Writing on the journey

[rglongpre]

I am a writer, plain and simple. I will be walking for about three months and that is a lot of paper-weight to consider. I blog almost everyday, mostly about the human psyche, Jungian psychology, Buddhism and active imagination while using photographs taken en route. My blogging posts have been posted from a month in India, a month in Vietnam, a month in Thailand, three months in Mexico, three months in Costa Rica and from various locales in Canada over the past five years.

I use a Vaio Z series 13.3 laptop (3 lbs and 6 hour battery life) and have downsized my camera to a Nikon Coolpix 810 (430 g). I don't have a cell phone/dumb phone/smart phone/iPad or whatever - no mp3 or iPod, nor do I intend on getting any of these. It comes down to choices based on so many "personal" factors. Will this make me less of a pilgrim? I don't think so. The truth is, we are all pilgrims whether we are walking the camino, or trudging through our daily lives from house to car to work and home again.

If it is about being a purist pilgrim, leave the hi tech clothing, backpacks and shoes - basic sandals or barefoot wearing rough spun home-made clothing for the most part would fit the bill.

That rant aside, I do see how technology can detract from the process. For me, the technology has been my writing/thinking technology (don't forget that journals and moleskin writing books are also technology). I could probably do well to leave all at home and be Zen-like and not think of communicating with my family, colleagues and friends for three months. Which way is the "selfish" way?

Robert

 

[sillydoll]

Hi Rob,
I've read your post a few times but I'm not sure what the question is? Are you asking for advice from other writers on what to take so that you can write whilst on the Camino?
You say:

I use a Vaio Z series 13.3 laptop (3 lbs and 6 hour battery life) and have downsized my camera to a Nikon Coolpix 810 (430 g). I don't have a cell phone/dumb phone/smart phone/iPad or whatever - no mp3 or iPod, nor do I intend on getting any of these. It comes down to choices based on so many "personal" factors.

The new generation cell phones (Smart Phones) are mini-computers and can do everything you want them to do while you are walking. With different applications (apps) they can be your link for your travelogue - write them and email them to your blog: a camera, a gps, a StarWalk app allows you to hold your phone to the heavens at night and read the stars; apps for writers like Dropbox (http://appadvice.com/applists/show/apps-for-writers). You can play music if you want to, watch movies, draw and read books. And you can call or email home (or your editor!)

My suggestion would be to take one gadget that does it all. (Samsung Galaxy or Nexus weighs 119g)

 

[wayfarer]

I would agree with sillydoll. I brought a Samsung Galaxy S2 (with a spare battery, just in case) and this covered camera, email, this forum, skype, talk, text, and books. One gadget one charger. Easy to keep dry in the very wet conditions. I met a few people who were really worried about their laptops getting wet, and then there is the weight issue.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Personally, I go on pilgrimage to leave all this damn technology behind.

But I'm not a writer and this topic has been done to death. :evil:

 

[vagabondette]

I am also a proponent (for those who want to carry tech gear) of the smart phone. If you're going to be doing extensive writing it would likely make sense to have a BT keyboard along and if you're going to be using it as your camera, make sure you do research on the cameras in the various options to ensure you get one that is decent. My smart phone will be my: camera, phone, ebook reader, guide book, music player, blogging tool, expense tracker, GPS tracker, and more.

If you must carry a laptop, I personally would only carry a small, cheap netbook. You can get one new for about $300 and in that price range you're getting something more portable size-wise that isn't going to be truly upsetting if it dies, is killed or is stolen. I work online and travel full-time and my permanent laptop is an eeePC. It's 2 lbs including charger and only 10" which may not seem like much of a difference from 13, but it is.

My hope for my camino is to only carry my phone and leave the laptop behind but that is dependent upon whether my friend is meeting me in Portugal after my walk or not.

 

[sillydoll]

Or, you could do it the 'authentic' way.
Like Aimery Picaud (on el Camino) or Bishop Sigeric (on the Via Francigena) you could take your own personal scribes, a clerk or two, slaves to carry the tablets, paper, ink, nibs, pens and feathers; an artist to draw the landscapes and monuments: carrier pigeons to take some of the writing and drawings home; three mules and a donkey to cart it all.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

My local House of Nibs store has recently closed, so I don't think I can write in the old fashioned way.

 

[Tia Valeria]

My local House of Nibs store has recently closed, so I don't think I can write in the old fashioned way.

But if you have a knife and can find a goose.........
But if using a quill pen then I suppose you will also need parchment, or even vellum.
Seen any sheep lately?

On a more serious note for OP, we chose not to take any technology apart from a simple phone but if wrtiting is important to your Camino then take whatever suits your needs and weighs as little as possible. The Asus EEE netbooks are really good as Vagabondette says.
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I spy onerobably goats, though.

 

[Tia Valeria]

:lol: