Paris Olympics Hair Cut

Going on vacation? We plan meticulously but forget small details like where to get a hair cut. To avoid barber shops on foreign soil, some men grow a beard before they leave home. Women wear braids, cover the head with scarves or wear hats/baseball caps.

Despite all that, it is still a good idea to research men’s and women’s hair salons before you board the plane. In some countries, everything is done under one roof: cut men’s hair, colour women’s hair, pedicure and nails. In other countries, barbershops are still male only and hair salons exclusively female.

It depends on how long you will be staying in the country you are visiting. The Paris Olympics for example. Certain things will determine where you want to go for a haircut or hair colour. Proximity to the hotel. Is it far from it? If it is, maybe you don’t mind jumping into a cab. Language is also a factor. You are in Paris and you don’t speak French. What will you do? Point and choose, if the salon has photos on the wall or in an album? Maybe you’ll pull out your phone and show them the cut you want.

Cash. You are in France so it’s safe to assume that all hair establishments take plastic, and you have it in 3 major colours. But still, cash is king. Please don’t flash American dollars because in some foreign countries, people will change them into local currency for you, but rob you blind. You are in France for the Olympics, so I’ll assume you went to the bank for euros.

CELLPHONE DIRECTIONS

I hope you have a small notebook where you can write things down. Listen. You don’t speak the language. You enter a bus or taxi and show the driver Google maps. You didn’t zoom out where you are going, so the driver cannot see properly. Why don’t you get the name and address from your phone and write it down in big letters?

Business: Salon du Nord

Rue (street): 44 Rue Sacramento

This will be faster than shoving the phone in the driver’s face. And remember to tip him using your euros.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

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