What did you forget that you would bring with you the second time?

[Kurt5280]

For me all I thought about was food on the Camino Frances...so this time I am bringing...chewy chocolate chip granola bars...peanut butter for the hard dry bread (but will buy olive oil for the bread as soon as I can find it)...and I would really like to bring green chilli sauce but with no refrigeration it will have to be Louisiana hot sauce instead.

 

[Peter Barker]

OMG couldn't live without my peanut butter.

 

[Kiwi-family]

I like to leave my kiwi things at home when I travel and enjoy the local cuisine, whatever that may be.

 

[Deleted member 39850]

Tweezers. I didn't forget them, but I regretted not having them. I often longed for black pepper.

 

[lissie45]

I like to leave my kiwi things at home when I travel and enjoy the local cuisine, whatever that may be.

I agree - Spain is my favourite food in Europe - there is nothing that I will miss from NZ - because it will still be here when I get back. What I'll miss from Spain will be the fantastic cheap wine, and the serrano dry-cured ham.

 

[alaskadiver]

Nothing. Especially not food. I go to Spain for the food so I see no need to mask the flavor with nasty hot sauce
Actually, next time I’ll take my own Celebrex. It’s cheaper here in the US. Same for Voltaren gel. I can get a stronger dosage by prescription in the US than what is sold in Spain.

 

[Kurt5280]

Nothing. Especially not food. I go to Spain for the food so I see no need to mask the flavor with nasty hot sauce

Obviously you have never tried good green chilli sauce on eggs...I bet you green chilli sauce would make a Tortilla Espanola taste devine.

 

[Former member 49149]

Not totally apropos, but found recently on another camino in a bed and breakfast:

 

[alaskadiver]

Obviously you have never tried good green chilli sauce on eggs...I bet you green chilli sauce would make a Tortilla Espanola taste devine.

I hate green chili sauce and a tortilla doesn’t need anything else. I’m a purist and don’t like Americanizing or texmexing foods from other cultures. Don’t even get me started on the abomination that are things like “peach” mojitos

 

[trecile]

I would also never carry a bunch of food in my backpack - too heavy! The most food I'll normally carry is an orange and a chocolate bar, purchased locally. I was tempted to bring some Tajin spice (Mexican chili/lime/salt mix) that I especially love on eggs, but left it out.
On my first Camino my only cutting tool was a pair of nail clippers, which broke. I've brought a small pair of scissors to cut my Omnifix tape since then.

 

[SabsP]

Small nylon shopping bag. Ideal for putting your clean clothes and toiletstuff in when going to bathroom.
And to go to the shops afterwards.

No food though : Spain has such good quality products that I don't see the need at all to bring food from home.

 

[Karen Tagliaferri]

I ended up needing a knee brace after coming down from the Pyrenees. I had never had knee pain before, so I couldn’t have predicted what I would need. I also would have loved to bring some essential oils for minor pains. A few pilgrims had this and shared, and it really helped.

 

[Jeff-Lake Monticello VA]

For the most part I brought to much. I agree with those who say food was not the issue. I really wished I had a Swiss Army Knife or multi-tool and had to find one in country because I didn't want to check my bag. I am still debating with myself if I should have spent the money so I could use my phone for GPS and to find a alburgues--everyone else had those apps so I was not a big issue. Just coming with the attitude that I could adapt to any situation and to go with the flow was ONE attitude I would not have done well to forget.

 

[Constantine]

Actually, next time I’ll take my own Celebrex. It’s cheaper here in the US. Same for Voltaren gel. I can get a stronger dosage by prescription in the US than what is sold in Spain.

Next time, try ARCOXIA, its a better COX-2 inhibitor than Celebrex. Available in Spain.

 

[Deleted member 39850]

Nothing. Especially not food. I go to Spain for the food so I see no need to mask the flavor with nasty hot sauce
Actually, next time I’ll take my own Celebrex. It’s cheaper here in the US. Same for Voltaren gel. I can get a stronger dosage by prescription in the US than what is sold in Spain.

Normally I feel this way about food. Our son is a classically trained chef whose best metier is pastr, and whose second forte is elaborate vegetables. Everyone in my paternal family cooks for adventure and cultural transmission of heritage, plus exploration of other food heritages. I teach a course in the anthropology of food.... I even have a lovely cookbook of foods from the CF (which represents an augmented art form version of the simulacrum most of us encounter on the CF). Pilgrim food across the meseta made me sad. Things improved from Astorga to the end.

What I ate on Camino last time was overwhelmingly bland, and I didn't see a green vegetable on a plate for weeks. Sometimes a microwaved frozen dinner served as a "pilgrim meal" (somewhere in Cacabelos), far too many "patatas bravas" that were actually just frozen french fries....

So this time Spouse is cooking for himself a lot, staying in smaller albergues in smaller towns where the food has been better than I experienced. But for our cooking (I join him Tuesday) he has a bottle of dried chilli and lime, and I am bringing a "Mediterranean" herbed salt blend. "To each their own" and those who like the bland food of the pilgrim meal are not robbing us of anything by doing so. I see nothing disrespectful to local cuisine (which is one thing), by shaking a little "zip" from home on what is served on the Frances (which is another thing).

If we were going on the Portugues, it wold be a different matter entirely. I've heard food on the Portugues is wonderful, fresh, and beautifully prepared. The CF? Not so much (even though, yes, I had beautiful tortillas and empanadas, and a really neat baby eel salad with fried egg, those stand out as unusual). I'm not complaining about what one gets for 10 euro. It gets the job done. But I don't revere it as cuisine.

 

[Jeff-Lake Monticello VA]

As a professional nurse with forty years of experience I feel the need to add some caution. Yes, I took NSAIDs during the Camino: at night so my aches legs would allow me to sleep, but we all need to be mindful that NSAIDs DO WORK...however, pain is the feedback loop of our body saying some this wrong or "stop doing that." I met a young Englishman who gave me Spanish OTC ibuprophen which comes in 600mg...he as taking three at a time, three times a day. Needless to say I gently mentioned this was a HUGE dose, more then we give people in an emergency room after a car accident. The point is--listen to your body--do not use anti-inflammatories and analgesics to push yourself into serious injury. Allow time to enjoy and for your body to recover from joys of walking 15 to 45KM a day.

 

[Glenshiro]

A small square of terry towelling ("face-flannel" in the UK.)

Ideal for brow-mopping, hand-drying after using a water tap or eating fruit/anything messy and, soaked in cold water and wrung out, an instant cooler. And, of course, a nod to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

I now carry one in my pocket.

 

[AndreaCT]

A belt to keep up my pants, which started falling down as I lost weight.

 

[woodswoman]

Tweezers. I didn't forget them, but I regretted not having them. I often longed for black pepper.

I ended up buying tweezers at a pharmacia along the way. It was very easy.

 

[JanelMcB]

I don't go anywhere, except through airport security, without my Victorinox EXPLORER model pocket knife. It comes with tweezer, toothpick, corkscrew, scissors, and all of the other usual items. What makes this model a bit different is that the phillips screwdriver comes off the end, rather than from the middle. A tiny screwdriver for use on eyeglass screws is an additional purchase. It is secured on the knife via the corkscrew. I'll have mine with me on the CF and I'll likely use it multiple times each day.

 

[David Tallan]

For the "first time", I am going to count my 2016 camino. 1989 was a whole different kettle of fish.

In 2016, I didn't bring hiking poles, and didn't acquire them until Viana. I won't start without them for my 2018 camino. I didn't *forget* them, I just didn't realize how crucial they would be to my completing my camino.

 

[Caligal]

Tweezers. I didn't forget them, but I regretted not having them. I often longed for black pepper.

I second black pepper if i asked for it ( cayenne negro) and they had it, it was usually a fine black powder. Next time ill bring my own, how much could pepper weigh, think i could handle it!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

A small square of terry towelling ("face-flannel" in the UK.)

Ideal for brow-mopping, hand-drying after using a water tap or eating fruit/anything messy and, soaked in cold water and wrung out, an instant cooler. And, of course, a nod to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

I now carry one in my pocket.

or a bandana (multi usage!)

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I don't go anywhere, except through airport security, without my Victorinox EXPLORER model pocket knife. It comes with tweezer, toothpick, corkscrew, scissors, and all of the other usual items. What makes this model a bit different is that the phillips screwdriver comes off the end, rather than from the middle. A tiny screwdriver for use on eyeglass screws is an additional purchase. It is secured on the knife via the corkscrew. I'll have mine with me on the CF and I'll likely use it multiple times each day.

Agree the tiny screwdriver!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I hate green chili sauce and a tortilla doesn’t need anything else. I’m a purist and don’t like Americanizing or texmexing foods from other cultures. Don’t even get me started on the abomination that are things like “peach” mojitos

And, deep breath, count to 10, and exhale . . . . and, deep breath, count to 10, and exhale . . . .

 

[Jeff Crawley]

My older daughter - but can't due to health problems (hers not mine)

 

[lissie45]

Normally I feel this way about food. Our son is a classically trained chef whose best metier is pastr, and whose second forte is elaborate vegetables. Everyone in my paternal family cooks for adventure and cultural transmission of heritage, plus exploration of other food heritages. I teach a course in the anthropology of food.... I even have a lovely cookbook of foods from the CF (which represents an augmented art form version of the simulacrum most of us encounter on the CF). Pilgrim food across the meseta made me sad. Things improved from Astorga to the end.

What I ate on Camino last time was overwhelmingly bland, and I didn't see a green vegetable on a plate for weeks. Sometimes a microwaved frozen dinner served as a "pilgrim meal" (somewhere in Cacabelos), far too many "patatas bravas" that were actually just frozen french fries....

So this time Spouse is cooking for himself a lot, staying in smaller albergues in smaller towns where the food has been better than I experienced. But for our cooking (I join him Tuesday) he has a bottle of dried chilli and lime, and I am bringing a "Mediterranean" herbed salt blend. "To each their own" and those who like the bland food of the pilgrim meal are not robbing us of anything by doing so. I see nothing disrespectful to local cuisine (which is one thing), by shaking a little "zip" from home on what is served on the Frances (which is another thing).

If we were going on the Portugues, it wold be a different matter entirely. I've heard food on the Portugues is wonderful, fresh, and beautifully prepared. The CF? Not so much (even though, yes, I had beautiful tortillas and empanadas, and a really neat baby eel salad with fried egg, those stand out as unusual). I'm not complaining about what one gets for 10 euro. It gets the job done. But I don't revere it as cuisine.

This makes me sad - was this you were eating exclusively the pilgrims menu? Would eating a menu del dia in the early afternoon provide better food? I travel to eat and I am definitely not cooking

 

[AcrossTheWater3008]

I keep forgetting my nail clippers which I always need when traveling but not at home...., goodness know why I always have an irritating nail to snip when walking but not at home normally! I have a collection of Spanish, French, Portuguese nail clippers from my various Camino...

Another item is a small bottle of antibacterial rub which comes in handy before/after any tasks (when there’s nowhere to wash).....

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A tiny screwdriver for use on eyeglass screws is an additional purchase.

I've always used the tip of the small blade for this without any problems.

 

[Icacos]

A second buff, or a scarf. That morning in early May when we left Burgos it was -4 degrees. I had my buff wrapped around my head, and would have given my eye teeth for another buff or scarf to wrap around my neck.

But aside from my feeling cold, that sure was a beautiful morning.

 

[Icacos]

I was just reminded - from reading another thread - that next time I will bring something to put over those long, round pillows that the albergues have. The built in pillow 'flap' on my silk sleeping bag liner could not accommodate those long pillows. Having my own long pillowcase, or some other article, to cover the pillow would have simplified matters.

 

[Kurt5280]

Don’t even get me started on the abomination that are things like “peach” mojitos

Peach Mojito...after a long hot day on the Camino...I will drink anything if it comes frozen!

 

[alaskadiver]

And, deep breath, count to 10, and exhale . . . . and, deep breath, count to 10, and exhale . . . .

Righ?!

 

[alaskadiver]

Next time, try ARCOXIA, its a better COX-2 inhibitor than Celebrex. Available in Spain.

Better how? Please describe how the pharmacology is different given that it’s the same mechanism of action? Please cite peer reviewed articles if you can. I’d like to know why you think outs better. Celebrex works for me but I’m open to researching others. As long as they are sold in the USA where I can buy them. Thanks!

 

[alaskadiver]

Peach Mojito...after a long hot day on the Camino...I will drink anything if it comes frozen!

Lol! Mojitos aren’t frozen. But I get your meaning

 

[Kathy Jaudegis]

For me all I thought about was food on the Camino Frances...so this time I am bringing...chewy chocolate chip granola bars...peanut butter for the hard dry bread (but will buy olive oil for the bread as soon as I can find it)...and I would really like to bring green chilli sauce but with no refrigeration it will have to be Louisiana hot sauce instead.

Kurt5280 - I agree with all three you mention, especially the peanut butter and Louisiana hot sauce!

 

[VNwalking]

Please describe how the pharmacology is different given that it’s the same mechanism of action? Please cite peer reviewed articles if you can.

Well, I'm not @Constantine, whose post you were referring to, but here is one study:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16936327
(@Constantine was simply expressing his opinion, @alaskadiver - this is a Camino Forum, not an academic venue where opinions are routinely and aggressively fought over. Peace...)

 

[Ferenjinan]

Next time, try ARCOXIA, its a better COX-2 inhibitor than Celebrex. Available in Spain.

I had to check what is Celebrex. An anti arthritis drug? I'm bringing 2 small bottles of Tibetan arthritis oil ( mostly walnut oil) which has made all pain in my knees disappear ever since I started using it faithfully every day. Sporadic use, uh uh. Every day!

 

[Ferenjinan]

A belt to keep up my pants, which started falling down as I lost weight.

That's why I have string, in the happy case I lose enough weight.

 

[Anamya]

On my first camino I forgot to bring a comb or hair brush. 10 days of non-combing until I got a little plastic one in a pension room.
And no one ever cared I wasnt brushing my hair. It was actually... a nice freeing sensation

(On the second camino I had a mini-comb. Not that I was caring about vanity, it was just practical for ponytails and washing.)

 

[Pelegrin]

I forgot my first, my second and my third time a pocket knife to peel fruit, and then It is not easy to find a pocket knife in shops in Spain .

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I forgot my first, my second and my third time a pocket knife to peel fruit, and then It is not easy to find a pocket knife in shops in Spain .

 

[Pelegrin]

Ok It is easy to find a navaja in Albacete and Toledo But the last time I needed one in Bilbao I explained the owner of a Chinese shop what a navaja was.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Ok It is easy to find a navaja in Albacete and Toledo But the last time I needed one in Bilbao I explained the owner of a Chinese shop what a navaja was.

Try "cortapluma"

 

[alaskadiver]

Well, I'm not @Constantine, whose post you were referring to, but here is one study:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16936327
(@Constantine was simply expressing his opinion, @alaskadiver - this is a Camino Forum, not an academic venue where opinions are routinely and aggressively fought over. Peace...)

Huh? Nothing aggressive about my post. I was asking for information. There is a difference.
Thanks for the link. It confirms there is no diference between the efficacy of the 2 drugs.

 

[alaskadiver]

I had to check what is Celebrex. An anti arthritis drug? I'm bringing 2 small bottles of Tibetan arthritis oil ( mostly walnut oil) which has made all pain in my knees disappear ever since I started using it faithfully every day. Sporadic use, uh uh. Every day!

It’s just an NSAID used for inflammation of any kind. Not specific to arthritis.

 

[txpeah]

Nothing. Especially not food. I go to Spain for the food so I see no need to mask the flavor with nasty hot sauce
Actually, next time I’ll take my own Celebrex. It’s cheaper here in the US. Same for Voltaren gel. I can get a stronger dosage by prescription in the US than what is sold in Spain.

I brought US Voltaren cream but bought Inuprofen gel in Spain.

I agree with the tweezers/cutting tool. I bought Swiss Army knife after my arrival and used it a lot (has tweezers, scissors, wine cork screw, etc)

I forgot my first, my second and my third time a pocket knife to peel fruit, and then It is not easy to find a pocket knife in shops in Spain .

Depends on where you start, I think. SJPP and other large cities have Camino shops - I saw them a lot in those kinds of stores.
Caminotecha in Pamplona is amazing if you need some things once you cross the Pyrenees.

 

[domigee]

What I ate on Camino last time was overwhelmingly bland, and I didn't see a green vegetable on a plate for weeks....

I have just come back from the Camino and I had salad (as a starter) at every meal: lettuce, tomato, carrot, asparagus, sweetcorn, cooked green beans, peppers.... onion.... I forget what else but some were fan-tas-tic.
The vegetable soups were pretty good too

 

[Marie Helene Maguire]

Next time, try ARCOXIA, its a better COX-2 inhibitor than Celebrex. Available in Spain.

Do you need a prescription? I tske celebrex but happy to try something else

 

[KinkyOne]

I forgot my first, my second and my third time a pocket knife to peel fruit, and then It is not easy to find a pocket knife in shops in Spain .

Every El Corte Ingles mall is selling Victorinox Swiss Army knives. Not to mention Tabacos (not all of them!), chino shops and sportswear shops. I've seen pocket knives even in shops selling office utensils, pens etc.

 

[See You Soon]

For me all I thought about was food on the Camino Frances...so this time I am bringing...chewy chocolate chip granola bars...peanut butter for the hard dry bread (but will buy olive oil for the bread as soon as I can find it)...and I would really like to bring green chilli sauce but with no refrigeration it will have to be Louisiana hot sauce instead.

Louisiana Perfect

 

[kay lee]

Normally I feel this way about food. Our son is a classically trained chef whose best metier is pastr, and whose second forte is elaborate vegetables. Everyone in my paternal family cooks for adventure and cultural transmission of heritage, plus exploration of other food heritages. I teach a course in the anthropology of food.... I even have a lovely cookbook of foods from the CF (which represents an augmented art form version of the simulacrum most of us encounter on the CF). Pilgrim food across the meseta made me sad. Things improved from Astorga to the end.

What I ate on Camino last time was overwhelmingly bland, and I didn't see a green vegetable on a plate for weeks. Sometimes a microwaved frozen dinner served as a "pilgrim meal" (somewhere in Cacabelos), far too many "patatas bravas" that were actually just frozen french fries....

So this time Spouse is cooking for himself a lot, staying in smaller albergues in smaller towns where the food has been better than I experienced. But for our cooking (I join him Tuesday) he has a bottle of dried chilli and lime, and I am bringing a "Mediterranean" herbed salt blend. "To each their own" and those who like the bland food of the pilgrim meal are not robbing us of anything by doing so. I see nothing disrespectful to local cuisine (which is one thing), by shaking a little "zip" from home on what is served on the Frances (which is another thing).

If we were going on the Portugues, it wold be a different matter entirely. I've heard food on the Portugues is wonderful, fresh, and beautifully prepared. The CF? Not so much (even though, yes, I had beautiful tortillas and empanadas, and a really neat baby eel salad with fried egg, those stand out as unusual). I'm not complaining about what one gets for 10 euro. It gets the job done. But I don't revere it as cuisine.

Your meal plans sound wonderful! We (Korean-Americans) stayed in albergues, pensions, or apartments with kitchens to cook with fresh garlic, peppers, and onions whenever we could. The fresh vegies, chicken, pork, beef, or even frozen seafood bags tasted great with just some salt and pepper added to the garlic, pepper, onions mix.

 

[Pelegrin]

Every El Corte Ingles mall is selling Victorinox Swiss Army knives. Not to mention Tabacos (not all of them!), chino shops and sportswear shops. I've seen pocket knives even in shops selling office utensils, pens etc.[/QUOTE

From my experience is not a common good in Chino shops. But I agree that is not imposible to find.

 

[SabsP]

Every El Corte Ingles mall is selling Victorinox Swiss Army knives. Not to mention Tabacos (not all of them!), chino shops and sportswear shops. I've seen pocket knives even in shops selling office utensils, pens etc.

And every ferreteria!

 

[Jodean]

I forgot my i-phone. Left it sitting on the kitchen table. Schlepped the cables and plug with me though.

Yes, want to bring some chili powder or lawrys salt with me the next time. The food was ok, but truly quite bland.

 

[mmmckay]

For me all I thought about was food on the Camino Frances...so this time I am bringing...chewy chocolate chip granola bars...peanut butter for the hard dry bread (but will buy olive oil for the bread as soon as I can find it)...and I would really like to bring green chilli sauce but with no refrigeration it will have to be Louisiana hot sauce instead.

I would have brought a few antihistamine tablets. They take up no room. I had an allergic reaction to a vinegar gone bad while I was on the Camino this summer. Also a few extra safety pins for hanging clothes on my pack. No way would I bother with food from home. Too much weight. I embraced the Spanish cuisine.

 

[Gcmacrae]

For me all I thought about was food on the Camino Frances...so this time I am bringing...chewy chocolate chip granola bars...peanut butter for the hard dry bread (but will buy olive oil for the bread as soon as I can find it)...and I would really like to bring green chilli sauce but with no refrigeration it will have to be Louisiana hot sauce instead.

And, for me it was needle and thread to drain blisters. Had to carve them open with a Swiss Army knife. Insult to injury.

 

[Deleted member 39850]

I have just come back from the Camino and I had salad (as a starter) at every meal: lettuce, tomato, carrot, asparagus, sweetcorn, cooked green beans, peppers.... onion.... I forget what else but some were fan-tas-tic.
The vegetable soups were pretty good too

I had great caldo de Galego on my last trip, but it was 4 weeks into the journey before I saw it. My ‘insalata mista’ usually ad wan lettuce, so I moved in favour of the white asparagus with aioli. Spouse is faring better on his current travels because he is staying largely “off piste” in much smaller albergues that use kitchen gardens. I am very much looking forward to it.

 

[nickymd1]

It's stupid, but I started developing stupidly thick skin on my feet after about 5 days that would itch a fright at night. The body's natural callus-building response, I suppose.

I'll never do a Camino without a callus cutter again. I ended up buying one in Gijón in despiration - 11€!!!!! Where I'm living in Berlin I could have gotten it for 4€ with extra blades and could take it through airport security.

I also wouldn't do the Norte (in summer) without a sleeping bag again. I took a silk liner and ended up with hypothermia on day 6 and, on another occasion, walking on after 4 hours sleep in a rain-soaked tent due to cold. It was great to save the weight for the first week, thereafter the extra 400-600g for a summer sack would have made no difference, except that I would have actually slept a few nights extra.

 

[MichaelC]

I would have liked to have a small tupperware piece to carry cheese, sausage, and any other thing that can get mushy.

But my pack was too full already (not too heavy, just full), so I’d only add it if I walked in a season where I didn’t need a sleeping bag.

 

[Craig Warren]

Safety pins for hanging jocks and socks to dry. I borrowed...

 

[Bob P]

After we got the name figured out, "creme de cacahuette" was easy to find. My trail-mate and I were both craving peanut butter. I will also bring my own long satin pillow case. I hated those "pillow sleeves" in the Albergues.

 

[LaFlorida]

I wished I had a lightweight, round tupperware-type container for squishable fruit like peaches, nectarines or plums. I had several delicious vegetarian/with good vegetables meals on the CF - Beilari in SJdPP, Suseia in Zubiri, the Green Tree in Hornillos del Camino, El Alquimista in Ages, and some others.

 

[KinkyOne]

I would have brought a few antihistamine tablets. They take up no room. I had an allergic reaction to a vinegar gone bad while I was on the Camino this summer. Also a few extra safety pins for hanging clothes on my pack. No way would I bother with food from home. Too much weight. I embraced the Spanish cuisine.

Vinegar can get bad? I thought wine can get bad and turn into vinegar

 

[KinkyOne]

It's stupid, but I started developing stupidly thick skin on my feet after about 5 days that would itch a fright at night. The body's natural callus-building response, I suppose....

Interesting. I always leave some of the calluses (like 1-2 weeks old) because it prevents blisters in my case. Too soft skin on your soles couldn't be good for first few days of walking I think. But to each its own

 

[KinkyOne]

I would have liked to have a small tupperware piece to carry cheese, sausage, and any other thing that can get mushy.

But my pack was too full already (not too heavy, just full), so I’d only add it if I walked in a season where I didn’t need a sleeping bag.

Strap a sleeping bag on the outside of your pack. You'll not only have place for Tupperware but also for a beer or two

 

[Kurt5280]

I embraced the Spanish cuisine.

Maybe I was moving to hard and fast...but but the majority of food I ate on the Camino Frances was simple Pilgrim Meals, Bocadillos with Mayonesa, Torrilla Espanola for lunch, and an occasional Hamburguesa...my last eggs for breakfast was in Roncesvalles...until finally an omelette for lunch 100km from Santiago...and almost every meal was with french fries...and except for a Special Seafood/Chicken Paella one night at an Albergue the majority of food I could have made at home.

 

[nickymd1]

I wished I had a lightweight, round tupperware-type container for squishable fruit like peaches, nectarines or plums.

I'm sensitive to most grains so I ended up self-catering about 85% of my meals, no small feat on the CdN where there are few kitchens! I however got this amazing collapsing 'Tupperware' before I left home that was sturdy enough to protect fruit and hardy enough to keep my cheese, fuet, nuts and chocolate from making an oily, bitty, space-taking mess of my pack. It folds down from ca. 13cm/4" to a flat thing of about 3cm/1", and could hold the little knife I bought from a 'china-shop' in Zarautz even when folded. Only cost me about 5€/2 (easy to find on Amazon) and I now never travel without one. One of my Wont-do-a-camino-without-it items.

Interesting. I always leave some of the calluses (like 1-2 weeks old) because it prevents blisters in my case. Too soft skin on your soles couldn't be good for first few days of walking I think. But to each its own

The only blisters I ended up getting I got *under* my calluses when I had the bad luck of having to replace my shoes 21 days/450km into the walk! I'd prepped too well, having already done 350kmin them to "wear them in", and started to get a hole in the sole - a nightmare on a rainy Camino! I now always shave the calluses off - also because once my feet dried out at the end of the day, they itched! Thick moisure cream, slathered on thickly before bed, helped but only for a few hours each night, and I can't sleep wearing socks! #crucibleofdiscomfort

 

[judy jackstadt]

A better more absorbent towel!

 

[Kurt5280]

I am on a flight to Biarritz this afternoon (Camino del Norte) and I am struggling over leaving several items:
1) Sun Glasses...only saw two days of sun on my last Camino Frances...first and last day.
2) Sleeping Clothes...never wore them last time...way too cold.
3) Silk Bed Liner...only used three times...and mostly slept fully dressed because of the cold.
Otherwise, I am finally packed and ready to go...Buen Camino

 

[AlmostAnastasia]

Sunglasses are essential. Ask your optometrist.

 

[domigee]

Maybe I was moving to hard and fast...but but the majority of food I ate on the Camino Frances was simple Pilgrim Meals, Bocadillos with Mayonesa, Torrilla Espanola for lunch, and an occasional Hamburguesa...my last eggs for breakfast was in Roncesvalles...until finally an omelette for lunch 100km from Santiago...and almost every meal was with french fries...and except for a Special Seafood/Chicken Paella one night at an Albergue the majority of food I could have made at home.

You could ask for a ‘tortilla francesa’ in most cafes...

 

[JanelMcB]

Spare set of Spenco insoles might help elevate foot discomfort/pain.

 

[DirtAmy]

EHIC
ooooops

(it's for accessing NHS-equivalent state healthcare)

 

[Davey Boyd]

A sense of direction!

 

[Phoenix]

I forgot my first, my second and my third time a pocket knife to peel fruit, and then It is not easy to find a pocket knife in shops in Spain .

Although I always carry a "work" pocket knife while trekking, I found that it wasn't always the best option for food prep during the day on the Camino. In addition to the work knife, while on my next Camino, I will be carrying an Opinel No. 8 w/ carbon blade specifically/only for food prep. It's only 1.6 oz/45 g.

Since Opinel knives are relatively inexpensive & made primarily in France, I would hope they are readily available in Spain as well. A quick glance at their store locator shows availability in Biarritz, Bayonne, and Pamplona.

 

[David Tallan]

Spare set of Spenco insoles might help elevate foot discomfort/pain.

Did you mean "eliminate"? I don't know that I would want to elevate them, which sounds suspiciaously like increasing them.

 

[KJFSophie]

A donkey ?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A donkey ?

I think you've posted to the wrong thread @KJFSophie but that was my answer there too.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Although I always carry a "work" pocket knife while trekking, I found that it wasn't always the best option for food prep during the day on the Camino. In addition to the work knife, while on my next Camino, I will be carrying an Opinel No. 8 w/ carbon blade specifically/only for food prep. It's only 1.6 oz/45 g.

Since Opinel knives are relatively inexpensive & made primarily in France, I would hope they are readily available in Spain as well. A quick glance at their store locator shows availability in Biarritz, Bayonne, and Pamplona.

I picked up one at a supermercado in Burgette, so I don't think finding one will be a problem

 

[domigee]

Since Opinel knives are relatively inexpensive & made primarily in France, I would hope they are readily available in Spain as well. A quick glance at their store locator shows availability in Biarritz, Bayonne, and Pamplona.

Opinel are good (well I would say that ) but Spanish knifes are excellent too!

 

[BucketBabe]

or a bandana (multi usage!)

I AGREE! I'm a bandana girl and always travel/hike with at least 2...they dry so quickly and work as a "face" cloth, hankie, pot holder on the trail, water filter (before the actual filter for murky water), TP, etc. Its my best tip to every "new" hiker.

 

[Judit]

I didn't forget it, but decided not to take any insect repellent to cut down on the pack weight. Big mistake - I spent the first ten days of the CP with insects feasting on me - what did they eat before I got there! So I had to buy some. Next time I'll have to try to leave some other stuff out of my pack so that I can get the insect repellent in.

 

[Telboyo]

For the most part I brought to much. I agree with those who say food was not the issue. I really wished I had a Swiss Army Knife or multi-tool and had to find one in country because I didn't want to check my bag. I am still debating with myself if I should have spent the money so I could use my phone for GPS and to find a alburgues--everyone else had those apps so I was not a big issue. Just coming with the attitude that I could adapt to any situation and to go with the flow was ONE attitude I would not have done well to forget.

Google maps allows you to zoom into an area to download off-line maps, do this whilst on a good connection and they will last a month (I think).

 

[Rich1]

On my first Camino I forgot, and subsequently remembered to take on my second Camino...my wife, Jenny

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I AGREE! I'm a bandana girl and always travel/hike with at least 2...they dry so quickly and work as a "face" cloth, hankie, pot holder on the trail, water filter (before the actual filter for murky water), TP, etc. Its my best tip to every "new" hiker.

But you really need a Harley and a studded leather waistcoat to carry it off successfully



Oops, sorry, I thought you said "every new biker"

 

[t2andreo]

Small nylon shopping bag. Ideal for putting your clean clothes and toiletstuff in when going to bathroom.
And to go to the shops afterwards.

No food though : Spain has such good quality products that I don't see the need at all to bring food from home.

Sabine:

Consider a taffeta-weight collapsible nylon shopping tote, with a ziplock bag inside. The ziplock protects valuable from getting wet in showers, and the nylon bag will dry out very fast. This is the solution I use. it works great.

My Sea to Summit siliconized nylon shoulder bag (with top zip) holds 16 liters. It collapses to the size of a kiwi fruit. I carry it in a hip rucksack pocket, so it is always available when I arrive in a town for shopping. I bought mine via amazon.

On 'off/rest' days or when I get to Santiago, it becomes my day bag. If the need arose while I was on Camino, I can wear it cross stomach over my shoulder under my rucksack straps.

I also use this sack as my in the cabin carry-on when traveling to and from the Camino.

Hope this helps

Tom

 

[twh]

to make clothes washing more efficient - I would have brought a light weight pair of pull up gym shorts. I had a pair ready that I planned to sleep in but when doing my final packing, I had to eliminate some items and these got left behind. I brought two pairs of pants with me so when I did my wash, I was always wearing one pair of pants while washing the other. Being able to wash both pairs of pants at the same time would have worked better with the frequency I needed to wash my other clothes (socks, shirts and underwear).

 

[RJM]

What would I bring on a subsequent Camino that I forgot on a previous?
Less stuff. Every time I have walked the Camino I have abandoned/jettisoned/donated stuff on albergue tables. I suspect I always will, and have just accepted it, as after all, it is just...stuff.

 

[Syncro]

Do I have to limit to just one?
1) A SPORK ...I grew very weary of the limited breakfast options and as delicious as the spanish omelette is, sometimes I just wanted a yogurt. A spork would have come in handy sooner. It also worked well when I had a jar of peanut butter....which is a great thing to share with others, btw! Everyone said, yes, to having some peanut butter.
2) Hotel slippers. They are super duper light weight and feel good on the feet once out of the shower and walking around the albergue.
3) Slipper socks. Again, I like my feet being comfortable.
4) I was advised not to bring anything like a nightdress which in retrospect was advice I wished I did not take. I saw lots of women in lightweight summer dresses they put on after the shower. I plan to take a feather weight beach coverup which could double as a summer dress for when I get out of the shower. It's very modest.
5) Ibuprofen. OMG. A fellow peregrino who also happens to be a nurse gave this to me on my 2nd day. I literally was in so much pain I thought I had to end my journey. 4 hours later, I was doing cartwheels. She and this magic pill were my angels! The next day, I went to the pharmacy and bought some. I ended up sharing many pills with people who were also hurting that I developed a bit of a reputation as a "drug pusher" according to a guy in my Camino family. HAHA! Everyone was so thankful to have some and each then and went and bought their own supply. Crazy how most of us just didn't think to buy it to begin with....

As an aside, although I brought this, I think some may find it useful: I used 3 various sizes of the Sea to Summit waterproof bags, but I also brought along one of those super lightweight funky nylon totes they sell for about $8-$10 at department stores/boutiques. I often used it for my dirty laundry and kept my clean laundry in the larger S2S bag. It doubles as a purse and/or grocery bag... It weighs next to nothing.

 

[Albertagirl]

On my next camino I shall bring my personal copy of Eliot's Four Quartets, which has gone with me many places since my undergraduate days and touched my life deeply. It seems silly to have left it behind because of weight (under 100 g.).

 

[Syncro]

I'm going to add one more thing: duck tape! My brother, who served in the air force, helped me pack my backpack. He pulled out a roll of ducktape and started twining some around one of the straps on the lower part of my pack. He said, trust me, this is what we do and you will appreciate it later. Sure enough, a guy in my albergue broke his glasses and was at a loss what to do. Guess what came in handy and saved the day? Yep, that silly duck tape! It weighs next to nothing and I often forgot I even had it.

 

[Constantine]

Better how? Please describe how the pharmacology is different given that it’s the same mechanism of action? Please cite peer reviewed articles if you can. I’d like to know why you think outs better. Celebrex works for me but I’m open to researching others. As long as they are sold in the USA where I can buy them. Thanks!

The pharmacology is very similar however it was my clinical observation with patients (and myself) that Vioxx was more efficacious. Supposedly this drug is similar to Vioxx. Drugs in the same class have different efficacy in different people. Can’t get any more specific than that. Celebrex is fine.

 

[Constantine]

The pharmacology is very similar however it was my clinical observation with patients (and myself) that Vioxx was more efficacious. Supposedly this drug is similar to Vioxx. Drugs in the same class have different efficacy in different people. Can’t get any more specific than that. Celebrex is fine.

Arcoxia is NOT sold in the US but apparently is available in the EU and therefore Spain

 

[BrianForbesColgate]

Did you mean "eliminate"? I don't know that I would want to elevate them, which sounds suspiciaously like increasing them.

Perhaps alleviate?

 

[nickymd1]

4) I was advised not to bring anything like a nightdress which in retrospect was advice I wished I did not take. I saw lots of women in lightweight summer dresses they put on after the shower. I plan to take a feather weight beach coverup which could double as a summer dress for when I get out of the shower. It's very modest.

This is on my list of things-I-brought-and-won't-do-without. I took a Sarong that I could make into a dress by tying the corners around my neck and close in the front with the string I brought as an emergency clothes line. It wasn't high fashion but man-oh-man, I loved having it! I had 'evening clothes/pjs' in the form of a tank top and light shorts, which I loved having, but there were times when I also just wanted to feel like I looked like a woman. A 'luxury' to be sure, but that 108g counts as part of the 560g I carried in 'extra' stuff that I would not walk without any more.

 

[gcsz]

As a professional nurse with forty years of experience I feel the need to add some caution. Yes, I took NSAIDs during the Camino: at night so my aches legs would allow me to sleep, but we all need to be mindful that NSAIDs DO WORK...however, pain is the feedback loop of our body saying some this wrong or "stop doing that." I met a young Englishman who gave me Spanish OTC ibuprophen which comes in 600mg...he as taking three at a time, three times a day. Needless to say I gently mentioned this was a HUGE dose, more then we give people in an emergency room after a car accident. The point is--listen to your body--do not use anti-inflammatories and analgesics to push yourself into serious injury. Allow time to enjoy and for your body to recover from joys of walking 15 to 45KM a day.

Thanks for the professional advice. What dose did you take at night?

 

[BucketBabe]

I didn’t forget it but I would have brought my Aero Press for fresh pressed 10 second coffee first thing in the morning. Instant sucks. I also would have sent a bag ahead to Santiago with some non Pilgrim clothes for the end of my camino. I was so sick of my wardrobe by the time I got there, I went nuts shopping and had to buy a roller case. My response to the Camino and my 28 days as a pilgrim was to fully embrace my feminine side when I finished. I bought new socks, shoes, leggings, make up and a fluffy angora sweater and had my hair done. Truthfully, I had no desire for the last year and half to have anything done to my hair so the desire to do this was a shock. I can’t tell you anything else other than I had an overwhelming feeling of I want to feel “pretty” again. One female pilgrim that I met was smart and had a case waiting for her at the end In storage at a hostel in Santiago. I wished I had done the same.

 

[Constantine]

As a professional nurse with forty years of experience I feel the need to add some caution. Yes, I took NSAIDs during the Camino: at night so my aches legs would allow me to sleep, but we all need to be mindful that NSAIDs DO WORK...however, pain is the feedback loop of our body saying some this wrong or "stop doing that." I met a young Englishman who gave me Spanish OTC ibuprophen which comes in 600mg...he as taking three at a time, three times a day. Needless to say I gently mentioned this was a HUGE dose, more then we give people in an emergency room after a car accident. The point is--listen to your body--do not use anti-inflammatories and analgesics to push yourself into serious injury. Allow time to enjoy and for your body to recover from joys of walking 15 to 45KM a day.

Its not just that 1800mg of Ibuprophen (5400 mg per day) is dangerous (stomach ulcers, bleeding, kidney damage)... the extra dosage doesn’t work! There is a ceiling effect above which extra mg don't benefit.

800mg three times per day (2400mg) is the most I would recommend in my pain practice, though I believe the max on the insert is 3200.

I would try to use smaller doses to find the very least that will work for you. You DON’T want to overdo these meds.

C. Kokenes MD

 

[David Tallan]

And be aware that urticaria (hives) is another potential side effect. I ended up with chronic urticaria after my 2016 camino where I was taking ibuprofen daily (generally, one 600 mg tablet per day, taken with a breakfast on the road). I found medication to control it but it can be really, really, bad for people who don't. And if I didn't have prescription drug coverage, I'd never be able to afford the medication I'm taking for it. If you are taking an NSAID and hives start appearing, I'd stop and switch to semething else right away.