“I think sometimes as travel writers our most important job is to be a listener — to listen to the stories that people are telling each other in a place.”  –Rolf Potts

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Ernest talk about why home is such an important place in one’s life, even when one travels to more far-flung places (3:00); why the vagabonding ethos begins with the willingness to give oneself permission to travel in life, and how Rolf’s new book, The Vagabond’s Way, furthers the vagabonding ethos in a daily-reading format (15:00); the difficulty of figuring out which place in the world is your “favorite,” and how food becomes a part of one’s iconic travel memories (32:00); and why it helps to be confident and “ride tall in the saddle” if you sometimes feel out of place as a traveler (41:00).

Ernest White II (@ernestwhiteii) is a storyteller, explorer, producer, and host of the television travel series Fly Brother, now in its second season on PBS and Create TV. Check out his subscription-based membership community, Fly Brother & Friends, which promotes travel and personal transformation.

Ernest will moderate Rolf’s virtual launch event for The Vagabond’s Way at 5pm PT on October 4th, 2022.

Notable Links:

• TV host Ernest White II (Deviate episode two)
• “Pandemic love” Deviate episode
• Deviate episode with filmmaker Rod Pocowatchit
• Deviate episode with baseball historian Phil S. Dixon
• Kansas City Monarchs (Negro Leagues baseball team)
• Gordon Parks (Kansas-born photographer and filmmaker)
• Nicodemus, Kansas (town settled by African Americans)
• Lindsborg, Kansas (Swedish-American town in Kansas)
• Zacatecas (state in Mexico)
• Van life before #VanLife (Deviate episode)
• Expat life in Korea (Deviate episode)
• Commonplace book (method of compiling knowledge)
• The Daily Stoic, by Ryan Holiday (book)
• Matsuo Bashō (medieval Japanese poet and traveler)
• Wenamun (ancient Egyptian traveler)
• Muhammad Ali (boxer)
• Code-switching (situational linguistic alternation)

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.