Greetings from NZ

[Gracefulswan]

Hi From NZ

This is my first post here, so i thought id say hi, and give you a heads up as to my plans.

Im heading to Italy next April to see family and learn abit about my family culture, then i will be walking/hiking from Sicily to Paris where i will start the Camino. (not unless im able to start it in Italy????) My pilgrimage will start as i step on the plane at Auckland airport and leave my current hectic world behind.
Once i finish my camino i will then make my way to the following countrys (not in any order).

Hungray
Russia
Ukraine
Mongolia
Tibet
Sweden
Finland
China

I will be carrying a 55+10L pack with a 22L day bag, I am looking at options of taking a mini laptop, cellphone, camera, mp3 player, but as im needing to carry it for so many miles im not too sure as to the amount of chargers needed.
I will take my camera as its a waterproof one and i feel when i go through Russia and Finland there will be a high chance of getting wet/damp etc. I will make a final choice as to what i carry early next year, but do welcome feedback.

I plan to get 2 sets of tramping boots sent to close friends whom i will stay with after i do the camino, as the pair i will be wearing from NZ im sure will need to be replaced by then. And it be good to get fresh gear (i have waiting) for when i head to the remote mates or Russia etc etc.

This is an epic walk and one im sure will have many adventures along the way.

I welcome any person/s who has hiked through those countrys as to giving me some ideas as to what to take etc etc, as ive done alot in NZ and im aware that the other countrys will differ alot from NZ.

For those of you who will end up asking, i am a chef by trade who owns a very small yet busy cafe, and that will be funding my trip along the way, and at the same time give me something to come back too, when i ever return.

The jacket im looking at getting at the moment is a Marmot Oracle as in doing my homework, its very lightweight, yet strong, and good for the trip,.

I also have a coleman sprite2 tent and a 4 season Marmot alpine tent, not sure as to what to take, so welcome ideas as on that also.

I look forward to any response, and if any of you would like to join me hiking through the other countrys drop me a line and lets talk

I welcome your thoughts

Take care

Wayne







So thats it in a nutshell, and i want feedback, as April will come round really fast so want to ensure i get the gear this side of xmas so i can test it before i leave.

[Atlantic]

Hi there

You can walk from Italy to the Spanish camino by way of the French chemins and the Via Francigena. If you walk from Paris you will possibly end up on the Vezelay route which is beautiful; you won't meet a lot of pilgrims. There are good refuges on a donativo payment basis with a credencial.

I would offer a polite caution about the size of your rucsac(s) and the stuff you want to carry.

Keep us up to date with your plans! Husky has just posted on this way with info which will be essential to you.

If you are interested in very long distance walking then have a look at the blog of WinterPilgrim, who is currently walking from Santiago to Jerusalem via the Mediterranean (hopefully). See her other walks from Ukraine to Greece.

Buen camino!

[Gracefulswan]

Hi And thank you for your email,

Please tell me more about your pack caution, as i want to ensure i get this right before i leave NZ, Dont worry i wont be offended as it will be important to the journy. I have the pack and i can reduce the size if it, i dont have to take the day bag at all, and just have the one pack.

Im keen to read this blog and link you suggested but unsure as to how to get to it?

Can you help

Wayne

[Leslie]

Here you go

Winter Pilgrim's Winter Pilgrimages

[Atlantic]

Hi there

I'll restrict my comments to the Camino de Santiago.The other travels you mention are a different category.

Many people carry no more than 8-10 kilos, in a 30 litre sac. You will marvel at how little they carry and how sufficiently equipped they are. You are thinking of a 65 litre sac plus a 22 litre sac. You also hope to carry a lot of equipment which is heavy. In addition to the tent etc, there will be a sleeping bag and many other camping things.

If you carry anything like this amount, I worry that you will hate your walk. I don't want that to happen. Why would you carry a tent and camping gear on a way which has many refugios or refuges? You will meet fantastic people there, which can be a large part of the enjoyment. If I didn't want to use refuges, I'd take a bivouac sac of around 1 kilo and sleep out in a church porch or whatever I found.

I'm not a smartarse, for it took me years of tramping the hills to learn how to cut weight carried. I guess most will say the same.

buen camino

Hi And thank you for your email,

Please tell me more about your pack caution, as i want to ensure i get this right before i leave NZ, Dont worry i wont be offended as it will be important to the journy. I have the pack and i can reduce the size if it, i dont have to take the day bag at all, and just have the one pack.

Im keen to read this blog and link you suggested but unsure as to how to get to it?

Can you help

Wayne

[Gracefulswan]

Hi Atlantic

Thanks for your response. I know you are right, as i do alot of very lightweight tramping here in NZ and even then at times i tend to fall back to my old ways and take too much. What i will most likely do is post (from NZ) gear ill need for the rest of my trip to friends in Spain and as i will still have my 55l pack i can just pack it down as i will have less in it. Once i finish the walk i will spend a few days chilling i can go through the gear and sort it out for the next part of the trip. Its funny you mention the bivg bag (sac) for round 1kg, as ive just been offered a 1 person 4 season tent thats 1kg, so i will look at that option as if they the same weight then id go for the smaller tent. I know that if i go to the far more remotest of countrys i will be away from people for what could be days on end and the last thing i want to do is run out of food and the like, so for me i felt that 55l was a good size, without going to far the otherside and carry a pack that is so heavy i couldnt lift it.

What are your thoughts on the gadget side of things?

Wayne

[Atlantic]

Ooops! sorry I missed this for a bit....excuse me...

If you have other travels to do then only you can decide how big a rucsack you use. I really only refer to a camino.

If I were you I'd take the bare minimum for your camino, and leave the other stuff for other travels in a place you can pick it up after the camino.

I used to take more gadgets with me - now I take almost nothing. So I'm no help there. My luxury is a shortwave radio, with FM for the music of the country I'm in. With earphones it's a nice way to relax in a refuge when I'm knackered, which is often.

Sometimes I take a simple gas stove and one small pot - I can then make my own food, saving a lot of money (pasta, or rice, with tuna thrown in etc). And it means I can eat whenever I want and not be tied to restaurants etc. I read of pilgrims who use restos twice a day + their accommodation costs. Adds up quickly in a week. But some seem to have the money and it's not a concern to them. If you're travelling for a long time it may be a concern for you, I don't know.

Only you know what you will leave behind, but I'd guess that if you took a simple camera, that would do it. Some people feel they need a mobile phone - I'd take a cheapie which is also an alarm, a calendar and a torch.

I hope others chime in here with comments - we are all different and I find it great to read other views whether I agree with them or not. And for you it would be good to see a selection of opinions. Mine is not enough.

Good luck - keep us posted.

Hi Atlantic

Thanks for your response. I know you are right, as i do alot of very lightweight tramping here in NZ and even then at times i tend to fall back to my old ways and take too much. What i will most likely do is post (from NZ) gear ill need for the rest of my trip to friends in Spain and as i will still have my 55l pack i can just pack it down as i will have less in it. Once i finish the walk i will spend a few days chilling i can go through the gear and sort it out for the next part of the trip. Its funny you mention the bivg bag (sac) for round 1kg, as ive just been offered a 1 person 4 season tent thats 1kg, so i will look at that option as if they the same weight then id go for the smaller tent. I know that if i go to the far more remotest of countrys i will be away from people for what could be days on end and the last thing i want to do is run out of food and the like, so for me i felt that 55l was a good size, without going to far the otherside and carry a pack that is so heavy i couldnt lift it.

What are your thoughts on the gadget side of things?

Wayne