Sydney March 2014 (5 images)
Is this something you would only see in Australia?
Thongs (flip flops) for sale.
Inside a vending machine.
Inside a shopping centre.
In the middle of Sydney’s CBD.
I was walking through this shopping centre when I saw the vending machine. I stopped in amazement. What? Why? Who? There is even a size guide on the floor in front of the machine. I took the photo. I found a nice spot and stood there for several minutes but no-one obliged. I walked away. I needed a coffee.
I came back this way 15 minutes later. Pastry in my left hand. Coffee in my right hand. Camera around the neck.
I broke the cardinal rule of candid photography and wasn’t prepared for the unexpected.
I suddenly saw him. There was a guy standing there looking at the machine. I stopped. My eyes opened a bit wider. My pulse started to race.
He bent down and took off one shoe. I started to gulp down the pastry.
He put his foot on the size chart. I almost ran to the nearest bin and threw away the rubbish and the rest of the coffee. Wiping my hands on my shirt, I quickly returned to the position I had previously reconnoitred. He was swiping the machine with his credit card.
decisions decisions decisions
choice made
watching the machine in action
collecting the prize
I suppose there must be a demand for this sort of thing. Perhaps city people are prone to getting a sudden desire for a change of footwear in the middle of the day. Maybe they need to buy that last minute birthday present.
This has been a photo story about a man getting a brazilian – pair of thongs (flip flops). I apologise if you thought this post was about something else.
I walked away. I bought a replacement coffee.
Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera 
Awesome idea for country were there is a lot of beaches, sand and sun 😉
Have a nice day Draco
It may well prove to be a marketing winner. But it is still strange as I’ve never seen one of these before. Have a wonderful day too Sophie. 🙂
Hi Lignum- Very amusing! Great photos and story.
Thanks Jane. This was near where you were staying. Glad you enjoyed the story.
Yes- I recognize it. Very funny.
Instead of wolfing down the pastry and tossing the coffee, you could have stuffed it (the pastry) in your mouth and snapped the photo with one hand while holding the coffee in the other. Or am I being unrealistic about your multitasking abilities? I suppose it’s easy for me to judge when I have no idea what it’s like to be under such pressure.
Definitely an option, and if I just wanted one spur of the moment shot it’s what I would have done.
But I wanted a series of shots, so I had to do it this way in case he turned around and saw me. Not easy to explain standing there with a camera and coffee in hand and pastry in the mouth. And if another photographer came by, I might have been the more interesting target instead. 🙂
Ha ha that’s really funny. I totally agree this guy should be multitasking….LOL
🙂
Haha I really enjoyed this post. I haven’t seen one of these machines yet but I’m sure they’ll take off and will be everywhere eventually. I admire your patience and the shots are great 🙂
Thanks. Definitely an interesting concept, but in the middle of the city? Something like this in Bondi might be a winner.
At least here I have never seen something like that!!! The pics are great!!!
I saw other people taking a photo of this machine too. Definitely a novelty at the moment. Thank you. 🙂
Certainly worth the cost of a wasted coffee…I agree, a bit on the bizarre side – impulse buying of flip-flops?
And nowhere near a beach. Very unusual. The centre is near a train station though. Maybe to cater to the very last minute shopper at the end of the day who can’t find anything else to buy?
I’d be curious to see the P&L statement from this kiosk owner.
I’m wondering too.
I was NEARLY afraid to see what this was….
Thanks for a good laugh to start my day!
LOL, glad you took the chance to look. The “Body Shop” sign in the background was a nice touch – actually a beauty product store.
Thank you. 🙂
I have never seen that kind of vending machine before in my life…very interesting!
Me either. It really caught the eye. 🙂
I think Australia is the perfect place for one of these. 😉 Here we need rubber boots instead of flip-flops…
I wonder how many are sold in a day. 🙂
Oh what a lovely story to go with my Monday morning coffee! Happy to inform you that Sydney is not alone is such weirdness as flip-flops in a vending machine, in the middle of a mall. Vegas has it all, too! and even a bit more: IPhones in a vending machine. THAT blew my mind.
Iphones? Wow, but then again perhaps nothing should surprise you in Vegas. 🙂
Awesome. Too many times to count, I’ve had my camera tucked away and not been able to record scenes like this. Nice job!
Thanks very much. I always wear my M and never carry a bag on my walks. Always have to have the camera ready for these situations. 🙂
You asked if the shot on my site was taken with a Noct, and the answer is yes. But I think I’m going to be returning it, as *all* of the shots from the recent snowstorm were filled with terrible green and magenta chromatic aberrations — the Italian flag phenomenon, as it is described.
I don’t have the same results with my 50 Lux or 50 Cron, just the Noct.
Thanks. I’ve tried a noct but have trouble with the focus and honestly, don’t think I need more than f1.4.
Without an EVF, focusing the Noct can be very trying. It works beautifully withe the M240 and EVF, but the CA is so bad that most of my results require conversion to monochrome for them to be usable, at the least the images I shot this past weekend did.
Did he put it on? What an innovative marketing endeavor 🙂
Cool header, Dragon!
No. He walked away pretty quickly after that. Thank you. 🙂
Haha – you almost had me! I can just picture you choking down that pastry and itching to get your hands on the camera. Personally I can’t stand flip flops, they rub between my toes.
Jude xx
They’re actually not good for the feet but it’s part of the culture.
Glad you got a laugh. 🙂
oh my gosh you have made me laugh!!
The title alone made me hesitate before opening the link. Then your description of gulping the coffee and the pastry. too funny!
I’ve never seen such as this. I’ve definitely needed a pair of flip flops unexpectedly.
interesting …
How could I resist the title once I saw the word Brazil on the machine. 🙂
True story- I do enjoy a pastry and coffee. I’m an expert at eating on the go.
I LOVE it!!!
Here, you can even purchase iPads and iPhones in a vending machine.
That’s even more amazing! How do they stop thieves?
Many thanks for the visit. Hope you got a laugh. 🙂
LOL:)))))) you should be writing movie scripts, Draco:))))))
love the story and the way you told it, both in words and in photos…
and yes, I scrolled down fast at first to check out the Brazilian…lol:)))))
learned a new word too – “thongs”, I only knew “flip flops”:)))))
is it always warm where you live?
I was wondering if the title would attract OR scare people. 🙂
Sorry, but I need to maintain my “safe” rating.
No, it’s autumn now and cooling down but it never gets below about 5 degrees Celsius in my area in winter. I guess some people would consider that warm whilst I’m freezing. Recent heavy rains too.
well, you certainly grabbed my attention with that title.. even had several interpretations ready in my mind before I opened the post to read it …lol:)))
once again, I LOVE the way you tell stories.. 🙂
really? about the weather… so you have the winter when it’s summer here? wow… it’s another planet…
Several interpretations? Now I’m scared. Let’s just leave it at that. 🙂
Many thanks for the compliments. I do appreciate it.
Yes, the Southern Hemisphere is opposite to you above the equator. The hard part is having Christmas in summer.
A Brazilian coffee, I assume?
Yes. And a portuguese tart. 🙂
Is that legal where you live? 🙂
It is when you’re…
(refrain) downtown.
And THAT one produced a loud and most unladylike guffaw. 🙂
LOL 🙂
I was afraid my post about the archangel had scared you off when you didn’t comment on my recent post involving the planet of the apes. I hope you’ve had some good nights sleep since. 🙂
Excellent story and excellent set of pictures. Not to mention excellent title … it got me to click and read the rest !
Thanks for the visit and comment. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Great story and images – put a big smile on my face this morning 🙂
Thank you. Now I’m smiling. 🙂
You slay me, LD !! Did I laugh, or what?! 😀
Glad you liked it. 🙂
Just 🙂
(it would not fly here…we are in {what seems to be} month 18 of winter, *sigh*)
Not brazilian weather yet? 🙂
Thank you.
Nicely done!!
Thanks.
Coffee and camera. Who could ask for anything more? 🙂
🙂
ha ha ha
Thank you, my brazilian friend. 🙂
Very entertaining! He finally bought ones!
I was lucky he did. 🙂
LOL at “almost ran and…threw away the rubbish”! Pastry, is NOT rubbish. How could you throw food away? All in the name of passion, I understand 🙂 I’ve never seen a vending machine for things here in Melbourne’s city. Would love to see one and I would definitely have a poke at the machine. Great shots. Though there are people wandering around, you still made the flip-fop buying guy stand out 🙂
Oh no, I agree, I ate all the pastry. I had to throw away the paper wrap, paper bag and napkin. 🙂
This wouldn’t be out of place at the beach, but in the middle of the city? 🙂
Thanks.
A very funny way to put a story like this ( Man – getting a brazilian ) in words and pictures 🙂
Thank you. Hope the title wasn’t too deceiving. 🙂
No worries, the title is fine 🙂
🙂
That was great…
Thanks. 🙂
Haha, funny! Though I would say that such a vending machine is quite appropriate for your hot region. In Russia I’ve seen shops specialising in those havaianas at a mall. And there’s no immediate need to buy them here, because there’s no beach outside:-) still they are there…
Thank you for the post. A really candid photographer can make a good story from anything! 😉
Thank you kindly. Yes, I wouldn’t imagine much need for havaianas in the middle of a Russian winter. 🙂
This is brilliant, Lignum Draco!
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thanks for making me laugh! Thongs vending machine @The Galeries…I always wonder who’d buy them…in CBD!? But you prove it that there is a demand…is a great documentary, and hope you enjoyed your coffee…Miss Aussie Flat white. : )
Glad you enjoyed it. I didn’t think anyone would use it but I was lucky. You’d think these would be popular at the beaches. 🙂
Thank you, I always enjoy a nice cappuccino.
oltre che foto bellissime mi hai molto divertita con la storia di queste infradito brasiliane—ha ha ha, il mondo è sempre di più colmo di cose strane!
grazie, buonanotte
In addition to beautiful photos I’ve very amused with the history of these Brazilian flip flops—ha ha ha, the world is increasingly full of weird stuff!
Thank you, good night
Molte grazie. 🙂
Wow who knew you could by flip flops in a vending machine!
Yes, it surprised me too.
That’s an ingenious machine, I’ve certainly never seen one of those before! But here’s a thought – what happens if the customer is not happy with their purchase? Maybe they pressed the wrong button for the wrong foot size, how do they get a refund? Perhaps the refund is round the back! 😉 But my gut feeling is – no refund! 😀
It’s the chance you take, I suppose. Much like a chocolate bar machine. 🙂
Hey wait a minute…is that a vending machine???? never seen anything like that before (LOL). and you call them flip-flops thongs? here thongs refer to the G-string bikinis…how interesting. And Lignum did anybody ever tell you should be a writer? your writing skills are excellent. I enjoyed reading almost as if I was reading a script for Bond 007…have a lovely day!
It’s the first time I saw it too. We refer to both G-strings and flip flops as thongs- you just have to know the appropriate context. 🙂
Thank you. I’m glad you found it entertaining. Have a wonderful day too. 🙂
Perhaps they come in different flavours!
LOL 🙂
Brilliant title! I was excited about man getting a brazilian, lol… Do you know that in Japan, you can get used schoolgirl panties in vending machines and they were actually worn before and not washed. Some weird fascination Japanese men have!
Happy weekend Draco!
I removed the link but only because I didn’t want to add my blog to the comments of that page as a ping back.
Sorry to disappoint about the brazilian. 🙂
That is so weird! Particularly the live lobster machine. Unless they’re tied down, how can you guarantee getting one? 🙂
And the obsession for used panties defies belief!
Have a good weekend too.
All the weird stuff going on in the world. Even the bomohs engaged to find MH370 😦
On a happier note, my children love Havianas thongs 🙂
Well, now they know where to buy a pair with minimal fuss. Just tell them to keep an eye out for someone with a camera who may be photographing them as they do. 🙂
When I saw the title I thought it must be a brazilian depilation, but this is weird enough 😆 Thank you, Draco 😀
Yes, a few people were scared to look at this one, because of the title. A few weren’t. 🙂
How brilliant, flip flops in a vending machine! Never heard or seen before. 🙂 I enjoyed your story and photos very much!
Probably not much demand for this where you live, is there? 🙂
Thank you.
Not really… only in the summer. 🙂 But maybe a vending machine for winter boots…?
🙂
Ha, very funny, I wonder how many bloggers clicked on expecting a different kind of Brazilian!! loved it
Thanks. I was wondering that too. 🙂
: )
It’s an odd world we live in.
Most definitely. 🙂
This is brilliant! Perhaps next one would be vending machines for bikini or speedos :)) and awesome photos – gosh you are good in taking street photos! (my hands would shaking badly if I were in your position 🙂 )
I wouldn’t be surprised if they sold more beachwear like that. 🙂 🙂 🙂
I used to shake a lot to begin with. It’s simply a confidence issue.
True that! I still have to build it up by taking street photos often…thanks Draco! 🙂
🙂
Without a thong the day would never end
Without a thong the road would never bend
When things go wrong a man ain’t got a friend
Without a thong
I’ll never know what makes the train to stall
I’ll never know what makes that grass so tall
I only know there ain’t no love at all
Without a thong…… ( apologies to Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu )
He might have been flip-flopping on a quick gift. From here in Canada, you folks appear to have endless summer & a whole lot of beach, so a vending machine for beach wear seems very reasonable. 😀
Yes, but in the middle of the CBD? 🙂