Shoe Searching

I packed light for Thailand. Really light. I brought a large backpack and canvas tote for the year. You can imagine how many outfits one can fit in a backpack. You can imagine how many pairs of shoes you can fit that same backpack (miraculously, a pair of running shoes, casual tennis shoes, a pair of sandals, dress shoes, and a pair of flip flops). The most important pair of those shoes, my dress shoes, the only shoes I have to go to work in, got a nice big crack in the sole. I've been wearing them anyway for the time being, but I set out today to go find a new pair. Looking back on the experience, I would have rather had the task to go and find the horn of a unicorn or a jar of peanut butter for less than 150 baht. Impossible.

Don't get me wrong. Shoes are everywhere. When the school systems require uniforms, the girls go crazy over fancy shoes in every color and every size heel with or without glitter. Problem is I'm not Asian, and I don't have Asian feet. I've got (what feels like) big honkin' American feet. Size 9 to be exact. This is equal to a 41 or 42 in European sizes. I go to the mall to find all the shoe stores have their biggest size to be a 40. A small 40. I walk around admiring all the teeny tiny little shoes everywhere wishing at least one place would have the rare pair of a 41 or 42. I even asked a few places and they just laugh. Thanks.

But lo and behold I see on the far back wall large stacks upon stacks of shoeboxes marked 40, 41, 42, 43, 44?? I was in luck. I tip toe over and take a peek in one hoping for a black flat. It was a black flat alright. For a man. Damn. I've got man feet.

I took a big sigh and gave in to my last resort. I went to the taxi and asked for the night bazaar. As I've said before, this is not my favorite place in the world. Vendors upon vendors crawling with farang looking for souvenirs to take home. I arrived, greeted by a screaming young British girl who was like, totally, freaking out because there was, like, a Starbucks in Chiang Mai - oh my gaw! So I went on my way in search for shoes in a farang size 42. I found endless stands with ripoff Tevas and Birkenstocks sandals. Nothing that I could wear to work. I stopped by a shoe store and asked if they had sizes in si sip song (42) and the young Thai clerk made a face and went no....so sorry. Only 40. Then she looked down and my feet and if they could have blushed, they would've. She then smiled a fake smile and walked me over to the men's shoes. The same way a person would take the the circus freak bearded lady over to the mustache comb section with a look on her face, like "it's ok..." I said, honey I've already been there, but thanks.

So I walked away in defeat. I bought a chocolate roti pancake and got an hour massage to heal my pride (it worked). Moral of the story, if you're a lady planning on coming to Asia and you don't have Asian feet, bring an extra pair of shoes. Or at least prepare yourself for a handful of embarrassing encounters.