About the Ducks

In 1995 my nephew G found a soft toy duck in a sandpit in Bristol, UK. No one knew where the duck was from or who it belonged to – the only identifier was a label which said it had been made in Huddersfield. G was visiting his Grandparents in Bristol and at the end of his stay forgot to take the duck – which was now called Chickie and of disputed gender – home to where he lives in Norway. On a visit to Norway I took Chickie with me. G and Chickie were reunited. G, Chickie and I had many adventures together out there. At the time I was planning a trip to South America. G asked me to take Chickie along so that the duck could learn about other countries. Before my departure to South America Chickie had already travelled to Turkey and the Lake District with my then boyfriend H, went up on a kite and had found itself journeying courtesy of the Royal Mail a few times. Chickie had expressed those rootless beginings as a confirmed Itinerant.

Chickie’s first experience of South America was being carried by a Paraguayan cleaner through Buenos Aires airport because I’d left it behind on the plane from UK. We’re still not sure who looked more sheepish, the cleaner, me or the duck. During the year away Chickie acquired a Bolivian girlfriend (which meant that at some point his gender had been decided). She was a little duck and was therefore named Chickitinga (ingo/inga is the Bolivian diminutive for ito/ita in Castillian Spanish).

In August 2008 H and I were married. At the party, which took place in a field in Derbyshire, G approached me to ask whether the two ducks might also marry. It was arranged and G closed the ceremony with the permission to Chickie, “You may now kiss the duck“.

Mr and Mrs Chickie continue to travel with H and I. One day I’ll write a travel book for children and the chicks will lead the way.