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As of next month, Vagabonding will have been out for five years — and emails continue to arrive from readers who’ve found inspiration in its pages. Here, arranged by theme, are a few outtakes from folks who’ve found the book useful for their life travels:
For making long-term travel a realistic goal
“I read Vagabonding for the first time a few years ago and wanted to finally write and thank you for your wonderful book. I came across it during a time in my life when I was dreaming of a long-term travel adventure around the world but doubted whether or not it was a viable possibility for me. After reading your book, I was inspired and committed to stop making excuses and start making plans. The vagabonding philosophy truly resonated with me and even since returning from my travels, I have looked to your book repeatedly to be reminded of how and why ’spend less, live more’ applies even after you clear customs and come home.”
For making work more bearable as one plans a new journey
“Thank you for writing Vagabonding. In 2006 I took a one-year sabbatical from my office job and traveled across Africa. Now I am miserably back to my desk. Your book helped to give a name (and hope) to this period of senseless work before I can get back to the road; I now know I am in ‘vagabonding gestation’ and feel much better.”
For reaffirming the relevance of past travels
“This note is long overdue. I came across your book a couple years ago and can’t recall how many copies I have since given to friends. It is a wonderful book that I wish had been available when my wife and I quit our ‘real’ jobs (in 1990) a couple years out of college to travel for a year. …Your thoughts on travel, the people you talk to, the stories you write make a valuable contribution to the literature of travel.”
For creating a positive attitude for new travelers
“My wife and I are Clinical Psychologists who for the last ten years have been teaching a University of Vermont Graduate class on intercultural psychology by bringing students to Bali, Belize and Samoa. Even though our classes are only two weeks in country, we use your book Vagabonding as part of our reading list and have found it to be straight on in conveying an attitude toward travel that we hope our students will adopt.”
For focusing life goals in general
“I was so sad when I finished Vagabonding that I’m just going to have to start reading it again. I’ve been recommending your book to everyone I know, especially those who have no intention of traveling. I’ve been explaining it is as a guide to moving through your world, however you chose to define it. What an inspiring outlook on travel, interacting with others, and life in general!”
For more information on Vagabonding, click here.
Four years after it was first published, Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel continues to sell steadily and attract the attention of travelers and travel-dreamers worldwide. Here are some recent snippets of feedback from reader emails, organized by theme and utility:
For leaving behind the world of work:
“I just finished your book, and I must say what an inspiring read it was. I’m glad that you address the specifics of leaving behind the typical work life for vagabonding. I’ve been wrestling with the actual logistics of long-term travel for many months. …I loved the whole concept of the anti-sabbatical. I shared this with a friend and just as I imagined, she responded with a puzzled and concerned look. Most everyone around me will probably look at such concepts as an excuse for being lazy. After all, doesn’t everyone associate “travel” with vacation and therefore, leisure? How do you even begin helping them understand that our lives were not meant to be devoted purely to work?”
For practical travel information:
“I just wanted to say thank you for writing Vagabonding. It was introduced to me by a really good friend and I have passed it on to others who have also enjoyed reading it. It has been a great source of reference and guide.”
For slowing down and not micromanaging our travels
“I absolutely loved Vagabonding. Just from reading your book, you’ve really helped me relax already! My whole life, I’ve always been go-go-go. …As I plan my trip, I keep thinking about how much I want to pack in — but reading your book has made me slow down and not try to plan every minute (something that’s very difficult for me to do).”
For helping to focus old travel dreams:
“For a number of years now, I have been waiting for my chance to strike out on my own on what I have always called my ‘hoboing trip’; no one I know seems ever to understand my impassioned desire for a journey in freedom, so when I read your book, it was like discovering a whole new world full of like-minded people. My ‘hoboing’ is simply a personalized version of what you and others have termed vagabonding.”
For inspiration to live life creatively
“I actually recommended the book to some friends of mine who aren’t as interested in travel per se, as it contained a lot of great life insight. I was especially interested in the part about living your home life with the same exploratory zeal you would normally save for your travel life. Good stuff.”
For encouragement:
“I’d like to say that your book Vagabonding has completely opened my eyes, and I’m very excited for the future ahead. Your ideals consist of everything I’ve been thinking and concluding about in my head for years, and I always wondered if I was alone in the world. It doesn’t help when every single person I’ve ever talked to about traveling always shuts my ideas down, and now that I know about vagabonding and that many people do it then now there’s nothing stopping me.”
[Above: Contestant Justin Pitts gives props to Vagabonding.]
Last month, while I was traveling in Cuba, several readers sent me emails saying that a contestant on the syndicated game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” had told host Meredith Viera that — if he won money on the show — he wanted to travel the world as much as possible, adding “I’m reading a really great book called Vagabonding.”
As far as I know, this is this first time my book has been endorsed on a game show, so I did a little followup, and it turns out the contestant was Justin Pitts of New York City, and he ended up winning $25,000 on the show. Vagablogging has been in touch with Pitts, and we hope to interview him about his upcoming travel plans soon!
It’s been almost four years now since Vagabonding was first published, and I continue to be encouraged by readers who’ve found travel inspiration in its pages.
Here are five outtakes from recent reader letters that underscore the practical and inspirational strengths of Vagabonding:
As travel inspiration:
“Hey man, I just finished Vagabonding and of all the books I have ever read in my life, yours was the most inspirational — I have started referring to it as my new bible, and have recommended it to everyone I talk to. I read it while I was on a three-week jaunt through the Pacific Northwest. …As a firm subscriber to the belief that traveling is about the journey, not the destination, your book really got me fired up, and totally made me re-evaluate the way I want to live my life as a traveler.”
To fuel and focus your travel dreams:
“A friend who is absolutely enamored with the idea of vagabonding recommended your book to me and I ate it up as well, and I’m eager for my first travel experience. Such a nice book you wrote — you’ve given me a dream that should soon become reality.”
To more fully embrace life:
“I have read your book Vagabonding and absolutely loved it. It really started making me think about what’s out there and what’s possible. I have decided to do this myself, to actually live, and I’m very excited.”
For practical and philosophical travel information:
“I had been planning to travel for years (tied down with the college thing) and I stumbled upon your book when trying to find a Latin word to describe the type of traveling I would be doing. Your book rocked my world. I found more than a word, I found a guide, a philosophy, resources and the mistakes I made on previous trips. There is already a waiting line for my friends that want to borrow the book. Your book probably saved me countless hours of head-pounding failed Internet searches and many mistakes I would have made on the road.”
As a guide for living deliberately:
“Your book was a great inspiration to me. Not only do I think that it is a brilliant guide that shows us how and why to travel, I think that your book outlines the underlying principles of how we should be our best selves.”
For more information about Vagabonding, check out the book’s website here
It’s been close to three years now since Vagabonding was first published, and I continue to be encouraged by readers who’ve found travel inspiration in its pages.
Here are three outtakes from recent reader letters that (without even touching on the straightforward travel advice in the book) underscore the subtler strengths of Vagabonding’s approach to travel:
Inspiration for those itching to hit the road:
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve given your book as a gift to buddies who are fellow travelers or who I’m trying to turn on to getting out and exploring this World. I always say that I have a love/hate relationship with your book — I can’t read too much, because I get to motivated and excited for another trip!”
Encouragement for non-traditional travelers:
“I recently discovered Vagabonding while doing an online search on travel. I went right out and found your book the same day. It’s so good, I have to make myself stop reading it in order to savor it and let what you have to say sink in. For the first time in my life I am traveling for a month (not quite an extended period, but next time will be even longer!) I have been simplifying and uncluttering my life for years, the decision to “just do it” and travel is just a natural extension of that. I feel more free now than I did more than 10 years ago (I am in my early 40’s). Most people my age are encumbered with debt and payment plans and personal posessions. I am constantly giving stuff away. Many people do look at me strangely. Others understand, and I believe are inspired by the choices I have made. Thank you for your insights and for putting into words exactly what I need to hear.”
Convincing friends and family about the relevance of a long-term journey:
“I wanted to let you know I heard from a friend yesterday who I had recently recommended your book to. He absolutely loved your book but it also made a huge impact on his parents. He already has the desire and the full intentions of going “vagabonding” but his parents didn’t understand his passion. He had left the book out and without his knowing it his parents read it and let him know afterwards that they better understand his intentions and completely support his traveling decisions.”
Last week I got an email from a Vagabonding reader named Andrea, who recently returned from a journey to Ireland. For anyone who thinks that it’s not practical to begin vagabonding when you’re in your forties, Andrea’s story is proof that it’s never too late — and always rewarding — to simplify your life and hit the road. Here’s what she says:
I emailed you at the end of the summer to tell you how your book inspired me to take a trip I was thinking about taking — a month long trip to Ireland. I told you that I was 41, recently divorced, no kids, and had been trying to simplify my life, getting rid of lots of stuff, etc. You asked me to tell you how it went on my journey.
Well, to make a long story short, it’s just like you say — a taste of freedom will have you craving more! I had a wonderful time. My orginal plans were to explore all of the west, southwest, and northern part of Ireland — a month is plenty of time to do that, right? Well, of course not! I stayed almost the whole month in County Clare. Because of this total immersion I made friends with not only other backpackers, but locals as well. Of course, the fact that I am a student of Irish fiddle and had it with me helped immensely. I was invited and encouraged to play in the local pub sessions, and that was how I made a lot of my new friends. There was adventure, new tunes learned, laughs, and even romance! It was pure heaven.
I stayed in hostels — yes, most of the people are in their 20’s, some in their 30’s and a handful in their 50’s and 60’s. I rarely felt older than the younger people (except when they acted really young and immature, but that was rare.) In fact, I was out later (and up earlier) than most of the kids! I had a blast. I also noticed that my backpack was smaller and easier to manage than the majority of other people’s. I was very careful about not bringing too much stuff since I had my fiddle and that added onto my load.
Well, I’ve been back for about 6 weeks now and I am going to return to Ireland for at least 3 months in the spring. From there I may go on to England and Scotland, but not sure yet. This means I must leave my cozy and predictable job which I’ve had for over a decade. It’s a huge thing, but if I don’t do it now, then when? I have given even more stuff away since I’ve been back. I don’t own a home or a car, I have no debt. I have some money saved and can leave my apartment and put what I do have left in storage at a friend’s house or the smallest, cheapest storage space at U-Haul.
I just wanted to let you know how your book and website have helped me!
This slot is reserved for general feedback on this weblog, as well as my Vagabonding book. You can also use this space to just say hello, should you feel the urge. Personal emails can be sent to me via the “Contact” link at left.
Cheers,
Rolf
http://rolfpotts.com
http://vagabonding.net
http://vagablogging.net
