What not to take on any Camino de Santiago

[Leslie]

I was reading a post and someone suggested a post on what not to take. I thought this would be a good idea and could be quite funny if we own up to the silly things that we have packed.

So here goes for me:

A mosquito net - yes bought in Dublin and gave away somewhere a long the Camino Frances.

War & Peace - I was a student at the time studying Eng Lit and I thought I would be spending a load of time on my own, so took this book thinking it would last a while - and this was only one of 5 books I had in my pack...

Left all books bar one in an Albergue long before Pamplona - then swapped the one I had in Albergues along the way - but I really spent very little time alone in the evenings.

I might own up to more, if this gets legs.

[Atlantic]

For blokes who pack shower soap, laundry soap and shaving cream - just take a bar of ordinary soap for all uses.

And forget deodorants - they only mask smells; some even put a hideous sticky film over your skin -yuck! The best way , on the camino or at home, is just to wash yourself!

[Oak]

This is pretty much what I use all the time!!
Now what I was concerned about were my Sandals which are very good, but SMELL, real bad, now I could take them into the shower & clean every day, wow, & my feet too! without others feet getting me, beat that for a double/double use!

[Atlantic]

Yes sandals are vile, because the sweat is trapped between skin and plastic. You have to use a bactericide each day.

[Oak]

I guess the biggest & most obvious what not to take is our own excess weight; this year managed to loose 2stone, need to @ least another 1, then I would be down to my fighting weight or is that walking weight, my joints will thank me if nothing else.

Trouble is I enjoy eating.........Good Luck to others trying to accomplish loosing a few pounds.

[unadara]

I am waiting on a flight home having just walked for 31 days from St Jean to Santiago. It was to say the least a wonderful and sometimes difficult pilgrimage.
I hope to share many thoughts with anyone planning a Camino pilgrimage so here is my first. I agree with Oak about weight BUT would not propose a diet just to be fitter walking as then one might never start out!. All shapes and sizes out there enjoying themselves, as long as one goes "not too far or too fast".
A bar of aleppo soap does for all washing and in small shops along the way one can buy a new small bar/pure soap is very common in Spain. I saw lots of people with a bag of toiletries, I had only soap and some skin cream.
Many people had printed sheets A4 with route maps and hints/tips-no guide book. I did find my book a great help so it is choice.
The most important tip I have is from the Camino Red Cross men, if you look at my blog you will see I had assistance! from them. The only first aid for your blisters needed is "needle/syringe!", gasas, buy in spain in a box of 25, very cheap/very light, betadine to put on the gasa, and then a sticky adhesive, a white plastic fixa is recommended.
NO COMPEED EVER!!! The farmacias are great. We needed Voltaren/diclofenac and you can buy patches in Spain, for shin spints, tendonitis etc, again the Camino Red Cross recommended a coolant cream (cant remember the name) which was only 3 euros. Many people take ibufrofen daily too.
Dont bring food/snacks as you will carry them the first few days when you need the lightest bag possible.

[Covey]

Welcome back to the Forum and glad to hear you are safe and sound!!

[littlelight]

Just finished our first pilgrimage in august! although it was quite a short one, from Villafranca.
Definitely took way too much clothes, lets just say we had enough clothes that we didn't need to wash any on the way.
and little did we know, our backpack is only suppose to be 10% of our weight and ours were way over that! so we had to use backpack transfer for the extra things that we didn't need, all the way to santiago.