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As I pack for my Camino- I wanted to share my cutting board

shefollowsshells

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Several alone and with children
I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him. I told my kiddos that I wanted a cutting board!!! A month later our Christmas Tree would literally fall in our home and my hubby and kids had to cut the bottom off of it as it was too big. The next Christmas, a total surprise to me, I was presented with a cutting board from my son made from the cut wood from that Christmas tree!!!! It means the world to me.

It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.

IMG_0121.jpgIMG_6854.JPGIMG_2357.JPGIMG_3142.jpgIMG_4224.JPG
 
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It's about 5 inches by 3 inches. It's a size my son, who was 15 at the time, determined, as he is the one who surprised me with it, having used the previous year's Christmas tree wood. He did treat the wood with special lemon oil and studied up on what to do. The little "handle" is actually where a branch was. You can see its handle in the picture with the blue flowers.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
It reminds me also of walking from Le Puy (in 2005). Reasonably often, in France, I would be walking near 3 French women, and occasionally stay in the same gite d'etape. We became sort of "Camino pals" with a great hug in Santiago even though our paths hadn't crossed much in Spain.

One would walk fast and alone, whilst the other 2 would saunter along and have a relaxing picnic at the appropriate French time for dejeuner. I didn't notice explicitly whether they had a cheese board although they would usually hang some of their clothes over a branch to let them air. So they were quite briefly dressed whilst lying on the picnic rug with their baguette and cheese.
 
It reminds me also of walking from Le Puy (in 2005). Reasonably often, in France, I would be walking near 3 French women, and occasionally stay in the same gite d'etape. We became sort of "Camino pals" with a great hug in Santiago even though our paths hadn't crossed much in Spain.

One would walk fast and alone, whilst the other 2 would saunter along and have a relaxing picnic at the appropriate French time for dejeuner. I didn't notice explicitly whether they had a cheese board although they would usually hang some of their clothes over a branch to let them air. So they were quite briefly dressed whilst lying on the picnic rug with their baguette and cheese.
Sirage,
From reading your "picturesque" description cheesecake apparently prevailed over cheese.
 
Last edited:
I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him. I told my kiddos that I wanted a cutting board!!! A month later our Christmas Tree would literally fall in our home and my hubby and kids had to cut the bottom off of it as it was too big. The next Christmas, a total surprise to me, I was presented with a cutting board from my son made from the cut wood from that Christmas tree!!!! It means the world to me.

It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.

View attachment 106153View attachment 106154View attachment 106155View attachment 106156View attachment 106157

You carry a cutting board and a vase on Camino? How lovely.

Now, would someone please call an ambulance for @Anhalter. He’s likely to suffer some form of siezure when he reads this thread.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him. I told my kiddos that I wanted a cutting board!!! A month later our Christmas Tree would literally fall in our home and my hubby and kids had to cut the bottom off of it as it was too big. The next Christmas, a total surprise to me, I was presented with a cutting board from my son made from the cut wood from that Christmas tree!!!! It means the world to me.

It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.

View attachment 106153View attachment 106154View attachment 106155View attachment 106156View attachment 106157
Sweet!
 
I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him. I told my kiddos that I wanted a cutting board!!! A month later our Christmas Tree would literally fall in our home and my hubby and kids had to cut the bottom off of it as it was too big. The next Christmas, a total surprise to me, I was presented with a cutting board from my son made from the cut wood from that Christmas tree!!!! It means the world to me.

It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.

View attachment 106153View attachment 106154View attachment 106155View attachment 106156View attachment 106157
That's a wonderful story. I'm sure that each time the cutting board and vase comes out it's a form of meditation on gratefulness. Now I don't feel so guilty bringing my little coffee pot 😂🤣.
Buen camino
 
You carry a cutting board and a vase on Camino? How lovely.

Now, would someone please call an ambulance for @Anhalter. He’s likely to suffer some form of siezure when he reads this thread.
We do! We also carry an extra plate for the unexpected guest that might join us, and on the hike of the six of us together we carried an extra hammock for the occasional pilgrim who wanted to sleep out with us. The extra hammock did get used. This trip, just being two of us we won’t take an extra hammock but the extra plate is packed;)
I’ll need to share some images of our packed bags when my five kids and I caminoed ( a word?), we honestly looked like a walking grocery store- lol
We had sandwich condiments etc….
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
That's a wonderful story. I'm sure that each time the cutting board and vase comes out it's a form of meditation on gratefulness. Now I don't feel so guilty bringing my little coffee pot 😂🤣.
Buen camino
It really is!!!! Love your coffee pot!!! We need to schedule our Caminos woth you- lol
I’ll bring the plate!!!- lol
 
It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.
Lovely. And great props for photos too. BTW, they're wonderful.

Have you considered adding that heart shaped rock to your luggage too? ;)
 
I put a rock under my stuff it is so organic ;) and I don't have to put it back in my pack or wash it. Or if all else fails I just chew pieces off as I eat them in the side of the camino or on a bench.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Lovely. And great props for photos too. BTW, they're wonderful.

Have you considered adding that heart shaped rock to your luggage too? ;)
We’ve carried many rocks in our pack, it’s one of my many mental illnesses, Rocks speak to me- lol Especially if a heart!!! My daughter carried a piece of slate from France to Santiago ( F & M) and for Christmas painted a camino shell on it. It sits in my kitchen! We are an odd bunch. But typically we found questions on the Camino that asked us how much our packs weighed, what time we started and how far we walked “ boring”- lol
It always suprised me the amount of people four to five decades older than my children harassing them about the weight of their packs or insisting on knowing what time they started that morning…
 
We’ve carried many rocks in our pack, it’s one of my many mental illnesses, Rocks speak to me- lol Especially if a heart!!! My daughter carried a piece of slate from France to Santiago ( F & M) and for Christmas painted a camino shell on it. It sits in my kitchen! We are an odd bunch. But typically we found questions on the Camino that asked us how much our packs weighed, what time we started and how far we walked “ boring”- lol
It always suprised me the amount of people four to five decades older than my children harassing them about the weight of their packs or insisting on knowing what time they started that morning…
1628191671961.jpeg
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him. I told my kiddos that I wanted a cutting board!!! A month later our Christmas Tree would literally fall in our home and my hubby and kids had to cut the bottom off of it as it was too big. The next Christmas, a total surprise to me, I was presented with a cutting board from my son made from the cut wood from that Christmas tree!!!! It means the world to me.

It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.

View attachment 106153View attachment 106154View attachment 106155View attachment 106156View attachment 106157
It is beautiful! Easy to understand why you take it on Camino.
 
Marvellous and something to be treasured.
Australians may not be able to carry such a beautiful accessory , at least not back to home . Any untreated wooden artefact is usually confiscated by border control upon return even though it originated in Australia . I wouldn't like to lose a companion that way .
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Marvellous and something to be treasured.
Australians may not be able to carry such a beautiful accessory , at least not back to home . Any untreated wooden artefact is usually confiscated by border control upon return even though it originated in Australia . I wouldn't like to lose a companion that way .
It depends on what is meant by "untreated". She did mention:
He did treat the wood with special lemon oil and studied up on what to do.
 
I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him. I told my kiddos that I wanted a cutting board!!! A month later our Christmas Tree would literally fall in our home and my hubby and kids had to cut the bottom off of it as it was too big. The next Christmas, a total surprise to me, I was presented with a cutting board from my son made from the cut wood from that Christmas tree!!!! It means the world to me.

It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.

View attachment 106153View attachment 106154View attachment 106155View attachment 106156View attachment 106157
It is absolutely lovely to see you being present in the moment. The purposeful act of setting up the board and vase while remembering who gave it to you, and all it represents, lends itself perfectly to reflecting on thanfulness for the food laid out and the surroundings you are in. This is perfect! I may have to borrow this idea when I go. Some things are worth the burden of carrying, such as an item that can bring this much joy, peace and fullfillment. Buen Camino and ¡qué aproveche!

Best,
Hopeful
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Marvellous and something to be treasured.
Australians may not be able to carry such a beautiful accessory , at least not back to home . Any untreated wooden artefact is usually confiscated by border control upon return even though it originated in Australia . I wouldn't like to lose a companion that way .
Maybe it would be a lovely gesture to give it to someone else on their journey...pass it forward. It is easy enough to clean up a cutting board with salt and lemon and laying it out in the sun. I think that would be such a nice thing to do. But I am a little strange so maybe that is just me.
 
Maybe it would be a lovely gesture to give it to someone else on their journey...pass it forward. It is easy enough to clean up a cutting board with salt and lemon and laying it out in the sun. I think that would be such a nice thing to do. But I am a little strange so maybe that is just me.
A really nice idea , something I would do as well .

It hurts though when after carrying an object of sentimental value throughout your journeys across the world to have it confiscated at the final hurdle .
Sometimes even worse to know it will be incinerated .
 
A really nice idea , something I would do as well .

It hurts though when after carrying an object of sentimental value throughout your journeys across the world to have it confiscated at the final hurdle .
Sometimes even worse to know it will be incinerated .

Don't want to hijack the thread, but yes, a dear friend gave me a beautiful little wood broach from SDC, to celebrate the end of a walk together. Sadly it was obviously untreated and did not make it through our Australian customs hurdle.
I am fully supportive of our approach, having an uncle who was a veterinarian during one of the worst outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the UK, so I always declare anything about which I have the slightest doubt. I've found the customs officers to be very reasonable. Although shells are one of the things that have to be declared, after giving it a good inspection they have always waved mine through.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him.
A lovely post and photos @shefollowsshells ! I enjoyed the company of MendiWalker and his wife at different stages along the Ingles in 2014. I believe he's left the forum. I think of them sometimes and hope they're well!
 
When I first saw this post I was dismissing it as “just another nutcase post.” But now … I love your cutting board! ❤️
 
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I love this! It reminds me of a quite from the wonderful Italian movie Life Is Beautiful - "there is nothing more necessary than the unnecessary."
 
It is absolutely lovely to see you being present in the moment. The purposeful act of setting up the board and vase while remembering who gave it to you, and all it represents, lends itself perfectly to reflecting on thanfulness for the food laid out and the surroundings you are in. This is perfect! I may have to borrow this idea when I go. Some things are worth the burden of carrying, such as an item that can bring this much joy, peace and fullfillment. Buen Camino and ¡qué aproveche!

Best,
Hopeful
Such sweet words!!! Thank you!!!
 
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I'm not certain if I have ever taken the time to share this, but since I am packing it this very minute I thought I would as it means the world to me in my backpack belongings. When my kids and I did Le Puy-Santiago (Finistere and Muxia) we lucked out to meet with MendiWalker in Bilboa, he's a fellow forum member here. This was the second time MendiWalker would join me on a stage of a Norte, the first was in 2014, and then now in 2016. I will never forget him bringing out a sweet cutting board that had been made from him. I told my kiddos that I wanted a cutting board!!! A month later our Christmas Tree would literally fall in our home and my hubby and kids had to cut the bottom off of it as it was too big. The next Christmas, a total surprise to me, I was presented with a cutting board from my son made from the cut wood from that Christmas tree!!!! It means the world to me.

It's an important part of my pack, and since adding it I have also added a very small vase that we use for each Camino Picnic, as we fill it with a little something, I admit my vase is my luxury item, but I've grown to need my cutting board.

View attachment 106153View attachment 106154View attachment 106155View attachment 106156View attachment 106157
I love your idea and photos. I hope you don't mind if any of us "steal" your idea. 😇
 
I

I love your idea and photos. I hope you don't mind if any of us "steal" your idea. 😇
I’d be honored! I stole the idea from a fellow pilgrim who always welcomed forum members on a walk out of Bilbao! MendiWalker!!! ( Mountain Walker, possibly Basque word I forgot)…
 
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I’d be honored! I stole the idea from a fellow pilgrim who always welcomed forum members on a walk out of Bilbao! MendiWalker!!! ( Mountain Walker, possibly Basque word I forgot)…
Thank you, I imagine much nicer lunch and snack breaks along our camino! Hopefully this fall!! 😊
 

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