Okay, I have a very simple but vain girlie question to ask.
What have you done with your hair on long term trips (more
than 4 months)? ... I'm taking off in September for 1+
years on a round-the-worlder. Problem is that I have
copious amounts of wavy hair. If it isn't cut regularly, it
becomes incredibly heavy, hot and bushy. It looks
particularly hysterical in humid weather ... I refer to it
as "Wild Woman Hair"!! SO, what have you guys done? How do
you find someone who could give you a good cut when you're
in a country like China or India???
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Of course you can get your hair cut anywhere in the world -
the people of China and India need haircuts too! Hand
signals are very important, plus learn the word in their
lanuage for "stop" so that they don't cut too much off.
Good luck.
There are loads of Barbers / Hairdressers etc in india !
just look to the 'haircut menu' on the walls inside and
you'll be able to indulge in such delights as 'Mohican,
Indian style !!', or a 'Rocky', or an 'Elvis' or even an'
Italien style', haircut, its true, I've seen these
advertised !
You also tend to get, in the more touristy places in India,
Goa / Kerala etc, western travellers who are hairdressers
advertsing to cut hair. There are people doing this in
Anjuna market in Goa ! But, go for the Indian Hairdressers,
they'll be able to sort you out !!
Don't go to the 'barber' as they cater only for men.
Plus point - hair cuts will probably be much cheaper than
wherever it is you're from.
I lived in Thailand last year and was terrified the first
time I went to get a haircut - my thai was not particularly
good at this time. So I took along a picture and ended up
with the best cut ever and it only cost me รบ3! Now whenever
I travel I carry around a photo of a haircut I like - it
sounds silly but it works!!
Bringing a picture is a great idea. Don't underestimate
China and India, though...they get haircuts as well.
...I planned the big trip for aboout two and a half years
before I went. My hair is also thick but reasonably
straight it grows quickly and when short if not washed and
conditioned every day or two at the most I gets oily and
sticks out at odd angles. So I also had hair and vanity
issues to deal with, since i was going to do most of my
traveling in Africa and the Middle East I decided to let it
grow for the three years before I went ( the first eith
months or so for my sisters wedding so it could be put up).
I believed that I would braid my long lusterous locks every
day or couple of days to keep it looking reasonable so that
I would have no bad hair day issues.
i arrived in Harare with my hair half way to my backside
for the first eight days or so I was in Harare by my self
and twice I did managed to braid it like I promised my self
however once I hit the road (i was overlanding with a
truck company) some days I was too lazy some days I didn,t
have enough time before pulling out and takeing sown my
tent what ever the reason by the time I reached Nairobi
five weeks later I had, had enough with my hair so I went
to a Hairdressing Saloon[sic] to get my hair cut it was hot
unruly and a tangeled birdsnest underneath. The
hairdresser plugged in her clippers and went to work (I
wanted her to use sissors but she told we it was a modern
saloon). I asked for short back and sides similar to a
friends well cut and tidy style. After convincing them
that yes this white girl with beautiful long straigt hair
was serious what I got was short back and sides military
style looking like rats had chewed it off. This hair cut
solved two problems first I no longer had vanity issues to
deal with after this hair cut if it stuck out a little I
wasn't too fussed and secondly I didn't have to braid it
and it was cool.
What ever you decide to do with your hair after being out
there for a while you will change your mind and you'll
learn to live with it. Traveling changes so many things
have a great trip.
I had one of my best haircuts ever in Thailand as well, for
2 pounds 50, although my hair is very straight, sort of
like blonde Thai hair I suppose. You might have more
trouble with real frizz. The hairdresser hardly spoke
English at all, I just sort of mimed what I wanted and it
turned out fine.
Try asking around hostels and such; sometimes you can luck
out and find a travelling stylist!
in all the major metros in india....there are excellent
salons for haircuts..plus all hotels usually have great
hairdressers.........
dont worry bout your hair...worst comes to worse give it a
chop yourself.......:)
I had a better haircut there then I ever did in London. The
guy spoke no English so I kind if gesticulated, he
ad-lilbbed on the general theme and I ended up with amazing
hair, not what I wanted, but miles better!!
Shave it all off - not only liberating, solves the shampoo
weight and possible nits problem...you can then dye it cool
colours when it grows back, or just put it in twists with
grips.Saves hassle and is much cooler (and looks pretty
wicked too) . Go on - take the plunge! If you're escaping
society for a while, why not do it properly?!
first... shaving it sounds a good idea, although i was not
brave enough i get it really short i call it the "Grace
Jones" look or the Military look,any barber can do it and
is really cheap. Other option is the one about the picture,
but to avoid any problems choose a simple haircut. Anyplace
where children get their haircut done is a guarantee.
Whenever you get to a really big place go to the most
expensive hotel in town, the one that all the upmarket
western tourists stay in. These sort of places often have a
hair salon and they are used to westerner's hair. Although
the hotel may be expensive services like a hairdresser
usually aren't. Hiltons, Sheratons etc are a good bet.
Of your hair is true frizz you may fall in the same
difficult hair category as me...
*
I have extremely fine hair (called baby hair by those who
are polite, pathetic by those who are not). Asian
hairdressers can cope with this fine if they are cutting an
extremely clear cut style (e.g a bob).
*
I wouldn't recommend anything complex anywhere your hair is
that different from a locals and it not someone who does
Western hair often.
*
A photo would certainly aid the process a lot.
*
And prepare for less-than-polite comments by people who
don't know what Western hair is like.
*
My horror story was in Japan when after combing it and
walking down a windy road to the hairdressers, my fine hair
had collected a few knots. Japanese hair just does not
knot that quickly, and I suffered the indignity of a long
drawn out lecture, where the hairdresser struggled to break
the language barrier to tell me my hair would be much
prettier if I combed it everyday. Gee thanks!!