Thoughts of Spiritual and Practical Nature

Spiritual
I think we both found that the early parts of the French way seemed to have more "soul" in that the people were friendlier and would call out "Buen Camino" or honk their horns as they passed nearby. Also the churches in the small towns held a Perigrino Mass in the evening with usually a special blessing afterwards. In the last 100 KM we could not really go to mass as we were staying in smaller towns that did not do an evening service. Perhaps it was the end of the pilgrimage season. Perigrinos shared the reasons they were on the Camino so there was discussion when one finally reached Santiago whether one had received the spiritual or other gifts one was looking for. Some felt that just by having done the Way had given them the time off their normal schedules to have regained some energy.

 I did the Camino for a number of reasons; one being the actual physical test; the other being the time to think about life's current challenges at this stage in our lives - elderly parents, friends coping with life threatening illnesses, and to search for better understanding and patience with the elderly. Everyday a Rosary was prayed along with way - along with chants of "Go Forward" (for Athena from Chris Reeves Foundation).  While I had hoped to achieve a certain calmer stance towards a particular environment, I have to say that I did not really achieve that goal, however, now I do walk away from that needling environment and let others be in control of it.

Did we become physically fit and lose weight? Yes we did! You could not eat enough for all the calories you were burning.  Dinner times were leisurely to some degree, and we generally ate everything that the pilgrim's menu put in front of us! This also included at least one bottle of local house wine, and sometimes two between us.

I would love to do some other sections of the Camino as it was very challenging but also spiritually, emotionally and physically a wonderful experience and not something to forget.  Best of all I was lucky enough to have done it with my soul mate who knew that the Camino was important to me and pushed me along when I needed encouragement and prodding.

Practical
The packing list - a wonderful place to start, but really weigh every thing and then try and remove a pound or two as you will feel those pounds all along the way.

CAMINO PACKING LIST
Full pack plus water and food should not exceed 10% of your body weight. – max 20 lbs
Everything is stored in plastic bags, essential as it can rain a lot.

CLOTHING  /EQUIPMENT
2 pair pants – 2 pr zip off shorts (1 pr used as sleeping gear)
2 long sleeve T-shirt
1 short sleeve T-shirt
3 pair thick socks
4 pair sock liners or thin socks
3 panties/underpants
2 bras
1 fleece jacket
Bandanna- for various uses
Bandanna – cooling gel
Rain jacket - gortex
Backpack rain cover
Sandals
Sleep sheet
Collapsible titanium walking poles
Hiking boots (gel inserts/orthotics)
Extra pair shoe laces
Sun hat - Tilley
Travel towel- medium sized
Water bottle
Heart monitor

ELECTRONICS
Camera charger
Blackberry charger
Flash drive UBS (for putting camera pictures on)
Camera to computer cord
Vonage flashdrive for calling USA
Electrical plug adapter
MPG Flash drive with Spanish language lessons

TOILETRIES
Foot care
Needle & cotton thread for blisters
Corn Huskers for feet
Foot Powder
New Skin liquid bandage
Moleskin
Band-Aids
Nail clipper

Daily care
Hair Brush
Deodorant
Emery board
Moisturizer
Nailbrush – for washing clothes and cleaning boots
Campsuds – for shampoo/ soap and laundry detergent
Sunscreen (SPF 30)
Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss
Prescription medications/vitamins
Ear plugs
Advil PM
Sweetener

Useful or emergency care
Diaper pins for clothes line on back pack
Flashlight (LED-type)
Ziploc-type bags, various sizes
Antibiotic/Z pack
Insect repellent
Antibiotic cream plus betadine solution for threading blisters
Compass
Plastic case on lanyard for putting map in
Guidebooks and notes
Knife with sheath for cutting bread, cheese, fruits
Small light weight flexible cutting “board”
Metal “ball” for mixing up protein drink in water container
Swiss army knife
Plastic spoons
Gum
Hand Sanitizer/ moisture towelettes

WAIST BELT PACK, WORN IN FRONT W/ VALUABLES: NEVER LEAVE IT!
Blackberry
Passports
Driver’s license (you never know!)
Air and train tickets, hotel confirmations
Pilgrim passport (Your most valuable possession!)
Pen/pencil
Small diary
ATM/Debit card for cash
Credit card
Euro Passport card for obtaining cash if ATM card doesn't work
Sunglasses/reading glasses
Camera
Cash
Lip balm/gloss

Wear your boots on the plane. If baggage is lost, you can buy everything else in Europe, but the boots should be broken in to your feet. Don’t lose them!

To travel overseas, put your backpack in a suitcase. (We left the empty suitcase with our hotel in Bilboa as we would be flying back to the USA from there.)  Before hitting the trail, go to the post office (correos) in Spain and buy boxes there to send-ahead different items that you consider necessary but are heavy (protein powder, GORP, more sweetener, sun screen etc) so that thay are impractical to carry the whole way. Mail a final package to yourself “lista de correos” in Santiago with make-up and some other clothes. Mail other smaller care packages to other correos along the trail.  We made 5 postal stops, picking up and using all the protein powder and the GORP, did not use all the razors, sunscreens, first aid supplies.  Moleskin is a must to carry as it was not available. The European version, Compede was a mess and ruined your socks with sticky goo. Voltarene, which reduces inflammation is very reasonably priced and does not require a prescription like in the USA. The Protein Powder was the most valuable item because you did not have access to a good protein source first thing in the morning. You could have gotten something similar to GORP along the way; however, not with the edamame.