chocolate, blisters, and loving those new shoes

Over the last few years when attending TSSF events I have taken bags of Whittaker's  Mini-slabs, Artisan Squares, and Cocoa-pods (which are to die for, really). Maybe a sixth of my bag was taken up with chocolate when I left last year - gifts for people I/we were staying with, and gifts for IPTOC. And 5 cakes of Whittaker's Creamy Milk chocolate for Rebekah - because she needed them. It was a lot. And it weighed a lot. But it meant that I had room in my bag, space and weight wise for what I might accumulate over the next 11 weeks. A great plan. And to be honest the chocolate was well received by all - except by diabetics. O well!

And then , with all the walking i was doing in my old NB shoes I got blisters. Even putting on anti-chaffing cream around my toes and heals - too late - I was hobbling.  In Liverpool I decided I needed new shoes. I tried Foot Locker for some new NB or anything for wide foot - but they were pretty uninterested in serving me. I have wide feet, like all good kiwi blokes and girls - too much being barefooted when growing up, unlike those more civilized Brits - or so they think.

So I walked across the way to Skechers and bought some delightful slip on waling shoes, and walked over 700km in them over the next 10 weeks. They were amazing. I wore them in places they were not really designed for - and I got more blisters - things like moors and a coastal walk  in Cornwall. You need lace ups for that kind of carry on. But I wanted to bring my old shoes home to replace the very knackered pair I use for the beach and lawn mowing. and then my chocolate shaped gap was filled - except at this point it was still mostly filled with chocolate. Aue! Not a lot of room left. But still some weight
I love my Skechers Gowalk shoes. I have just bought another pair. This time with pretend laces for climbing the Mount and other hills. Since retiring basically those slip-ons are my go to shoes. What a find. thank you Footlocker for you not having any wide shoes. I won! First things for retirement learnt - good slip on walking shoes, Can't go wrong with these