Blog Post 18

My haircut routine is one approximately every two months.

Our family’s only known “home” hairdressing attempt: young son Yair, with just enough time to cut pre-school Maya’s fringe before Sheryl, to her horror, discovered the new hairstyle Maya would be sporting at her imminent birthday party!

Ian Alperstein, legendary Milnerton men’s barber, has cut my hair since our 1990 return to Cape Town. No fuss, special styles, advance bookings, nor credit cards. I wait my turn. No need to request anything. He knows exactly what to do. Always a flowing conversation. Ongoing routine: never contemplated taking a photograph!

5-month trips typically require two haircuts.

Montevideo, I perfected my sign language. The barber, zero English, but excellent cut nevertheless!

Fiji is home to special experiences, my haircut there up amongst them. Fascinating discussion on rugby, the hairdresser’s son’s aspired ticket to the world and meaningful employment.

Manila haircut a posh affair, cheap price. Tremendous head, neck, shoulder massage thrown in.

Cape Verde: cool competent hairdresser. Again no English. Necessity the mother of making yourself understood!

Bangladeshi Barber in Palermo, Sicily.  Story, once again, of families scattered across the globe. Humbling, the life challenges people face.

Zichron Ya’akov, first haircut after donating a kidney, I walked gingerly to the recommended barber. Engrossed in discussion, too late realised that my “trim all round” instruction had become “short back and sides”!  Good thing about hair, (mine at least), it grows back!!

In Papeete the massage came before the cut, together with luxurious warm water shampoo hair wash.

Little India, Kuala Lumpur: A surprise brief but sharp deep muscle massage to end it off. Put it this way: You knew something had hit you when it happened!

Each cut a different experience, often at randomly spotted barber shops and spontaneous decision. All expertly executed by competent local hairdressers.

In every Country we visit: people cut hair, sell things, offer transport to places, local food. Each interaction another small window into nuanced norms and distinct ways of living. Never had my hair done on ship. That would be missing a chance to experience another local practice.

1 April 26, Little India, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Surprise massage at haircut’s conclusion. Sharp wake-up call! Spot my consistent haircut photographer top right.