Have you found yourself at a water source with the desire to carry water with you but without anything to carry it in? Are you at a stream in the middle of the woods with a water filter but without a receptacle to filter to? Do you need something to do with all of those plastic shopping bags that you have forced upon you every time you buy something? Or maybe you just need a stinking cup?

If so, then this travel tip is for you. How to turn a plastic bag into a cup- Honduras style.

I am currently in Northern Honduras working on an archaeology project at Copan. The most of the other archaeology crew members are Honduran rancheros with big white cowboy hats, button up plaid cowboy shirts, and cowboy boots. The men are cowboys in Honduras. What else can I say?

Well, these cowboys have a taste for Coca-Cola, and every time they take a break from excavating a skeleton or restoring an ancient stone wall, they drink down a couple bottles of pop using nothing other than plastic artifact bags as cups.


This is how it is done:

1. Pick up plastic bag - I think just about any sort without holes will do - with the open end pointing up.

2. Fill bag with liquid.

3. Tie top of bag closed securely.

4. Turn contents of bag upside down so that the knot is now at the bottom.

5. Bite off a corner and drink away.

You have now just utilized a plastic bag as a cup.

You may occasionally find yourself without a water bottle while traveling, but, rest assured, you will probably never be without a plastic bag.

A plastic bag could be more than just bag, things can be more than they appear, as Ubertramp says, “Dual purpose bonus!” Thanks to the Honduran capesinos who showed me this little trick. I will probably someday be a little less thirsty of a vagabond because of it.

As always, take this travel tip and use it, or leave it to adorn the trees of the developing world along with all of those other under-utilized and discarded plastic shopping bags.

Smiles,

Wade