Advice for Women Travelers:
Shoes
I've already got Advice About Packing, but one
of the points apparently needs more elabortation, given how many people ask
me about it:
What shoes do you take when you travel?
Which shoes to take for a trip depends on a lot of things:
- Why you are traveling (for work? does that mean you have to wear
business clothes?)
- What you will be doing while traveling (how much walking will you do?
and what will the terrain be like?)
- What will the weather be like where you are going?
- How conscious are you of your shoes, in terms of what other people
see in you/think of you?
- How much luggage are you taking?
- Are you flying or taking a train - and therefore very limited in
terms of luggage - or are you in a car, where you aren't so limited on
what you can take?
Remember that every pair of shoes takes up a LOT of space. If you are like
me when you fly, wanting to be able to take just one carry-on bag that will
fit in the seat in front of me, plus one checked bag, and wanting a bit of
space for something I might pick up during my trip, luggage space is at a
premium.
I really don't care what people think about the shoes I'm wearing. But
some women really do, and would be miserable wearing comfortable shoes
that don't also look fabulous, but happy in shoes that hurt oh-so-much but
make them feel pretty.
When I travel without my
motorcycle and will be doing a lot of walking - which is MOST of the
time - I take these shoes:
- Vasque trail running shoes. These are perfect for both doing a lot of
urban site-seeing (on pavement) or hiking through gorgeous, natural
scenery. They are, IMO, the perfect blend of sneaker and hiking shoe.
They're rugged, they are durable, and they feel great on my feet.
Something with ankle support would be nice - but I've never found
anything that is as light as these, feels as good and will last as long
- but your luck may be different.
- Teva sandles - but only if it will be warm enough at my destination.
I can hike in these as well, as long as the terrain isn't too crazy.
They are also great for wearing down to breakfast in a hotel, or for an
airplane (easy to take on and off at security, as well as on the plane
as well). They also look fine with the kind of comfortable clothes I
like to wear for a night on the town on a warm evening.
- Cheap plastic flip flops, for the shower or for running around a
hotel room.
If I'm going on a business trip, I substitute a "nice" pair of shoes (closed
toes) for either the trail running shoes or the Tevas. On a really short
trip (two days), I either don't take the trail running shoes or the
Tevas.
Seems like a lot to men - and to women, I often get the response,
"That's it?!"
For me, this has been the perfect combination of shoes. I'm big on being
practical and trying to travel as light as possible. I just don't get
taking painful shoes, no matter how great they might look - even if you
are going to have a private car taking you everywhere you need to go, you
are going to be walking a lot in airports. Plus, I hate dealing
with stuff while traveling, even when I'm going to be in the same hotel
room or guest room the entire time.
Backpacking
When I backpacked (I no longer do), I took just my hiking boots and my
Tevas - and was always wearing one of them: the boots when I had my pack
on, and the Tevas around the camp, or short hikes without my pack. For
flying, I suggest you wear your hiking boots on the plane - they just take
up WAY too much space for packing. It will be rotten during security,
because you will have to take them off then put them back on - and it will
also be horrible on a long plain ride if you are not flexible enough to
take them off in your cramped airplane seat, but that's a temporary
discomfort and inconvenience.
_______________________________________________
If you have read anything on
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and found it helpful, or want to criticize it, PLEASE
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Quick Links
Index of resources for women travelers
(how to get started, health & safety considerations,
packing suggestions, transportation options, etc.
Advice for camping
with your dogs in the USA
Saving
Money with Park Passes in the USA
Advice for women motorcycle
riders and travelers
transire
benefaciendo: "to travel along while doing good." advice
for those wanting to make their travel more than sight-seeing
and shopping.
Suggestions
for Women Aid Workers where the culture is more
conservative/restrictive regarding women than most other
countries.
Where I've
been
A list of all of the states in the USA and all of the
countries I have lived in or traveled in, the farthest North
I've been by land, the nearest I've been to the equater,
various other stats.
This includes all of the places I have traveled to and through
via motorcycle.
Some
of
my favorite photos from my travels. Very hard to
pick favorites.
Advice
for Hotels, Hostels & Campgrounds in Transitional &
Developing Countries: the Qualities of Great, Cheap
Accommodations
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