Not the Blair Journey

[mint]

Apologies to the bods who named the "Not the Nine O'Clock News" "Not the Nine O'Clock News" for filching the idea for calling this thread "Not the Blair Journey".

If Blair could write about his Journey, I reckon Gemonimo and I could do the same, n'est-ce pas?

I have had several (all right, one or two) requests to write about our journey to Compostelle so I thought, "Why not?" on this peaceful, warm and still afternoon before the Journey.

If no one shows much inclination to read this thread, I will have the commonsense and common humanity to pull it, honest!

So, this first instalment is about packing for the Journey.  Now, this is packing as not many of you would know it.  This is packing as in everything in a rucksack and a waist bag and, if you can't get it in, you leave it behind.

Had a stab this afternoon.  Everything I thought I'd need had been laid out (OK, all thrown about) on one of the beds in the spare bedroom.

More or less got it all in and then a quick weigh with the scales and it was shock, horror, nearly 5 kilos before all the other really, really essential "stuff" like asthma medication, toiletries (no, no fancy stuff; things for cleaning teeth and stopping the development of BO), sunscreen, anti-bite and post-bite remedies, travel wash (for clothes) and water to drink plus a few nuts and dried fruit to keep Gem and me going till dinner time.

So, out everything came and a quick re-think.  Right then, only two pairs of knickers instead of three.  After all, I am taking a skirt for high days and holidays and going into churches and who's going to know if I don't wear knickers under that, I ask myself.

Next, no spares of anything and that includes no spare no-wash handwash (yes, you figure that one out), no spare wet wipes, no spare batteries for the toothbrush , no spare wet wipes...you get the idea.

Then, just when I thought I'd pared it all down to essentials, I realised that I had to take at least one squashed down loo roll!  Note, only ONE and it was the devil's own job getting that into the rucksack!

This sort of packing is NO fun, believe me.  None of the newspaper supplement articles I'd ever read in the past about taking a "capsule wardrobe" for that fortnight in the sun has anything useful to tell me.

Pilgrimages are about journeys: that goes without saying.  I'm quite prepared to share with you the physical journey but might have to hold back on the other type of "journey" that I am sure I will be going on.

So that's the start and, if I bore you, just don't read and don't comment.  I mean, I can take a hint!

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

[quote user="sweet 17"]no spare batteries for the toothbrush[/quote]

Why not a manual toothbrush? That saves 100g (nearly 4 oz in real money).

Just to show someone's here.[:)]

[Gardengirl]

Good idea Albert; I thought the same - when space is tight, needs must! How about tissues instead of toilet roll? already folded, and no need to squash out of shape; on the other hand, maybe not up to the job!  [:)]

It's good to hear about the intrepid traveller's woes - before the event! No mention of sore gums, so hope all is well in that department! Many of us are/will be pleased to hear from you both as and when possible. Bon voyage!  [:D]

 

 

[Gemonimo]

Now for my 10centimes worth!

Sweets if you are at 5k you are an absolute genius!  I'm at 6.7 before the essentials, i.e., toiletteries, but does include a big bag of nuts and dried fruit.

My stuff has been laid out on a spare bed but my son and heir has been laying out his stuff on the same bed for his return to the fac so there is every chance that if Sweets walks without undies, I'll be walking in my son's boxer shorts.

The 'do I really need that' list is getting longer but the stuff that really weighs is the stuff in bottles which brings me back to the toiletteries.  Do I really need shampoo? Yes, but I can live without conditioner so I've saved quelques grams there.  Gel douche? No, a bar of savon de Marseille will do the trick and will also wash the aforementioned undies. Call me wet, but I just can't wash my face with soap and water and come home looking like a 'mummy' so I have to find a place for the L'Oreal face cleaning wipes (will double as hand wipes, but at what price[:D]).

Mercifully my back is better thanks to a prescription of Voltarene but that has given way to an upset stomach [+o(] which can be attributed to nerves but once the show is on the road, we'll be ok. Won't we?

 

[5-element]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

 I'm quite prepared to share with you the physical journey but might have to hold back on the other type of "journey" that I am sure I will be going on.[/quote]

You are embarking on the kind of journey I have always fantasized about, and I am convinced there may be many others like me! So you should get plenty of readers. But I have to say that the "other type of journey" might be the one that holds the most interest for me, so it will be disappointing if there are not even snippets of that one.

Pretending I was going on those kinds of journeys, I have always tried lightpacking - as I hate carrying stuff anyway - so have never packed a bag without kitchen scales around - weighing precisely, every pair of knickers, etc..

Just wanted to say to Gem that in fact, you don't even need anything else than an all-purpose flannel and just water, to clean your face. My woman GP even reckoned that you don't need anything else than water to clean other, more private, areas. Or you could just use a mild shampoo for just about everything. 

I have seen people even cut their ordinary toothbrush - making it shorter, i.e. dispensing with some of the "stem" - there are all sorts of tricks like that! But I would imagine that you have already explored all those options, since there are also shops that specialise in that light-packing/survival stuff.

I am getting very excited for you both, from the conmfortable safety of my office chair... if you don't get internet access, you won't be able to post much though. One thing that I was told (by the friend who did Compostelle) was that she needed grease, grease and more grease - of just about any kind towards the end - to anoint her feet with in the evenings. 

[Gardengirl]

'Pretending I was going on those kinds of journeys, I have always tried lightpacking - as I hate carrying stuff anyway - so have never packed a bag without kitchen scales around - weighing precisely, every pair of knickers, etc..'

'I have seen people even cut their ordinary toothbrush - making it shorter, i.e. dispensing with some of the "stem"'

5-element, that reminded me so much of an episode of 'Mr Bean', I had a little chuckle as I read it!  [:)]

 

 

[Chancer]

Having had a lot of practice the best economies that you can make are to be really ruthless and leave out all but the essentials.

Buy lightweight travelling/trekking clothing, something like Craghoppers Rohan etc, have a very lightweight shell jacket (goretex paklite or similar) and combine it with a polaire etc where necessary. Better to use layers of clothing than carry heavy jackets etc which hopefully will rarely be used.

Buy the lightest but most performant sleeping bag that you can find and combine it with a silk liner for extra warmth, if you are always going to be sleeping under shelter just take the liner.

My sleeping bag is 900g and the silk liner 100g I have been warm in them with clothes on at -25 degrees, I have a goretex bivvi bag for where there is no shelter but it can get very stuffy inside.

Keep toiletries to the minimum, the majority of the weight is in the packaging, try to decant into smaller lighter containers to take only what you will use, toothpaste etc can be wrapped in cling film.

Do not take a towel, they are heavy bulky and quickly smell, trek towels are very light and dry really quickly, you can make do with a really small one. The latest lifeventure ones whilst nice and fluffy have none of the benefits of their previouys excellent offerings.

Dont take a flannel, weight and smell again, if there are going to be showers then take one of those fluffy mesh net shower thingies, they lather up with very little soap and water, dry instantly (swing it around your head) and dont seem to harbour bacteria.

A small LED headtorch is well worth its weight and if it has a good switch that cant accidentally come on when packed then you will not need spare batteries, I use a Petzl Zipka as it can be worn on the wrist and hence be on your person well before find that you need it.

Sun tan lotion? not sure about this time of year but a small bottle of P20 although a foul smelling chemical works really well even if you are constantly in and out of water, I am still using the same bottle that I traveled with in 2004.

Your hiking boots can be a considerable weight, I use Hi-tec which seem consistently lighter than the competition, if I know that I am going to be crossing a lot of rivers or forever in marshy ground I just wear non water resistant synthetic material boots and carry some goretex boot liners for wading.

Once you have weighed all your bits and bobs consider posting the question as to what the heavier bits could be replaced with.

Good luck, the anticipation at this stage is quite enjoyable isnt it? I am jealous of you both.

[Gemonimo]

[quote user="Chancer"]

Good luck, the anticipation at this stage is quite enjoyable isnt it?

[/quote]

What? Tooth abscess, acute back pain and now diarhoea, you must be kidding!!!!!!!![:-))]

[Russethouse]

I'd add a small tin of vaseline ( a multitude of uses)  and maybe swap the soap etc for multi purpose soap leaves perhaps your local pharmacy sells them ?

[woolybanana]

There was a Korean lady who did the whole walk pulling a large suitcase on wheels. Just a thought!

 

[cooperlola]

Take a dobbin.

[woolybanana]

Or a donk, or a bloke!

[5-element]

[quote user="gardengirl "]

5-element, that reminded me so much of an episode of 'Mr Bean', I had a little chuckle as I read it!  [:)]

[/quote]

GG, if you knew me you would never say that, as you would know how close to the bone that is![:P]

[5-element]

To Chancer: your instructions list is such sweet music to my ears that  I might print it;  we must be soulmates...[;-)]

 Except that my journeys and survival treks are on the whole,  in the realm of imagination....[:D]

I keep my fingers firmly crossed for the travellers - mainly, that no new ailment afflicts either of you, and that the old ones just disappear gradually. Apart from Sweet's tooth (and I do pray that it is not a bit of root that is left behind, Sweet), the others could be "just" stress and apprehension at such a momentous undertaking?

[Dog]

I wish you luck on your bar crawl - I just think more people may read the thread if it was captioned properly and didn't mention that greedy, tax avoiding, nasty war criminal.

Do you buy into the Compost & Stella myth? Strange going on but a lovely ramble.

[Chancer]

Hey 5 Element, if that sort of thing rocks your boat then I will turn out my backpack which still has all my travellng and survival essentials in it and give you an inventory [;-)]

After a year or so of travelling I had jettisoned about 70% of what I had initially taken but added several other very essential things along the way.

For the last 5 years my adventures have my been confined to memories but I will travel again, the day cannot come too soon. I did spend a few nights in the bivvi bag last Sept/Oct on a localish cycling trip with the lycée but only because I could not be ar5ed to put up and take down a tent each night, I wish I had packed some kind of a sleeping mat though.

Sweet17, I doubt that you will be taking as many medical supplies as the average French person, they were really easy to spot! but if you only take one thing let it be oral rehydration salts, they really can make the difference between life or death.

[mint]

I have read all your posts with tremendous interest and attenion and I thank you all for your contribution.

Just a quick message to Gem before I go on:  you don't seem to have read my PM?  But, don't worry, there's nothing we haven't talked about already.

You'll no doubt be reassured to know that unlike the unfortunate Mr Hague and his even more unfortunate advisor, Gem and I  will be sharing a bedroom for most of the next 6 weeks but not just the two of us.  And here is the crucial difference, we will also be sharing with 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or however many people sleep in these dormitories for pilgrims.

At the very least, we will not be hounded in the same way and, in any case, we are neither of us "celebrities" or worse, "celebrity politicians".

No need then for me to talk about my multiple miscarriages to prove that my marriage with my OH is sound and I am sexually "normal" or "straight" or whatever the current expression is.

OTOH, I have arranged for a woman friend to come in to "do" for OH (Wooly, I mean to clean the loos, do the dusting, iron his shirts, etc) and another woman friend has volunteered to come and visit him each week and to cook him the odd meal.  There, how easy it is to salve one's conscience at leaving house and husband to their own devices!

Fortunately for me, I cannot concentrate solely on the Compostelle as I have another big project that is on the go.  Cannot divulge it yet as others are involved but remind me to reveal all on my return.

As 5-e has expressed an interest on the "other journey", I will concede so far as to post a clip of the poem Ithaca by CP Cavafry.  This was sent to me by a friend of a friend from this very Forum.  As a concession to audience tolerance and the need to have an X Factor element, I am resorting to a reading of it by Sean Connery, or James Bond, if you are as old as I am.

Here it is:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n3n2Ox4Yfk 

[Théière]

Well I stopped by just to wish you goodbye and wish you luck on your journey.

Have a safe and enjoyable ramble.

Bon Voyage!! [:)]

[mint]

Thank you, Teapot.  Nice, cheery send-off![:D][:D][:D]

[Chancer]

I wish you both all the best of luck, 6 weeks!!!! that will be memorable [:D]

One last "must have" to pack..................... earplugs!!!!!!!    many of us guys snore and can do nothing about it except sleep a long way from the refuge in our bivvi bags!

Get some that you are comfortable with and that work for you, its a darned good investment.

Happy hiking/randonéeing/tramping [kiss]

[woolybanana]

Enjoy the company and the magnificant country round there. stop to drink it in.

 

[suej]

 

 

Buen Camino to you both-   may your steps be many and your blisters few..  Enjoy!

Sue

[Gemonimo]

Thanks, guys.....

All these best wishes will certainly make our steps lighter and I know that Sweets and I have already included many of your tips in our planning.

We will try and stay in touch, internet access permitting.

xxxxxxxxx Jen

[mint]

Gem, in case of difficulty with email....again (!)  Your message received this morning.  All is well, I have spares!!!

Just an extra special thank you to Suej.  Will definitely "say one for you" and I will keep the books and return them in October.

Such a great time of year to be starting off on our Journey of a Lifetime.  Makes one very reflexive indeed, even before putting one foot in front of the other.

Makes me evaluate the important things and people in my life that normally I do not give a second thought to, simply because they are always there.

Quelle aventure, alors.............! 

[Patf]

To both of you - have a safe journey, there and back [:)]