LIVE from the Camino Pre departure jitters

[optimus]

Hi. I am leaving Montréal on september 11th, to Paris. I will be starting my walk from france, Le-Puy-en-Velay. I found some interesting information. Thank you.
In this final countdown, I am having difficulty staying focused on here now, and am often 'gone' already. Is this a normal reaction, or what?
Also, I am new with my digital camera, and not very knowledgeable. Is it fairly easy to download pictures along the way?
Thanks,
Michel

 

[William Marques]

Jitters

In this final countdown, I am having difficulty staying focused on here now, and am often 'gone' already. Is this a normal reaction, or what?

Yes, it is normal to be nervous before a long journey like the camino.

Also, I am new with my digital camera, and not very knowledgeable. Is it fairly easy to download pictures along the way?

Personally I would take a few spare memory cards, that way you won't need to worry about downloading too often if at all. Try not to walk the camino looking through a camera lens unless you are writing a travel piece. IMO you get more from the pictures of people and places that mean something to you than endless landscapes and churches.

Buen Camino
William

 

[Peter Robins]

Re: Jitters

Try not walk the camino looking through a camera lens. IMO you get more from the pictures of people and places that mean something to you than endless landscapes and churches.

I agree. There are zillions of books on churches, with photos taken by professionals in perfect lighting. There are thousands of photos already available on the web. Make sure your Camino is an interactive experience. Photo collections are like bodies laid out in a morgue: you can see the likeness, but the essential thing - life - is missing.

 

[gb]

Optimus,

I am feeling:
Calm - but excited at the prospect of the walk, also starting from Le Puy;
Cool - because the temperatures are below the seasonal norm;
Collected - with the exception of a slight concern that my rucksack weighs too much (12kg);
Confident that I can get to the end? Not fully. 1600km is a long way to walk at one go;
Really looking forward to it.

Good luck.

 

[Shamanca]

Optimus,

I am feeling:
Calm - but excited at the prospect of the walk, also starting from Le Puy;
Cool - because the temperatures are below the seasonal norm;
Collected - with the exception of a slight concern that my rucksack weighs too much (12kg);
Confident that I can get to the end? Not fully. 1600km is a long way to walk at one go;
Really looking forward to it.

Good luck.

GB... don't see your trip as 1 whole... I mean, 1 piece of 1600km. My experience is that you're walking a piece that you can handle every day and that distance fades when you're walking your Camino. Just a couple of months where you walk small parts :wink:

12kg backpack... I'm a girl and mine was 14.5km. You'll get used to it, especially when your backpack is comfortable and you have already walked a little with your backpack :wink:

But... Guess it's probably very normal and healthy to be nervous for this, especially when this is your first hike :wink:

Have fun U 2

 

[Peter Robins]

12kg, 14.5kg - are you people sane? My entire camping pack weighs less than that. What are you taking? Do you really need it?

 

[Shamanca]

12kg, 14.5kg - are you people sane? My entire camping pack weighs less than that. What are you taking? Do you really need it?

Yep, I did :wink:

What did I take...
Backpack, sleepingbag, 2 t-shirts in the bag, 1 pair of trousers (to unzip to shorts) in the bag, 1 cap, 1 jacket, medi-kit, couple of pins (for laundry), 2 pair of socks, underware 2, 2 towels (thin ones like chamois-leather) photo camera, mobile phone & recharger, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, shaving cream, camb, wash for clothes, small inflatable pillow, slippers (light ones for under shower), booklet with Camino info, credencial :wink: , 1 pen, paper to write, 1 spoon, food, 2 liter water and some sage, ceder & tabacco.

I thought that was everything :roll:

 

[Peter Robins]

then I think there must be something wrong with your scales
Leaving out water (1 ltr = 1kg) and food:
pack 1-1.5
sleeping-bag, say, 1
clothes 2?
toiletries/medical kit 0.5
others 1? (unless you're carrying large amounts of paper, or tobacco)
mobile phone + recharger 1?

= total ca 7kg + food and water

How do you get to 14.5kg?

 

[Shamanca]

How do you get to 14.5kg?

Had it on 2 different scales... both said ~14.5

Bag itself 1.5kg, water 2kg, jacket 1kg, sleepingbag 0.6kg, medikit & toilet stuff 1, photocamera / mobile / recharger 1 and the rest :wink:

Ow well... The weight didn't bother me after 100km. But when I lifted some other bags :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: Found them most of the time weighing muss less than mine.

 

[Anonymous]

On the camino

Thanks for your tip Shamanca.

Am now on the Camino and have been 14 days walking, to reach Limogne en Quercy. Everything going well.......

......but interested in your exchange re bag weight. Mine was 14kg now reduced to 12 incl 1 liter water and food for the day. Everything in it I regard as essential, but will exchange a lighter cape for the heavy (900gm) one I am using at present.

If I have time I may list contents but must do an update to my Camino Diary and weblog before I can get around to it.

 

[gb]

On the Camino

The last message (7 Sep 9.27pm) from "Guest" was me; thought I was logged in. Out of practice, you see!!