Can you tell which pair is the new one, and which is the old?

It has been just about 23 weeks since I left California, rapidly approaching the six month mark in my journey. While it feels like it has been a decent amount of time since I’ve been home, six months sounds like a crazy big number to me! I never doubted my capability to make this move, but before I left, I often wondered how long it would take for me to say, “OK, I’ve had enough, it would be fine to go home now.”

Well, here I am, 160-something days later. If someone told me I had to go back to California tomorrow, I would be absolutely devastated. I have just really begun settling into my new life here in Australia, and I have so many adventures yet to come! With the ease of communicating through the internet, and plans for friends and family from home to visit this year, I don’t even feel too far away. One particular thing, however, that has really showed the true distance I have made it from the beginning of my travels until now, are my tattered, dirty, falling-apart Vans high tops. Once a bright and shiny pink, these poor shoes have been put through the ringer.

I have always been a huge fan of Vans, and I have some pairs that have lasted me years and years, surviving school, hikes, and concerts. The fact that these bad boys took less than a year to wear out must mean I’ve been doing some serious walking! I was out shopping the other day, and sent my mom (AKA my fashion consultant) a photo in a pair of shorts that I was considering buying. The first thing she replied was, “your poor shoes! I want to clean them. LOL,” before giving her input on the shorts. After that, I stumbled upon the Vans store, and found my exact shoes on sale... It was a sign! With a glimmer in my eye, I looked down at my old faithfuls, knowing it was time to send them out to the farm for retirement. There they could run free, without any worries of their soles falling apart or the tongue tearing out. It was for the best.

Oh, and if you must know, I also bought the shorts.