Self-Portrait With Emergency Glasses  by helenmoss

Self-Portrait With Emergency Glasses

Not content with having trashed my camera on the first day of our Thailand trip (hence trusty iPhone to the rescue) there was also an unfortunate incident involving my glasses, red ants and a motorcycle taxi. We were waiting to go to the ferry back to the mainland after our night on Koh Jum, when we noticed red ants marching up Jak's legs. In the ensuing flurry to extract small children from the advancing ant army (which Mem said were nasty little buggers with painful bites) my glasses - tucked down the front of my top, as I was wearing my sun-glasses at the time- must have slipped to the ground - I didn't notice until we were almost at the ferry, and then it was too late to go back for them as we'd have missed the last crossing. Later phone calls revealed that my glasses had been found; sadly they were comprehensively crushed - presumably not by the million tiny feet of red ants, but by the wheels of the motorbike taxi. At first I was not unduly perturbed - I had my prescription sun-glasses and a few pairs of disposable contact lenses, so would be able to get by for the few days until we'd be going home, where I have another very nice pair of glasses.
If I'd known our holiday was going to be extended by another week due to the volcano-incident, I'd have been considerably more perturbed about the whole thing. After using up the lenses I was reduced to mypopic squinting or the perpetual twilight of my very dark sunglasses (not to mention looking as if I had serious look-at-me-I'm-a-minor-celebrity-complex). I really am very short-sighted! Finally, I decided I would just have to pay the money and get a new pair. Amazingly, a little card with my prescription on was lurking with the leaking pens at the bottom of my handbag and I found an express optician in Kuala Lumpur who ran me up a very presentable pair of glasses for £50 in just under an hour. Okay, so they are the thickest, cheapest lenses known to man and weigh a tonne, but I can see again!
Lol what a great story and photo to back it up. I love the expression on your face.
April 22nd, 2010  
They might not be the best but they don't look bad at all! Great story...hope most of the vacation was better than the end!
April 22nd, 2010  
Ha ha - funny story (after the event) - I have a horror of losing my glasses being severely myopic (and also increasingly long-sighted also) ...
April 22nd, 2010  
Being on my reserve pair (dog having jumped up and smashed good ones) I went to optician for new eye test and glasses..... still reeling at the cost!!
April 22nd, 2010  
I am so blind without my glasses, if that happened to me I'd be in a fix too cause I do NOT carry my prescription around in my purse like you did. During my freshman year of college I went to the beach for a holiday with my room mates and on the 1st day of a week trip I wore my glasses into the ocean, got knocked down flat and the glasses floated off. I spent the rest of the vacation not able to see a thing. It was 1976 so there were not one hour eyeglass stores in existence yet. It was a long time before I could see again. Every since then I always travel with a spare set. Some lessons you only learn the hard way.
April 23rd, 2010  
Hung on to your every word as I read your account, knowing I'd be way out of luck if something like that happened to me! In the end, you've got darling glasses and you look fabulous! Surprisingly, too, you don't look exhausted from your long travels and travails! Welcome home (again)
April 23rd, 2010  
yeah! welcome home! i was just wondering where you've been...
April 23rd, 2010  
I think the emergency glasses are looking very cool!
April 25th, 2010  
thanks - amazing what very very low lighting and soft focus can do!
April 25th, 2010  
I love this! You're such a pretty lady! :)
April 26th, 2010  
Only just read this, better late than never! I think it was those red ants that crushed your glasses, they have very big, clumpy boots you know!!
May 1st, 2010  
Yin
In an hour!Lucky you!
June 7th, 2010  
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