Sandals, 1998-2007

One hears about women who are obsessed with shoes; who collect them and crave them in huge numbers. I probably own too many pairs for a bloke, but there are few that I have really liked, that have become a staple of my wardrobe. There are just a very few pairs of shoes that I remember with fondness: the suede pigskin Hush-Puppy Chelsea boots I wore in my last year at school, my first pair of Doc Martens, the grey pink-and-purple highlighted cycling boots I owned for ten years, and a particular pair of black brogues worn for work until they wore out.

And now I'm getting rid of a pair of sandals that I've worn every summer since 1998. Originally bought in Vancouver, Canada, on holiday, after ten summers of hard use the straps have detached from the sole on one foot, the soles themselves are smooth from wear, and the air cushions under the heels have deflated, making me squeak as I walk along. The soles are recessed to protect my toes, so I've worn them on some considerable cross-country walks instead of boots. And, because they're water-resistant, I've paddled in half the oceans of the world in them.

Thinking about it, that's almost a true statement, as I've had a fair amount of travel in the last few years. I've paddled in the Pacific off Canada, the Indian Ocean off Zanzibar, the Caribbean around Cuba, the Atlantic, Irish and North Seas around Britain, and the Med. And my replacements aren't nearly as comfortable nor as protective.

So if anyone knows where to buy a new pair of size 43 Air Deschutz, please let me know.


:-)