The Safety Pin Trick: Remember It for Your Next Trip

Who hasn't experienced a last-minute swim just before checking out of the hotel and has to leave with a wet swimsuit or towel? You end up waving it around in your hand trying to dry it in record time. This express drying method somewhat works, but the downside is that it inevitably takes up your hands, and when traveling, it's crucial to have both hands free to grab that sandwich, pull out your wallet, show your passport, greet a neighbor you won't see again, or pay some change on the bus.

Imagine you are walking the Way of Santiago, and you've had this idea because, let's say, you can't think of a better vacation, or perhaps you are so fed up with the world that walking alone for days seems like a good plan. Whatever your motivation, there you are, waking up at a lodging in some town in the north of Palencia. You've already had breakfast and packed your bag, but of course, the towel you used for your shower is still wet. If you put it in your backpack, it will stink up your clothes; if you leave it behind (which is always an option), you won't have anything to dry off with that night, so you plan to tie it to your backpack. Mistake. The knot won't dry and will leave a persistent smell on both the towel and the backpack, so the solution is this safety pin trick: with one or two safety pins, you can create a sort of clothesline in your backpack. One on each side, and the towel will be perfectly spread across your backpack, hanging lightly and fresh to dry in the wind. Plus, it will give you a superhero look very fitting for the pilgrim feat you are about to face.

The more clever and cautious travelers won't need safety pin tricks. In the right spot, where there are breezes or a little sunlight, a well-spread towel won't take long to dry. Sometimes it's better to extend that coffee a little longer and keep chatting with other tortured pilgrims like yourself than to hit the road with wet items. Traveling has its many blessings and some penalties. For me, without a doubt, wet clothes are one of the great arch-nemeses of any trip away from home.

Another extreme solution would be to put the wet items in a bag and forget about them until you return home and can toss them in the washing machine to recover the glory of that towel. In short, there are many ways, which one is yours?