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  1. julie

    Mindfulness on the camino

    Public phones were plentiful in the good old days and I would happily walk phone free and check in with family every few days. Now I carry a phone, a lightweight flip job that is almost indestructible. It has no camera or wifi connectivity, it is just a phone. I still only ring home every 3-4...
  2. julie

    Scallop Shells

    One of the Camino lessons many of us have to learn is about not being judgmental. You would hope that your fellow pilgrims would want to celebrate with you rather than be offended by your pink ribbon. I find the choosing of a shell to be quite problematic. Try as I might to find a shell that...
  3. julie

    Poncho? Or not poncho?

    I wear a rain jacket when I'm walking in Australia but a poncho on the Camino. The poncho lives in the zipper compartment underneath my backpack (the bit where the pack cover usually goes). I can unzip that compartment, take out the poncho and put it on without taking off my pack. It not only...
  4. julie

    Do I need a phone? What's your experience?

    I didn't carry a phone on my first pilgrimage. Though there were no problems in my world and I had no idea why I felt the need to go on pilgrimage, the feeling of being out of contact was rather appealing. I used public phones or emailed every so often to let my family know where I was and that...
  5. julie

    not many people know that.......

    We had a funny lunch break on a bushwalk last year when someone mentioned that they liked the whistle built into the clasp of their new backpack. There were lots of envious looks and then checking of backpacks with great shouts of excitement when a whistle was exposed. A range of brands were...
  6. julie

    Raincoat-Poncho

    The weather is one of those things that you just cannot predict. Many who walked last year found themselves in appalling conditions that were way out of what would ordinarily be expected. I like to travel light but always take a poncho. That and my minimal first aid kit are the only two things...
  7. julie

    How realistic is it to use a 28L Pack?

    I use a 30L pack that has never been absolutely full even with food and water. A 28L shouldn't present any difficulties. One thing I've found useful in packing is not to use a bag to house your sleeping bag. I simply put mine in the bottom of the pack and load the other stuff on top. That way...
  8. julie

    Safety Pins

    My original choice was nappy (diaper) pins but I decided they were too heavy and, for the past few years, have used ordinary safety pins. If I wash everything I'm wearing, I only need eight safety pins so that's how many I take. They are also useful for attaching damp clothes to your pack. The...
  9. julie

    Liner Socks

    It really is a matter of finding out what works for you. Some swear by the two sock system, others by taping sensitive points and others Vaseline. I like to wear a mid boot with room to cater for swollen feet/toes. Fortunately I don't usually suffer from blisters so don't need to do anything...
  10. julie

    Drain stopper?

    Hi Ed, I took your earlier message in the light-hearted spirit in which it was intended. My response was merely a thumbs up for the albergues. That I enjoy them so much (even the plugless ones) still amazes me.
  11. julie

    Drain stopper?

    Strange as it may seem, yes I do! I was 54 when I first set out on pilgrimage and hadn't stayed in a dormitory since school camp at the age of 10. To my great surprise, I love it. Listening to the night noises of snuffles, grunts and snoring fills me with a sense of community and belonging. I...
  12. julie

    Drain stopper?

    Though a lot of albergues have plastic dishes for doing the laundry, I came across many that had neither a dish nor a plug. A rolled up sock does the job nicely. One night the albergue was full and I had to take a private room. Joy oh joy, there was a bath albeit a very small one. Alas, no...
  13. julie

    sleeping bags vs. sleeping bag liners

    June is my preferred month for walking. I always take a lightweight sleeping bag and sometimes have to leave the zip undone as I'm too hot yet this year I needed a blanket on top of the sleeping bag. The weather is too unpredictable so I would be inclined to veer on the side of caution and take...
  14. julie

    1st Timer-Solo Female In need of feedback/advice Pls!

    Oh my goodness yes! Without getting too personal, what I meant was that I wear them and drip-dry. Leave them along the Camino? Never, never, never - yuk!
  15. julie

    1st Timer-Solo Female In need of feedback/advice Pls!

    credencial comb panty liners (useful when you're walking and means you can do without toilet paper) earplugs if you're a light sleeper notepad & pen if you like to keep a journal I wouldn't bother with an ipad, it's an unnecessary weight. Phone is handy for emergencies (of the "at home" type...
  16. julie

    do you wear boots on the plane? and is there a new app?

    I wear my boots and take my backpack on as cabin baggage. My poles, knife and safety pins (used as pegs) go in a postal tube and are checked in. Coming home it doesn't matter so much but I wouldn't want to run the risk of my backpack going astray on the way over because most of things in it have...
  17. julie

    Is it worth bring waterproof gear in August?

    My usual policy is that if I can't guarantee I'll need something, I don't take it. There are two exceptions to this rule - wet weather gear and a basic first aid kit.
  18. julie

    How many pairs of trousers?

    Instead of altering the bottom of the pants, try putting a pleat in the top of the shorts above the zip. The pleat runs parallel to the zip and looks quite neat. If you have short legs, the top of the pants are often also too long and the pleat method makes the shorts more comfortable to walk...
  19. julie

    Altus poncho modification ...

    I haven't altered an Altus but have altered a poncho I bought a few years ago from Decathlon. It was far too big so I took in the side seams, shortened the sleeves and reattached the Velcro fasteners, added a peak at the front and put a couple of pleats at the back of the hood to stop it riding...
  20. julie

    Which sleeping bag?

    The weather is one thing that we can't reliably predict. The bag is a 3 season one so you are more likely to be hot than cold. Either way it's easily fixed - if cold, sleep in your clothes and/or ask if there are any blankets available; if hot, sleep with the bag unzipped.

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