Quick On And Off Shoes Ideal For Travelling Through Airports

 I have two favourite types of shoes for travelling. I mostly wear sandals which have hook and loop (Velcro or touch and close). You can take them off fast. 

I have to take them off at security. Put them in the box which x-rays them. Or remove them when something goes ping because of a meal buckle on my sandals, belt, or bra.

You can put them back on fast. They expand when your feet swell in the heat when going for a summer holiday. Or when your feet shrink, you can tighten.

Synthetic Sandals For Travel

Shein shoes.

Now I have added another type of shoe. Crocs, and similar 2 Surf.  My latest are YY162 from Shein, in red, with a black motif in the centre front. The same flexible bar which goes forward to allow instant on-off,. Alternatively behind your ankle, for more security.

My review

The shoes are slightly smaller than size 4 from brands Croc and 2Surf. Also a more rounded toe. The advantage is that they look more elegant. My husband thought my other similar shoes were clompy. He did not say that about these, just, 'that's the style you like!'

As a travelling shoe, they have the advantage that you can wear them on the beach. Protect your feet from hot sand. Keep at bay anything you might tread on in the sand or water's edge.

In the bedroom 

In the bedroom the footwear protects your toes. The shoes or sandals, or slippers, whatever you like to call them, save you from kicking the bedpost, which could be wooden or metal. 

Incidentally, what the British call slippers are soft shoes for wearing indoors. They are either backless or enclosed. They can be as high as ankle boots, so long as they are soft and slip on and off fast. 

Indians, however, say slippers for any indoor or outdoor shoe which slips on, including plastic type backless and toeless sandals which the British call flip-flops. (Australians call them thongs) .

In Restaurants

 So, synthetic sandals are good because, unlike organic, leather, are safe from disintegrating in water. What kind of water? The rain, or puddles, or the seashore. 

The bulky toe protection also helps when you kick your feet out against table legs and table central support pillars in restaurants.

Singapore national day - August 9th - what is everybody doing?

 

The Singapore flag. I have chosen a version with a black border so that you can see it against a white background.

a

Some people are picnicking by the riverside. They are wearing red shirts and white shorts, or red shorts. 

Shorts? Yes, it is hot. Singapore is in theory the same temperature all year.

Singapore has the same time all year for sunset. It gets dark around 7 to 7.30 all year. When it starts getting dark I know it is time for my online Toastmasters speakers' club meetings.

The organized displays included the National Day Parade, and a descent of parachutes, plus a display of defense by the armed services.

WhatsApp is awash with messages and images and videos of singing of the national anthem and inspirational songs.

Useful Websites

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ndp-2022-a-night-of-celebration-at-singapores-first-full-parade-since-pandemic

The fireworks and song. Expand to fill your screen.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/ndp-2022-live-updates-2866506

Tamil song or anthem celebrating with English translation subtitles.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/shabir-singai-naadu-tenth-anniversary-singapore-2863906

I ordered a small silver neck chain - would it be good for travelling?

Photo.Selfie by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
 

The Good News

Great price. Under 2 pounds including postage.

Good News - Surprise

What is this arriving in the post?  It arrived in a tiny envelope - which goes through the mailbox. 

Bad News For Travelling

The thin chain doesn't look strong.  I am scared of breaking it.  I would not sleep in it.  Nor hang a heavy pendant.

Bad News For Travelling

 Note to self. Next time I would like a shorter, thicker chain. 

Good News

 But it suits a small charm from a charm bracelet. 

It fills in a blouse neck. 

Good News For Travelling

If I break it, or lose it, or it is stolen,   the value was not great. It is easy to replace.

Useful Website

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/jila88?

Warning - so called temporary tattoos can cause permanent scarring

I see warnings on bottles of hair dye that you should not use it if you have recently had henna tattoos. I always wondered why. Now I think I know why.

Now I see that some henna tattoos contain black henna which can cause allergic reactions and scarring. The scary thing is that you can have a painful and ugly reaction to the henna tattoo several days afterwards. Pitting of the skin. Or raised, lumpy scars and welts.  You could end up in hospital. And/or have permanent scarring. That is not what you want on your face, or indeed, anywhere.

I would not want the pain, the unsightly scars, nor to have to avoid hair dyes.

I have always admired the henna tattoos on women's hands, which are done for weddings. However, I already have allergies to shellfish. One hot year, when I was aged 16, there was a long hot summer, starting from the month of march, with a glut of strawberries, which I ate every day, then one day in June, around the time of my exams, I developed swelling in reaction. At first we thought it was a stress reaction to exams. But the GP (general practitioner - British term) diagnosed the reaction being an allergy, and we realized  the cause was the strawberries. Luckily, when I was about 21, I found, little by little, that I could eat strawberries with no reaction. 

Now, when travelling, or at home, I avoid shellfish. I shall avoid henna dyes, too. Apparently, in some countries they are banned. In others, the people applying them, like the customers, may be unaware of the risks.

Picture credit Wiki AKS.9955 -

In addition to Indian and Asian and Middle Eastern wedding preparations, you might see tattoos offered in markets, night markets, and seasonally, such as in the USA for Halloween.

You can read warnings about safety in foreign countries in Wikivoyage and on the US government websites and if you live elsewhere on your government's websites about travel overseas - look on the passport and visa pages and you then start to find links.  Other information is in Tripadvisor. The use of temporary tattoos is worldwide, for example, from America, Australia, Indonesia, the UK, Israel, when travelling around your own home town or city or country or travelling abroad.

Products which are allowed for hair dye for twenty minutes are not allowed against the skin, to be worn all day, or injected permanently. Bans are in place in the EU and elsewhere. Hair dyes warn you to do a test on a small area of skin several hours in advance of applying it all over your head.  

Remedies include drinking water to rehydrate because your body is sending water to the damaged area, and calling into the nearest pharmacist or drug store or a dermatologist or GP. In the UK there is a free NHS (National health service) helpline, NHS direct.

Useful Websites

 www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11090265/Bali-Melbourne-mums-worst-nightmare-comes-true-holiday.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed_article_desktop_news

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehndi#/media/File:Mehndi_front.JPG

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-products/temporary-tattoos-hennamehndi-and-black-henna-fact-sheet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagua_tattoo

https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/the-dangers-of-black-henna-temporary-tattoos

Good News. New Singapore Airlines Lounges at Changi Airport, Singapore. Airmiles offers.

 Singapore Airlines' new lounges are now open in Changi Airport, Singapore. Each class of traveller will have a different lounge. No more crowding. Much roomier and better.

On board, an Airliner from Changi to London, Heathrow was still serving the second meal earlier in the flight. But before you get cross, there is more good news.

Also see a special offer on extra airmiles for flights in the near future if you are a Krisflyer member.

Steak House, Pinner: Good Prosecco, And Fries, But No Vegetables

We had a very relaxing lunch at the Steakhouse Restaurant in Hatch End Pinner.. We booked a table for three friends near the open

f ront. Why? Because my friend is  cautious about Covid.  

My friend had eaten there before and knew to order a vegetarian starter because the main course comes without vegetables. However, I was  saving my money and calories for dessert.

I ordered Prosecco, which came  up fast. Along with tap water, which I asked for, with lemon.

Chicken and Chips

Chicken and chips. Photo by Angela Lansbury. copyright.ttps://www.thesteakrestaurant.coms

 The breaded chicken with thin French fries was excellent. Tasty chicken. Sufficiently succulent. Not overwhelmed by the bread.

The chips looked thin, but had enough potato inside. And crsipy outside. Very more-ish. 

Excellent - except for the lack of refreshing vegetables. I think that if you are offering a one or two course meal, it should be meat and two vegetables, not just meat and potato. In my mind that is conning the customer.

Cheesecake Dessert

My cheesecake dessert. Photo by Angela Lansbury..Copyright.

I had left room for the delectable and decadent cheesecake. Pleasantly presented. Only one strawberry. (But better than the main course which did not have even one string of cress. The cheesecake was a satisfyingly solid, baked cheesecake with a biscuit base. Creamy but solid cheesecake. Thick, crunchy biscuit base.  the s

Coffee and Mints

The bill came with mints in the shape of white balls. The server had no trouble dividing the bill between two credit cards.

The restaurant next door has lunch a pound cheaper. Hatch End has a large number of restaurants. 

Will I go there again? Probably. What will I order? The same. But I shall try to share salad and dessert with another person, to increase my vegetables and decrease my calories and sugar.

Useful Websites

https://www.thesteakrestaurant.com

 

Union Jack Dress

 

Angela Lansbury wearing a Union Jack Tunic with sequin pattern on front. Selfie photo by Angela Lansbury.
 

The Union Jack top or tunic in sequins was in the centre of the shop at the front. It was eye catching. I had to have it.

Selecting Sequins

First, I felt the fabric. I had had a disaster with a red sequin top I bought cheaply in the same shop. I thought it would be fun for the last night gala farewell at my writer's conference. 

My husband hates sequins. He is a conservative. Like Prince Charles. He does not want to be outshone by his wife. Gaudy. Unsuitable. 

He won't be there. My chance to shine. Literally.

I like sequins. It was cheap I bought it. In a hurry. Didn't even try it on.

Sequin Failure

However, when I got the top home and tried it on, I found the sequins were large and sharp edged and uncomfortable. I thought they would tear any item I wore underneath on top. Not to mention my own skin.

Label

The label is Fever. The symbol is a red heart with a diagonal arrow through it pointing North west to south east. The size is S for small. Washing instruction are do not wash. Dyes may not be colourfast. 

The back is plain blue and stretchy. The sequinned front has a thin blue lining. 

Sequin Success

But the sequins in my Union Jack outfit were small and soft, flexible. Bright but not overwhelming.

Union Jack Pattern

The outfit carried a message. I am British. Ideal for when I am the language evaluator at a Toastmasters International meeting.

Size & Style

I bought this in St Luke's charity shop. Their trying on cubicle was open. You could try on three garments. 

I tried it on. Success It was tight. (And Light.) It fitted. Sideways on, it made me look slim.

Price Point Rationale In Second Hand Shops 

It was seven pounds. Why so much?

Later I heard another customer ask the assistant, "Are the items on this rail cheaper?"

The assistant replied, "If an item isn't selling, we reduce the price."

Useful Websites

Facebook Fever London Clothing 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Womens-Fever-London-Clothing/15724/bn_90965867Websites

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ladies-Union-Britannia-Costume-Sequin/dp/B01N155E4G/ref=asc_df_B01N155E4G/?tag=googshopuk-21&

Please share links to your favourite posts