When you hear someone say “Now these are comfortable shoes ...”, you probably immediately visualize shoes worn by young children or old ladies. Somehow the phrase seems to negate any fashion sense.
However, if you've ever taken a vacation and done a lot of walking, you know better, as my friend Michelle found out the hard way. She was planning a month-long trip to France with her nine year old daughter, planning to use only carry-on luggage and public transportation while visiting. She wasn't entirely naive, having done a similar trip a few years before. Taking only carry-on luggage was a good idea. On the last trip, she'd taken check-in sized luggage which produced a bunch of hassles she intended to avoid this time.
Where she went wrong was in her choice of shoes. Women are vain creatures, and even the practical minded Michelle fell victim to a fashionable pair of shoes. Before leaving, she bought a designer pair of black leather boots of very good quality, with a rounded toe shaped much like the foot, with a chunky three-inch heel. She walked around the store before purchasing, to be sure the fit would make for a pair of comfortable shoes. They were very sturdy boots, so she figured they'd just take a little breaking in to fill the bill. Just a bit stiff, but there's where female vanity bit her. They looked good. Her daughter, caught up in the excitement, mimicked Mom in her choice of shoe, also choosing a boot, but with a little more pointy toe.
It was fall, and when the day of departure arrived, the donned their wool coats, fashionable comfortable shoes and carry-on luggage and set off for the airport. By the time they reached the gate, their feet were just a little swollen and pinched from all the walking.
During the plane ride, feet were complaining loudly. It was just the air pressure in the cabin, right?
Having flown Air France, their plane got preferred landing spots with little walking required to get through customs, no hassle waiting at the carousel for checked luggage and a short walk to the bus which connected with the Metro and ultimately their hotel. Whew! Those comfortable shoes came off in a heartbeat. Jet lag settled in and a little sleep soon had them ready to go exploring the streets of Paris.
By the end of that day, it was clear to both that the fashionable boots were not to be comfortable shoes. It was painfully clear.
The following morning, they hit a local shoe store. Mom found a very practical, sensible pair of comfortable shoes in the form of a soft suede hiking boot for her child, and pounced on a soft leather pair of flat black rounded-toe shoes for herself. The remainder of the trip saw hundreds of miles walked in perhaps less fashionable, but undoubtedly comfortable shoes. You'd do well to follow their lead!
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