If the shoe fits

I realised when I went away camping that I really have no appropriate hiking/walking shoes. I've been wanting some for a while. In particular, I like these and these (although I doubt I'll be scaling summits or crossing glaciers any time soon). As much as they're lovely shoes, the price hurts. A lot.

After searching on line to see if I could find them cheaper (locally!) and coming up with nothing, I took some time to peruse the various sports and camping stores around my place, this morning. The sports stores were of little use, so I took a look at a camping store. Online, they didn't have much in the way of shoes, so I doubted I'd find anything decent. When I got there, the range was bigger, but not really what I was looking for, or so I thought.

There were some nice shoes there. In fact, there were some awesome shoes there. I tried them on and wished I hadn't. Just a regular pair of nice, comfortable shoes....for $189. I put them back.

Feeling slightly upset that I may go home empty handed, or have to buy something I didn't quite want, for more than I wanted to pay, I was about to leave when a girl came along and asked if I'd seen their clearance stock. Huh? No... There was a whole separate section on the other side of the store (with all the camo clothes nobody really wants to admit they buy). I went, I tried on, I conquered.

I fell in lust with three pairs of shoes. Altogether, they cost a lot less than one of the pairs I had my heart set on, but couldn't justify. As I stood there umming and aahing about whether I'd buy them or not, the girl asked me what was quite a reasonable question. Why do you need two pairs of boots? Ummmmmm....... [see: blank look on face] She said the logic was good; I could have three pairs for less than what I'd pay for one on the other side of the store. She just wanted to know why. Ummmmmm.....I can wear the brown ones when I think I'll get really dirty and the lighter ones when I'm just walking. Okaaay, that makes sense. Sorta. Either way, I convinced myself.

The camera didn't really pick up the colours of the shoes correctly, because the flash went off. The first pair are more blue than they appear. The red are more red, and the last pair are really quite dark.

I'm excited like it's Christmas. Strange really, considering I'm not a Christmassy person. You know what I mean, anyway. I want to go and do things just so I can wear them. I might wear the red ones to bed. They're so comfy!

Of course, I'll be kicking myself when I look at my bank account between now and my next pay day (monthly pay sucks!), but I'll be kicking myself in damn fine shoes!

(I know they look like kids' shoes. I have small feet!)

Exhibit A retailed at $200. I paid $56.
Exhibit B retailed at $189. I paid $80.
Exhibit C retailed at $230. I paid $50.