Memoirs of a Single Travelling Mom

Travels with Toby

By: Marnie McBain

Narrated by: Jayne Ballentine

A free spirit by nature, Marnie has always been too adventurous for a suburban life or middle-class marriage. Her attempt at a conventional lifestyle gnawed at her spirit and left her frustrated with not fitting in. After her divorce, a brief, unsuitable relationship produces her miracle child, Toby. Marnie begins to see her world through the eyes of an impressionable child and realizes trying to conform to normal society is disheartening and downright painful.

When Toby is two, Marnie decides to take charge of his upbringing, rather than letting society, strangers, and daycares raise him. She believes travel is the best teacher - so the single mom swaps her car for an RV, and she and Toby set off to explore what is possible within their limited means. After six months on the road mixing with kindred spirits, Marnie and Toby struggle to assimilate into the lifestyle that society expects. It’s clear that normality and conformity just aren’t for them!

Hungry for unique experience and intrigued by “world schooling”, they take the plunge into a nomadic existence. They’re all in! This time, there’s no going back. Soon, they’re wandering the globe on a tight budget with adventure and life lessons around every corner. Through spiritual development and self-employment, a traumatic brain injury, and a pandemic, Marnie breaks away from others’ expectations and learns to live life on her own terms. She would never have guessed when she set out to educate her son that she would also find her own truth.

If there's one thing Marnie has learned, it’s that as you navigate the road of life, you will always encounter speed bumps; these speed bumps are little tests of your resolve to remain on your current path. If you are constantly running into roadblocks, rather than speed bumps, it's entirely likely that you are on the wrong road, and it's time to take a different one. You, and only you, have the power to turn left when society is saying "turn right".

©2021 Marnie McBain (P)2021 Marnie McBain

Bucket List life with single mom

I really got into and lived it through her life. I loved the descriptions.Not too overly wordy, but great to picture. Lots of places and not just talking of them. Very enjoyable and relaxing.

I loved this!

This is a very beautiful book I found myself enjoying very much! it is touching and feels grounded in many truths and real-life desire for adventure and a lifestyle outside of the norm. I also liked the narrator as well, easy to understand and clear!

Not what I was looking for.

This wasn’t what I thought it would be. Too bogged down with preface like details.