What's the deal with Sandals?

Rainbow Rider

I'd just as soon not shout out that I'm an American while in India or have my male companions do so. Are tennis shoes and/or shorts a dead (no pun intended) give away there?

Hal

Unless you look South Asian, you'll stick out as a foreigner no matter what you wear. Sneakers are popular among Indians, shorts are rare. Lots of tourists wear shorts, though and Tevas.

My recommendation - wear comfortable walking shoes/sneakers and get some light cotton long pants. Shorts are also not allowed in mosques.

Ignite

While I was there this past summer, I almost never wore shoes unless if I going out partying at night. I always wore Sandals (rainbows take from the U.S.) just because they were a lot more comfortable to deal with while out in the sun. Another reason was that I didn't want to have to take off my shoes & my socks while going into a temple.

My recommendation would be to take a pair of comfortable tennis shoes (i had vans slip-ons, and marc ecko's), and a pair of sturdy, comfortable sandals that you have already broken-in.

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hellsbellsbaby

How about ' CROCS ' , I find these great in Thailand as they allow my feet to breath but don't end up black with grime .

kidsan

One question...are you from Israel? because if you wear crocs, everyone will assume you are!

(not, of course, that there is any problem with being from Israel )

hellsbellsbaby

you've lost me Kidsan...why Israel ? They are so popular worldwide for their comfort , would have thought you'd have seen them by now on everyone .

kidsan

and you're right, they are popular everywhere but, last time i was in india, they were de rigeur amongst the israeli community to such a point that if you saw someone wearing crocs you could be pretty confidant they were from israel

goangoangone

Crocs are crap but great for monsoon. The water runs out, you don't slip over when everything turns green (well, nearly everything ) and you can wash them. Plus they are all snide here, so they're cheap!

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hellsbellsbaby

Oddly enough they are mostly snide here , unless you've been to the States are got them at a great price ~ which I did . Unfortunately the non-kosher ones are more comfy by far .

palerider

I wore mine in Varanasi. I slipped on everything and fell badly three times. In the end I gave them away. People thought I was American or Israeli.
Neither of which I am.
Not that there's anything wrong with being American.

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stephan

I like traveling/hiking/walking/working/ with my Chaco sandals.

rebeccam

Look for a bata showstore sale while in India. Got a pair at a big discount in Coimbatore and they're the most comfy light sandals i've had..even more than my bright orange (same color as the smilie) Crocs

haydn

my guru once said to me "wear what you're comfortable with" and "it's soul not sole" before adjusting his fake armani dhoti and catching the chillum express to Footsore. a comment on tropical ulcers: if you can't get out of a humid environment (as happened to me in Niugini) antibiotic powders might not work. my ulcers cleared up after a day or two of applying papaya skin (conteining enzyme papein) to them. i was amazed. yummy too!
shantih

wonderwomanusa

Once again, on my recent visit to Mom India, I wore THESEsandals, which were throughly checked out by every woman I encountered. Several women asked me where I'd bought them ... I was afraid they'd be stolen!

Oh, I wore these for 11 weeks straight -- and they are still in fairly good shape.

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The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

Jadoaus

Can one buy decent hiking sandals, like a Keen Newport or something, in Delhi?

Never having owned a decent pair of sandals (but knowing full well that I'll live in them) and trying to save every penny before I go to India come May makes me want to buy them their if possible,

But might it be worth it to buy them before so I can break them in? Is breaking in a pair of Hiking sandals as long and hard as a pair of hiking boots? Note that my feet are so flat that my barefoot footprints in the sand look as though I'm wearing shoes.

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