Deviate

Tales from the vagabonding trail: Discussing “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There”


Listen Later

“Life’s journey is as rewarding as my travel journeys. It’s been fun to travel the world as a slightly older person.” – Rolf Potts

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and participants in the Nomadic Network book club discuss the stories behind the travel tales in his 2008 book Marco Polo Didn’t Go There, including what inspired him to collect the essays into a single book, and why he decided to include endnotes (2:00); which stories stand out as favorites, for both Rolf and his readers, and how Rolf finds stories on the road (12:30); how his writing and his travels have changed in the years since these stories were first written (19:00); what it’s like to create a home amid a life of travel, and how journaling feeds creative writing (26:00); and the new book Rolf is working on now (35:00).

Matt Kepnes (@nomadicmatt) is the founder of TravelCon and the author of Travel the World on $50 a Day and Ten Years a Nomad. The Nomadic Network is a global community of travel-enthusiasts who support and inspire one another to travel better, cheaper, and longer.

Travel essays mentioned:

  • Storming The Beach (Thailand)
  • ​”Going Native in the Australian Outback” (Australia)
  • Backpackers’ Ball at the Sultan Hotel” (Egypt)
  • My Beirut Hostage Crisis” (Lebanon)
  • Be Your Own Donkey” (Egypt)
  • Turkish Knockout” (Turkey)
  • Notable links:

    • Paris Writing Workshops (writing class)
    • Travelers Tales (publisher)
    • Wilfred Thesiger (travel writer)
    • Gertrude Bell (travel writer)
    • American Notes, by Charles Dickens (travelogue)
    • Herodotus (Greek historian)
    • Best Hostel Ever (Deviate episode)
    • Whodunit (storytelling genre)
    • Bootsnall (travel community)
    • Mentawai Islands (archipelago in Indonesia)
    • Tracy Kidder (journalist)
    • 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 [email protected].

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      DeviateBy Rolf Potts

      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8

      4.8

      161 ratings


      More shows like Deviate

      View all
      Travel with Rick Steves by Rick Steves

      Travel with Rick Steves

      173 Listeners

      Fresh Air by NPR

      Fresh Air

      38,189 Listeners

      Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan by Chris Ryan

      Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

      2,066 Listeners

      Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

      Making Sense with Sam Harris

      26,462 Listeners

      Zero To Travel Podcast by Jason Moore

      Zero To Travel Podcast

      822 Listeners

      The James Altucher Show by James Altucher

      The James Altucher Show

      2,503 Listeners

      Slate Money by Slate Podcasts

      Slate Money

      1,010 Listeners

      The Frommer's Travel Show by Pauline Frommer

      The Frommer's Travel Show

      143 Listeners

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing

      10,693 Listeners

      Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff

      Team Human

      357 Listeners

      How to Be Fine by Kristen and Jolenta

      How to Be Fine

      5,396 Listeners

      Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler by Condé Nast Traveler

      Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler

      631 Listeners

      Emergence Magazine Podcast by Emergence Magazine

      Emergence Magazine Podcast

      477 Listeners

      The Daily Stoic by Daily Stoic | Backyard Ventures

      The Daily Stoic

      4,755 Listeners

      How to Age Up by The Atlantic

      How to Age Up

      1,424 Listeners