Deviate

Rolf Potts wrote the book on long-term travel -- literally. His 2002 classic Vagabonding became a blueprint for a generation of backpackers, and his newer book The Vagabond's Way continues that tradition with 366 meditations on wanderlust and discovery. His podcast Deviate carries that same philosophical, unhurried sensibility into conversation form. Each episode features Rolf sitting down with a guest -- writers, thinkers, adventurers, and occasionally people who have nothing obvious to do with travel at all -- for what he calls "off-topic" dialogues. The conversations wander (intentionally) through culture, philosophy, place, and the art of paying attention. A recent episode connected the Super Bowl to travel psychology; another explored how Kansas is portrayed in cinema. The range is part of the appeal. Episodes typically run 45 minutes to over an hour, and they reward patience. The production is deliberately simple. No flashy sound design, no ad-heavy interruptions -- just two people talking with genuine curiosity. Listeners describe Rolf's style as thoughtful and warm, with one reviewer noting his "pleasant Kansas twang" and another praising his ability to ask questions that open up unexpected territory. With 229 episodes since 2017 and a monthly release schedule, there's a substantial archive. The show holds a 4.8-star rating from 162 reviews on Apple Podcasts. Deviate is the travel podcast for people who want to think differently about what travel even means, rather than just figure out where to go next.