Comments on: Interview with Rolf Potts

By: Carla Moreno

Carla Moreno — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:05:14 +0000

Thank you Rolf! I agree there are some “holier than though” travelers. I just want to encourage my students to get out there. Discover. Be. I’ve been traveling since age, 15. I do try my best to travel as lightly as possible and a small flipcam gets me the footage I need for my short documentaries.

Will read your book!

By: Lauren Quinn

Lauren Quinn — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:06:54 +0000

Great interview. I love Rolf’s perspective on traveling. There’s tons of decent-to-great travel writers out there, but what really separates them, for me, is their approach towards travel. And I love Rolf’s. Thanks!

By: Shawn

Shawn — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:25:00 +0000

First time I heard of this book.

The only travel book I have ever read was Mark Twain’s Innocents Abroad.

By: byteful traveller

byteful traveller — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:34:21 +0000

“You’ll be ten times as travel-savvy after your first two weeks on the road, so be flexible and don’t micromanage things.”

Truly excellent interview. The statement above is very encouraging to me as I’ll be taking a month-long trip in the summer. I recognize the truth of this statement intuitively.

But what will stick with me for years is the final point:

“Don’t just take a journey; let it take you.”

Wise words from a wise traveller.

By: Ian

Ian — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:25:33 +0000

Great interview, especially the part about The Beach. Thanks for sharing.

By: NomadicMatt

NomadicMatt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:51:00 +0000

@Craig: I think his book is better suited for new travelers. I do want to read his second one and his stories.

@Jessie: Glad you enjoyed it!

@Gillian: I am also a big, big fan of the book. I read it before I first went away.

@Erica: I am a flashpacker. Like you said, the key is to put down the gadgets sometimes.

@Malia: I will be in paris this summer and will look into the course.

@Quick: I am glad that you found this interview worthwhile!

@Mark: Even though you didn’t like the book, glad you liked this interview. He does have a good travel ethic!!!

@Steve: Glad I converted you.

By: Stevo

Stevo — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:44:52 +0000

>>> I find it ironic that backpacker arrogance expresses itself most explicitly in backpacker ghettos — places that have a very tenuous connection to the host culture.

Mr. Potts: I will buy your book based on this statement alone.

Matt: Great interview.

By: Mark H

Mark H — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:47:30 +0000

His book didn’t do a lot for me but his travel ethic is clearly very positive, which comes through your interview well. I like his idea of not caring about the various labels and just getting on and enjoying travelling at a sensible relaxed speed. Mongolia does sound a very special place – I have only ever heard good things from people who’ve been there.

By: quickroute

quickroute — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:12:07 +0000

I{ve been following him for a while – the interview makes him a mere mortal – hope for us all!

By: malia

malia — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:27:51 +0000

great interview, matt. =)

vagabonding was definitely one of the books that lead me to my first RTW and i have passed it along multiple times for others in the planning phases of theirs. three months into my trip, i saw the paris writing workshop on rolf’s blog and decided that i couldn’t go home when my trip was over. so i started a new one, and spent the month of july at rolf’s workshops.

i must say, i was EXTREMELY impressed with the program, and i’d highly recommend it to anyone else interested in writing. our group was small (only 13!) and included all skill levels – from newbies like me to published novelists! rolf taught creative nonfiction (including travel writing), and we also had amazing instructors in literary fictions (john biguenet) and a paris journal class by irina reyn where we followed in hemingway’s footseps (the companion to the class was “a moveable feast”) the staff and the facilities at the paris american academy is top-notch, right in the middle of the latin quarter. gorgeous!

if you happen to be in paris in july, i’d definitely recommend sign ing up for this year’s workshop. i’d hoped to go back this year but it looks like the budget won’t let me… maybe next year! =)