Rolf Potts's Blog, page 128

Several weeks ago I wrote about the film Life in a Day that is slated for release in the next few months. Since then, anticipation for the film seems to have gone viral, as the trailer and articles about the film have popped up all over popular websites like facebook, twitter, and other social forums. I feel as if unable to get online without reading some mention of the film.

With seemingly such high expectations, I wonder how the film we ultimately be received. Travel enthusiasts seem to love it for harnessing the carefree energy of travel, and for giving us a glimpse of many places and cultures around the globe. The film may inspire some people to finally hi the road and travel, others may find it to be just a simple feel good film.

Now the film has an intended release date of July 2011 and a polished trailer. Watch it here.

Did you submit a vignette for consideration for the film? Want to see it when it premiers in July? What are your feelings about the film?

Hat Yai, Thailand

Hat Yai is known as southern Thailand's transportation hub and sex capital. But too few know it has the West Side Saloon, where bar tenders and waitstaff are dressed in cowboy gear, serving jovial customers — mostly Malaysians who've hopped across the border for a short holiday — as a band plays the likes of Dolly Parton, the Carpenters, and the Cranberries. In my journeys through Southeast Asia in recent years, I've stopped here four times, thankful for the taste of home. For a guy from Appalachia (as much as he's from any place), there's nothing like hearing a Thai band sing John Denver's classic after months on the road:

Country roads take me home

To the place I belong

West Virginia mountain momma

Take me home country roads

All my memories gather round her

Miner's lady stranger to blue water

Dark and dusty painted on the sky

Misty taste of moonshine teardrops in my eyes

To my amazement and joy, several Malay tourists were able to mouth the words as the band sang.  Who cares that none of us were from West Virginia – we all knew the beauty of roads that take us home. (Here's the whole song on youtube, if the mood hits you.)

The West Side Saloon is but one of many music-filled gems around the world. If you have one of your own you'd like to share in the comments, please do.

"The millionaires I know seem desperate to become multimillionaires, and spend more time with their lawyers and their bankers than with their friends (whose motivations they are no longer sure of). And I remember how, in the corporate world, I always knew there was some higher position I could attain, which meant that, like Zeno's arrow, I was guaranteed never to arrive and always to remain dissatisfied."

–Pico Iyer, "The Joy of Less" New York Times, June 7, 2009

The cost of traveling is in a near-constant state of flux, and most people who take the usual annual vacations know that certain times of year are more expensive for traveling than others. We're heading into one of the busiest seasons for several popular destinations, including Europe and the U.S., and we're seeing airfare costs go up as a result.

But if you're the kind of traveler who's planning more long-term, the temporary ups and downs of the airfare world aren't as likely to bother you. This is one of the things we love at BootsnAll, that even during a time when the media is coining horrid words like "staycation" and saying no one's traveling, we're hearing from vagabonds and RTW travelers who tell us they're not only still traveling but sometimes moving departure dates up. When the daily cost of living is cheaper somewhere else, why stay home?

Whether you're planning to leave on your long-term trip in the next few months or the next few years, BootsnAll will be here with RTW tips, RTW travel deals, and a community of like-minded travelers.

Here are the new special deals on multi-stop airline tickets available through BootsnAll – these deals are good through May 31, 2011:

Round the World Special: New York – Beijing – OVERLAND – Hong Kong – Bali (Denpasar) – Singapore – Saigon / Ho Chi Minh – OVERLAND – Hanoi – Bangkok – Delhi – OVERLAND – Cochin / Kochi – Muscat – OVERLAND – Dubai – Cairo – Casablanca – Nairobi – OVERLAND – Cape Town – Buenos Aires – OVERLAND – Lima – New York, from US$3495 plus taxes

London & Asia RTW Ticket: New York – Shanghai – Bali (Denpasar) – OVERLAND – Yogyakarta – Singapore – OVERLAND – Chiang Mai – Kunming – Kathmandu – OVERLAND – Goa – Delhi – London – New York, from US$1895 plus taxes

Circle South America: Miami – Lima – Santiago – Buenos Aires – Montevideo – Iguazu Falls (Brazil side) – OVERLAND – Rio de Janeiro – Cartagena – Miami, from US$1345 plus taxes

If none of these sample itineraries is what you're looking for in your round the world trip, then start planning the trip that suits you with our RTW trip planner And don't forget to sign up for BootsnAll's RTW newsletter, delivering RTW trip planning advice and resources via email every single month.

I have to confess: I don't recall the last time I read a fiction story. While there are fiction books that I've enjoyed over the years, I yearn for the true story of a person or place. Every once in a while, I get my hands on a non-fiction book with such strong characters that my mind is wrapped up in their lives and I dream about them at night.

In Sideways on a Scooter: Life and Love in India, author Miranda Kennedy spent five years based in Delhi covering India and the surrounding region for National Public Radio. Her experience with daily life—from getting an apartment as a single woman to the proper way of riding scooters—gave her an insight into modern and traditional India, and how many aspects of women's lives remain unchanged by the economic transformation of the country.

It's through her friendship with six women that Kennedy learned the most about the complex culture for contemporary Indian women, from poor to privileged. Her intimate portraits of these women, along with her vivid descriptions of everyday life in Delhi, is what caused me to dream about the book more than once during the time I was reading it.

While Sideways on a Scooter contained illuminating facts about jobs, population and marriage practices, the stories of these women mixed with that of the author, makes it a rich read well beyond the standard memoir.

Sideways on a Scooter is now available on Amazon in both hardcover and Kindle versions.

For those living and working abroad in Korea, one way to really get to know the roots of the culture better is to go on a temple stay. These weekend visits are offered regularly in Korea and are organized by local hiking and culture groups. Even though these trips are so common and such a good way to experience a part of the culture, I still hear frequent enough misgivings from those who are perhaps a little intimidated by actually undergoing the experience. Below I have compiled a list of common things to expect from a temple stay and a few tips to help you get the most from the experience.

* Arriving at the temple, you are likely to be taken on a tour of the grounds, stopping to learn the history and purpose of each building the greater temple houses.

* Most temples offer fun activities for temple stay guests. You can expect to do things like make lotus lanterns, a beaded bracelet or necklace, or candle making. A temple stay that I went on even had blindfolded stepping stone partnering in the river surrounding the temple.

* All temple stay guests are issued a set of standard temple garments – usually loose fitting pants and a jacket. Do be mindful of the weather and plan for possible chilly evenings in the mountains where many temples are located. Bring extra layers from autumn through spring.

* All meals will be served in the traditional style of the temple. You can expect a simple meal similar to a bibimbap with a soup. All meals will be vegetarian. Occasionally you will find a temple that frowns on guests bringing outside food onto the grounds, but this sort of thing will be made very clear by your temple stay organizers before departure. Not a single grain of rice is to be wasted at the temple, so keep this in mind as you take your servings. For at least one of your meals you will do the traditional cleaning of the bowls, cleaning each bowl meal bowl with warm rice water and, sometimes, a bit of radish, drinking the rice water in the end.

* Sleeping quarters are separated into male and female, each sleeping in their own large room together. Temples will provide blankets and pillows. A temple that I went to even let us use the mats meant for bowing for some extra padding while we slept. Do not expect this everywhere, and be sure to thank your hosts if this extra perk is offered.

* Expect to wake up and be ready for the day around 3 or 4 in the morning at the temple.

* The 108 bows are not a myth, as some of my fellow temple stayers assumed them to be. After a bit of instruction, you will be expected to perform them as a group. No one is going to take great offense if you don't manage all of them due to health problems or handicaps, however. A temple stay that I attended even played a recording explaining the purpise of each bow.

*Be sure to wear comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes that you can slip on and off easily. Constantly tying and untying shoelaces will become annoyingly tedious as you make your way among the many small temple buildings.

* Please respect the culture and the purpose of coming away on such a trip and don't try to sneak any alcohol onto the temple grounds.

* Remember to be possibilities on you temple stay. Stays are overseen by a particular monk or monks of the temple who spends a lot of time explaining every step of your experience. There will be time to ask questions together as a group, or individually as you hike about the temple grounds. Feel free to really explore any questions you may have about temple life, Buddhism, or the path to monkhood.

Joya Anthony

http://www.beatravelbee.com

Age: 25

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Quote: "I loved the freedom of doing whatever I wanted every day. I just woke up and did something new."



How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip? I didn't hear about Vagabonding until after I had come back from my trip. I went to Book Passage's Travel Writer and Photographer's Conference (which I highly recommend) and saw Rolf give a couple talks at the conference and so I learned about his travels, blog, and books. Even though I am not traveling abroad at the moment, I love going through the resources page on the site as it has some tips for working abroad which I want to do again and also the blog posts travel writing contests from around the web that I like to participate in just for the exposure.

How long were you on the road? 8 months

Where all did you go? I spent 6 months in London and 2 months traveling through Ireland, Scotland, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Monaco, and Greece.

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey? The summer before I took off, I took any temp job I could get my hands on in San Francisco to save as much money as possible.

Did you work or volunteer on the road? I worked in London at a literary agency on a 6 month work visa I obtained through BUNAC.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite? My answer changes all the time because I loved everywhere I went but right now I would say Lisbon. It reminded me a lot of San Francisco. It has great seafood, the old town is beautiful, and the towns of Belem and Sintra were worth the day trips. The water is gorgeous too and I would love to go back during the summer and spend long days at the beach.

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging? Paris was the most challenging for me which is ironic to me because it was the city I wanted to visit the most ever since I was a kid. Even though I was mesmerized by the beauty and loved the food, I sprained my ankle not long after I got there and it was raining all week which put a damper on things. I am so grateful I finally got to see the city but want to go back for another visit to redeem myself.

Did any of your pre-trip worries or concerns come true?  Did you run into any problems or obstacles that you hadn't anticipated? I think I was most worried about running out of money. I thought I would have to eat less and stay in really bad hostels but you can still eat well and live comfortably on a budget. I just did my research to find good hostels and chose wisely when eating out primarily at food markets or finding grocery stores to make my own meals.

Which travel gear proved most useful?  Least useful? I didn't travel with very much which I liked. I didn't have a cell phone or laptop with me and as scary as that sounds, it was a blessing. All I cared about was having my camera and my travel journal to record my trip and I still treasure those items to this day.

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle? I loved the freedom of doing whatever I wanted every day. I just woke up and did something new and didn't have to worry about the ties to normal life back home. I also became braver. I wasn't afraid to talk to new people or try new things such as food or activities that I wouldn't have tried before.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle? You are not going to have all the comforts of home that you are used and will just have to make do with what you have. You will be surprised by how easily you can adapt. Also, you have to accept the fact that in some cases, whether you are traveling with someone else or engaging in a different culture, your way is not the right way or only way.

What lessons did you learn on the road? I learned that there is more out there in the world that is so much bigger than me, how to prioritize what is most important in my life, and that I am not perfect and to accept my flaws with humility.

How did your personal definition of "vagabonding" develop over the course of the trip? My personal definition remained true from beginning to end of my trip and it was to enjoy the time away from my normal routine back home to gain some perspective on myself and those around me.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be? To say yes to every opportunity offered to you. There were nights I didn't want to go out because I was tired or lazy but I wish I just went out and took advantage of my time in a certain place.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure? Don't let anyone tell you traveling is too expensive or that you don't have time because you can make it work and once you are out there, be open to all possibilities and don't forget to take a moment to recognize how great of a time you're having too.

When and where do you think you'll take your next long-term journey? I don't know when but my next goal is to live in Paris for at least a year. I want to become fluent in French and immerse myself in all the city has to offer.

Twitter: joyaanthony
Website: www.beatravelbee.com

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at [email protected] and tell us a little about yourself.

"Travel into foreign countries is of very great use; not to bring back (as most of our young monsieurs do) an account only of how many paces Santa Rotonda is in circuit; or of the richness of Signora Livia's petticoats; or, as some others, how much Nero's face, in a statue in such an old ruin, is longer and broader than that made for him on some medal; but to be able chiefly to give an account of the humors, manners, customs and laws of those nations where he has been, and that we may whet and sharpen our wits by rubbing them against those of others."

–Michel de Montaigne, "Of the education of children" (1579)

Last week, I wrote about Outside magazine's Best Places to Work feature for those searching for a workplace that values the right work-life balance. Another option is breaking out of your own home territory. If you don't love where you live, but you can't cut the ties to an office paycheck just yet, you might consider relocating to a place where you feel like you're on vacation—even when you're punching the clock.

Michele Meyer did just that. Drawn to Hawaii since her first visit as a teenager, she yearned to live there as an adult. A copy editor at Yahoo!, she figured out how she could convince her manager to let her move to Hawaii and continue working remotely. After things changed and she was faced with the choice of moving back to the home office to keep her job, or stay in Hawaii—she decided to stay put. "I found that once I left, I didn't want to go back," said Meyer.

Since then, she's worked to help other folks who love the island lifestyle. Her blog, How to Live in Hawaii, gives practical tips on the local lingo, what it's like to live in Hawaii, and where the jobs are. She's taken her own experiences and used them to help others who consider moving to Hawaii.

Your surroundings are a big part of what makes you happy. If mountains move you, or the beach is where you'd love to live, consider making it happen. When you do ultimately make the long-term travel move, it'll feel that much better returning to a home you love.

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."

I have carried this quote from Shel Silverstein around with me for quite some time. Aside from it being generally inspirational, I can't help but feel that it applies heavily to travel and the vagabonding lifestyle, as well. A lot of us start out getting a lot of criticism or negativity from those around us when we tell them we are embarking on long-term travel, or organizing a lifestyle where travel is a maximum priority. A lot of times, instead of being met with excitement about our journey, all we hear are fears and condescending remarks.

This quote urges us to be mindful of all of these voices of caution, to calmly hear them out and take what we can from them. However, the truth in the last two lines I feel apply greatly to travel. On the road, truly anything can happen. As travelers we try to yield to the spontaneity of the moment for the very reason of experiencing these unique moments. Shel Silversteins' quote reminds me of the infinite possibilities the road can bring.