Walking a Mile in Another Man's Shoes 2 (or Too?)

You'll have heard the old saying, that 'You never miss what a friend gets!' (Even I know that it's bad grammar, sorry.) and possibly the (or so I fancy) rather newer saying 'What goes around comes around'. Well here I am to prove the veracity of both!

You remember that last Thursday I gave our cleaner, Rashad, a pair of my rather expensive 'Timberland' sandals. That's fine, and as I remarked at the time, 'Why should my friend go barefoot, while I've got two pairs of sandals?', or words to that effect.

You'll never guess what happened next! In fact, as friend Littlejohn (of various newspapers fame) would say 'You couldn't make it up!'

On Saturday, we got a call from a friend (who also lives in Luxor) to arrange to come and visit us on Sunday evening, bearing a gift. (?????) I knew you wouldn't believe it without a picture; it was another pair of sandals!

                                  

And not just any old sandals, Clarks 50 or 60 quiddish sandals! Apparently, the friend had been given them, but had no real use for them, so passed them on. Very nice, eh?

I suppose that they're the modern-day equivalent of what we knew as 'Jesus sandals' in our youth, obviously greatly updated. They're now made to look like the 'sexy' bondage type of thing which Lara Croft might wear; all straps and adjustable Velcro, plastic clips replacing old fashioned buckles, with tractor-like grips to give a firm footing whilst racing about unstable terrain. (Or conversely,  looking like they have been specially designed for the physically and mentally challenged!)

I'm currently wearing them in the house, just to see if I can get used to them. It's funny having all this fashionable (but rough) mix of fabric and leather, and the odd bit of Velcro, next to the beautifully tender skin of my pampered feet. I committed a real faux-pas when I suggested that they would be fine with a pair of my long H J Hall stockings under them! (I haven't dared to mention that again!) (I'll have that Scotchie woman on my back next, for even contemplating it!)

Life without socks, time without a watch. 68 countries and counting!

The title of this post just shows you how busy and interesting life in Luxor is at the moment, with so few tourists! It's actually a 'signature' line lifted straight from a post by someone calling themselves craigt3365 on the Thorntree (Lonely Planet) Egypt forum. I hope that craigt3365 doesn't mind me borrowing his signature line, I'm sure that it's unique to him and he can have any credit for it's composition. He and I have been having a little bit of a tizz going on Thorntree about safety in Egypt and the fact that I have, what he termed, a 'commercial interest', and implied that therefore what ever I wrote must be skewed. Cheeky beggar!

But it's socks, stockings, hose or whatever you like to call them, that concerns me tonight, Dear Reader.

I've always liked stockings, always preferred them to short 'men's' socks in all the colours of the rainbow, or with 'Deputy Dawg' or those vile 'Simpsons' creatures woven into them! Freda actually grimaces when she sees men wearing socks with sandals, (if you close your eyes, you can imagine her look af distaste) but if it wasn't for her, I'd probably do the same, to be perfectly honest. It's a comfort thing, you know. Since as far back as I can reliably remember, I've really enjoyed the simple pleasure of putting on new stockings for the first time, only with good quality stockings which actually fit your feet, mind you, none of this 'one size fits all' nonsense. The snug comfort of a pair of nice soft warm stockings protecting those feet which have served you well for all of your life, don't they deserve a bit of pampering? Mine have to carry almost 16 stone around all day, in this heat as well!

I hate being without stockings, in fact, I'd even wear short 'socks' rather than go barefoot! Even in the house, I have to have something on my feet, M&S sheepskin lined moccasins being the current favourite. "Life without socks": it's unthinkable! Freda, bless her, searches the internet for me, to come up with those which really fit the bill. Here they are:


Now then, are they a lovely pair of legs, or what?

Seriously though, at my time of life I want some comfort! And one way to be comfortable is to start off with comfortable feet, decent shoes and decent socks are the answer, cotton for comfort and durability in all weathers. These particular ones are from HJ Hall, stocking makers of distinction, I believe. They are a real 'treat for the feet'.

I well remember when I was about seventeen, and having to wear wellington boots because of the deep snow that year. From somewhere (cannot remember details any more) I got a pair of 'welly socks'. They were woolen and thick and strong, and were obviously meant to keep your feet warm while wearing said wellingtons. But they had no heels!!! I thought, at first, that they were for people with deformed feet, for heaven's sake! I did wear them though, to the point where my mother-in-law actually darned them a few times. Uuugggh, the very thought of them repels me now, darned or not!

Anyway, while craigt3365 enjoys not wearing any socks and developing hard skin on his feet in 68 countries, I thoroughly recommend HJ Hall's long cotton rich TOT (Turn Over Top) golf stockings for your visit to Egypt, forget those awful Terry Towelling things which are worn with 'trainers' (how I hate those monstrosities as well) and get some quality around your feet.