Camino Antibodies

[VNwalking]

On this day sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday...with the din of messages to buy this and that...
Remembering that all we really need we can carry on our backs.
To be immune to all that 'buybuybuy' noise - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...what a relief.

 

[SYates]

Buying??? What is that???

Ok, I buy groceries, and, very occasionally, new clothes, but what else do I really need? ;-)

A roof over the head, a place and food to share with others - that is enough ;-)

Buen Camino, SY

 

[Former member 49149]

Oh my goodness, lovely to see your thread, vnwalking.
I was in town today for something essential. At least, for me, essential. As is my wont, chatting with the sales assistants, we covered a fair bit of ground, including the sense of frenzy that is already evident in the faces of people with multitudes of bags hanging out of them. One assistant and I were discussing the rush, and she said: 'for just one day'. I said, well, actually for me, Christmas does have a meaning that has nothing to do with all of this. She looked surprised, and said, yes, you are right. I hope I passed on a camino antibody!

 

[rector]

Buying??? What is that???

Ok, I buy groceries, and, very occasionally, new clothes, but what else do I really need? ;-)

A roof over the head, a place and food to share with others - that is enough ;-)

Buen Camino, SY

What about Tapas I know a girl called Sybille who loves her Tapas but it can’t be you!!!!!!

 

[SYates]

Lol @rector Tapas are definitely groceries - or at least - a respite whilst grocery shopping ;-)

BC to rainy England from sunny-rainy Galicia, SY

 

[rector]

Lol @rector Tapas are definitely groceries - or at least - a respite whilst grocery shopping ;-)

BC to rainy England from sunny-rainy Galicia, SY

You must have been at the Tapas again Sybille cause we of course are not in Enland we are in in that land which after Brexit is part of the UK but not part of the UK, and Part of the EC but not part of the EC, Irish but not Irish, British but not British. Northern Ireland and it does not rain here and I don’t tell lies Love Linda and John PS can you get Turkey and stuffing Tapas at Christmas

 

[SYates]

Oops, oops, oops, bowing my head in shame - Greetings to sunny Tuaisceart Éireann from rainy Galicia ;-)
Love to you two too and no, turkey and stuffing tapas are not readily available here but the semi-celtic community in SdC has a plan B {sorry to everybody for the thread kitnapping]

BC SY

 

[VNwalking]

sorry to everybody for the thread kitnapping

No need to apologize. You were talking about not needing stuff, after all. (Well, OK, tapas. They don't count as stuff. Enjoy those tapas, Sybille!

Buying??? What is that???
Ok, I buy groceries, and, very occasionally, new clothes, but what else do I really need? ;-)
A roof over the head, a place and food to share with others - that is enough ;-)

And tapas. But exactly.

Christmas does have a meaning that has nothing to do with all of this. She looked surprised, and said, yes, you are right. I hope I passed on a camino antibody!

"She looked surprised" says it all @kirkie.
But you woke her out of that dream for a moment and good for you!

 

[lissie45]

LOL everything I've bought is electronics which weigh nothing in a backpack! That's the advantage of an online business which runs on software

 

[mette]

On this day sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday...with the din of messages to buy this and that...
Remembering that all we really need we can carry on our backs.
To be immune to all that 'buybuybuy' noise - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...what a relief.

I bought A Christmas present that’s all why not buy them when they are cheap

 

[Stivandrer]

that is what the delete button is for....
the only thing on sale I bought online was an offer for boot gaiters, short ones, to stop gravel getting into ma boots...
the rest is delete salad ...

 

[Albertagirl]

My electonics are all old and mostly dying, except for my Black Friday purchase of a Samsung Galaxy tablet E Lite (weighs 310 gm) to take on my next camino to keep up with banking, emails and other obligations using albergue wifi, and to take photos. I have bills to pay even on camino and now have a way to do so. I also have a cheap flip phone bought on my last camino. If you have obligations, or need to keep in touch or make a reservation, I consider these the minimum. Black Friday deals make a purchase possible for the pilgrim on a budget.

 

[Icacos]

My brain sometimes takes me on pretty weird journeys; I think the most convoluted ones are when I'm trying to find a silver lining in a not so good situation. That, of course, is not the situation here. However, I've been thinking a lot about 'Camino Antibodies' and I know my brain won't let me be until I've put my thoughts down, so here goes:

I am interpreting 'camino antibodies' here as being something one acquires while on camino that at a later date, proves beneficial either mentally or physically.

@VNwalking said in her OP that "all we really need we carry on our backs." Yes, we learn on camino how little we need to be content. I came back from camino in 2013 with an intense need to simplify my life, to get rid of all superfluous stuff, walk away from relationships that weren't doing me any good and surround myself with persons who brought peace, joy and contentment to my life. To a large extent I have succeeded in this; I've drastically pared down my possessions and moved into - some would say - quite spartan accommodation. I'm fortunate in that I can get by with just part time work and, since my tiny little garden doesn't satisfy my need for gardening, I volunteer my time maintaining a garden at a day centre for persons with Alzheimer dementia. I think it is camino antibodies that have helped me get to this point.

But the most beneficial camino antibody I have acquired is my appreciation for a good pair of walking shoes. I don't know how old are my Vasque shoes (bought at MEC) but they have practically become part of my body. I wear them everyday and everywhere, even when I go into 'the city.' My feet are never so happy and, consequently, I am never so happy as when I slip into my treasured Vasque walking / tracking shoes (with my after market foam inner soles) lace them up and head off, walking in whichever direction and for what purpose. With my dear friends on my feet I am always ready to take advantage of an opportunity to walk should the situation arise, and I could walk for hours, and hours, and hours ..... and I do.

 

[VNwalking]

delete salad ...

Thank you @Stivandrer . A wonderful expression!

My confession?
I go for e-books. Though I vastly prefer the actual physical thing and think of Amazon as a form of commercial cancer, I still buy there. Because I move around so much, acquiring 'real' books (or even going to a library other than sporadically) is no longer an option.

The same goes with electronics. Doing without them is no longer an option. But I make a point to stay off the keep-up-with-the-newest-model treadmill.

 

[domigee]

I just remember coming back from a really long walk, putting my stuff in the washing machine and...staring at it in disbelief.....’Is that all there is???’. Yup, that was it.
I would never normally have run a wash on such empty a machine.... Bliss.

 

[TaraWalks]

In addition to all my Christmas shopping, I took advantage of the sales to get some new boots (Merrells this time), some light gaiters (I've been wanting these for a while) and some new socks. Next Camino is only in the planning stages but plenty of hiking to be done!

 

[CdnDreamer]

I bought an app - Busuu at 50% off to help me learn Spanish. I am really enjoying it. I am determined to order more than a cheese sandwich and chicken when I am in Spain!