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The irreducible minimum

Qwertyberty

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Le Puy - Santiago 2016
St Olav's - 2017??
Just mulling over the ultra lightweight kit list - so far I've got the total weight carried down to about 2.5 kilos, including water and trail food. And walked 2 caminos with it.
But, I reckon it could be a lot less, so am now putting together the new,ultra ultra lightweight packing list. I know there have been posts on here about people carrying everything in their pockets - any experiences of this?? A spare pair of socks and a small bottle of water, is my aim.......or maybe forget the socks.
 
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And you'll walk around bud naked when doing your....laundry?
 
If your aim is a pair of socks and small bottle of water, then I can't see why they wouldn't fit in your pocket. I will point out that you will, at the very least also need your national passport, credencial, some euros. They can go in another pocket I'm sure. Fellow pilgrims would probably appreciate you taking some soap and you could pair that with a big piece of muslin that can double as a towel, sarong (when you're washing your undies), scarf (you could leave your sunhat at home to really save on weight) and if you tie up the corners it could carry supplies from the supermercado to albergue for cooking dinner.
It might be worth you seeing if you can get hold of a crystal ball, because you definitely won't want to walk in the rain.
 
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Dutch said:
And you'll walk around bud naked when doing your....laundry?
Click to expand...

I wonder @Qwertyberty doesn't have rain cover as part of his strategy. Meaning he walks in the rain to do his washing.

I've looked his list and couldn't see it.

Going to my pack I would pick:
_316 gm one change of sox, underwear and top
_482 gm one 5 C / 40 F sleeping bag, liner and dry sac (but a bit bulky)
_600 gm pack (simply for the sleeping bag) - might save that by creating a sling bag over the shoulder
1 398 gm

or

_798 gm plus sling bag

plus water

Wear shorts/longs and get a new pair when unusable.

Buy and use anything else as needed.

No camera

Just like the statuary of early pilgrims: simple.
 
And the purpose of this "ultra low weight" is ? ..... Just imagine, for every 10pounds, 10kg a personweighs, that is the equivalent of the typical pack. so what is the impact if you drop your pack's weight by 500 grams, when there are people who weight 20, 50, 70 and more pounds tham you carrying thei own weight. Makes the pack's weight, plus or minus 100 grams seem a bit silly, no?
 
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Anemone del Camino said:
so what is the impact if you drop your pack's weight by 500 grams
Click to expand...

Or dropping it by 4.0 kg. From my current 5.4 kg t0 1.4 kg per post #5 above. Plus water in both cases.

The purpose is simplicity. Release from cares. A lot less to worry about.

I understand Albert Einstein once said "Keep things as simple as possible, but not simpler."

I understand that to be @Qwertyberty intention.

And good luck to her/him.

Just I don't think I could cope without a phone, camera, tablet, recharger etc, second change of clothes, poncho, towel and hiking kilt for dress up. Or the tent for my third and fourth trips in 2016 (and for times when I run out of gite in the last 200-300 km in France).
 
Maybe simplicity is carrying your junk, no matter what it is, and not becoming neurotic about shaving grams off when you can carry it on happily. Keep your mind simple, first and foremost. Will I really feel so much better on my walk by buying 500$ of high tech gear to shave of 300 grams when I weigh 100 pounds more than I should? Don't think my feet will care if the weight they carry his my fat or overpriced techy materials.
 
Anemone del Camino said:
Will I really feel so much better on my walk by buying 500$ of high tech gear to shave of 300 grams when I weigh 100 pounds more than I should? Don't think my feet will care if the weight they carry his my fat or overpriced techy materials.
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I agree! I would love to lose another 20-30 pounds of body fat and know that my joints would appreciate it. And if I didn't bring any of my electronics, my half roll of KT tape, a smaller tech towel, no mini roll of TP, wore my glasses instead of also my contact lenses and its paraphernalia, blah blah blah, yes I could cut down. I won't do it in actuality but it would be a fun paper exercise.
 
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I have never been very good at getting the weight of my pack down. It's been about 9 or 10 kilos for the last decade. For years my only concern was my back, and my backpack's internal frame does a great job of transferring the weight to my hips, so my back has never given me a problem. But last year on the Camino I had a knee injury, and I'm thinking that getting weight off my knees would be a very good thing to do, and the only way to do that is to reduce the weight of my pack. But I'm still not sure how to do that!
 
OK I did my paper study as a spring/fall camino with basics w/o being silly about it. With no electronics or knitting I'd have to be drugged for the entire 36 hours of flights (I am a fidgety flyer - must be entertained!). Does not include daily food or water, glasses only no contacts, no sunglasses, clothing is "a pair and a spare", bathroom bag is down to bare bones. Gives me no nice clothes for my extra days in Madrid. Bare bones on layering if it gets real cold or wet. And the best I can do is 4201 g / 9.26 pounds. (see attachment)
 

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My dear departed brother, who used to go camping with his queen size four poster bed set up on a trailer, was wont to say "Any fool can be uncomfortable". But he was in a car.
 

Can you post your packing list, pretty please? Buen Camino, SY
 
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Well, I was actually hoping for some input from anyone who had reduced their stuff down to "pockets only".
As stated, I have walked 2 caminos already with minimum (2.5kilos) gear, and as an intellectual, and hopefully, practical exercise, am planning to carry even less.
I will post my 2.5kg list next - right now loads of other stuff to do
 
C clearly said:
If you were brave, you would post your packing list and let us at it!

What kind of backpack do you use?
Click to expand...

Not to hijack the "walking with my pockets as my backpack" part of this thread, which I admire but could never even contemplate, I know what it is that adds all the weight. It's my heavy TEVAS and my electronics. One of the downsides of being such a Luddite is that I am so behind the times that I cannot figure out how to consolidate all my electronics into one fancy item. But maybe I'll post separately on that.

My pack is very light, I think it's just 3 pounds, but it's an ancient, and pretty big Mountainsmith Ghost. I have contemplated getting a smaller pack, but they're all just as heavy or heavier, and I love the way the ghost internal frame works. My lower back will not tolerate one of those go-lite structure-less things, unfortunately. I always have plenty of room in the pack, so it's not like its large size makes me add more.

To the OP, I look forward to seeing your 2.5 k list, as well hearing about how you might undertake this "pockets only" camino.
 
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I seem to recall from a few months back that "Al the Optimist" was focusing on a butt pack-sized load. That might shed some needed light on this, arguably obsessive exercise. So, Al, what became of that earlier effort? I seem to have lost track of the dialog.

Personally, if one could have certainty in lodgings (hostals and hotels, not albergues) I hold that it might be possible to accomplish something in the 5-6 kg range, not including the butt pack, or small backpack. This figure also does not include what one is wearing FSO.

But, as one person above noted, WHY? I mean, what is the point?
 
Sometimes the lightest backpack is no backpack !

Not that I will point to you but we had some very smelly experiences in an albergue once with a plilgrim who travelled "very light"
It seemed -and we smelled it -he had no extra set of cloths with him so was wearing his cloths all the time . Yagggg. But for shure he travelled "lite"
Buen camino
 

This is pretty much what I carry each year, except I do take my down blanket and Compeed.
 
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peregrina2000 said:
... I cannot figure out how to consolidate all my electronics into one fancy item. But maybe I'll post separately on that. ...
Click to expand...

Do so, just list all your electronics and what you need/want them for. But I guess the answer is, in most cases, get a smartphone that has a decent camera ;-) Buen Camino, SY
 
SYates said:
You might be interested in this blog http://regevelya.com/travel-gear/ This guy travels the world only / nearly only with what he has in his pockets. Buen Camino, SY
Click to expand...
thanks for the link...that was an interesting read - can't wrap my mind traveling like that for myself but it does give me food for thought as far as continuing to downsize my everyday living. I have done a fair amount thus far, and it definitely feels MUCH better, but could do another run through. Think I'll clean out a closet today!
 
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holy peep...thats heavy
 
That sounds like a true medieval experience.

Back in the day, pilgrims would clean themselves up at Lavacolla, shortly before arriving in Santiago, however they were still very smelly and so the Botafumeiro was installed in the 15th Century in the Cathedral to help mask the pong.
 
I abandoned it! I was going for a Talon 6 waist bag and putting some gear in a dry bag and sandals attached to it. Not a pretty sight and not really comfortable. So I did my last Camino with a Sea to Summit bag weighing (I think) 35g. Worked fine but bag was full with sandals inside as well as everything else. Weight was I think 3k? To be honest once down that far who cares what it weighs.
 
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Good, very good, but if your clothes stink you won't be very pilgrim-friendly.
 
I don't understand why people on this forum are asking, in puzzlement, why try that pointless exercise of reducing the things you carry. We are all fans of something that others ask why about! Why do we walk the Camino?

I love the idea of travelling the world with, say 2 kg of stuff! I'm not going to do it, but I enjoy the intellectual exercise.
 
[QUOTE="WHY? I mean, what is the point?[/QUOTE]

The point, dear reader, is the weight carried all day long. If you are happy to hike along with a heavy pack, then by all means do so. I wish to encumber myself with as little extra weight as possible. And, as said, merely wished to gather any info from anyone who'd done this before.
 
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WHY? Indeed, asking this question, from childhood, is the root of all knowledge.

The question was posed not to disparage, but to instigate the process of information exchange. That exact result is occurring. My task is accomplished.

Not stop asking "why" is to presume one knows everything. My hubris does not extend that far. I learn something new here everyday. In this case, I stirred the pot gently by asking the classic, probative question.

 
True! You are absolutely right that the question can be a genuine exploration into reasons, and not necessarily a challenge. I still think it's a bit ironic here on the forum.
 
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Seabird said:
@GreatDane -- I see your total weight is FSO (from the skin out), including your poles. That sure seems light to me! @peregrina2000 -- is your weight for your pack only or FSO?
Click to expand...
See attachment in my post up there -> it lists actual weights for everything FSO. There is no way in heck I'd only pack what I listed though. It was just an exercise on paper to see what I could do as a bare minimum for a spring or fall trip. No electronics, no comfort items, etc.
 
Whew, I don't feel like such a slug now.
 
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I've been thinking about this Quertyberty as I've gone about my day.....for your next camino, why don't you try out just wearing a vest with pockets (and some pants of course), and then report back to us. If you could go before May that would be handy because I'm going to be walking with my father-in-law then and I will be carrying his gear - if he could be convinced to pare back as much as you it would make my job easier;-)
 
Very interesting discussion . . . to each their own I'd say; everyone gets something different out of doing a camino and nobody can step in another person's shoes as we experience everything independently. I walked with a new found friend in 2014 on the Northern route and his pack was north of 20kg . . . to me it was mind boggling, yet to him it was the most normal thing; he had a blast (no blisters), as did I, and we all survived and lived see another day . . . We are all grown-ups, so let everyone focus on their own things that they have deemed important. All the power to you Qwertyberty

Buen Camino to all.
 
This thread, as started by @Qwertyberty, was an assertion that twice he had walked a camino carrying a weight of 2.5 kg including trail food and water.

Then many, me included, offered exercises on paper. And we showed how @Qwertyberty number could be attained. And what would be left behind as a result.

Then the three letter word, FSO, was introduced. But not why full skin out was important. (To my mind FSO not important or even misleading: what goes on the scales just before I go out the door on a training day is the important thing, along with my FSI (full skin in, or body) weight.

GreatDane said:
I would love to lose another 20-30 pounds of body fat and know that my joints would appreciate it.
Click to expand...

peregrina2000 said:
I have never been very good at getting the weight of my pack down. It's been about 9 or 10 kilos for the last decade.
Click to expand...

peregrina2000 said:
My pack is very light, I think it's just 3 pounds
Click to expand...

All of the posts in this thread (a sample above) and others might seem a confusion to a new reader.

I would always exclude these things from any weight comparison.
  • shoes/boots: you have what you have because you need/love them or don't want to but a new pair at present;
  • pack: this is similar to your shoes - you have what works for you;
  • clothing and other stuff (such as phone, sweets, whatever) worn - you need something to prevent being arrested/molested.
And what does count is ONLY that which goes in the pack. For any one camino/trip/tramp/whatever this is the variable bit.

So, if we focus on the weight of PACK CONTENTS only we might get a more useful conversation. And we might get a greater unanimity in what we carry.

And gain an understanding that each of us will always have something that others won't need, but may envy).

Like my 0.8 kg two person tent (including poles, pegs and air mattress), or @Kiwi-family who will carry her father-in-laws gear (as well as her own) or @SYates who (if I recall correctly) includes her very weighty DSLR camera.

Qwertyberty said:
If you are happy to hike along with a heavy pack [and contents], then by all means do so.
Click to expand...

It was Shakespeare who had a Princess of France observe "Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye" (Loves Labours Lost, 1588). Or one Margaret Wolfe Hungerford who wrote "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" (Mally Bawm, 1878). In our case replace "beauty" with "weight".
 
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A credit card / zip-lock bag for water and run 100Km. barefoot in shorts. Watch videos when you get home....... Willy / Utah / USA
 

my ideas for a pockets only packing list:

-1 walking outfit including pants/shorts with lots of pockets
-1 night outfit including a small pair of swim shorts and a super light tee that could fit in a pocket
-1 extra pair of socks and undies
-1 tiny disposable poncho
-1 silk liner
-1 small water bottle
-1 small bar of soap
-passports and wallet

this is a fun concept but there are some pretty obvious problems that your would have to work out, the main one being cold weather. if you wanted to take anything warm you would either have to wear it every single day or i guess you could tie it around your waist when you didn't need it. anyway I'm pretty sure you could fit all this into pockets alone or maybe add a small bumbag. let me know what you think
 

I think I met that pilgrim, in Grañon of all places
 
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AJ said:
What brand tent and mattress? My one person tent weighs more than this without mattress.
Click to expand...

I have no connection except as a customer. They are in the US state of Florida and I am half a world away.

This is the tent I chose: http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamidtwin.shtml Mainly because the ground sheet is also a poncho, with the head opening forward of centre so it easily goes over the pack: thus providing three functions in the one item. The poncho etc is not part of the weight: I carry that in the back pocket of my pack.
400 gram for the tent and bug net. I could have bought the hexamid twin tarp (so long as it has loops to connect the ground sheet) and saved 160 grams.
_64 gram for 8 pegs: http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/stakes.shtml
_99 gram for 2 poles: http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/tent_pole.shtml I could save 62 gram and use my walking pole.

The mattress is a Therm-a-rest NeoAir X-lite small: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Sleeping-Pad-Reviews/Therm-a-Rest-NeoAir-XLite
230 gram


I roll the air mattress up with the tent to save the carry bag. The "core" of the roll up are the poles and pegs so it all neatly fits into the stuff bag that comes with the tent.

As it will seldom be used in France / Spain it is currently in the bottom of the pack. It fits neatly across the bottom, but is a bit bulky because of the way I roll all the items together.

Because of the pegs I will have to either, check the whole pack in for flights, or at least check in the tent bag.

Hope this helps.
 
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I seriously hope you have large pockets...and a deep wallet, containing enough Euros to buy all that gear you did not start with, but later decided the better of...
 
STOP THE PRESSES! I just had a "brain stem storm.!" I recently bought a set of these to evaluate on my next Camino:

http://www.ribzwear.com/product/granite-grey-front-pack/

Here are some related photos:



They are intended to be worn UNDER backpack straps. The result is two large (my Xlarge size are 5.5 liters each) lightweight, ripstop nylon sacks intended to shift pack weight forward. Packed away, the set is the size of a pocket umbrella.

Each sack has a single large compartment, with a smaller exterior pouch. They zip together at the front - a novel method for quick donning and removal. The harness has ample points to hand stuff, like water bottles.

My ORIGINAL thought was to use this in combination with a much smaller 35 liter rucksack. My usual rucksack is a 48 liter Osprey Kestrel. The idea was to better distribute weight to the front to improve balance, like the idolized Aarn Packs from New Zealand.

HOWEVER coming off this dialog, I might try to lay all my gear out then work from (FSO) the front Ribz Gear IN , to see if the rucksack is even necessary. That means carrying what I am wearing, plus what is in my cargo pockets, plus up to 11 liters in these sacks.

The original plan was to improve balance by moving water, snacks, electronics, guide book, notebook, poncho, hat, gloves, first aid, and anything else I might need during the day to these bags, out of my rucksack. The rucksack would only contain what I needed once I arrived at my day's destination. This looks to be laundry aids, clothing, fleece, sleeping bag or liner, and possibly my gear repair kit.

We shall see. I will report back if I do anything other than using the rucksack with these as accessory bags. First, I need to lay everything out on the floor or my bed and start test-packing. I used to say it would give me something to do over the winter. But since I moved to souther Florida this past October, that is a non-starter. So, I will make the time over the next several weeks. It keeps me sane...er....more sane...

I hope this helps.
 
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During past caminos I have seen multitudes of backpacks; usually far too loaded and resembling that of Father Christmas but without any cheery 'ho-ho-ho'. However, one pilgrim with whom I climbed O Cebreiro 2012 in a late November blizzard seemed to have the perfect solution.

He had neither pack nor sleeping bag but simply carried all essentials within 4 sturdy zip-lock bags in his pockets.Two large pockets on a snow-proof jacket contained Credencial, passport, smartphone/charger, toiletries and a miniscule towel. Two pockets on his snow-proof trousers contained a change of briefs, second set of long underwear, second pair of hiking socks, a silk/polyester bag liner and flip flops. Nothing more was deemed necessary. ...Climbing together through a white-out for more five hours I learned this 'secret' and many more!!

Margaret Meredith
 
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Alwyn:

I have used my ZPacks 4-way chest bag on all three of my Caminos. It makes a very handy chest bag, but does not hold a lot when used as a chest bag. So, it doubles as a ditty bag in my rucksack holding all the little items, and a city bag when I reach civilization, The Cuban fiber is VERY lightweight. But I love it and plan to keep and use it on every trip. There is always something it can do.

For others, here is the link: http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/backpack_lid.shtml

I have also used it as a shoulder bag with my rucksack, and an in-flight bag to hold stuff while flying.

I was one of the original adopters of the ZPacks 4-in-one-accessory bag, and I reported it back to the Forum membership early on.

Thank you for the "circular compliment."
 
t2andreo said:
I seriously hope you have large pockets...and a deep wallet, containing enough Euros to buy all that gear you did not start with, but later decided the better of...
Click to expand...

I completely agree, I would never try this myself but its fun to think about and I would be interested to meet anyone who had tried it. I suspect it would end up being more expensive and inconvenient that taking a backpack.
 
If you KNEW that you definitely had a bed to stay in (in a hostal or inn) that provided all bed and bath linens, and laundry service, you could more easily get to this minimalist point, without adversity. These locations DO exist. I use them whenever possible.

However, because it can be hit and miss, I am compelled to carry everything needed to stay in an albergue and be more self-sufficient. That is the dichotomy here...

I suppose it also depends on the route, and time of year. If you are on the Frances in late May, June, July or August, and staging at all the Brierley daily stages (like most folks), you have to be prepared for anything and everything. Even though there are abundant private lodgings along this, most popular route, they are frequently over-subscribed all-summer.

Increasingly, private guided groups, commercial tour groups, and organized student groups are soaking up all the private space along the Frances. What is good for the local economy, can be less good for some pilgrims. I can attest to this from repeat personal experience, and tell you that from late May through beginning September, it can be difficult to reserve a single room in advance in many locations, along the Frances, at any price.

So, think twice about reducing your carry capacity to the bare minimum...
 
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I like all these discussions, I find them fun, and really informative sometimes - the fictional Jack Reacher carries only a toothbrush (and a wad of money I guess).

Peace pilgrim, that wonderful woman who walked thousands and thousands of miles all over the States had a blue smock with a few pockets in it and she carried everything she needed in those. She must have been very cold some nights, very wet at other times - but she never complained about it, just carried on walking - here she is, everything she owns is on her body ...



In about six weeks I will be out on Camino again. Now that Aarn packs have gifted me a pair of front packs I can keep all my first aid kits in those and am working on a packing list for my rear pack - at the moment I cannot get it under 4.75 kilos - over 10lbs! and to me it is really stripped down! I would really like to see some superlight lists - hey, Al! do you still have yours??

hhmmm ... maybe champagne and caviar, good crockery and silverware aren't really essentials?
 
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A very well thought through response, Thank you
 
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OK, been away for a while, so, FWIW, my 2.5kg list for the Frances:
Terranova Laser 20 pack - 320grms
Silk liner - 100grms
Windproof umbrella - 300grms
500ml water - 500grms
Spare merino underpants and top - 300grms
Spare merino socks - 80grms
Light slippers - 80grms
Wash kit (muslin towels,soap etc) - 300grms
First aid kit - 100grms
Misc stuff (spare phone batteries,mini led torch,ipod,guide book etc) - 320grms
Trail snacks(biscuits etc) - 100grms
I did drill holes in my toothbrush handle, though.

Jack Reacher, eat your heart out. I've got the toothbrush, still waiting for the mega bucks.....
 
That looks almost feasible. Do you have any second long-sleeve layer for cool weather even in summer? Or is that in the "wearing" category?
 
Worn: New Balance Trailrunners, merino socks (one pair. I've tried every combination of sock, from 1000 mile to one thin,one thick,blahblah) but single pair of thick merino works for me. No blisters. Craghoppers zip off pants - I don't wear them as shorts (there's enough misery in the world already, without adding to it ) but they have a comfortable elasticated waist, rather than wearing a belt and if the bottoms get muddy, easier to wash than the whole set), merino underpants and top,light cotton long sleeved shirt,thin fleece, Berghaus windjacket in summer, Berghaus goretex hoodie in Spring/autumn, Tilley hat. (I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than wear a baseball cap...)
I don't weigh the worn clothes - I can't see the logic in this FSO concept - we wear our clothes anyway, it's the extra carried weight that counts, surely.

Fortunately, I don't suffer from the dreaded BO, even when walking all day in the heat (due probably to the good diet I stick to), so I can get by on a wipe down with an oily rag each day, and avoid the queue for the showers, most days, and also the dreaded bugs lurking there, and never mind all the hiding my valuable stuff in waterproof zip lock bags etc.
When I arrive at Santiago, I have a nice hot shower, whether I need one, or not
 
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I'm up for all that Qwerty - don't see the need of showering every day .. I find the same re BO - must be my diet too, and natural fibers ... think polyester stuff is really smelly. And I have read that Merino just doesn't smell, even after days.

And agree, why shower every day (some twice a day!!!)? Why keep stripping off those healthy natural oils? I flannel clean the "critical" areas on a regular basis - groin and armpits - when in the loo (but then I always do after I've been to the toilet - keep it all pristine and all that), seems to do ok, and if I come across brilliant uncrowded showers will use them.

I don't see a spare pair of trousers/shorts in your list - do you bother?
 
Qwertyberty said:
I don't weigh the worn clothes - I can't see the logic in this FSO concept - we wear our clothes anyway, it's the extra carried weight that counts, surely.
Click to expand...
Well, not really. There are a number of factors that skew any weight comparisons, including what can be marked variations in what might or might not be included as worn items rather than including them in the packed load. I remember an early discussion on this where a forum member was suggesting that he was only carrying a few kilograms. It transpired that to achieve this, he was wearing fleece, rain jacket and rain pants and not counting them in his pack weight. One way of avoiding this dissembling is to use the FSO approach, where absolutely everything is counted. It is the only reliable and consistent way of testing various weight claims that people make. Pack weight alone clearly does not do that.
 
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Qwertyberty said:
...Craghoppers zip off pants - I don't wear them as shorts ... if the bottoms get muddy, easier to wash than the whole set...
Click to expand...

I've been doing a lot of research re: long-distance hiking and walking, and this is the first time someone has pointed out this convenience - brilliant!
 
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I agree with Dougfitz - if the intention is to know the load we carry - you can't beat the laws of physics - everytihng you carry, whether in pack or on body
C3 to Camino said:
I've been doing a lot of research re: long-distance hiking and walking, and this is the first time someone has pointed out this convenience - brilliant!
Click to expand...

I had never thought of that either! Also, the spare in the pack only needs to be the shorts as the legs zip on to both!
 
With a safari gilet you can do pockets only with ease.i have often mused over this exact thing myself. There is a caveat though.time of year.
 
This thread reminds me of the story of an old monk who navigated life with only a bowl. One day, he tripped and the bowl slipped from his hands and crashed to the earth; everyone around him gasped, knowing it was his only possession. The monk looked up and said “Thank God – I’ve carried that burden all my life.”
 
Camino Jewellery
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I want to add to this thread as am off in the morning on my 5th Camino. I can list all my items but that's really not interesting! I came onto the forum tonight to see Could I carry a second fleece in my rucksack? I was looking for permission! I have bought some v light weight gear incl a OMM 35 bag, down sheet sleeping bag and ultra light rain jacket. But this morning I got up and took out all extras, rain pants, 3rd t-shirt, bra, pants..No first aid..well 2 tubular bandages (for shin splint/prevention)...I fall down on Lauries territory?
I am on holidays, I like to take Photos, I carry a Canon (not dslr) but charger, adapter, Kindle for reading (I love reading)..phone/charger/head lamp/batteries? Swimsuit (Portugues Coastal) is essential. My bag feels light, my heart is light, I go with all your kind advice and am meeting Aurelio in Lisbon for Coffee and "Custard Tarts" tomorrow....Thanks for your light-hearted discussions.
 
Camino wristwatch
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
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