let's just keep complaining each day, shall we?

finding shoes in new zealand is a pain in the ass. i can't figure out what size i am. my understanding of shoes has been this: us men's 8 fits me perfectly, i don't even have to bother trying on shoes most of the time. british size is 1 less, which would make me a 7.

i come to nz armed with this knowledge. i am shopping around for decent hiking shoes. the shoes are labelled us mens 8 but they are not! i'd say 7 or 7.5. not just one brand, mind you. makes me think that they really don't know us sizes. then i realized, my feet have swollen since i've arrived, making it impossible to find a shoe that fits just right on my right foot. always tight in the same spot on my right foot. fuck. this happened when i went to japan last year too. i noticed my sandals felt unusually tight. i think the heat made my feet swell. i really don't know what it is but i don't like it!

the shoes are really expensive too. it's also hard to find hiking shoes in regular stores. in america, i always skip the hiking shoes 'cos i think, 'i'm not going hiking'. i know i see them all the time. now when i need them, it's impossible!

i thought by now i would be breaking in some shoes. instead i'm still wandering around in my converse, which is like practically walking barefoot because they are not cushioned soles. i can't go around like this on the hiking trails. i need some shoes now. i hope i have success finding a pair that isn't too expensive this weekend. however i only have 2 shopping weeks left before i start to travel. forget trying to find a pair while i'm traveling. so i think if i find something that fits and feels good, i'll just have to pay for it no matter what the price. *ouch*

another strange plant in new zealand