Day 77 - the contents of my handbag

I’m squatting on the floor of a communal room in this New York youth hostel, wearing my new jacket and holding up three objects: Water, Cash and Passport.

The water signifies my basic needs, the cash my potential and the passport my guide. Around me lay my large rucksack, my day sack, three pairs of shoes, guide books to New York, California and New Zealand, the books; Absolute Power, The Game, Kotler on Marketing, Long Way Around, the Quantas inflight magazine, ecologic from the Austalian PowerHouse museum, a bottle of Pepsi, a roll of striing I never used, a backup of photos on CD, a DVD documenting the car company that I set up that I showed the pictures of but never played the DVD, the Tetley branded MouseMemo that I was bored of photographing after a day, the spiing ankle wheels, my small original notepad diary, my new hundred page pad I bought in India, my English driving licence, a Gilette Mac 3, waterproof plasters I never used, a big plaster I never used, some left over Malaria tablets, my STA travel itinery, the huge six compartment wash bag that my mother had bought me and filled with provisions, my factor 30 suncream, hair gel, anti-persprant spray bought that day with Natalie.

Mouthwash, assorted Durex condoms and some Durex play lubrication, a polical blue T shirt with George Bush and his dad with the phrase Dumb & Dumber written underneath for my brother Mike, a Jamaican T shirt for brother Tom, a Brazilian T shirt for brother Sam, a NZ tie for father, a Honda bag from the 2002 motoshow where I exhibited, a map of new york, a cheap fashionable watch bought in India, anexpensive digital watch bought in India, a Harley Davidson leather belt, my £35 suit and colourful tie, my black trousers that could be unzipped to shorts, my ripped jeans that are too tight on the crotch, my smart grey trousers, a fat face t shirt, a vintage yellow t shirt bought in Sweden.

A grey pair of pants, the tie-die t shirt to match my ne jacket, my Indian shirt, my yellow and grey pants from H&M, two pairs of grey pants, a tight blue pair, six pairs of smelly black socks, an expensive pair of sunglasses, a cheap pair, an extremely expensive pair of normal glasses, a ticket up the Rockafella Centre, some hookers cards from Vegas, strepsils half used, a pack of cards I never used, three of my business cards left, some duck tape I never used, a padlock and key, love letter from girls I met on the way, a poem from Tiffany.

A credit card, my three year out of date NUS student card, a metro ticket from Singapore, elastic bands, a mini maglite torch, a braclet, four plastic pens, a wallet with my debit card in it, two dollars I coins, twenty three dollars iin cash, a selection of pictures I’d had printed along the way of pictures I’d taken, my Nokia mobile, a spare camera battery, a phone charger and two adaptors, my camera adaptor, red hat and some foam padding for the camera flash that I bought in Singapore.

With all my possessions on display, and the stark realization of finally knowing, after seventy seven days that what I really neaded was…

(I’m really sorry to have to do this, but you have to buy book to find out)

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Where would you like to visit next?
a) Latest news.
b) Read Chapter 1
c) View other peoples handbags.