Double Duty Packing – Bring a Sarong 1

When living out of just one bag, every item matters

My sarong

For years, I have had a large black and white sarong that remained in my dresser drawer. I am not a sarong type of gal.
But while packing up my home of many years and giving away my stuff, I recognized the value of this large, thin, fabric garment.

Some of the many uses for a sarong

This light-weight garment plays several roles.

• In cold New York and Boston at the start of my trip, my sarong was my bathrobe, keeping me warm after a shower. This continues through much of my travels.
• In hot Mexico, it helped me dry off after a shower because in humidity my travel towel only does so much.
• At night in Mexico and later elsewhere in Central America,  when the fan blows to cool down the room and keep Mosquitos away, my sarong becomes a blanket keeping the breeze from being cold and keeping me awake.
• In Panama, my sarong learned that it’s a beach blanket.
• For other women, a sarong has become a dress.
• Living on a sailing yacht in Honduras my sarong has become my bed sheet too. Staying at friend’s places, I have done this while borrowing their beds. It doesn’t cover an entire bed but it covered the area where I slept.
• For a friend who traveled in the Sahara and lived in the desert, a sarong became a headwrap.
• A sarong will also save you over and over as a cover-up — whether as a skirt/leg-covering or shoulder/arm covering — when you unexpectedly happen upon a church, temple, group of monks/priests/rabbis, government building or any religious or official building.

I don’t look great in a sarong, but…
it turns out I definitely am a sarong type of gal.
And I have a feeling you will be too as you travel just about anywhere for any amount of time.

Men: this will work for you as well.

More of my real-life use

Update February 2015, my same sarong, still with me since 2011:

• Became a shawl keeping me extra warm inside during a cold in the mountains of Israel.
• Became an extra large scarf to keep my neck warm when I went outside in that mountain winter.
• When I came up from hot Eilat to cold Jerusalem without winter clothing, my sarong was my coat as well.