Traveling light

To say that Nadine and I are not known for packing light is an understatement, sort of like saying that Winnipeg sometimes gets mosquitoes in the summer. Nadine likes to bring a variety of clothes for every possible occasion, and I like to bring a large enough number and variety of books for various moods. The question of what to pack therefore looms large. Since every Camino blog I’ve ever seen outlines its owner’s packing list, here is mine. Nadine’s, I believe, is fairly similar, but she may wish to comment. One advantage of traveling together is that some items can be shared.

A back pack. Since Nadine and I both have shoulder problems, we decided to go light for once, and we both chose the same pack: a Deuter 28 litre daypack.
A water bladder (the backpack has a nifty opening so that the hose comes through and we can just sip water without opening the pack)
2 pairs pants, 1 to wear, 1 to carry. One pair can zip off to shorts.
2 long-sleeved shirts with roll-up tab sleeves
1 tank top
For pyjamas: silk long johns and Randy’s polartec long-sleeved top that
a) covers my butt and
b) fits under the shirts as an extra layer for those really cold mornings
3 pairs underwear
2 pairs wool hiking socks; 2 pairs liners
Fleece jacket
Rain jacket
Hat
Walking shoes
Sandals for evenings in town
Small MEC shoulder bag for evenings in town (stores toiletries when in the pack)
Length of fabric that can function as sarong, pillow case, privacy screen if one of us has to answer nature’s call on the road, etc.

Silk sleeping bag liner
Microfiber towel
Freshette (nifty little device to permit women to void standing up without pulling down pants; useful for emergencies on the road)
Laundry soap; a few clothes pins -shared
Small LED flashlight
Sunscreen – shared
Moleskin, blister pads, first aid kit – shared
Prescription meds
Motrin, Imodium, Gravol – shared
Vaseline (to slather on feet every morning before putting on sock liners)
Shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrush and paste
Hand sanitizer

Passport, money belt
Camera and charger; extra memory card – shared
Guidebook – shared
Spanish phrasebook – shared
Extra pair of glasses
Ear plugs to drown out the roncaderos (snorers)
Notebook and pen
Crossword puzzle magazine and pencil
Novel for plane trip, to be conveniently forgotten somewhere after arrival
Plastic bags

This may be the start of traveling light for us – or by the end of the trip we may be so sick and tired of having to wash clothes every day that in the future we bring everything we could possibly need.

Il ne reste plus que 72 heures avant le début du voyage. Nadine et moi vivons à plus de 4800 km l’une de l’autre, donc la plupart de nos préparatifs ont ete effectués seules. Maintenant, on peut finalement se montrer nos achats. J’avoue que je préfère ses souliers aux miens!

La grande question est: iPod ou non? Pour Nadine, pas de question. Elle emmène son iPod. Moi, je n’ai pas l’habitude d’écouter un iPod, mais Randy a offert de me prêter le sien. J’avais plutôt pensé emmener une liste de questions et de dilemmes auxquels je veux réfléchir, dont certains au sujet du travail, d’autres au sujet de la vie en général. Nadine me dit qu’elle ne veut pas entendre un seul mot au sujet du travail. Selon elle, je suis “workaholic”. Mais si les meilleures idées nous viennent souvent dans la douche, ou lorsqu’on est autrement occupés, ne pourrais-je pas croire que peut-être des idées géniales me viendront le long du chemin? Ce serait dommage de ne pas être prête à les capter. Et puis, traditionellement, le Camino est un pélerinage, une occasion de réfléchir à sa vie. Puisque mon travail fait partie de ma vie, est-ce-que je ne pourrais pas y consacrer un peu de temps sur la route sans être accusée d”être un “bourreau de travail”???

Gisèle