A lot of thought has to go in to a trip like this. At the very least, a pilgrim needs to be prepared with some of the right gear – boots, backpack, rain gear, first aid supplies, sleeping bag, blister kits, warm weather and cold weather clothes, socks, sandals…..the list actually goes on for a while. While it is true that many supplies can be replenished or picked up along the way, boots are not something to take for granted. I’ve been debating for months about ‘which’ pair of hiking boots or shoes I am actually going to take.
Today I became paranoid that my mountain hikers are kilometered out! Honestly, the shoes feel fine, the tread is not overly worn, and I have successfully put 30+ kms on them in the last three days alone over varied terrain – snow, ice, gravel and pavement. Mostly, I just want to make sure my feet are prepared and these shoes seem to be my camino choice. For today anyways…
42 days from today we will be travelling to Paris en route to SJPP, France. Ally has some of her gear already, as do I. But there are a few things I need to ensure I have gathered before we go – headlamp for early morning walking, new hiking socks, small flashlight for use in the alberques…. I honestly think we will be okay and get it all together in the next month. Hopefully 🙂
To give you a round about idea of what goes in to a Camino packing list, I grabbed this off of the Camino Adventures website:
Essentials
Needle and thread – when you get a blister this will help. Thread the needle and run through the blister, leave a bit of thread inside to drain the blister.
Two pairs of shorts, one for night other for day. (zip able long trousers are good)
1 T-shirt – I love the technical ones, cotton is to be avoided
1 shirt (light weigh, quick drying)
2 pairs of socks
Sleeping bag
2 pairs underwear
Rain gear or poncho
Fleece, it does get cold at night and the mornings can be chilly
Sandals for evenings
Pain-killers
Sunscreen, a must
Sunglasses
Hat
Toiletries – keep it very light, you can buy more as you go along
Towel – get quick dry from outdoor store, they are also super light
Mobile & charger
Camera & charger
Earplugs – too many people snore – loudly
Small torch or use your phone
Swiss army knife
So…the next thing on my preparation list is updating my phone. This might be more difficult that the first day walking on the Camino. I don’t want to give up my Blackberry. Don’t judge me, I just don’t like change!
42 days from now….yikes!
Along the Way - Our Camino 
How many people are you hiking/ sleeping together with? Like a pack? Glad you have time with your new shoes!
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Mostly Ally and I will be hiking alone, however, thousands of people travel the Camino Frances every year – hundreds of thousands – so we will never be alone! And as for accommodations, it depends on the size of the hostels (albergues) we stay in – some will have 100 + beds in a few rooms, some will be smaller with only 4-6 beds in a room – and some nights we may be lucky enough to find private albergues with private rooms.
Also, I’m not totally sure yet if these are the shoes I am going to wear…..lol
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Blackberry? I’m not judging. I’m impressed by your commitment!
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