El Camino - The Way #8

The question many people asked us - so what did you take with you - a favorite talking point among those who are considering walking The Camino. Besides the very extensive conversation on what type of shoe is best for walking 500 miles - the second most animated conversation is how big of a back pack do you bring and what you put inside it. Considering the average person will spend a full month walking the Camino - living out of a single back pack and the essentials required to be able to survive a new bed - new hostel - new location - daily - does require serious thought. Our final list - 1 back pack - 1 Sleeping bag - 3 Undies - 2 pair to carry - 2 Bra - Wool socks - 2 pair - 2 Tech t-shirt short sleeve - 1 Tech t-shirt long sleeve - 1 hiking shorts - 1 pr zip off convertible pants - 1 compression sack - 1 sack for miscellaneous items ie toothbrush - toothpaste - hiking Headlight & batteries - guidebook - small digital camera - iPhone - charger - down jacket - platypus zip bag water system 1- mini iPad - medicines - first aid kit.  total weight  Arlene a 28 liter back pack 5.6 Kg/12.3lbs  Dale a 32 liter back pack 6.6Kg/14.4lbs (with out water) Adding water added about 2 pounds to each back pack.  

Arlene's Pack 

Not included in our weight allowance was the clothing we would wear as well as our trekking poles since would be using as we walked.  Of course with few items - doing daily laundry - in a sink with cold water.  Hiking with minimal things to worry about made it easier to focus on the task at hand.  As in Lent - primary focus - prayer - multiple Rosaries every day - Divine Mercy Chaplets - spoken - sung - intercessory prayers for dozens of people - our parish - priests - deacons - our bishop - Pope.  Our guide book told us what path to walk - markers to look for - distances to walk - filling the hours between markers - meals - breaks - with constant prayer.  This Lent - similar - isolated from the rest of the world - our days filled with prayers - taking breaks only for essential activities.  You too can walk this same path - filling the day with a selection of prayers of your choosing.

Deacon Dale