Equality!

How one lives is intimate,
no ones choice but yours.
Society must respect this
and stop closing the doors.

Stand up for freedom,
thought, equality and love.
The right to find your very own
adored, matching glove.

Steady thrum of heartbeats,
idealised and hope.
We are all created equal,
no reason to elope.

Believe in what you will,
but let people be true.
No need to be obtruse,
when it has nothing to do with you.

I beseech with all my heart,
that justice will prevail.
Equality will come home to roost
and the no sayers will fail.

Protection from the elements,
the haven in a storm.
A travelling pocket of fair weather,
allowing you free form.

Equality for all!

A pilgrim's pack.

The rule of thumb is that your pack should not weigh more than 10% of your body weight. You can be sure that there is method to this madness.... body & soul preservation! The Camino trail alone puts undue stress on the muscles and tendons with all the rocky paths and undulating hill one must endure along the way. By becoming a pilgrim, you are agreeing to a simple way of life. Gone are the fancy clothes and shoes. Makeup and hairdryers become a thing of a long distant past. To be frank, you can go days without looking in a mirror and some mornings you will just don your hat with no thought to a hairbrush. Vanity has no place!  If you are looking from Brad's point of view, nothing really changes.

It is essential to carry a  good quality pack that fits well. We used a Deuter brand; which had easy access, plus a built in rain cover. No problems!
 www.mountaindesigns.com/blog/tips/how-to-fit-a-pack


Packing list!

- Sleeping in Albergues can be difficult at the best of times. If you can get a half decent sleep, you will perform so much better on the next day's trek. To make yourself snug, we recommend that you take a light weight, compact sleeping bag and a pillow case to cover the dodgy pillows on the bunks. Add a pair of earplugs to block out the snorers & grunters plus an eye patch for protection from those early morning cyclop headlamps. Sweet dreams!
www.wiggle.com.au/nordisk-oscar-2-sleeping-bag


-Use a dry sack inside your pack to store your meagre wardrobe. This will keep your clothes all together and dry if you come across inclement weather.
-Our scrubba wash bag (an Aussie invention), paid for itself. It's a waterproof bag with a flexible internal washboard that provides a machine quality wash. (N.B. You will lather up  a sweat using it though).  As it was not always possible to gain access to washing facilities along the way, it was a Camino god send to pull out the old scrubba and in 6 easy steps our smalls were hung out to dry. Fill, roll & clip, deflate, rub and rinse. Voila!   www.thescrubba.com.au
Another little hint is to peg your socks to the back of your pack to dry whilst hiking but do so at your own risk! (keep in mind our Camino miracle).


Clothes!
2 pairs of hiking pants  (the ones that zip off into shorts are multi purpose)
3 short s shirts (breathable with moisture-wicking properties)
1 flannelette long s shirt (gives that extra warmth)
1 pair of thermals. (doubled as pjs)
1 waterproof coat.
3 sets of underwear, gloves, beanie and sun hat.
3 pairs inners and 2 pairs of outer socks.
Hiking shoes and flip flops.

Miscellaneous extras.
-Ziplock bags to keep travel & pilgrim passports dry.
-Limited first aide kit. You are not going to be out in the middle of Woop Woop and pilgrims are known for keeping the pharmacies in business, so you will always be able to top up at the end of the day.
-Minimal toiletry (repeat, there are shops aplenty)
- Carry a water bottle to top up along the way.
-Snacks, we always had a few on hand for just in case!



Never overlook the power of simplicity.
Buen Camino!

                        

-

Beyond unwanted!

Once dynamic,

 a pleasure, useful,

or loved.

A treasure.

 Effect of time,

                                                         A blowing wind,

The dust and the grime.

Indelible.

Temporary relationships,

 a bygone cherish.

Inanimate & mutable,

destined to perish.

The sadness of rejection,

ill favour or forsaken.

Broken, rusty

and derelict.

Superfluous & Obsolete!

                                 

Feral zombies panic to disembark!

 Lets face it, society is impatient.

Plane lands,  belt unfastened and commuters are at the starting gate. Aisles are full with punters rummaging in the overheads, pushing things aside  (squashing the cherished krispy kremes) in a bid to rescue their belongings.
The real anarchy begins when the doors open and everyone has the urgent need to be outta there. There is in fact, a list of airport etiquette which states that those at the front of the plane exit first followed closely in numerical order by the rest. Why do people think they have the right to push their way past from row 17 to be 1st off the plane? There is no ribbon or golden ticket waiting at the exit gate and the luggage would still be in process of being unloaded. Unless you have a very short lay over to your next flight, there is no excuse. Wait your turn!