SYates
Camino Fossil AD 1999, now living in Santiago de C
- Time of past OR future Camino
- First: Camino Francés 1999
...
Last: Santiago - Muxia 2019
Now: http://egeria.house/
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25 kg!! You were obviously younger and stronger then.We have all been beginners ... here a few highlights of my packing list back in 1999
There was/is no cutlery/crockery/pans in Galician albergues - so I took my favorite cooking pot - a 1,5kg iron wok with me.
My very first Camino was during winter, some albergues were closed, so I took a tent, it weighted 2+kg.
Spain was a foreign country, so I took a big Survival Handbook (hardcover) that weighted at least 750g. But it explained to me how I can protect myself from car bombs and how I could recognise edible plants.
Function wear/Goretex was nearly unknown back then or at least far to expensive for me, so I packed jeans and cotton t-shirts.
Back in 1999 my backpack weighted 25kg, just for the pilgrimage from Roncesvalles to Santiago. Every day I left some things behind, most importantly my fears.
Today I walk with max. 12kg when I walk routes with close to no infrastructure (including tent and food), when I walk on known pilgrims ways I carry ~6kg.
But - I will never forget how I started ot - the fears, the insecurity ...
Buen Camino, and don't be afraid to ask us "old pilgrims hands" any questions, we have been there were you "new pilgrims" are now ...
Buen Camino, SY
PS And obviously I carried a hair dryer ...
Beautiful SY, absolutely perfect. Our heaviest burden and often the one that is hardest to put down.Every day I left some things behind, most importantly my fears.
I once walked with a wonderful character, from St Jean to León. He had practically nothing in his backpack, come to think of it it wasn't even a 'proper' backpack (no hip belt),he had no rain gear.... But he carried the biggest, fluffiest WHITE bath towel
What a great thing to read just a day before getting on the plane for my first camino. I have the pack down to 6 kilos but the fears and anxieties are weighing a tad more.
It's how many of the locals still do it!My first time was a walk in Levis and some very stiff leather boots without a guidebook and a bedroll almost as big as my undersized backpack. We live and we learn.
You have to understand, Margaret, that every Italian, from new born to old age, has and uses a bathrobe (accappatoio)Some Italian pilgrims really do cut quite the bella figura.
2004 at Roncesvalles after attending evening mass and participating in the traditional pilgrims’ blessing I went to eat. Other diners at my table were 8 extremely well dressed and coiffed Italian men and one young fellow from Brazil. We shared the pilgrims’ menu and talked in French about our plans.
All of us stayed in the then new one room 80 bunk albergue. Recently installed in a buttressed Gothic barn without windows, it boasted a new ventilation system and superb tiled hot-water showers and toilets in the newly excavated basement – a great example of architectural adaptive reuse!
To my surprise the Italians who were bedded near me all went to shower wearing thick terry robes.
Weighing in at no more than 17 kg. And even that you'll find you have to much, we started 01/April with rain gear, cool weather gear and all with the high tech gear now weight can be reduced.
May you have many good days on and off the Camino
Rob and Deb
17kg?!!!! Please say pounds, not kg. That is way too much.
Why pounds?17kg?!!!! Please say pounds, not kg. That is way too much.
Why?Yes pounds
Brilliant Post!We have all been beginners ... here a few highlights of my packing list back in 1999
There was/is no cutlery/crockery/pans in Galician albergues - so I took my favorite cooking pot - a 1,5kg iron wok with me.
My very first Camino was during winter, some albergues were closed, so I took a tent, it weighted 2+kg.
Spain was a foreign country, so I took a big Survival Handbook (hardcover) that weighted at least 750g. But it explained to me how I can protect myself from car bombs and how I could recognise edible plants.
Function wear/Goretex was nearly unknown back then or at least far to expensive for me, so I packed jeans and cotton t-shirts.
Back in 1999 my backpack weighted 25kg, just for the pilgrimage from Roncesvalles to Santiago. Every day I left some things behind, most importantly my fears.
Today I walk with max. 12kg when I walk routes with close to no infrastructure (including tent and food), when I walk on known pilgrims ways I carry ~6kg.
But - I will never forget how I started ot - the fears, the insecurity ...
Buen Camino, and don't be afraid to ask us "old pilgrims hands" any questions, we have been there were you "new pilgrims" are now ...
Buen Camino, SY
PS And obviously I carried a hair dryer ...
Because a pound is half the weight of a kg. Would not have wanted to see a pilgrim walking with a 17kg pack.Why?
Ahhh, now i get it!Because a pound is half the weight of a kg. Would not have wanted to see a pilgrim walking with a 17kg pack.
When you carry it yourself it makes you sum up in life what you really need, and I need tea. Apparently my wife cannot do without a hairdryer.
SY, excuse me for chuckling out loud.
A wok?
And I love the survival book. How very useful to know about edible plants in midwinter.
Now I better understand your expertise in packing light. You've really been there.
Chuckling at myself, as well~so in the spirit of overweight confessions~
On my first 2 Caminos I carried a huge first aid kit that my Dad said was bigger than what he carried during WWII as a battalion surgeon in Okinawa. I thought "well that was a long time ago..." and took it anyway. Twice. "In case."
Word to the wise for everyone who's out there packing right now. If you have that "in case" thought, don't listen. Save yourself the burden, because Spain is quite a civilized country and you can get whatever you need when you need it.
I never once used that first aid kit for anything more than bandaids and paper tape.
Now I figure if I really get hurt, I likely wouldn't be in any shape to pull out the mobile hospital. And I know what it is to lug that ridiculous mobile hospital all across the countryside and never need to use it!
Fear takes us to irrational places.
maybe some wise people could put up the Spanish and Portuguese and Italian versions of "adhesive tape or paper tape" and "gauze"? (If you seek aid for blisters they want to sell you Compeed, which isn't right for long day walking on, even if it does take the pain away immediately.) Also "chafing".
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