On Binbags and Plastic Crap

Just under 48 hours to go to takeoff, and I am ploughing through the leisurely accumulations of two lives.

Endless bits of plastic to be sorted into cherished, to-be-inherited, and junk. It’s a form of fine archaeology sifting the Bionicles from the Lego Technics, the cracker crap from the Kinder goodies, the Beano bits from the Playmobil pieces. Six big binbags to the rubbish; six more to Oxfam; and still they come.

Boxes of photos which have travelled, first with me, then with us, across the UK, always unalbumed, always unsorted — and guess what? I won’t be sorting them this time, either.

Pottery and papier-mache treasures, some firmly decayed, others yet to bite the dust, all precious. Mountains of comics, puzzle books, mazes, whole bags of felt tips, crayons and glitter. Certificates from school, swimming, windmills, the Monument…

Clothes which he has grown out of in the upwards direction and I have outwardly exceeded.

Goodbye to klubwear with a k, the 5-inch scarlet snakeskin boots I meant to get fixed and never did, the lacy, flimsy, sequinned things that, while I still believe I may one day fit into them, my age has definitely withered.

I’ve kept the things that people made me. But not without a wrench for thighs gone by.

Goodbye, more sadly, to the fluffy kangaroo jacket, toddler sized, complete with ears and joey pouch, the batik elephant shirt from Sri Lanka, the gremlin top from K-Mart on West 34th Street, the Nikes for age six weeks.

We will be travelling with an 80-litre backpack (me) and a schoolbag overflowing with soft toys (him). It’s funny how space shrinks exponentially when it contains your life for twelve whole months.

8 Responses

  1. How amazing to look back at this post after all of those life-changing adventures. Incredible.

  2. Kayleen says:

    Wow, I am just beginning reading your story now! I am looking into doing this with my 6 year year old daughter….but maybe in a year. I am trying to get my medical transcriptionist schooling started right now and will be working at the local bar as a waitress so I can save up for traveling, I have no idea where to plan our first trip buuuut im hoping reading your blog will help with that 😀

    • Theodora says:

      Brilliant! Welcome aboard! I love it when someone starts right from the beginning…

  3. Melanie says:

    I stumbled across your site today from a link on Soul Travelers 3. I absolutely love what you’re doing and I’m using journey as inspiration for the one I plan to take. Somewhat like Kayleen, who posted above, I am a single mother with a 5 year old daughter and I plan to start traveling by the summer of 2015. I am starting a virtual assistant business and hope to have regular clients by then. I am also interested in getting certified in medical transcribing as to add to my services. I look forward to reading all your posts from the beginning. The journeys combined with your writing make it just as entertaining as it is informative. I’m glad I found your site.

    • Theodora says:

      Thank you, Melanie! That’s motivating me to keep on blogging, as I’ve hit a bit of a blocked patch at the moment. Virtual assisting sounds a good way to support budget travel, and I’m sure you and your daughter will have a fab, fab trip. All the best, Theodora

  4. Kate lambert says:

    I too am planning to embark on an adventure with my 9 year old daughter, Lille and am starting reading your blog from the beginning today.
    I am presently in the overwhelmed phase where it all seems to big and scary and completley unpractical, impossible and irresponsible in my present circumstances but my heart is burning with wanderlust and I’m hoping your blog will give me guidance and clarity

    • Theodora says:

      Not sure about guidance and clarity, but I hope you’ll manage to make the jump. It’s a lot less scary than it seems before you do it.