13 Days Before—Can We Talk about Shoes

 In 2009, I made my second travel adventure to a country other than France.  Since I am single and cannot always get a family member or travel buddy to accompany me, I decided I would try a tour.  What better tour company to choose than Rick Steves?  I explored the offerings, finding most to be too expensive, especially when air fare is not included.  However, Rick Steves does offer a few one-week stays in certain cities that are fairly reasonably priced.  I decided on a week in Florence, Italy!  I had been teaching Humanities classes for many years, so here was another opportunity to actually see in person the artwork and architecture I presented in lectures via photos.

I had always been more interested in Michaelangelo more than Da Vinci, thanks to The Agony and the Ecstasy, both book and film.  Movies about historical periods and real people always send me to “read more about [them].”  I was dying to see the David up close and personal.

Rick Steves promotes packing light, so I packed only a 20-inch carryon and a backpack.  This was not easy for someone who likes to have choices about what clothing to wear for what, when.  Also, when booking my flight, it turned out that I would be going through Paris.  I thought, it’s a shame not to spend some time in Paris since you have to go through there anyway.  I phoned my sister, Dana, in St. Louis and asked if my niece, Jessica, might be interested in joining me for a week in Paris.  Mom, Tom, Dana, Jessica, and I had met in Paris in 2008 to celebrate Dana’s milestone and Jessica’s graduation from high school (there’s another shoe story, isn’t there Jess?), but we didn’t have much time in Paris on that trip.  Jessica said yes, though she had some trepidation about flying across the ocean by herself but which she managed with aplomb. 

Back to packing.  I would be gone for a little over 2 weeks.  How do you put 2 weeks’ worth of clothes and necessities in one 20-inch carryon?  Obviously, some trips to the laundry would be required, but I also decided to take only one pair of shoes.  (I can hear the gasps from you seasoned travelers!)  I had a pair of Clarks that I wore all the time and which were always comfortable, so I wore those and didn’t pack any other shoes.

We spent almost all of our time in Florence walking.  By the end of the week, my feet and legs rebelled against taking me anywhere, and by the time I got to Paris, met Jessica, took a bus into the city that dropped us off in Montparnasse when we wanted to be in the 7^th arrondissement, which meant dragging suitcases and walking and changing various metros until we reached our hotel!  A trip to Occitane resulted in some foot products.  One evening, I said I just couldn’t walk anymore.  It was early, and I am truly sorry Jessica that we didn’t go out some more!  Maybe next time?  We looked for shoe stores and found one where I bought two pairs of shoes.  The salesperson said they were good for walking.  I think I should have been more specific because I ended up wearing sandals to climb 400 stairs in the Notre Dame tower to see Quasimodo.  Ahead of me, Jess would say, “It’s only a little further Aunt Kate.”

Okay, so lesson learned.  DO NOT GO ABROAD WITH ONLY ONE PAIR OF SHOES!

Shoes are heavy, and depending on your activities, you may need several pairs, right?  Now, I COULD wear the heaviest ones on the plane, but you have to take them off at security and put them back on, and on a 17-hour flight, you might not want those shoes on all the time.  Many of us have learned to wear slip-on type shoes for flying:  easy on, easy off, easy on.

Here are my heaviest shoes:  hiking/walking/riding boots.  Trevor and I are going to re-enact the Man from Snowy River pretty much first thing.  Then there is going to be hiking . . . and walking.  Feet need to be babied.  So these shoes are a must.

Here’s my assortment:

A girl has to have CHOICES!!  The rust-colored shoes are walking shoes without the support of the hiking-type boots.  One of the other pairs will be worn on the plane.  I am thinking that I need some “nice” shoes for some of our activities.  The green ones I wore all over Edinburgh with some fatigue, but not much.  The black ones have spent some time in Paris.  The red ones, well jeez, it’s Oz!

So tell me that I don’t need all of these shoes.  Or tell me that I should bring at least one other pair.

Oh, dear!