Finding myself - What to expect on the trip.

[marsheng]

This was a rather last minute arrangement. About 3 weeks ago I saw a window in my life to get some time to myself and booked a flight to Lisbon from Christchurch New Zealand. I'm spending 36 days away from home.

I feel I have lost my way over the past decade and its time to find a new way forward. I'm 67 but physically healthy and fit. Mentally not so great.

I want to explore my creative side (Been an Engineer all my life). What I would like is to go though my last few years of journaling and see what patterns I have and make some sense of it all.

I order to explore my creative side I want to take a camera kit and laptop with me. The camera kit weighs 2.5 kg and the laptop 1.5 kg. I'm kind of accepting the extra weight as it has a purpose on the trip. Take photos, download and edit each day and explore my creative thoughts and writhing skills with each photo. How does what what I have taken speak to me.

I have been training with walks from 10 to 16 km without stops almost daily with a 10.5 kg pack (just misc stuff to get the weight) over the past 3 weeks. My thoughts are, on the Camino, I will be stopping quite often so I will have rests and can do the extra kms. I have also booked rest days every 6 days or so.

I'm reasonably happy with everything. The 2 things I'm not sure on are, is my down 700g sleeping bag enough (I like to sleep very warm) and are there ample power points available at the Albergues?

 

[marsheng]

I'm starting on 16th Oct from Lisbon.

 

[dougfitz]

On your direct questions, my thinking is:

• I always carry a sleeping bag, (5degC) and liner. Much depends on the temperature rating, but staying in albergues, this combination has served me well, with only one or two nights in Apr on the Meseta where I felt cold. On the CP, I used a similar combination when I started from Lisbon in late Apr, and didn't have a problem.
• powerpoints were generally available in the dormitories of the albergues that I have used, albeit I also used a reasonable amount of private accommodation on the CP and cannot speak for the whole journey. Some places have at least one powerpoint for each bed-space, but even if they don't have this many, there is always some place where one can recharge devices. It is possible, though, that you might not have dedicated access to a powerpoint.

I suggest you read some of the posts on what camera kit people carry. I don't carry anything like the kit you are proposing, but there are other forum members who do carry heavier gear, and who might have suggestions that help you get the weight down.

I have never carried a laptop, doing any post-production on my walks using a small tablet or my phone, and reserving more complex post-production until I return home. I find that there are reasonable Android tools available to prepare photos for sharing with family and friends on social media. There are clearly many people who don't do any post-production while they are travelling, and just publish their images straight from their phone or camera.

Also, if you haven't already done so, and it sounds like you might not have from your post, I think you need to get your final packing list sorted out. You only have a week to go, and you may be faced with some difficult decisions keeping your packing weight down.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Every albergue is different but the ones that I stayed in while walking from Tui all had ample power points.

In general, any modern building built as an albergue will have adequate power points but they may not be in the dining or lounge areas.

Older buildings, in general, less so.

I see that you are not asking for advice on your equipment or the weight, nevertheless, have you considered editing your photos on a tablet rather than a laptop to reduce weight and bulk?

I have a good friend who is a techie and loves editing his photos to the nth degree and swears by his tablet with stylus.

From one Kiwi to another, buen Camino

 

[DoughnutANZ]

may want to consider an extension cord.

And a power board so that one power point can power multiple devices.

That way you only need one power point converter and you can plug all your devices into a kiwi power board

 

[ShoshTrvls]

And a power board so that one power point can power multiple devices.

That way you only need one power point converter and you can plug all your devices into a kiwi power board

I deleted my message (I was rewriting it) but evidently not quickly enough! Man, people here swoop in an instant (myself included).

Anyway, the above recommendation was based on the fact that you'll probably be doing your work not while sitting on your bunk, but in the common area. As a result, the nearest plug may not be close by.

 

[alexwalker]

Extra power bank.

 

[Juspassinthru]

This was a rather last minute arrangement. About 3 weeks ago I saw a window in my life to get some time to myself and booked a flight to Lisbon from Christchurch New Zealand. I'm spending 36 days away from home.

I feel I have lost my way over the past decade and its time to find a new way forward. I'm 67 but physically healthy and fit. Mentally not so great.

I want to explore my creative side (Been an Engineer all my life). What I would like is to go though my last few years of journaling and see what patterns I have and make some sense of it all.

I order to explore my creative side I want to take a camera kit and laptop with me. The camera kit weighs 2.5 kg and the laptop 1.5 kg. I'm kind of accepting the extra weight as it has a purpose on the trip. Take photos, download and edit each day and explore my creative thoughts and writhing skills with each photo. How does what what I have taken speak to me.

I have been training with walks from 10 to 16 km without stops almost daily with a 10.5 kg pack (just misc stuff to get the weight) over the past 3 weeks. My thoughts are, on the Camino, I will be stopping quite often so I will have rests and can do the extra kms. I have also booked rest days every 6 days or so.

I'm reasonably happy with everything. The 2 things I'm not sure on are, is my down 700g sleeping bag enough (I like to sleep very warm) and are there ample power points available at the Albergues?

First of all, welcome. Second, my opinion and $5 will get you a bad coffee from an unnamed coffee chain based in Seattle.

So, go and walk and search for what you seek. You may or may not find it but the search, the quest is very powerful medicine. If you’re reasonably fit, age should not be a problem and may actually be helpful. What you take, you’ll figure that out, we’re all unique.

Buen Camino.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

@marsheng again you didn't ask for advice in this area and so, as with all advice, please ignore if not relevant.

You say that you are in good physical health but not so good mentally and that walking a Camino may help.

Walking Caminos certainly helps my mental health especially at a time of transition in my life and when I was deeply grieving the death of a special friend.

For me, the Camino helps in three areas.

1 It provides solitude as I walk and an opportunity to examine my thoughts. Of course, sometimes I enjoy talking to people who I happen to pass (or pass me) along the trail but usually I choose to walk alone.

2 In the evenings and at lunch I get the opportunity to meet and socialise with fellow pilgrims and occasionally a local. This brings me out of myself and back into the real world.

3 I am also reasonably fit and I choose to walk with minimum items in my backpack weighing around 5.5 kilos without water. I do not reserve ahead. This gives me both simplicity and a sense of rhythm to each day that is meditative for me. It also teaches me how little "stuff" is actually necessary in this world and how much of the things that I acquire in my life are unnecessary.

I get up, do my ablutions, perhaps get a coffee (rarely), and walk. When I am hungry I stop to eat. When I am tired I stop for the day and find a bed. Once I have a place to stay I bathe and find lunch then I snooze until Spanish dinner time and I socialise. Then I sleep. The next day and the next are exactly the same.

I take photos from time to time on my phone but these days not so many because I prefer to be "in" the environment and the moment rather than standing apart from it while I photograph it.

This is me, of course.

Your plan to take heavy and technical equipment, take photos and spend your time editing the photos as you go.

This is fine if it is what you want but often it will take you out of your environment and out of the moment. It will be difficult to socialise (but not impossible) while you are busy editing.

In my opinion this will not be as good for your mental health as being in those moments and socialising when the opportunities occur.

This is an opportunity for you to simplify your life by taking only what you really need.

Just an opinion and perhaps something to think about.

Consider, as @dougfitz mentions editing your photos after the Camino is finished and lighten your journey both physically and mentally.

 

[dick bird]

Feel free to ignore the following advice:

Travel light.
Leave the laptop at home.
Swap the camera gear for a top end compact that fits in a pocket..
Take a notebook and pen to write in.

I say this as a keen photographer and journal writer. You can do all the editing and image manipulation you want when you get home. A good compact will take excellent quality images (Cartier Bresson carried only a Leica 35mm with no extra lenses). You will need all your time to observe and experience what is going on around you, not to mention meeting and talking to other people. With a laptop you will be too busy trying to record and digest your experiences to actually have any, you will become ´that guy that´s always on his laptop´. Then there´s the weight. finally, all that expensive gear to look after. Think about it carefully. Buen camino.

 

[trecile]

This is fine if it is what you want but often it will take you out of your environment and out of the moment. It will be difficult to socialise (but not impossible) while you are busy editing.

In my opinion this will not be as good for your mental health as being in those moments and socialising when the opportunities occur.

I agree with this 100%.