SUPER BOOT

I'll break my once a year posting jinx with a lame one - as a warning to readers, I should say this post is a by-product of slacker-dom and the crazy hot chennai weather (100°F and 70% humidity) forcing me to stay indoors all the time.

I was visiting Alaska (from Kentucky) at the end of winter. It sounded crazy when I told everyone that I was going at this time of the year to see the Northern Lights – Aurora Borealis. Actually I was. I decided to travel light to Alaska. And in the quest to travel light, I decided fit all my gear into cabin baggage. I did not have room for sandals so had to make do with just the SUPER BOOT – which meant, without choice, I had to wear it at all times. These BOOTS are meant to be worn ONLY in fiercely cold regions – they have thermal insulation + water proof + heat retention + all the Science and Technology known to man to keep his feet warm. And it takes about 2 - 3 minutes to get it on / off - which just adds to the pleasure factor of getting it on / off every time.

The day I started to Alaska, it was a moderately cold spring morning in Kentucky and at 5AM and when I wore my boot, I did not realize what I was getting into. My first flight was from Kentucky to Texas (2^nd – Texas - Seattle & 3^rd from Seattle - Alaska) and I could not sleep in the plane (despite staying awake all night) or breathe (after sometime). I also started to sweat a little (which is very very rare and odd). I was not having a heart attack. It was my SUPER BOOT in showing its muscle. Normally, when people get off a plane in a hurry, they run to use the restroom / catch a connecting flight / a meet their better half … etc etc. I ran faster than all of them to find a seat and take off my SUPER BOOT. A few minutes without it – things returned to normal.

After seeing the above warning, I think the super boot could also use one - Wearing it at inappropriate places (Chennai - India) could be fatal.