Beattys Overseas

Today I did a thing I never thought I'd do.  I bought myself a pair of SHANTS.  Let me explain... In all my packing lists and laying out clothing on the bed, trying to put a variety of outfits together with just 12 items of clothing, I see that I need a pair of lightweight, light-colored pants for our Southern Hemisphere travels.  We'll be doing a safari and lots of hiking, so I knew that a pair of heavy cotton chinos would be a bad idea, since they'd be too warm and take forever to dry if it rains or when we handwash our clothes.  So, I need some hiking pants.  They don't sell those at Bloomingdale's, so I had to drag myself into a sporting goods store. 

I was horrified to find that the pair that fit me best are these Shants.  Shants are shorts/pants.  Yep, the ones with the zipper on the thigh that converts the pants into shorts.  Dorky, I know.  I've rolled my eyes many a time when I've seen a tourist wearing these, or when they were briefly popular with the Gap a few summers ago.  Now, here I am, Hypocrite, buying the item of clothing that I've resented for so long.  "They're very practical," I thought, as I peered at myself in the dressing room mirror.  "And, I get to pack another pair of shorts, without actually having to pack anything else," I mused.  But, my Fashionista-wanna-be self interrupted with "How could you do this?  You're that dorky tourist.  How embarrassing."   All in all, I thought I'd be upfront with you, dear readers, that I will be sporting some Shants in the next 5 months.  Some photos of me wearing the Shants may even appear on this Travel Journal.  If you spot me wearing them, just remember that I am very well aware of the fact that I look like a dorky tourist.  But, in the end, I suppose, I am a tourist.  And, just a little dorky.