Six Months and Going Strong
Six months.
Mexico…Macau…Singapore…Malaysia…Thailand…Cambodia…Vietnam…Laos…China…Hong Kong…South Korea
It’s hard to believe, but the Vamos kigo team hit half a year of adventuring while in South Korea. Time definitely flies when you’re having fun and with this milestone, we want to slow down and share a few reflections about the footwear that is carrying us comfortably on this whirlwind we currently call life.
In mid October, the task of downsizing our walk-in closet to two backpacks was a daunting task. The end result was a small pile of versatile basics that would hopefully see us through 12 months. Rifling through our sacks now, while the quantity of clothing remains pretty consistent, about 50% of the items have been with us from the beginning while the other 50% have been added sporadically as we’ve had things wear out, disappear or in general become too worn down even for these backpackers.
However, there is one component of our wardrobe that hasn’t given out, given in or given up.
Our kigo footwear is still holding strong after six continuous months of wear and tear. We’ve challenged the kigo drive and kigo flit with aggressive demands – be our walking shoes, hiking shoes, night-out-on-the-town shoes, running shoes, climbing shoes, rain shoes… We are proud to report that they’ve excelled in all situations, still begging for more.
Knowing that pictures often speak louder than words, we want to share some up close images of our loyal kigos. You’ll quickly see that the uppers still look new, the stitching is strong and intact and the adjustability features are in perfect condition. While the outsoles and insoles show greater wear, this is expected as they are absorbing daily impact from both the bottoms of our feet as well as the elements of the ever changing ground. You’ll also notice that they are puncture and tear free, proving significant durability. Under the pressures of non-stop use, our kigos continue to provide excellent grip, keep us dry in drizzle, fit snuggly to our feet and keep us blister-free and comfortable, all while retaining their stylish shape and look. kigos have succeeded as the perfect comfort footwear option for our travels, adventures and daily life activities.
As always, we also wanted to share some photos of our favorite South Korean experiences. We celebrated the six month mark with an amazing overnight stay at Geumsunsa Temple. Dressed in our issued modest clothing, we spent 24 hours experiencing a monk’s daily rituals. From ringing the morning and evening drum, participating in services, absorbing chants, meditating at sunrise, stringing prayer beads, performing 108 prostrations (bows), participating in a traditional monastic meal to chatting casually with the monks, we received a fantastic education. We followed this with a trip to Sokcho, which served as our base for hiking to the top of South Korea’s third highest peak in Seoraksan National Park. The three hour hike was STEEP, but the incredible scenery, view from the top and sense of accomplishment on reaching the summit was a perfect reward.
Just two more adventures made comfortably possible by kigo! What’s next? Stay tuned. Vamos!
