How to get a haircut in a foreign land
If you go traveling for a year, sooner or later you will need to get a haircut in a foreign land. We scour the local language dictionary but words to convey hair styling preferences never seem to make the cut. Nowhere was this more evident than in England.
Peter’s Hair Idol
We try every means we can think of to communicate what Peter wants. We draw. We mime. We point to photographs of fine gentlemen sporting silver-wings. The idea that he fancies his thinning pewter top could look just like that of Richard Gere in Arbitrage does not come across. What is universally understood is something approximating, “Cut vigorously! I care nothing for aesthetics. Sheer me like a bleating sheep. The more prominent my shining bald pate, the better.”
The Cactus Q-Tip Cut
It happened again today. Peter strolled out of a Thai barbershop with his new hairdo. We call this one the Cactus Q-Tip. Walking away, I patted Pete gently on the arm as we sighed in unison, “It’ll grow.”
3 easy steps to a good haircut in a foreign land
I just thought of an easy way to avoid this problem, should you ever find yourself needing a haircut in a foreign land.
1. Snap photos of your properly cut hair from 2 different angles
2. Have wallet-sized prints made and laminate them back-to-back like a baseball card
3. Carry this card in your wallet
Now, when you show up at the barber anywhere in the world, all you need do is remove your card and he or she will get the idea right away. What you will walk out the door with is still questionable but at least you tried.
P.S. If Peter is ever found dead under mysterious circumstances, pay no attention to the laminated photo of Richard Gere that will be discovered in his wallet.
Feb 02, 2015 @ 07:01:17
Hi Tracy,
Such a cute story, and one that illustrates the basic day-to-day stuff of full-time travel. Conrad and I have some of our best stories/memories of going to get a haircut in foreign lands. Just recently while in Spain, he stopped into the same salon he’d gone to 4 years prior — and wanted to return because the girls there washed his hair twice — once before and once after the cut. He walked in and the girls remembered him! It was adorable, even though the cut this time was not so good!
I love the experiences because we get to see real everyday life.
Wishing you safe and happy travels,
Josie
Feb 05, 2015 @ 20:05:25
Hi Josie, so great to have new friends to share these stories with. Isn’t it wonderful. 🙂
Feb 02, 2015 @ 06:37:09
LOL, Tracy you crack me up..Maybe you should carry Richard Geer in your wallet for Peter.
Feb 01, 2015 @ 03:28:02
ROFL! I have been through this myself, going way back to when I wanted my hair to be like Shaun Cassidy or Parker Stevenson’s in the early 80’s, to the model who appeared in all of the American Crew men’s hair styling products ads when they launched. When I had all my hair, either my cowlick or the stylist never did what I wanted them to do. Nowadays, my hair idol shifts between Bruce Willis and Vin Diesel, but the Mrs. thinks I will look too much like Mr. Clean to let me go through with shaving things off. Yes, Peter, it will grow back; it always does, except where it won’t!
Feb 05, 2015 @ 20:04:31
Oh Mark. ROFL back at you. “Except where it won’t.” Haha. And all so very true. As long as we don’t hold a mirror up to those places we can stay happily ever after in the fantasy.