Travel gear: magical pants

A rainy day in Italy requires waterproof pants!

I bought a pair of gray REI convertible pants at the College Park
store before I left, and they have been awfully useful.

As shorts, they are long enough (covering the knees) to be Vatican-
friendly, a nice bonus.

REI makes them in sizes for short and tall people (and those who are
Goldilocks just-right, too) with nice touches like snaps and a button
at the waist, plus a hidden drawstring for any hiking weightloss (or
perhaps gelato weight gain).

My favorite parts, though, are the awesome pockets.

The two hip/side pockets are up higher than usual jeans, just two
slits a bit wider than a credit card. They have zippers and tiny
flaps, so they are invisible. Perfect for tucking money and cards
safely away while traveling.

There is one more pocket on one leg, on the thigh, really. It closes
with two snaps and is big enough to hold my iPhone and my passport,
which gives my legs a reassuring I'm-right-here pat when strolling
through a tourist crowd.

A terrific purchase, I'm happy to say. Next time, I'll tell you about
the super-duper jacket purchase. (Contain your excitement, please. :)