#Travel140: Pack that Pashmina

#Travel140 #TravelTip: Pack that Pashmina! Sooner or later (probably sooner) you’ll be glad you did!

In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a towel was declared to be “the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.” About the closest an earth-bound traveler can come is a Pashmina shawl.

Now, being a guy, I was completely unaware of this. Yes, I have a scarf. No, it’s not nearly as useful. And, now that my eyes have been opened, I am massively jealous because, as a guy, we’re generally not afforded a Pashmina.

This article is for the gents who may be daring enough to pack – if not rock – a Pashmina, and the ladies who have yet to realize its full potential.

What I’ve learnt is that Pashmina is actually the wool, which westerners call cashmere, traditionally used to make the garment. As often happens, we’ve come to associate the product with the name of the material. Technically, it’s a shawl or scarf of Pashmina wool.

And why is it so “massively useful?” Versatility is the key. When you pack a Pashmina, you’re packing almost a dozen garments in one: Scarf, shawl, head wrap, and beach cover-up are good starters. I’ve seen advanced users fashion their Pashmina into a hajib, a cape, a skirt, and a halter top. I’m sure the creative will find many more ways to wear it.

Moving from fashion to practicality, you’ve got a blanket, a changing pad, a nursing cover-up, a sun/wind block, a towel, a pillow, a tablecloth and, most importantly, a defense against ice cold airplane air (ie: a blanket).

When traveling, you want garments that do double duty at very least, which earns the Pashmina shawl a place in your bag.

Pack that Pashmina! 20 ways to wear a scarf from fashion magazine feszyn.com.

What are your must-pack items? Is a shawl or scarf among them? Let us know in the Comments!

Can’t get enough travel tips? Here’s more #Travel140!