article
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Be mindful when giving out gifts as you travel in poor countries
"One example is gift giving. We recommend, for instance, that travelers never give gifts to children. When travelers do that,...Read this article
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A sneak preview of my Tim Cahill interview
After three years of monthly interviews with travel writers at RolfPotts.com, I was finally able to track down a longtime...Read this article
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Sage advice from Friar Laurence
"Be patient, for the world is broad and wide." --William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act Three, Scene Three Note: Back...Read this article
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Are water filters useful for long-term trips?
Over at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, a reader asked me to recommend a water filter to use while he goes vagabonding...Read this article
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A traveler's guide to Buddhist meditation retreats in Thailand
Since I've traveled to (and at times lived in) Thailand every year since 1998, I'm occasionally asked to recommend a...Read this article
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A testimonial on making the big move overseas
Those of you who are considering moving overseas to live the expatriate life should check out a recent article by...Read this article
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A cheerful reminder about choosing your destination
"Fortunately, you don’t ever need a really good reason to go anywhere; rather, go to a place for whatever happens...Read this article
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Now is the time to go vagabonding (regardless of what others say)
Over at Tim Leffel's blog, the World's Cheapest Places author has an interesting post called Why Travel Around the World?...Read this article
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Robert Young Pelton on interacting with locals
Interacting with locals is essential to any meaningful vagabonding experience, and that's why I devote an entire chapter to the...Read this article
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Travel insurance for vagabonding journeys
Many travel insurance policies are based on short-term or group travel, so I figured I'd expound here about insurance for...Read this article
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A note about whining
Complaining about things you don't like is a natural symptom of the culture shock that comes with travel: we all...Read this article
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Getting started with travel writing
Ever since my days as a Salon Travel columnist, I've gotten lots of messages from people asking how they can...Read this article
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The wild world outside the beaten path
These days, whenever I read that the world has been fully explored and overrun by tourism, I just peer out...Read this article
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Freighter ship travel FAQ
Ever since posting information on Vagabonding.net about hitching rides on freighter ships, I've been getting lots of follow-up questions. Rather...Read this article
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Travel Planning 101
Occasionally, I get travel questions that are so broad and basic that they can be hard to answer in a...Read this article
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An air courier travel tip sheet
Air courier travel is an arrangement that allows travelers to save money on economy-class overseas plane tickets by forfeiting their...Read this article
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Is there a vagabonding age limit?
A reader from Virginia recently asked if it was too late for him, as a family man in his mid-40's,...Read this article
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Finding cheap air tickets overseas (Bangkok, for example)
The relative benefits of buying air tickets en route (as opposed to buying a round-the-world ticket in advance) is often...Read this article
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Starting your trip with a one-way ticket
A reader asks: "Is it possible to buy one-way air tickets in this day and age? I ask because I've...Read this article
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How old is too old for the Peace Corps?
Over at the Vagabonding.net Q&A, I got an interesting question from Erin in Massachusetts. She writes: "I'm 27 and have...Read this article
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Notes from the SARS-panic bandwagon
It's interesting to see how SARS has been portrayed in the media in recent weeks. You'd think there was a...Read this article
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Is it still OK for Americans to travel overseas?
Over at Vagbonding.net, I got an interesting question from a woman in Texas. The gist of it was this: With...Read this article
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Welcome to Vagablogging!
Welcome all to my foray into the world of blogging! My primary motivation for setting up this blog was to...Read this article
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