1st Camino

[Roe]

I will be walking Camino Sandiago as a 60-yr old woman solo traveler for the first time beginning in mid-May through June. A few questions I have - hoping someone will have the answers. First of all, on all of the packing lists I have taken a look at, none of them list any toiletries - no toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo; the lack thereof is puzzling to me.
Also, I am very concerned about the weather in terms of what to pack for clothing. I am trying to keep the backpack down to 14 lbs (aboug 6 kg). With an empty backpack weighing 3 lbs, a water bladder weighing 3 lbs, I'm down to about 8 lbs (slightly more than 3 kg). I know I have to bring wet weather gear (poncho); I have read where I might run into snow in the pyranees, sunburned in June. I'm not sure I can pack for all 4 seasons. What do you seasoned travelers have for advice? Thanks.
Roe

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Roe ~
Congrats on your upcoming camino. You'll have a wonderful time. I hope you'll take a look at the packing list I used for my last camino in May/June of 2011. The link is One Pilgrim's Sure Fire Cure All Bullet Proof Camino Packing List . It worked out great for me and includes toothbrush and toothpaste, etc.

It's possible, but unlikely you'll get snow in the Pyrenees in mid-May. If you do, you don't want to walk there. Make sure to get a weather report and route recommendation at the pilgrim office at St Jean PdP just before you leave.

The basic philosophy of clothing for a camino is layers. Keep a liner layer of poly material (like a technical t-shirt) next to your skin. No cotton for this layer, since cotton makes you cold once it's wet. After the liner layer you wear a warm layer -- a mid-weight fleece for that time of year. Above the fleece you wear a rain layer -- a breathable (e.g. like Gore-Tex) jacket. This layering works well both for rain and for cold, and since it's in layers you can peel off layers as the day warms up.

I've never taken a poncho and have never regretted it, though many pilgrims include them in their gear. The main problems with ponchos are getting them on over a backpack and then keeping them over you in the wind. Since a backpack is not optional and since rain usually comes with wind to me that disqualifies ponchos as rain gear on the camino.

Hope some of this helps. Buen camino!

[Roe]

Thank you so much. Your packing list is awesome. I appreciate your comments about a gore-tex jacket rather than a poncho. That makes sense to me. I'm in the US and few have heard of le camino, let alone done it. So your comments are really helpful. I cannot tell you how excited I am about going.

[Maur]

Hi Roe - Good for you...it will be the experience of a lifetime. I just finished my Camino Oct. 1, 2011. For toiletries, I carried a small travel toothbrush and toothpaste. I used shampoo to wash my clothes, my hair and my self. And a small deoderatn. As I used up these items, I replaced them along the way. I did not bring lotion, but ended up buying some because my skin was feeling so dry. I also had sunscreen.
I agree with Sandy re: rain gear. I had a rain jacket and a rain cover for my pack. Luckily, I did not encounter much rain at all. But layers are definitely the way to go. I had many days when it was cool enough in the morning to require all my layers, but as soon as the sun came up, I was able to walk in shorts and t-shirt. I only had one pair of pants, with legs that unzipped to become shorts. I carried one other pair of shorts.