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
Dispatches Vietnam

Searching for Binh Hoa

August 10, 1999

Hoping to find an obscure Vietnam War killing field, Rolf discovers that some lessons of history teach themselves.

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Essays & Stories Vietnam

The Barbecue Jesus and other epiphanies

July 27, 1999

Wandering off the Vietnamese budget travel trail in search of authenticity, Rolf finds that authenticity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

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Vagabonding Trip Planner

Books by Rolf

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

Podcast: Deviate with Rolf

  • Before Sunrise (redo): Screenwriter Kim Krizan on what led up to the classic travel-romance movie May 20, 2025
  • 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

Recent Blog Posts

  • Travel Writer: Kathleen Hughes May 29, 2025
  • Here’s why the first paper copy of Vagabonding is in a display case in Bangkok’s Atlanta Hotel May 22, 2025
  • 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

Travel Writer Interviews

  • Travel Writer: Kathleen Hughes May 29, 2025
  • 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

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 (redo): Screenwriter Kim Krizan on what led up to the classic travel-romance movie

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 Writers

Travel Writer: Kathleen Hughes

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