Fate of the pair of shoes

Here I am! Sitting on a director chair, under the bright moonshines in my house's balcony. Sipping the 4th glass of Terrazas des Los Andes - Reserva Torrontes 2010 - a white wine from Argentina. This afternoon hubby said that his Boss - who works in wine companies - passed him a bottle of wine. My hubby doesn't drink and his Boss knows that I drink hehe... So he gave it to me as a Christmas present. Thank you Boss!! :D

I went out to Chinatown after work. It was just a 10-minutes walk from my office. I wanted to buy working shoes and happened that there was a sale in the dept store there, but too bad there was no size available for the shoes I want. So maybe I will look for other shops to find for the same shoes. My foot size is considered big in Asia and it's kinda hard for me to find a suitable pair of shoes. Really need a good karma to find one hahaha... It reminded me of my first day in Bhutan.

I was preparing my luggage, to ensure that I brought enough clothes, underwear, raincoat jacket, sweater, toiletries, etc. But I forgot one thing to check, which was the condition of my shoes. I thought I would only need to wear the sport shoes and bring a pair of slippers to be used inside the hotel, so I didn't bring my other sandal shoes. I put my sport shoes inside the store room since we moved house in February, and I forgot to check its condition. I bought it around 2 years ago. Since I seldom use it, I thought it was still in good condition. Who knows, at first day reaching Bhutan, I found something wrong with it! The glues didn't stick anymore. The sole was coming out from my right shoe. OMG!!! When we visited the Simtokha Dzong, I walked without the right side of the sole, felt so embarassing!! But not sure if anyone noticed haha... We had to remove shoes when entering the Dzong some more. Alamak!!!

The leather at the outside layer of the shoes had also coming out. Wah... I was so panic!! My days were still long to go and yet my shoes condition were so bad!!! Some more I only brought slipper and I found it impolite to wear it in Bhutan since we had to visit some Dzong, temples and other government building.

After visiting the Simtokha Dzong, we were brought to a place to have lunch. I looked around. It looked like city area in Thimphu. I told one of the tour participants to inform the guide that I'd come back later as I needed to buy something. I looked around again. The restaurant was just at the opposite of the Stadium near the standing Buddha statue. I crossed the road and again, another part of the sole broke haha... I saw the clothes shop. Then, next to it, there was a shoe shop. Wah, lucky!! Said myself! But when I entered in, to my horror, the types of shoes sold were all woman's style shoes (those with high heels.. More suitable for partying), otherwise, the sizes were all small....... Hiks..... :"(

After looking around the shop, I asked the shopkeeper right away, "Do you have shoes with a big size??". I told her my size. And as expected, she shook her head. I had tried one shoe, but its biggest size was 8, too small for me. Then I saw the only pair of sport shoes. It was written "Nike." No other sport shoes available inside the store. It's shoelace's color was so eye-catching, as if it was there for so long waiting for me to notice! It didn't seem like the original Nike shoes and it didn't look like a woman shoes either. However, as I put in my feet into the shoes, it was just fitting into it nicely. Wow!! It wasn't very comfortable though, but I really had no choice!!!

 
I asked her, how much was it? She said, three thousand Ngultrum (or USD$55). As it was my first day in Bhutan, I really had no idea how much the money worth over there. I asked for discount and she said, no discount. Alas!!! Perhaps she could read my mind that I had no choice but to buy that pair of shoes!!! Haiz.... If I was given a choice, I would never pick that pair of shoes... Really!!!!

First, I was not sure if it was man or woman shoes. Second, it was not very comfortable. And third, the color was too striking!!! But too bad, I really had no other choice and didn't even have a power to bargain!!!! Hahaha.... I looked at my shoes and told her, 'Okay, I'll take this...' And paid her three thousand Ngultrum and asked her if I could dump my shoes in the rubbish bin inside her shop. She said, "Sure!"

Well, transaction was made and I could happily walk back to the building where the restaurant was located. I took the lift without knowing in which floor the restaurant was... But I guessed it was on 3rd floor, 'cos otherwise people would take a staircase... Hmm... Right enough. I found the place and entered it in. When I took my food from the buffet counter, Tshering, our guide was asking me where did I go? He thought I went missing on my first day in Bhutan... Hahaha.. I was just smiling, "No la... I went out buying something...", and sat down with my parents, enjoying my lunch, in peace.....

I knew it's far too expensive for that pair of shoes, but given in the situation I had, I was lucky enough to find one in the hundreds available there :D At least I could continue the rest of my journey peacefully.... :) So, now you believe that even buying shoes need a fate for me???