Rolf Potts

Rolf Potts

Travel Writer, Essayist, Adventurer, Teacher

Rolf Potts

  • About
    • Bio
    • Interviews
    • Newsletter signup
  • Contact
  • Writing
    • Essays & Travel Stories
    • Dispatches
    • Travel Writer Profiles
    • No Baggage Challenge
    • Vagablogging
  • Books
    • The Vagabond’s Way
    • Vagabonding
    • Souvenir
    • Marco Polo Didn’t Go There
    • The Geto Boys (33 1/3)
    • The Misadventures of Wenamun
    • La déchirante histoire de l’homme qui inventa le livre de poche
    • Audiobooks
    • Anthologies
    • Introductions & Forewords
  • Videos
  • Events
  • Classes
  • Blog
    • Updates
    • Books
    • Poetry
    • Film, TV, Theater
    • Music
    • Sports
    • Writing Craft
  • Podcast
Essays & Stories Burma

Lost in Transaction

March 27, 2006

What’s money worth? In Myanmar, Rolf discovers that travel has a way of putting “cash value” into a new perspective.

Read More
Essays & Stories Burma

Native eye for the tourist guy

March 14, 2004

When Rolf picks up a traditional, skirt-like lungi in Myanmar, he has no idea the fashion faux pas that will ensue. A meditation on “going native.”

Read More
Essays & Stories, Travel Burma

The Last Archipelago

July 10, 2002

The Mergui has some 800 (largely unmapped) islands, a population of elusive sea gypsies (the Moken), and, because it belongs to repressive Myanmar, almost no visitors. As the junta in Yangon inches toward political reform, Rolf plumbs a final frontier.

Read More

Sign up for news

Sign up for News

Get updates from Rolf about his books, podcast, appearances and more.

We use Elastic Email as our marketing automation service. By submitting this form, you agree that the information you provide will be transferred to Elastic Email for processing in accordance with their Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Vagabonding Trip Planner

Books by Rolf

  • Souvenir (Object Lessons) book cover
  • The Geto Boys cover

Podcast: Deviate with Rolf

  • Before Sunrise: Screenwriter Kim Krizan on what led up to the classic 1995 travel-romance movie May 16, 2025
  • Mars on Earth: The world’s driest desert, and what travelers might find when they go there May 6, 2025
  • Why a chapter about “slum tourism” was edited out of The Vagabond’s Way (with Chloe Cooper Jones) April 1, 2025
  • Long-term travel 101: Matt Kepnes on how to slow down and save money on an extended global journey March 25, 2025
  • Travel memoir lab: On blending travel narrative with a broader memoiristic life-narrative March 4, 2025

Recent Blog Posts

  • On travel writing, writing classes, community, mentorship, and how travel fosters creativity May 8, 2025
  • Travel Writer: Dustin Grinnell May 1, 2025
  • An audio book-club podcast companion to Rolf’s 2022 book “The Vagabond’s Way” April 24, 2025
  • 18 essential bits of creative advice from Kevin Kelly’s “Excellent Advice for Living” April 17, 2025
  • A return, once again, to Khao San Road (my neophyte backpacker travel home more than 25 years ago) April 10, 2025
  • Travel Writer: Blake Boles April 3, 2025

Travel Writer Interviews

  • Travel Writer: Dustin Grinnell May 1, 2025
  • Travel Writer: Blake Boles April 3, 2025
  • Travel Writer: Tania Romanov March 1, 2025
  • Travel Writer: Lucas Peters February 1, 2025
  • Travel Writer: Pier Nirandara January 1, 2025
  • Travel Writer: Troy Nahumko December 1, 2024

Books

The Vagabond’s Way

The Vagabond’s Way

Lands of Lost Borders

Tools of Titans

The 33 1/3 B-sides

Vagabonding

Souvenir

Marco Polo Didn’t Go There

The Misadventures of Wenamun

The Geto Boys (33 1/3)

Recent Podcasts

Before Sunrise: Screenwriter Kim Krizan on what led up to the classic 1995 travel-romance movie

Mars on Earth: The world’s driest desert, and what travelers might find when they go there

Why a chapter about “slum tourism” was edited out of The Vagabond’s Way (with Chloe Cooper Jones)

Long-term travel 101: Matt Kepnes on how to slow down and save money on an extended global journey

Travel memoir lab: On blending travel narrative with a broader memoiristic life-narrative

How a journey on the Hippie Trail changed Rick Steves’ life (and influenced Rolf’s travels too)

A travel writers’ Super Bowl special: Pico Iyer and Rolf discuss NFL football from the global perspective

Pico Iyer on how solitude, stillness, and silence play an essential counterbalance to the traveling life

Life changing travel experiences: Memories of traveling to Syria, 25 years on (with Ari Shaffir)

Travel memoir lab: How to fast-track your travel book by working with a hybrid publisher

Travel Writers

Travel Writer: Dustin Grinnell

Travel Writer: Blake Boles

Travel Writer: Tania Romanov

Travel Writer: Lucas Peters

Travel Writer: Pier Nirandara

Travel Writer: Troy Nahumko

Travel Writer: Laura Kiniry

Travel Writer: Rosie Bell

Travel Writer: James Michael Dorsey

Travel Writer: Shahnaz Habib