Rolf Potts's Blog, page 101

The Joy of the Layover

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

I'm writing this from Rome's Fiumicino airport, where over the course of my two-hour layover, I sampled Italian-style pizza, bought a bag of biscotti, and ate a cannoli (or, to be correct, a single cannolo). True, it was an airport cannolo, which means that it was probably not the best cannolo on earth. And I'm sure it cost at least double the going rate for a cannolo. But still, I got to eat a cannolo in Italy, which is better than eating a cannolo anywhere else in the world.

This is why I love layovers: because for a few hours, or maybe even a day, you are afforded a brief taste—quite literally—of a new country.

Longer layovers allow you to get a deeper sense of a place, and I'm always on the lookout for an opportunity to squeeze one in. Last week I had a seven-hour layover in Mumbai, a city I had yet to visit despite many months of travel in India. After leaving my baggage at the airport, I took a taxi to the Bandra West area, and met up with Gaurang Menon, who runs an independent travel company called TrueNorth. (I had booked a customized snowboarding package with TrueNorth in the Indian Himalayas two months earlier, and over the course of our email correspondence, we discovered a mutual love of adventure travel.) No, I didn't get to see Mumbai's famous sights—but there was a seaside pavilion, a sunset observed from a café, and a long, pleasant chat with a travel-loving local.  In other words: the perfect layover.

Mumbai sunset

In my personal book of notable layovers, the winner is the time I traveled from Tel Aviv to Belgrade via a 22-hour layover in Athens and a 24-hour layover in Sofia, Bulgaria.  I wasn't in a hurry to get to Serbia, and with the money I saved by going indirectly ($400 instead of $800), I got to see the Parthenon, gorge myself on tzatziki sauce, and spend a few hours hiking around Vitosha, a mountain just outside of Sofia.

That's not to say that layovers can't suck. They can. They can be boring, frustrating, and expensive, especially if you arrive late at night and need to take a taxi to and from an overpriced hotel.  They can also be quite cold, as I found out when I showed up in Zurich in January wearing sandals. (I was en route from Cairo, and had forgotten to remove the warm clothes from my pack, which was checked through to Boston.)

But, when done right, layovers can be downright fun. I have my perennial favorites, like stopping off in Iceland on transatlantic flights (Icelandair allows you a free stopover at no extra charge) and eating my beloved tortilla española at Madrid's Barajas Airport.

Feel free to share your favorite (or worst) layovers in the comments below!

 

Original article can be found here: The Joy of the Layover

What's it like to couchsurf across America?

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

Young man lying under a red couch. Photo: Dave Austria / Flickr

When you think of places you've visited, do you remember the sights–or the people?  In this article, it was the latter that made the lasting impression: I couch-surfed across America.

The vivid and quirky cast of Couchsurfing hosts the writer encounters provide enough fodder for its own TV sitcom. An excerpt:

Bill, our host in Duluth, described himself in his profile as a Zamboni operator and freelance detective. In reality, he manned the graveyard shift at an assisted living facility and supplemented his income by donating plasma on the weekends. With the decline of the Iron Range, he explained, blood was now the city's largest export. This was also false.

It goes to show that there's no such thing as a standard couchsurfer (or standard American, for that matter).  Along the way, writer Tim Murphy goes through the highs and lows.  The highlights include flying in a WWII-era plane over the Mississippi river, followed by being treated to dinner.

One of the recurring challenges was finding hosts to stay with in popular big cities.  Being in high demand, these hosts can be super-picky:

Nearly every profile I looked at in San Francisco stipulated that requests must be sent well in advance—and write a real nice letter, too (one profile asks for "a touch of humor and/or flattery"), because they get 20 requests a day and won't take just anyone.

Have you done couchsurfing or homestays with locals?  What were the pros and cons of doing that?  Please share your experiences in the comments.

Original article can be found here: What's it like to couchsurf across America?

Vagabonding as a rock musician: a step by step guide. Post #2: how to get serious

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

This article is the second in a series of posts explaining how to bring your music on the road and get to travel with it. (Read the series' introduction and Post#1)

In my last article I was stressing on the necessity to improve your bands' live performance by playing as many shows as possible. You may debate that this is a difficult task to stat with: why should you invest time and money to travel with your band, when you can just buy a RTW ticket and set off for the world tomorrow??

Well, it is mainly because you would experience travel under a completely different perspective. According to the Indie Travel Manifesto we emphasize at Vagabonding, playing music as a means to long term travel can bring you to experience a foreign culture very insightfully.

So, how to get serious? I have previously said that you need to hone your skills and be unique as a band/artist. People do not need clones anymore, so try to be yourself. Taking a distance from your idols is always the most difficult accomplishment, but trust me, it pays off. This is the first, most difficult step which may take several years to realize. Undoubtedly, after "paying the dues", your experience will make you confident enough to switch to a more serious approach.    

Get a website. An artist with no website may as well quit music altogether, these days. A Facebook page is not enough… get a blog site such as the free ones at WordPress.org or Blogger.com, and invest some time to talk about your band. Make a good impression, and please use streaming services to upload your music. If you have, videos will complete the portfolio even better. Use a subscriber mailing list service to send monthly updates to your fans… even if they are 5 just now, they will grow, especially when they are approached by an internet savvy band.

Put a press kit together, which means put a logo, band picture, a brief bio and a few clips taken from some of your band's best reviews – live shows or demo/official recordings – in a nice layout, and do not forget to insert your contact details. Save it as a .pdf file and you will be ready for the next step.

Contact promoters and clubs If you have been following a music trend for a while, you will know which agencies are normally booking shows, and which clubs are the best for your niche. Now it's time to start sending that press kit around: write a nice paragraph about your band, be precise and enthusiastic, but do not brag too much. You may e-mail it together with the .pdf and possibly add a couple links to some video page where you have previously uploaded your .avi files. This works greatly as a promotional tool, although an email tends to be trashed quite quickly in most cases. You may therefore consider putting together a hard copy of your press kit: print the .pdf out –use nice paper, but not too glossy or you may risk to look like a poser band and automatically get more expensively trashed – , burn three or four songs on a CD – and PLEASE write the band's name and your contact address on it! – and send a physical package. For most clubs, this way is much preferred as promoters love to get their hands on real material. Later you may follow up with emails.

This is in brief the way to go, walking you up the first steps on that "Stairway to Heaven". This tips work greatly both locally and internationally, as you may want to contact some promoters to try to get some shows in a specific area of the world. During my prime time, using this method I got my band a full-length record deal with a Dutch label. This followed up with a tour of the Netherlands and Belgium. We hit the right public and we kept going back to the region every year for almost a decade… so please, trust the power of the steps described above, and good luck to get yourself out of the woodwork… always remember: planet Earth is big enough to have a bunch of people going crazy over your music somewhere!!! This is the amazing reality of the underground rock scene!!

Original article can be found here: Vagabonding as a rock musician: a step by step guide. Post #2: how to get serious

For the love of moleskine notebooks

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

More than likely you've heard of the legendary Moleskine notebooks that were revered by artists, writers and travelers alike. Originally they were covered in a woven cotton fabric which was sheared, making it soft on one side. Bruce Chatwin describes this 'Paris' notebook in The Song Lines, "The pages were squared and the end-papers held in place with an elastic band. I had numbered them in series. I wrote my name and address on the front page, offering a reward to the finder. To lose a passport was the least of one's worries: to lose a notebook was a catastrophe."

After a three month backpacking trip I came home with ten filled moleskine notebooks neatly bound with twine. I'd begun the trip with two blank ones. Much to my delight, it was easy to find more along my way. I agree with Chatwin; losing a notebook would be a catastrophe.

Before converting three years ago to using modern day Moleskines ; I collected various other notebooks of thickness and size.  In retrospect, they don't visually stack nice and neatly; whereas the Moleskins do. This might seem like a silly and simple pleasure, but it makes me quite happy.

Have you ever shared your intimate travel moments with a Moleskine notebook?

 

Original article can be found here: For the love of moleskine notebooks

The ultimate motivation to travel

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

When I was contemplating finally quitting my job and following my dream to travel, there was was one thought I always came back to that eventually convinced me to go for it: The fact that when I'm 90, I will want to look back and know that I've seen as much of this world as possible, and that I've given back to this world as much as possible. As morbid as it might sound, I thought about my funeral, too.

Turns out I'm not the only one. This week, traveler and blogger Gary Arndt of Everything Everwhere posted The Top 10 Reasons to Travel Condensed Down Into 1 – with that reason being "You are going to die."

He explains simply that there's a big world out there, and we can choose to spend our limited time trying to see it and doing things we enjoy, or we can spend time accumulating material things and doing things that don't make us happy. I also like to think that we can choose to live within the comfortable bubble that we know, or we can choose to experience how life has manifested across the globe and personally grow as part of the process.

This doesn't mean you need to drop everything and travel for the rest of your life; it simply means that if you're interested in travel, you can make it happen by adjusting your priorities.

Arndt ends with an example that I think explains it all: "When my father passed away 2 years ago, at his funeral no one talked about the cars he owned or things he bought. We talked about the trips we took and the things we did. Past family vacations and fishing trips were the first things which came to everyone's mind. In the final analysis, we are sum total of our experiences. Who you are is what you've done."

What do you think? Does thinking about your limited time on earth motivate you to travel?

Original article can be found here: The ultimate motivation to travel

Street food: Love it or leave it, but at least try it!

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

$1.00 noodle soup in Bangkok

Indian hawker stalls in Singapore, hot dog vendors in Manhattan, roasted duck head carts in China. Over 2.5 billion people eat street food everyday, and in addition to providing cheap food for urban dwellers, the art of eating street food has also become a traveler's rite of passage. One of the best ways to get to know a new place is through its food, and one of the best places to eat it? On the streets, of course!

In addition to the low cost and convenience of eating on the go, the street food enterprise is owned by individuals and families, supports the local economy and sustains the need for local meat and produce. A McDonald's chicken burger in Kuala Lumpur supports the franchise or foreign owner, while the ayam percik grilled chicken is local and fresh and supports the family who made it for you. Globalization and massive development in the food industry threaten the culinary tradition, often eliminating local stalls to make way for larger franchises."Consumers International" has an entire global initiative working to preserve street food culture, and laments that the "rich, cultural importance of street food is fragile." The group's goal is to improve vendor safety conditions so the world's most delicious street stalls stick around and stay safe for locals and tourists alike.

Street food is a budget traveler's dietary staple, but it's not uncommon to think it's dirty and dangerous at first glance. Travel doctors often warn tourists to stay away from food outside of hotel restaurants, and avoid fresh fruits and vegetables in much of central America and Asia.

Roasted duck head: Photo from buzzfeed

A glimpse of the more intimidating foods (roasted Chinese duck heads, stir fried Thai cockroaches, mysterious New York street meat) may leave you running back to the nearest tourist restaurant. Poor hygiene during food preparation and storage are the biggest contributors to foodborne illnesses in street food, and while many countries don't have official policies to regulate their street vendors, don't write it off just yet.

Take some extra precaution, but there's no reason to deprive yourself of what could be your most inexpensive, delicious (and certainly most authentic) meal. With a little common sense, you can indulge in flavorful local food, whether traveling internationally or grabbing a pretzel from the vendor next to your office.

Feeling nervous? Here are some hints for the weary:

Buy from a busy stall :High turnover rates mean fresher food. Remember that locals get sick, too! They wouldn't keep eating at stalls serving unsafe food. A long line is a good sign.

Start with cooked food: a boiling hot bowl of Thai noodle soup with red pork is arguably one of Thailand's best street foods, and the boiling broth kills any harmful bacteria. If you're in Thailand, don't miss it! This dish is available on the street only.

Eat at a stand that specializes in a certain food. Going to a famed Mexican taco stand that specializes in fish tacos? Go for the fish.

Avoid carts that park near sewers, trash, or busy street corners: I don't want my pad thai mixed with car exhaust and dust from Bangkok's busiest intersections.

Watch the prep: Street food is unique because we can actually see our food being prepared. Worried about stir fried noodles? Watch a dish being prepared before you order, and ensure that the frying oil is fresh, not dark and reused.

When it comes to eating on the street, common sense is key. Does the food smell good? Do the ingredients look like they're properly handled? Do the dishes look clean? Do you like what you see? Give it a try! The authentic tastes of local culture certainly won't break the bank.

What are your favorite street foods? Do you have any tips to add to this list?

This traveler will steer clear of Thailand's fish balls

Original article can be found here: Street food: Love it or leave it, but at least try it!

The time is always right to travel with kids

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

Visiting Vietnam with two-year-old twins

The time is always right to travel with kids, despite what some people would have you think.

Barbara Adam, who is currently traveling the world with her husband and toddler, recently wrote an article for the Huffington Post about that very thing. Many would have us believe that children don't take anything away from travel and it would be better to leave them behind if selfish parents insist on traveling. They insist that children simply can't appreciate the culture anyway.

Barbara countered with, "To me 'culture' isn't found in museums and art galleries, it's found on the streets, on the buses and the trains, in the village squares and the cafes and the supermarkets. The culture of a country comes to life in the way people interact with children, the way one parent acknowledges another in the street. It may be silent sympathy for the tantrum your little one is throwing or an indulgent smile at a sleeping child, but it's a connection that never would have been made if you went without the kids or waited til the kids were 'old enough to remember'."

I believe, based on my many years as a teacher and years of research about brain development, that the benefits to children are tremendous and start with the very structure of their brains. Travel fundamentally changes the structure of developing brains and will shape children's lives forever.

We will never know exactly what the effects of travel or any other experiences will have on our children's lives, but we do know travel won't harm them.

"Travel presents all kinds of learning opportunities," Barbara adds. "Children get to see, hear and taste so many new things, new languages, new food, new modes of transport, new animals and, yes, even new flavors of gelato."

Original article can be found here: The time is always right to travel with kids

Running and travel

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

For those who strive to maintain fitness while traveling, running is one of the more accessible forms of exercise.  All you need is a good pair of running shoes, a nice stretch of trail/road/shoreline and the will to pound some proverbial pavement and you've got the potential for a great workout.   And let's be honest, after those long nights of partying and the accompanying feasts (ahem, binges), we can all use a good workout.  More to the point though, a prime benefit of running while traveling is the ability to explore your surroundings in a manner that you otherwise wouldn't; runs of 5, 10,  or 15+ miles allow you to see more of your location and to see it differently than if you were walking, driving or part of a tour group.  Not only do you set the pace and the direction, but, if you get up early enough as most runners do, chances are you'll see an entirely different side of your destination – one that's bathed in the honeyed and lilac hues of dawn.

 

Speaking of destinations, a lot of runners have began embracing the destination race where you travel to a location to compete (or complete…) a run.   Marathons are the prime example of this phenomenon with people flooding the streets of London, Chicago, New York, Tokyo and countless other cities annually, and in increasing numbers, to test their intestinal fortitude against 26.2 miles.   To cater to this crowd, several groups have formed to unite runners and create a community around destination racing, such as the 50 States Marathon Club and  the 7 Continents Club.  I'm obligated to mention that I'm on my own quest to run 57 marathons (50 States + D.C. + 7 Continents), so I'm biased in my fondness for destination racing and the opportunities it presents for travel and challenge.

 

Marathoning and destination races aside, I reiterate my original point, that running is an excellent way to maintain fitness while on the road and to explore your surroundings.   But what about you?  Are you a runner and, if so, any memorable runs you want to share?   I'll get this list started with some of the more poignant non-marathon runs I've had:

 

Midnight run in Reykjavik with a couple of loops from the "pond"  (Tjörnin) to the Pearl (Perlan) and back.
Sunrise run along the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  I would suggest leaving the headphones back at camp for this one.
Running from Temple Bar through Phoenix Park in Dublin.  The city was just starting to get going and commuters clogged the main downtown arteries…slow going, but rewarding once I got to the Park.  So lush, so green, so open.
From the Embarcadero over the Golden Gate Bridge and back again.  Watching the fog form and dissipate on the horizon was as surreal a moment as they come.
Finally, in my own back yard, numerous early morning runs on the Santa Fe trail in Colorado Springs, CO. I'll never forget taking in the sweeping vista of rock and snow and star and sky. Pikes Peak, illuminated by the moon stood out in pure form.

Happy travels (and happy running)…

Original article can be found here: Running and travel

Tobias Wolff on the understated intimacy of road trips

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

"I spent a lot of time in cars when I was a kid, and you know, there's something about cars— you're going somewhere, you're occupied, which can make people very unguarded in their conversations. I hitchhiked across the country a couple of times when I was a kid, and I used to have the most intimate conversations with strangers. It's partly because you're also a stranger and they know you're going to be getting out. And you know you're going to be getting out, so you'll say things, too. Not everything I said in these cars was truthful, and I'll bet that the things that were told to me weren't in every case truthful, either. But you know, they are wonderful theaters, automobiles, and the intensity of intimacy doesn't become embarrassing because you're supposedly doing something else—one person's driving, and you're both looking ahead, not at each other, and you're going somewhere, and it gets dark and there's a kind of trance one gets into, and something lifts, some reticence lifts. It's just amazing what people will say to each other."

–Tobias Wolff, interviewed by Jack Livings, The Paris Review, Fall 2004

Original article can be found here: Tobias Wolff on the understated intimacy of road trips

Travel protection: safety whistles, Swiss Army knives, and pepper spray

Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog

ASP's Palm Defender

When I first started traveling, a friend bought me a cheap three-dollar safety whistle from REI.  "For your protection," she said. For years afterwards, I dutifully took it on trips, even though I never quite figured out how it would come in handy. But I knew that if I threw it away, I'd end up in a situation where that little safety whistle would mean the difference between life and death. And so that whistle traveled with me across many continents until, to my relief, it finally got lost, somewhere in the lava fields of Iceland.

There is something about travel, about entering the unfamiliar, that makes me want to pack protection.  While some unknowns (say, a plush hotel in a European capital) may be patently safe, the kind of quirky or offbeat unknowns that I gravitate towards generally come with risks.

I've always traveled with a Swiss army knife, and years ago a friend gave me a large pocket knife, the kind that opens with a flick of the wrist.  I had to use it for protection once—to frighten off a man who was following me on a hike in a remote part of Turkey—and I've kept it handy ever since.

Pepper spray is the newest addition to my personal protection kit.  I've been meaning to buy one of those keychain sprays for years, but wasn't able to do so because I was living in Massachusetts, where you need a firearms license to legally purchase the stuff. But now that I'm no longer living in the state, I went on Amazon.com and purchased the highest-rated keychain pepper spray available: the "Palm Defender" made by ASP, a well known weapons manufacturing company.  It's a sleek tube, with the weight and feel of a keychain flashlight. I hope to never have to use it, but as I plan my next trip—a two-week solo bicycle tour —I already feel safer.

What kind of protection do you take on the road?

 

Original article can be found here: Travel protection: safety whistles, Swiss Army knives, and pepper spray