billbennettoz
Veteran Poster
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances 2013
Camino Portuguese 2014
Via di Francesco 2015
I've just returned from Santiago, having completed my first Camino, from SJPdP.
Before I left, I became obsessed with my packing list. I weighed everything individually, I had an Excel sheet of all my items, and even with a camera, a iPad, two mobile phones and their associated chargers and batteries, my pack when I walked out my front door was 8.8 kgs.
I then met various people on the Camino who carried with them things that I thought were a complete extravagance, weight-wise.
My Camino buddy Balazs for instance carried an espresso machine, 250gms of fresh coffee beans, and a grinder! I met a woman who carried a blow dryer and curlers for her hair, another woman was carrying 13 kgs, largely of sundry green coloured hiking outfits. (She was from Italy!) Several people carried guitars, and I heard of one fellow from Finland who set off with 6kgs of cured
Reindeer meat!
Rather than judging these people and thinking them crazy, I came to realise that what they were carrying was IMPORTANT to them.
Having fresh coffee, and being able to offer it to other pilgrims in the morning, was very important to Balazs. Looking good was important to those women. Being able to play music, and entertain others, was important to the guys carrying guitars. Having a supply of Reindeer meat was obviously important to the Finnish bloke.
So, if you're about to head off on your Camino, take what's important to you - but remember that you have to lug it a long way!
Bill
Before I left, I became obsessed with my packing list. I weighed everything individually, I had an Excel sheet of all my items, and even with a camera, a iPad, two mobile phones and their associated chargers and batteries, my pack when I walked out my front door was 8.8 kgs.
I then met various people on the Camino who carried with them things that I thought were a complete extravagance, weight-wise.
My Camino buddy Balazs for instance carried an espresso machine, 250gms of fresh coffee beans, and a grinder! I met a woman who carried a blow dryer and curlers for her hair, another woman was carrying 13 kgs, largely of sundry green coloured hiking outfits. (She was from Italy!) Several people carried guitars, and I heard of one fellow from Finland who set off with 6kgs of cured
Reindeer meat!
Rather than judging these people and thinking them crazy, I came to realise that what they were carrying was IMPORTANT to them.
Having fresh coffee, and being able to offer it to other pilgrims in the morning, was very important to Balazs. Looking good was important to those women. Being able to play music, and entertain others, was important to the guys carrying guitars. Having a supply of Reindeer meat was obviously important to the Finnish bloke.
So, if you're about to head off on your Camino, take what's important to you - but remember that you have to lug it a long way!
Bill