New Addition to the Travel Lexicon: ‘Vagabond Neurosis’

World Hum’s Most Read: Oct. 4-10

What We Loved This Week: Bajofondo, Rattlesnake Cake and Leaf Peeping

Travel Headline of the Day: ‘Fear Grips Global Stock Markets’

Love Herring in Sweden

From artery-clogging casseroles to a fermented concoction that smells alarmingly like vinegary flatulence, Lola Akinmade digs in to a smörgåsbord of herring and explains how to best appreciate Scandinavia’s favorite fish. 

The Water Is Wide

Bronwen Dickey considers Tim Butcher’s “Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s Broken Heart,” which takes readers deep into the Congo

Vagrant Ruminations of a Compulsive Traveler

Where does the urge to hunt for that “fleeting fix of elsewhere” come from? Peter Wortsman recalls a life of travel inspiration. 

Rolf Potts: Revelations from a Postmodern Travel Writer

His new book “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There” includes his best stories from the past 10 years. Michael Yessis asks him how travel writing has changed in the last decade—and what he sees for the future.

Notes From an Unofficial Tourist Greeter

Summer is over, and so is Julia Ross‘ season as an ambassador to travelers in Washington, D.C.’s Woodley Park neighborhood. She’s happy to be off duty.

10 Great Travel Race Movies

Slow travel is well and good. But there’s something irresistible about a great travel race movie. World Hum Travel Movie Clubbers Eva Holland and Eli Ellison share their favorite vicarious thrill rides.

How Should I Spend My Time in Spain?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

Man Drives From New York City to Los Angeles in 31 Hours

Frist off, the man is an idiot. What makes him think he has the right to endanger the lives of law abaiding citizens, by speeding down public roads. I recommend that someone throw a net over him and haul his butt to the nearest loony bin. There are private places where fools like him can set records. I would recommend the Salt Flats in Utah, he could run round and round until he passed out and no one but himself would be hurt.

I believe that Mr. Roy is a thrill seeking individual. I would like to see him beat the record from Spain to Vietnam. I doubt if he can make it.

Wow. Another man with too much money and no concern for other people’s lives. Don’t millionaires and billionaires have something to do other than try to break speed records?

Are you kidding this man is an american hero! Im sick of all the safty junkies worrieng about people geting hurt, your turning the nation into a bunch of wusses.

As someone who has done a great deal of interstate driving I can say with complete confidence that Mr. Roy is a first class moron!

I’ve seen a lot of people drive over the speed limit, and honestly, as a professional driver I can tell you the safest speed to drive is the speed the traffic flow is moving at. In Mr. Roy’s case, this IS NOT the case.

If his average speed was just over 90 mph just how fast do you think he was going in areas where he could drive even faster? Perhaps more importantly, how fast was he going through states like Ohio, New York, etc. where the speed limit is 65mph or less? How fast did Mr. Roy drive through, or after getting through construction areas, accident areas, or just plain old traffic jams? After all, creeping in traffic hurt his average speed—got to drive faster to make this up, right?

The bottom line is all the same, it is reckless endangerment of those around this idiot. And here we have media outlets giving this guy attention when what he really should get is a month or two in jail, loss of his drivers licence and a good fine.

Have to wonder what kind of person would pay to read his memoir, The Driver? Perhaps a more fitting title would be ‘The Jerk’!

Enjoy the fame Mr. Roy, because sooner or later some one will pay with their health, or life for your stupidity!

But then again, what do you care, you’ll get attention for that, too, I’m sure.

Geez ... aside from all the speeding concerns, how on earth does someone manage to stay awake and focused enough to drive that sort of distance straight through? On second thoughts, maybe I just don’t want to know.

I’m sorry, but I just don’t believe it.  Not only is it alot fo country to drive by yourself, but waht about gas stops, bathroom breaks,etc.  I just don’t see how even at 90.1 mph. unless he had another driver.

Wow… So very bitter.  If you had not been brainwashed by Safety Police, you would know that the majority of the east west highways were engineered for driving at 90+ speeds, and even Texas has a 85 MPH speed limit on one of its rural highways.  With a time of 30 hours, that is a little more than one day, so much of the driving was at night.  Certainly not absolutely safe but manageable. Think of all the 40+ hour round trip flights airforce pilots do, and rethink the safety factor of time. Just a thought,
RUF

You know all of these people complain about the speed and how he is trying to get attention. Fact is every one of us wish we had the time to be able to do this. Was the speed rediculous? Yes. But no one got hurt. And as for the attention...We all watched. Who is stupider??? Man i feel like a road trip!

I do not think this man is crazy. The day after 911, I drove from Glendora, Ca. to Baton Rouge, La. in 26 hours. That was stopping for gas and sleeping 4 hours in a motel. There was very little traffic and I did exceed the speed limit guite a bit but not where it would endanger others. The major interstates and highways usually have pretty high speed limits.

First of all, I don’t believe it.  I’ve driven across country non-stop with another driver and it would be hard to do it that fast alone and without drugs.  The person that brought up the airline pilot has a good point.  And, physicians that work the ER’s 40+ straight hours.  We as a whole seem to accept that but can’t accept someone driving 30 hours.  I would rather take my changes with the driver than the airplane pilot or the ER Doctor!!!  And yes, so many people are worried about every little thing that they are turning our country into a bunch of wusses.