Kevin Kelly on the lost world of 1970s Asia (and why you should travel now)

“I met people who would say, ‘I wish I had more time to travel like you do.’ They had more money than time, and I had more time than money. In terms of traveling it’s much better to have more time than more money. …If you have a chance to travel, just do it. You won’t regret it.” – Kevin Kelly

Kevin Kelly (@kevin2kelly) is a polymath in the truest sense of the word. Aside from being a co-founder of Wired magazine, he is also co-founder of the Rosetta Project, which is aiming to build an archive of all documented human languages, and he serves on the board of the Long Now Foundation. He is a photographer, writer, and futurist (he was “futurist adviser” on the 2002 Steven Spielberg movie, Minority Report), with much of his work centering on Asian and digital culture.

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Kevin discuss the inspiration for his Asia travel in the 1970s (3:00); getting around and dealing with language barriers (15:00); the people he encountered while traveling in Asia, and the life-expanding nature of his journey (32:00); what he packed (47:00); modernity and technology in Asia, and managing his photography during travel (1:07:00); and self-actualization, discovering oneself through travel, and what the future holds in Asia.

For more on Kevin, check out http://kk.org/

Notable Links:

• Asia Grace, by Kevin Kelly (photography book)
• “Shoulda Been Dead” (This American Life episode on Kevin’s Jerusalem conversion experience)
• Out of Control, by Kevin Kelly (book)
• Kevin Kelly’s interview with Tim Ferriss (podcast episode)
• “1000 True Fans” by Kevin Kelly (essay)
• Aerogram (pre-stamped airmail envelope)
• Poste restante (postal pick-up service for travelers)
• Maureen Wheeler (publisher)
• Tony Wheeler (publisher)
• Rick Steves (travel writer and publisher)
• Hilary Bradt (guidebook publisher)
• Bill Dalton (guidebook publisher)
• Lonely Planet (travel guidebook)
• Moon Guide (travel guidebook)
• Rough Guides (travel guidebook)
• National Geographic (magazine)
• Video Night in Kathmandu, by Pico Iyer (book)
• Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman (book)
• Hippie Trail (travel route)
• “Remembering the Hippie Trail” by Rolf Potts (essay)
• Recomendo (weekly recommendation newsletter)

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.