I purchased a head torch today for my trip. Granted, it was a cheap one I found in the men’s Christmas section of a supermarket, but it was a step in the right direction. Plus, it was a bargain.
My parents laughed when I tried it on. Yes people, they actually laughed.
Now, despite the fact that this is bordering on child cruelty (while I’m living under their roof they’ll abide by my rules, or something like that) it also made me realise something – being sensible makes you look stupid.
Consider the scene…..I am staying in what can only be described as a shack on an island whose name I can’t pronounce when I feel the need to go to the little girls’ room. In the dark. As I curse and stumble my way across the swamp to an outside toilet, I will be more than elated at my purchase of a cheap Christmas stocking filler and will laugh heartily at how those who doubted me were wrong. Well, until my cheap-ass AAA batteries run out and I fall into said toilet. But nonetheless, I am sure it will come in handy at some point next year.
Having said that, would I ever consider wearing such an item on a typical day in Manchester? Would I balls. For one thing, we have the luxury of an inside toilet (I know, who would’ve thought we were so developed up North, eh?) and for another I would die of the sheer embarrassment of wearing anything so ridiculous on my head (no jokes here, please, this is a pre-watershed blog).
So this leads me to believe that experiencing new things also puts you in the awkward position of making a complete and utter tit of yourself.
I’m all for making a few sacrifices to help make the exciting process of travelling a lot smoother, but come on, I’ve already had to invest in a pair of waterproof shoes and a head torch this year. Surely that is punishment in itself.
So if you happen to see me stumbling around in the dark, swearing and wrestling a wily anaconda whom I stepped on in my waterproof shoes whilst attempting to take a wee in the middle of the night, help a girl out would ya? All I ask is that you don’t laugh, like my lovely parents did.
I used my headlamp quite a few times, definitely a worthwhile purchase! There are just too many places in SE Asia where the electricity might go out for 5 minutes or even 5 hours.
Yay! So glad to hear that this has been a worthwhile purchase and that I’m not just making a big fool of myself 🙂
I used my headlamp quite a few times, definitely a worthwhile purchase! There are just too many places in SE Asia where the electricity might go out for 5 minutes or even 5 hours.
Yay! So glad to hear that this has been a worthwhile purchase and that I’m not just making a big fool of myself 🙂
Headlamp definitely comes in handy when traveling. Many places in SE Asia don’t even have 24h electricity. I broke my headlamp just before I reached Sabang in Philippines; that town only has electricity for 4h from 6pm. So it was back to using my trusty old iPhone to stumble in the dark when trying to find my bungalow at midnight after a quite a few beers…
Haha I can imagine! I actually used my iPhone in the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam to help light the way out; phones have a multitude of uses (apart from the obvious ones)!
Headlamp definitely comes in handy when traveling. Many places in SE Asia don’t even have 24h electricity. I broke my headlamp just before I reached Sabang in Philippines; that town only has electricity for 4h from 6pm. So it was back to using my trusty old iPhone to stumble in the dark when trying to find my bungalow at midnight after a quite a few beers…
Haha I can imagine! I actually used my iPhone in the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam to help light the way out; phones have a multitude of uses (apart from the obvious ones)!
hahaha I bet you look GORGEOUS! My parents bought a barge last year and they’ve bought a whole load of ‘attractive’ sensible wear to go with it. They’re always walking down the Liverpool/Leeds canal with head torches on at night – you’d fit right in! xxx
hahaha I bet you look GORGEOUS! My parents bought a barge last year and they’ve bought a whole load of ‘attractive’ sensible wear to go with it. They’re always walking down the Liverpool/Leeds canal with head torches on at night – you’d fit right in! xxx
Woo hoo! I’ll be over as soon as I can 😉
Haha, I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who finds head torches ridiculously geeky and possibly the least attractive thing you can wear – apart from waterproof shoes maybe (do you have a photo of these!? hehehe).
I made the mistake of thinking I was ‘too cool’ for a head torch and didn’t take one. I took a wind-up torch that was shaped like a pig and it took about 15 minutes of winding for about 12 seconds of light. Then if I had to go to the ‘little girls room’ in some random place I had to hold the pig in my mouth and stop half way through to wind him up! Bad times. The head torch will come in very useful!
Haha, I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who finds head torches ridiculously geeky and possibly the least attractive thing you can wear – apart from waterproof shoes maybe (do you have a photo of these!? hehehe).
I made the mistake of thinking I was ‘too cool’ for a head torch and didn’t take one. I took a wind-up torch that was shaped like a pig and it took about 15 minutes of winding for about 12 seconds of light. Then if I had to go to the ‘little girls room’ in some random place I had to hold the pig in my mouth and stop half way through to wind him up! Bad times. The head torch will come in very useful!
That’s hilarious! I actually saw those wind-up pigs recently….pretty sure I won’t invest in one if I have to take a wee with it in my mouth… I’ll stick with looking totally ridiculous instead haha
My headtorch is one of the most useful items I’ve ever bought for travelling. It saves fumbling around in the dark in hostels when you don’t want to switch the light on, and is also great for reading in bed. It’s much smaller and lighter than any decent torch I’ve ever had and it’s become pretty much essential for camping, especially when putting a tent up in the dark…
My headtorch is one of the most useful items I’ve ever bought for travelling. It saves fumbling around in the dark in hostels when you don’t want to switch the light on, and is also great for reading in bed. It’s much smaller and lighter than any decent torch I’ve ever had and it’s become pretty much essential for camping, especially when putting a tent up in the dark…