Shoes you wear when you travel are strange category, a balance of looking good, being comfortable, keeping the luggage lightweight and being appropriate for the climate and type of trip. For my final post of 2011, I give you the 5 trips I most want to take this year and the shoes I’d like to have when I go there, in no particular order.
1) Ghana, Vibram 5 Fingers:
Mostly I’ve heard about these shoes from runners who have struggled with injuries, but as they told me about why they love them, I saw many advantages for using them for travel–especially for the trip to Ghana I’ve been dreaming about. They are barely more than a covering to keep your foot off the ground, so weight and suitcase space are minimal factors. Easy to pack? Great! If you’re like me and spend a lot of time wandering around–potentially carrying a large bag or souvenirs, the medical benefits that my runner friends told me about seem ideal. You’ll have to get used to them before you go, but less soreness in the knees, ankles and back sounds good to me. Finally, why Ghana? I’m excited to explore Ghana’s beautiful beaches, but must admit I am scared poop-less of things that dwell on ocean floors are in the water. Having a little something between my foot as I stroll the surf makes me feel much better.
2) Toronto, Shape-up Mary Jane:
Come on, admit it, you too have been just a little bit enticed by the notion that your shoe could help tone your butt. But lightly embarrassed by the fact that they look ridiculous? No? I’m the only one? Well, I might also be the only one with a trip to Toronto solely for the food on their agenda. A good friend of mine is from Toronto and has gotten me positively drooling over the delicacies of her northern home. West Indian food, Jewish delis, Little India, local cheeses, people who don’t actually live in igloos and everything that is right with the world. The one thing I do know about this trip is that we’ll be walking to most, if not all of our destinations because in Toronto, like any real city, it is better to walk and take public transport around. I’m convinced these shape-ups, in the slightly less hideous Mary Jane version (I’d like brown, thank you very much), will aid me in walking off the thousands of calories I plan to consume.
3) Los Angeles, Aldo Lounder
That same friend I want to visit in Toronto is currently in school in Los Angeles, and I feel that I should see her once in her current spot while it is just a hop, skip and jump away from me in Seattle. For LA, though, I won’t need to walk–that’s not how it works down there. Before I can be seen at Ludo Bites, I must first step out of the limo, no? Okay, maybe I’m not taking a limo, but I could toss my keys to the valet. Whatever it is I am doing, I know that my usual H&M flats with dog paw smudges will not be cutting it. These Aldo mid-sized heels looked perfect for LA–a heel low enough that I won’t fall down, casual enough that I can dress up a pair of jeans, and nice enough that should I be convinced to dance, I could still get into a decent club with these and a little black dress.
4) Ecuador, Peru and/or Colombia, Simple Satire Ribbon Sneaker
I lived in Quito, Ecuador when I was younger and have been meaning to take my boyfriend back to see it for himself. To walk the mountain town markets, muck about in the Amazon Jungle mud, stare up at a thousand colonial churches, to help him understand why I loved living there. Okay, and to secretly lay the foundation to someday live there again. One thing I can tell you is that by wearing running or walking shoes you immediately stand out as a tourist. What I want for this trip is a comfortable shoe that I can walk miles over cobblestone in, but that don’t scream “steal my camera” quite as loudly. These Simple brand shoes look to fit the bill, with decorative ribbon laces and clean lines. A word of advice? Get a dark color, the soot in the air will soak in to all your shoes and clothes.
5) The GoLite Aura for anywhere else
For the girl who wants to go everywhere (me). For the girl who isn’t afraid to stop and smell the rosé (me). For the girl who will jump at the first chance to hop a boat to Tahiti or a plane to Shanghai (that’s me again), you’ve got to have the lightweight, cute enough, super comfortable shoe that goes everywhere with you. One that you can easily slip out of as you crawl into a tatami room in Tokyo, but that won’t fall off when you’re riding a top a truck heading down a mountain in Guatemala. For me, I have high hopes that it might be this shoe. I’m hoping to check it out and get back to you.
So tell me, darling readers, well traveled citizens of the world, what are your favorite shoes for traveling? What shoes are you looking to get to travel with in 2011? And most importantly, where will you be going in the coming year?