Pack List
Initially, this trip’s pack list was going to be just carried over from the last trip’s list and edited slightly. But, due to both learning from experience on my first hike and also changes in our world since my Camino in 2018, I realized it was going to be more than just a couple of tweaks. When thinking through what was going to be appropriate for the new environment that I’ll be walking in on this trip (hopefully, almost-post-pandemic; July / August heat; during a year of Jubilee)… in a few respects, I was starting the thought process from scratch.
If there’s ever been an appropriate time to embrace and slim down a ‘capsule wardrobe’ – I figure it’s when I’m planning to haul my ‘essential’ wardrobe on my back for a few weeks. I learned from my last trip that clothing labeled as ‘quick dry’ and sold in sports stores isn’t the only fabric that dries quickly and is low-maintenance. This trip I’m ditching some of the shirts that were ‘quick dry’ fluorescent sports tops – in favor of a couple options I found in the thrift shop quite by accident. They’re lightweight, airy, super comfortable, dry quickly, and are available in basic, muted colors that won’t make me stand out like a sore thumb in towns.
I’ve done a trial-pack now and can honestly say that my pack this trip is at least 10 pounds lighter than when I started out on my last Camino. Anything I’ve forgotten can be picked up in the many small towns along the way. Below is a summary. I’ve deleted things off the original list that I didn’t use, changed brand names where appropriate, and added a few new things. The items in italics are the changes / additions.
- Ultra-light Osprey Exos 48 liter backpack
- Lightweight nylon day pack to use as a carry-on and for days the backpack is sent ahead by courier
- Trek poles
- Lightweight North Face summer sleeping bag with compression bag
- Comfortable cotton pillow case – no pillow though… just fill it with misc. folded clean clothes.
Clothes:
- Hoka One One waterproof hiking boots
- Oofos sandals
- 3 pr. wool socks
- Super lightweight wind-breaker with hood
- Fleece jacket
- 2 Macabi hiking skirts, one knee-length / one long (convertible) …cool invention http://www.macabiskirt.com
- 3 shirts (2 sleeveless, one with short sleeves)
- 1 pr light shorts
- Buff (face mask, scarf, hair headband, etc.)
- Various lightweight undergarments
- Swimsuit
- Sarong (can be used as skirt, towel, sheet, scarf, & a shawl for church visits)
- Foldable Tilley waterproof sun hat
- Rain poncho that can convert to a tarp / tent in an emergency, if shelter cannot be found.
Inspiration and communication:
- Rosary
- Small stone to leave at the cross
- Guidebook
- iPhone, charger, and international adapter
Toiletries:
- Hand sanitizer & masks
- Sunscreen
- Toothbrush & paste
- Foldable brush
- Lush brand shampoo bar & conditioner
- Vaseline (for feet)
- Travel-sized container of powder
- Nail clippers
- Band-aids & Compeed
- Ibuprofen
- Capsaicin
- Lip balm
- Aloe vera lotion
- Small loo roll, waste bags, & wet wipes
Sundry:
- Sunglasses
- Ear plugs (for dealing with snoring fellow-pilgrims)
- Duct tape (for feet, misc. repairs, etc.)
- Dawn dish soap (for dishes & clothes)
- A few Tide pods
- Shoelaces (for shoes… and also to use with tarp if a shelter is needed)
- Diaper pins (to hold clothes on line or pack, if they still need to dry during the day. Also, if I do need to use the sarong as a skirt – it would be good to have pins for extra security)
- Pepper spray
- 2 water bottles
- Water purification tablets (if water source is questionable)
- Small quick-dry towel
- Small pack torch to use on the trail
- Timex watch with Indiglo face… believe it or not, that’s all the light you need to find things in the dark in a dorm setting – no flashlights needed
- Passport, driver’s license, insurance card, a few euros, bank card, & proof of immunization
More later…
P.S. One thing I forgot to mention because it’s so lightweight and basically disappeared at the bottom of my pack is a universal tub stopper. If one is lucky enough to have a room with a bath – a tub stopper isn’t necessarily a ‘given’. Bring your own. I learned that last time. It can also be used in a laundry sink if I want to soak my clothes and a stopper isn’t provided.
