The Ultimate Camino Packing List

Recently, mom and I have been hearing about more and more people who want to make the Camino plunge.  Some of whom our humble excursion even inspired!  Mom, being ever-organized, went so far as to put together a little living room seminar for future pilgrim inductees.  But for those who couldn't make it, I thought I would offer up the Ultimate Camino Packing List.  

All packed and headed to Arles by train.

Now, this one has a few women's things you fellas won't have to worry about.  And there are also some items that won't apply to certain people or that you might find superficial and useless (I will defend my miniature Chanel mascara to the bitter end!)  But never the one to shy away from full disclosure and honesty, I'm putting it all out there, iPad 2 and all.  So please take this list as more of a guided suggestion based on three months and nearly 1000 miles of experience as we tossed, bought, ditched, exchanged, re-bought, donated and renegotiated our way through France and Spain.

Also, if you'd like to read about our packing misadventures and clever finds, read "The Baby With The Bathwater" entry as we began the desperate plight to lighten our load in the days leading up to the big transatlantic flight.

Backpack Essentials:

•  Backpack
• Rain cover for backpack
• Small purse or day pack
• Hiking poles with duct tape wrapped around handles – you never know when you’ll need tape for repairs
• Stuff sacs for tight packing
• Quart and pint-sized Ziploc bags
• CamelBak bladder

Electronics:

• Camera
• Phone
• E-book with chargers – English books are rare finds (and usually bawdy romance novels only) and trust me you’ll go through your first book fast
• Adapter plug – you no longer need voltage converters for modern electronics
• iPad 2 – I bought this (lightest thing I could find) to write and post pics for you lovely folks, watch movies on occasion and listen to music (keep in mind we were on the road for three months), but I was the rare one.  It also served as my E-reader.

Clothes (easy to wash by hand and quick drying):

• Rain jacket and pants
• 1 pair nylon hiking pants and shorts
• 2 pair hiking socks, 2 pair liners, 2 pair undies, 2 bras
• 1 skirt/pants and extra shirt/blouse for town or, as I did, a dress 
• 2 short sleeve hiking tops
• 1 fleece-type jacket
• 1 long sleeve top
• Sun hat
• Gortex mid-level boots (recommend Lowa), shower shoes & sandals
• Small belt – for when you inevitably lose weight
• Lightweight scarf – I bought a souvenir one and it turned the most worn, ugly Camino outfits of mine into something verging on fashion, whether worn in my hair or around my neck

Hygiene (miniature sizes):

• Hanging toiletries bag so it’s easy to take into the shower (recommend Rick Steve’s)
• Bath gel
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Toothpaste/toothbrush
• Comb
• Deodorant
• Lotion/moisturizer for face & body – I went without for awhile & really regretted it, as the sun and dry air sucks your skin dry
• Insect repellent - I had scars from my first mosquito attack outside Arles for three months.  Buy over there where the stuff is so strong you might grow a third eye.
• Quick-dry towel
• Razor - bath gel makes good shave cream)
• Sunscreen
• Nail file
• Jewelry – trust me, a simple pair of studs and a small necklace will keep you from feeling as if you’ve turned completely androgynous
• Bed-bug repellent spray or tea tree oil
• SPF lip balm – I got mine with a touch of color in it
• Make-up – I had a miniature tube of mascara (in case of emergencies) and face powder.  Just having those two things brought me infinite joy.
• Sleep-ware
• Saline solution if wear contacts
• Tweezers
• Vitamins or Pills if you need them - at first I didn't, but quickly realized the food in Spain wasn't nutrient rich enough for all the exercise we were doing.

Misc:

• Sunglasses
• Contacts and/or Glasses
• Wallet or holder for passport, cash, credit card, medical cards, etc.
• Photocopies of passport & cars and index card with important number written on it
• Rubber bands - would MacGyver leave home without at least a few?
• Pen & small writing tablet - I just used my iPad

Laundry:

• Soap – preferably single-use Tide or Woolite packs
• Stretchy clothes line
• Clothes pins and/or safety pins
• Sink stopper
• Patience

Sleeping:

• Sleep sac or light weight sleeping bag (latter preferred)
• Travel alarm – you can also use your phone’s alarm
• Ear plugs & sleep mask – smartest investment you’ll make
• Head lamp – for the lights-out albergue policy both at night and in morning
• Toilet Paper – always keep extra on you!

First Aid: 

• Swiss Army Knife
• Body glide
• Whistle
• All of the following are very easy to obtain and need not be in large quantities:

o   Pain killers

o   Anti-biotic ointment

o   Band-Aids

o   Cortisone cream

o   Allergy pills

o   Antiseptic wipes

o   Large aids to arrest bleeding and treat wounds

o   Moleskin and Blister aids

Eating: 

• Spork
• Small water container – we used this for water when not hiking and leftover wine (not ashamed)
• Snacks
• Pepto-Bismol packets