Comments on: Go barefoot like the locals in New Zealand

By: bea

bea — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:07:07 +0000

I live in Sheffield, uk and have been barefoot for 1 year now. I recently Hung out with a woman who was a hippy in USA during 60s and 70s and she showed ne how to make fake shoes. Re engly I’ve been denied access to a couple of public places but my fake shoes make it look like I’m wearing sandals even though my soles are bare! I also have two sons, age 5 and 6, who primarily choose a barefoot lifestyle

By: jackie

jackie — Mon, 30 May 2011 00:43:51 +0000

Someone wondered above why Australians aren’t into bare feet as much as NZers when in other ways they’re quite similar – it’s because there are more nasties in Australia that you have to watch out for (bugs and snakes) whereas there’s not really anything in NZ that can harm you. I’m a born and bred Kiwi and I still go to the mall without shoes on sometimes at the age of 42 – and I’m not a hippie and I live in the city. It’s more about whether I had shoes on at the time, and sometimes I just find myself there with no shoes. It’s winter now and I tell my kids to wear shoes to school in the winter term because it’s wet and cold, but no matter what I say they wear their shoes through the school gate then take them off and put them in their bag and go running off. My kids all say they hate shoes and run faster barefoot – I guess it’s just what you’re used to. But I can sympathise because like the other Kiwis who’ve posted, I spent my childhood and teenage years barefoot and developed tough feet and can walk on hard hot stony surfaces with little trouble – and I love the feeling too. Shoes just feel restrictive and it’s a pain putting them on when you’re in a hurry. But I always wear something on my feet when I’m in Australia – don’t want to tread on a spider or snake!

By: Vera

Vera — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:00:44 +0000

I lived in New Zealand in the 70s and I remember as a child we always walked barefoot. it took me a long time after we moved to Holland to get used to footwear. My sister never got uses to wearing footwear and she will walk barefoot every chance she gets.

I’m glad to say I will be living in NZ again and I look forward to this old tradition!

By: newkiwi

newkiwi — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:51:19 +0000

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip to the South Island Dina! It is a stunning place and I agree that Milford Sound is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Incidentally when I went there a few years ago our boat tour guide pointed out the massive Mitre Peak mountain towering over the fiord and told us the story of his Kiwi mate who climbed it in true Kiwi fashion, barefoot! That’s how well-known Kiwis are for going shoeless.

As for it being something recent, I would actually say it has probably decreased from earlier decades, though it would be hard to say for sure. Funny you say you didn’t see any in Auckland because this is definitely the most barefoot big city by far. Due to the cooler climate and dressier style Wellington doesn’t really do bare feet much. Kids there even wear shoes to school. Of course maybe you mean downtown Auckland, which doesn’t really count given most of the people there are tourists or office workers, also not likely to be shoeless.

Recently we did an athletics day at the high school I work at. The kids actually take off their sneakers to run on the hot tarmac all day. Even after they have track-burn blisters from the rough surface they refused to wear sneakers. I’d say 90% of the kids did the whole day unshod. Why? Because that’s how they learned to run and play all sport at primary school.

By: Dina

Dina — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:29:10 +0000

I hope you love NZ as much as we do
Did you go there in the summer time? They are quite easy to notice. I didn’t see one in Auckland I think, but even Wellington has many of them. Also along the country sides.

Totally agree with wanting to go back there, I hope to see it again one day. THere are a lot of places that we didn’t have the chance to see!

By: Dina

Dina — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:27:01 +0000

You should go there, the nature is stunning too!

By: Dina

Dina — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:26:21 +0000

Hi Chris!
No, we were in the S Island for the winter. It was way too cold we didn’t even think about it.
Hey, I don’t know that Berlin has it too! Or “had”. Is there anybody still around barefeeting?

By: Dina

Dina — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:24:53 +0000

I can imagine there are a lot of things from the grounds that my feet won’t like. The head is a very valid point, mine has low heat resistance too. Also I don’t like to walk in cold surface. Sharps. Even “softs” like old bubblegum is yucky. But I envy those people that can do it.

Yes, South Island feels totally different from the north. Both are stunning, but in really different way. Milford Sound is our favourite place on earth, if we could choose only 1. We were campervanning the S Island for 2 weeks, and we totally in love with this island!

By: Dina

Dina — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:19:53 +0000

Thanks!

By: Nisha

Nisha — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:01:47 +0000

Hi Dina,
Is this a new trend? I have been to New Zealand but do not remember anyone going around barefoot. I too was in North island.
Besides all the fun, I think walking barefoot would be good as we don’t have to carry our footwear.

That said, I want to go back to that country… it’s too beautiful to be visited just once.
Nisha´s last [type] ..Lavasa at night