Day 0: Before departure
It may seem strange, but when you’re getting ready to set off on a walk like the Camino de Santiago, you worry about everything, and only just before leaving about what you really need to carry in your backpack. If you’re not experienced, you don’t think about one simple and essential truth:
Everything you bring is on your shoulders from start to finish, so you have to stick to the essentials.
M. Casaburi
The metaphor of the backpack and life fits perfectly: if life is a journey, then it’s definitely better to travel light.
But let’s get to the point and start with a few useful tips.
Tips on how to organise your backpack
- Bring a bag for your shower things. I said: “What do I need a toiletry bag for when I can put everything in a pocket of my backpack?” Wrong! You’ll end up fishing around for lots of small, hidden things. However much you cut everything down to the bare minimum, before showering you’ll have to carry your towel, flip-flops, clean clothes, (comb?), shower gel/shampoo, deodorant, (cream?), any plasters to put back on after the shower and everything else you need IN YOUR HANDS. On top of this annoying trip, fishing out your toothbrush, soap and toothpaste while you’re half asleep and in the dark (often when you’re getting ready to leave other pilgrims will still be sleeping) is truly unbearable. And anyway, how much can a toiletry bag weigh?
- Can you find your poncho or rain jacket in less than 30 seconds? Try this test, or you’ll risk getting soaked during those really annoying Galician downpours.
- The sleeping bag goes at the bottom. Along with water, it will almost certainly be the heaviest thing to carry, and placing it at the bottom of the backpack helps balance the weight. I suggest choosing a backpack with a zip at the bottom so you can take out your sleeping bag and pyjamas without having to unpack everything.
- Guidebook and torch within easy reach. You’ll often need them, and looking for them every time is a waste of time. It’s best to put the guidebook, or map, and the torch somewhere you can reach without having to take “your suitcase” off your shoulders.
- Keep your clothes safe. I’ve seen water bottles open, bottles leak and soap containers burst. It’s better to pack your clean clothes in waterproof bags before putting them in the backpack.
The list of important things to bring
Clothing in the backpack
- 3 pairs of trousers long and short
- 3 technical T-shirts – they dry quickly
- One long-sleeved top
- A shirt
- A fleece
- Waterproof windproof jacket and/or rain cape
- Anti-blister technical socks
- Hat – essential in summer
- Swimsuit – some hotels have a pool
- Underwear
- Sandals – for the shower and the end of the day
Toiletry bag
- Soap – for body and hair
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Wet wipes
- Shower towel – microfibre, one large and one small
- Nail clippers – well-kept nails reduce pain in your toes and feet
- Earplugs – if you’re a light sleeper they protect you from the roncadores (snorers)
- Laundry soap – you’ll have to wash your clothes every evening
- Clothes pegs
- Cord – a couple of metres for hanging washing
- Safety pins – to hang still-damp clothes on your backpack
Useful items to put in your backpack
- Sleeping bag – it’s always advisable to sleep in your own sleeping bag
- Sleeping mat – especially on the French Way in the busy months
- Trekking poles – if you get on well with them they reduce strain by spreading the effort across your whole body
- Backpack cover – to keep your backpack dry when it rains
- Torch – you may find yourself setting off early in the morning before dawn
- Pocket knife – for cutting food
- Small bag for personal belongings – to take with you when you leave your backpack at the hotel
- Sunscreen
- Notebook
- Water bottle and/or hydration bladder – the bladder is handy because it lets you drink while you keep walking
First aid on the Camino
- Anti-chafing cream – to spread on your feet every morning before putting on your socks (it prevents blisters)
- Anti-inflammatory ointment – for muscle pain
- Anti-inflammatories – for persistent pain
- Plasters
- Mineral salts – for the summer season
- Needle, thread, gauze and disinfectant for blisters – passing a thread through a blister and leaving it inside helps it drain and heal more easily