Barefoot Friday

It was particularly nice to be working from home and keep my shoes at bay for the day. One of the principal reasons I'm not barefoot these days is that I cycle 5 miles into work and for that I appreciate my SPD clip-in cycle shoes (on my top recommended A530 pedals). When I get to work I've also been told that going around barefoot is not acceptable (which is a great shame) but I still manage to slip off my SPD shoes when we're going out for lunch, as walking around in cleats is quite annoying.

I now have toasty warm evening feet as a result.

Prague Barefoot

Not recently, admittedly, but I was reminded last night of my barefoot adventure round Prague back in 2008. The streets were lovely and clean and the joy of smooth round cobbles was something else. I arrived with only my suit and no shoes, my luggage having been lost in the airport. Thankfully a couple of days later I did have a new change of clothes and could wonder round looking a little less weird.

Barefoot Heather Run

I was walking with my family in the Peak District this summer with heather of such a astonishing purple colour that photographs don't quite do it justice. The weather was also so glorious and the grass soft that I took off my boots and skipped down the hill back to the car. Glorious. Reminded me of my first barefoot mountain experience in Wales up Sugarloaf.

http://www.nickbailey.co.uk

Footlose

Fully Waterproof Footware

What happens in Croatia when a sudden torrential rainstorm floods the city streets? Off go the shoes and barefooting becomes the way to go. I found the smooth cobbles somewhat slippery though so care had to be taken on the submerged surface.

Monty Don Approved

There was I, watching Gardeners' World, when low, the great Monty Don un-dons his shoes and promotes barefooting in a public garden on primetime British television. Well done Monty, what a star. There really is little better than being in the garden barefoot.

National Trust Barefooting

The National Trust are advertising Barefoot activities for kids. Apparently it's one of the top ten things to do before you're 11 ¾.

The Best Barefoot Walks for Kids - NT

Barefoot Running

One of the next things to by on my Amazon basket:

Check out his website here:

http://www.chrismcdougall.com/
And in particular his TED talk through which I first heard of him (and barefoot running):
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/christopher_mcdougall_are_we_born_to_run.html

Eddie now running barefoot?

Noticing a lot of barefoot running from Eddie Izzard - https://twitter.com/#!/eddieizzard

Christopher McDougall: Are we born to run? | Video on TED.com

Christopher McDougall: Are we born to run? | Video on TED.com
Some good evidence to run barefoot, I remember the amazement when I first ran barefoot, but I do normally wear running shoes. But after watching this I think perhaps I should look a little more into the barefooted possibilities of running.

Barefooting down a Korean mountain

Yesterday I hiked up Baegundae mountain just north of Seoul, South Korea. I went up in my hiking boots (only their second time on a real mountain). Walking up we passed a couple walking down barefoot, carrying their shoes. I was a bit jealous.

The whole ascent was breathtaking and the views at the top were superb. We had a snack of kimbap (rice rolls, like sushi) on the summit rock and I decided to take of my shoes.

We then climbed down the mountain taking a different route to the way up. I was thinking I'd have to re-shoe myself when I got to the first stream. But instead Suyeon decided to take her shoes off as well. So there we both were hiking down this mountain barefoot. Awesome!

Today my feet feel quite different. Not in pain as such, but certainly they feel alive.

Barefoot on the BBC

I've now barefooted myself on the the BBC Hampshire website, being interviewed by the lovely Indy Almroth-Wright who was brave enough to go for a barefoot wonder with me during the interview. Check out the article here:
Nick Bailey - BBC Barefoot Interview

Barefoot fix?

Came across this link:
http://lifehacker.com/383740/fix-your-achy-body-by-walking-barefoot

Asking Out Barefoot

It was not by concious act that I happened to be barefoot when I asked my girlfriend out, thought I was quite pleased to find that it was the case. I was (and still am) quite bearded. Thus, remaining a geek, I can report that the barefoot bearded geek, while not 24/7 any more, is still alive and kicking (and successful in the very thing that many said would be impossible).

Go eccentricity!

More Glass No Cut

Yesterday I noticed some discomfort in my right big toe. On investigation that evening I noticed a small piece of glass lodged in the center. Extraction with my leatherman knife proved painless and revealed that the glass had penetrated but not made a cut.

Skin 1, glass nill.

[I'm still barefooting on the odd days, but not full time anymore. Now just barefooting for fun.]
barefoot

Winter Beard 2008

Bearded Again

beard

United Airlines

I had no problems flying barefoot on a United flight from Washington Dulles to Heathrow. All the staff were friendly. And on the flight out, while I didn't board barefoot, I did potter round in the flight and had a chat with one of the stewards about a CNN documentary about living barefoot. He was all "but what about all the germs", and I'm like "it's my United flight of whatever".

United, United Airlines, flying barefoot

Luna Lovegood Barefoot

I recently watched the latest Harry Potter film - the Order of the Pheonix - and very much enjoyed it. I gave a little gasp of joy when I saw that Luna was out in the woods barefoot - good for her :)

luna lovegood, harry potter, barefoot

Joss Stone for Diana

I just enjoyed watching Joss Stone's performance for the Princess Diana memorial concert in Wembley stadium. I quite like her music, but mostly I enjoyed her being barefoot on stage. Well done Joss :)


Joss Stone, Diana, Wembley Stadium

Nice Barefoot Encounter

There I was this afternoon walking to the student services building on Highfield campus past the library where lots of students were lounging around on the grass outside. Three girls got up in front of me and started walking ahead. I heard one exclaim that she'd forgotten to put her shoes one. As I walked past I mentioned that she'd be just fine without them. As they noticed that I was not wearing shoes either I heard their exclamation, then the girl without shoes called her thanks to me saying that she'd just made a barefoot friend.

I just love how differences break down barriers with strangers.


University of Southampton, barefoot, library