When in Europe my flip flops used to last me for years. Most probably since they barely get worn for a month per year. Since I started travelling I am already on my 5th pair and will need to buy new ones soon again since my latest pair a getting very worn out already.
In Cambodia I started seeing men walking on the street repairing people's flip flops. Some I guess get very attached to their pairs and will do anything to keep them. As they are such a popular footwear, they can be bought everywhere! There are cheap ones and expensive ones. In every colour, pattern and height imaginable.
Especially in Vietnam and Cambodia I have noticed that with the women's fear of getting a tan, they even wear socks with their flip flops. These women will be covered from head to toe, wearing hats, face masks, gloves, jumpers, trousers and socks in a 35degree heat, just to not get any ray of sun on their pale skin. You will never see them sweat or complain of the heat, and sometime you will find someone wearing a full winter jacket in the middle of the day! I for one don't understand how they don't pass out with heat stroke.
That's another funny thing in Asia. The women's obsession with being white. I have figured it out to be a fashion due to wealth. In Europe everyone wants to be brown because for us it is a symbol of having money. It shows that you have money to go on holidays often. Whereas in Asia it's the other way round. If you are white it shows that you can afford to be indoors away from the sun or that you have a higher paid office job and the less well off people are the ones who have to work outdoors all day and then get a tan.
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