There is a certain delight in the act of discovery. Finding something unique or unusual awakens a childlike joy in us, an unadulterated pleasure that can make one either try to keep the discovery all to oneself or – more likely – want to go out and quickly spread the word to friends.

That’s the sense of joy I felt, for example, when I first found special preserves from Vista D’oro at a farmer’s market, or the cutest bookmarks by Brighton, or the Nutella biscotti from a small local bakery.

It was the very same sense of childlike delight that bubbled forth with one of my latest finds, which came, oddly enough, at the airport in Jamaica while waiting for a flight back home.

I can never sit still while rows of stores are begging for me to go in. One in particular looked very colourful and different, certainly easy on the eye. It was hard not to be drawn in.

It looked like the store had a huge collection of flip flops. I looked closer, and indeed that was all it had: Lots and lots of flip flips and nothing else.

I squinted to read the store name – it certainly wasn’t one that I recognized. I wasn’t even sure how to pronounce it. Hav… Hava–e–anas? Oh yes, Hav-a-ee-ya-nas! Sounds like French for pineapple or a twist on Havana, the Cuban capital. Cool name, but seriously, a whole store of them?

As I entered the store, I could feel myself getting giddy-happy, just like a kid in a candy store. I was standing in a sea of the most colourful flip flops I’ve ever seen in my life.

I couldn’t explain why I was so excited… maybe it was because I’d never heard of them, or perhaps because someone had invented a great way to take an old idea and make it catchy and current.

What’s so special about these flip flops, I asked the attractive girl behind the counter. In a very excited voice, she replied: “It’s the best flip flop in the world!” She certainly seemed more a fan than a salesperson. Before I could say “Yeah, right”, she breathlessly went on about how Havaianas are not just the most comfortable flip-flops I’d ever wear, but were also guaranteed for life, wouldn’t ever fade, and there would never be any indentation of my foot ever left in the rubber sole.

Havaianas, she told me, were made of a special rubber whose formula remained a secret. By now, I’m starting to be impressed. I wonder who else knows about these… am I the first to discover these out of all my lady friends?

The flip flops have the most unusual and interesting designs, with catchy names to match – Slim Ethnics, Surf Girl, Aloha, Slim Peacock…

They have Havaianas for kids and men too, and in more colours and styles than one could ever imagine. I’m picturing the beach and sunshine in my mind… they make me want to go back to the hotel and wear a different pair everyday and have people ask me “Where did you get those?”

How unique, how cool were these? I began to try some on, thinking first I’d get my daughter a pair. Wow, they felt comfortable. Oh my God, I had to get myself a pair. Before I did that, I stopped to go get my husband to convince him this would be a good purchase for me, kind of to get his approval too. But as soon as he saw them, he was interested in a pair too! Ah-ha, hooked my first person.

My husband decided to buy a glow-inthe- dark pair; really unique but not my style. I chose the one-inch platform paisley with gold straps called High Lights, great on a tanned foot.

We wound up buying four pairs, and no, they were not all for me. Later I found that people own at least five or six pairs… I was being conservative. I bought a pair for a friend’s daughter with lady bugs on them, the most adorable flip flops I have ever seen.

Okay, so how much? Prices ranged from as low as $15, to about $150 for a gorgeous pair with Swarovski crystal encrusted on the straps. I could see them on a bride for her beach wedding.

I was happy now, my trip was complete, with my new discovery in hand and a story to tell my girl friends. I wanted everyone to get a pair, but as with some of my other discoveries, not everyone shares my enthusiasm for the things I find, not at first anyway.

When I got home, I ‘Googled’ them right away, and found that Havaianas might not be huge in Canada right now, but they certainly are trending with the fashionable set. Hollywood celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Zac Efron, Megan Fox, Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani wear them. US socialite Ivana Trump gave all her guests Havaianas at her wedding. She also owns a Swarovski pair, well of course she would.

Havaianas, I learnt, are made by a Brazilian company and the name itself means “Hawaiians” in Portuguese.

The brand has been around since 1962, but only gained world attention in 1998 after the company developed a style of the sandals for the World Cup that featured the Brazilian flag.

It’s only been more recently that Havaianas have caught the imagination in North America, and that’s because of the number of celebrities that are now being seen in them. They are no longer just beach wear; some of the high-end sandals can sometimes even be seen at society events. (In Brazil, where the company is based, two out of every three people owns a pair of Havaianas).

So my discovery, although not new to the world at large, was still a great find. I know I won’t be happy with only one pair. I can see myself buying more of these to go with different outfits in the summer… imagine them on a cruise, a vacation down south, at a beach wedding or simply wearing them at home or on warm summer evenings for casual dinners with friends… How perfect! How unique! How fun and whimsical for someone to actually think of flip-flops as a fashion accessory. I know what I’m packing for my next summer destination. Now the most difficult decision is which colour and style to choose!