Vagabonding : An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel
1 journaler for this copy...
Over two years ago, I wrote a review on Rolf's book on Amazon.com. At that time there was nothing but glowing reviews, except this one faith-based group was going around and spamming the Amazon reviews with recommendations for books about faith and family, and had recommended against Vagabonding, which is what the last part of my review refers to. It should be noted I was a year into my travel sabbatical in Jan 2003 when I wrote this review, and I'm still traveling and vagabonding now in Feb 2005.
Not since reading the Jules Verne classic "Around the World in 80 Days" has my imagination been more fired up. I just completed a year of sabbatical of travel around the globe so I could easily act like this book is remedial, which is hardly the case.
This book is an intellectual toolkit for any traveler. It not only lays out a dense amount of valuable and practical advice for many travel topics but it will also work out your mind from the easy chair of your living room.
I have read Rolf's (the author) writings before and was excited to see he was writing a book. I love many travel writers but Rolf is the first to truly represent a younger and recent generation. To spite his youth he doesn't fall into the Gen-X trap of all cynicism and no substance instead his wit and style fall more into an updated Catcher in the Rye vibe.
I recommend if you love his book, become a daily reader of his website, where he posts daily musings and travel quotes. What I strongly recommend against is paying attention to the crackpot that listed the stay at home parenting book as a counter choice to Vagabonding. Clearly this person didn't bother to read Rolf's book, because its clear message isn't about making a life choice of travel over family responsibility, if anything its message is about living your life to its fullest potential so you can experience a life without regret. Something tells me there would be many more happy relationships and families if more people knew more about the big planet out there and followed their unrealized dreams.
Take the challenge and read this book.
February 12th, 2005:
Well the book has made it to checkpoint one of it's journey, Tokyo Japan, on it's way to be released on Singapore. I know scary to leave a book in a place that is so neat, they will most likely just trash it, but that's the challenge.
So, to be honest Tokyo, isn't my first true stop, it was Los Angles as I'm starting from SFO. I was planning on doing a LA entry but two things stopped me. One was the soul sucking, void-like depression, and overall sadness that is LA. But even more than that was the horrible and useless security of the LAX airport. Let's just say monkey, or even pet rocks couldn't think up a worse scheme.
I hope whatever project Rolf is working on next, he doesn't start his journey from there, or else he may end up spending half of his chapters from there like some bad Tom Hanks movie.
So next stop for the book will be Hong Kong, a wonderful city as well. Last time I was there was during the height of the SARS crisis, so will be happy to see it back to it's former self, well sorta, but that discusiuon is for another time and place.
The book and myself will be checking in soon. If you want to see the book and a view from my room in Japan check out: http://tempusfugitive.blogs.com/./photos/uncategorized/book1_1.jpg
Until then, let your wanderlust lead you, as the whole world is waiting for you.
Not since reading the Jules Verne classic "Around the World in 80 Days" has my imagination been more fired up. I just completed a year of sabbatical of travel around the globe so I could easily act like this book is remedial, which is hardly the case.
This book is an intellectual toolkit for any traveler. It not only lays out a dense amount of valuable and practical advice for many travel topics but it will also work out your mind from the easy chair of your living room.
I have read Rolf's (the author) writings before and was excited to see he was writing a book. I love many travel writers but Rolf is the first to truly represent a younger and recent generation. To spite his youth he doesn't fall into the Gen-X trap of all cynicism and no substance instead his wit and style fall more into an updated Catcher in the Rye vibe.
I recommend if you love his book, become a daily reader of his website, where he posts daily musings and travel quotes. What I strongly recommend against is paying attention to the crackpot that listed the stay at home parenting book as a counter choice to Vagabonding. Clearly this person didn't bother to read Rolf's book, because its clear message isn't about making a life choice of travel over family responsibility, if anything its message is about living your life to its fullest potential so you can experience a life without regret. Something tells me there would be many more happy relationships and families if more people knew more about the big planet out there and followed their unrealized dreams.
Take the challenge and read this book.
February 12th, 2005:
Well the book has made it to checkpoint one of it's journey, Tokyo Japan, on it's way to be released on Singapore. I know scary to leave a book in a place that is so neat, they will most likely just trash it, but that's the challenge.
So, to be honest Tokyo, isn't my first true stop, it was Los Angles as I'm starting from SFO. I was planning on doing a LA entry but two things stopped me. One was the soul sucking, void-like depression, and overall sadness that is LA. But even more than that was the horrible and useless security of the LAX airport. Let's just say monkey, or even pet rocks couldn't think up a worse scheme.
I hope whatever project Rolf is working on next, he doesn't start his journey from there, or else he may end up spending half of his chapters from there like some bad Tom Hanks movie.
So next stop for the book will be Hong Kong, a wonderful city as well. Last time I was there was during the height of the SARS crisis, so will be happy to see it back to it's former self, well sorta, but that discusiuon is for another time and place.
The book and myself will be checking in soon. If you want to see the book and a view from my room in Japan check out: http://tempusfugitive.blogs.com/./photos/uncategorized/book1_1.jpg
Until then, let your wanderlust lead you, as the whole world is waiting for you.
