I have some notes on vagabonding to give you a feel for the book. I would recommend it:
https://davinpaul.com/vagabonding-rolf-potts/ Book Notes:
Vagabonding is about taking a break from everyday life and traveling the world on your own terms. It's about improving your life not in relation to others, but to yourself.
Long term travel is about being more deliberate. It's learning what you truly want and what adds value to your travels. Your personal outlook is more important than money, age, race, etc.
It's about using the possibility and prosperity of the info age to provide you more freedom rather than material possessions.
It's about finding adventure in our normal lives.
It's about how we use the most precious resource we have.. time.
Earning your freedom to travel involves working. Working for your freedom builds its value and makes you appreciate freedom more. Working allows you time to plan, get rid of any loose ends, and teaches you to be happy in the journey to your destination.
"I don't like work, but I like what is in the work- the chance to find yourself." - Joseph Conrad
The meaningful part of your life and travels begin with work at home. It allows you to clear up whatever needs to be cleared up before your travels. Then, travel will not be an escape from your life, but a discovery of your real life.
"Regardless of how long it takes to earn your freedom, remember that you are laboring for more than just a vacation. A vacation, after all, merely rewards work. Vagabonding justifies it."
Make work serve your interests.
Material investment such as health food does very little to help the state of the planet. And a notion that it's more important than personal investment is what leads so many people to think this sort of thing is outside of their grasp.
Travel isn't something you buy. It's something you give yourself into. Through simplicity and using your resources wisely.
Remember wealth isn't about the things you consume, or own. It's about having time and using it how you want.
Time is what you need to live. Switch the game from material to time.
Save whatever money you can make to help you meet basic survival needs, but spend your time lavishly to create the life values that you're passionate about.
As you soak in the new found time; you can't help but grow as a person.
Travel will help you simplify your life because it demands it. You can't bring a bunch of unneeded junk along with you on your travels.
Principles of simplifying your life:
Stop unnecessary consumption/expanding
Optimize your daily routine to lower expenses below your means (cook instead of eating out)
Reduce clutter/possessions
Get out of any debt.
Keeping expenses low while traveling is key. Sleep in hostels, take local transportation, eat at local vendors not expensive restaurants, etc.
Traveling on the cheap may become preferred over expensive options. The simplicity will save you money and buy you time, make you more adventurous, allows you to meet others more easily, etc.
Seeking simplicity at home and while traveling will help you find a new meaning of life. Time.
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page. - St. Augustine"
Vagabonding teaches you that the most rewarding experiences are usually ones that find you by accident. And this will help you from your worldview and develop a great outlook on life.
Most people are afraid of traveling, but after the first couple days you will most likely be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner.
The secret of adventure is not to carefully seek it out but to travel in such a way that it finds you. Open yourself up to unpredictability. Instead of spending 10 thousand dollars on a climbing expedition bike through local towns. Put off your destination until you get to a bus stop. Follow your intuition. Leave yourself open to both good and bad experiences. Trust chance and always learn from it as you go.
Adventure is whatever you allow to find you. Bad experiences can be seen as increasing your knowledge of the world. Don't seek the bad, but make the best of it.
Be open to reality and accept it for what it is.
Strive to find a balance of finding yourself and losing yourself on the road. Doing so will require some creativity. Mix things up a bit. If you have been traveling alone find someone to spend time with. Instead of taking a plane rent a boat or walk. Take a random job. Volunteer.
Hitting the road and letting go of material is a spiritual journey. Your choice to enrich your life with life experience and time will pay spiritual dividends. Without all the day to day stuff that complicates our life travel forces us to look within for meaning. It leaves you with nothing to find behind and pushes you into the present.
Jesus - The kingdom of God is within you. It is pointless to look to otherworldly realms for revelation.
Buddha - Enlightenment comes from taking apart the conditioned personality.
God favors what we do now.
Spirituality is a process that deepens with time. Instant results can not be had. Just like the gym. It requires openness and realism.
Life itself is a joinery just a your travels. And the lessons learned in both go hand in hand. Keep the envy, fear, selfishness, vanity, prejudice at bay. Be creative and open minded to get into adventures. Keep things real and keep learning. Keep your spirit growing and life simple.
Most important; keep living in a way that allows your dreams room to breathe. Don't get tied down with debts because you never know when you will want to hit the road again.
Your travels never truly end.
