Monday, December 6, 2010

The lightness of being

The organizational efforts of the past many months have devolved into a home office floor strewn with all sorts of odd bits and pieces essential to life on the Camino. It is almost embarrassing to see the random jumble of sporks, clotheslines, gloves, underwear, layering pieces, socks and liners, headlamps, guide books, hats, buffs, ear plugs (snorers in hostels), sleeping bags, gaiters, hikers wool (blister prevention), euros, trash bags (bed bug prevention for packs), and various stuff sacks. All this is scattered in a most random manner across our floor awaiting a critical eye and hand to place them each in their proper place in their respective backpacks. This marks, in some crazy way, the beginning of our separation from the comfort and security of our lives that we have grown accustomed to. Going forward the lightness of being will be our hallmark and perhaps, with luck, a bit of acquired wisdom will, some many days hence, follow us home.

4 comments:

  1. I'm so excited for you! Please keep in touch via the computers you will find along the way. And remember, if the town is large enough to have a biblioteca (library) there will almost always be free computers to use! Buen Camino! May God keep you safe and may the Camino provide all your needs!

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  2. Loving your story so far and the excellent way you write. Look forward to following along with you, so please keep on blogging when possible. All the very best with your journey, being a camino addict myself whose 'post camino blues' are hard to cope with, I full understand why you are off to Spain again.

    Wondering about your Aarn body packs and what size front pockets you have? Sport? Maybe the 12 ltr size, tho they look really compact and snug in your earlier pic, and that size feels like it's swimming on me. Am contemplating getting the smallest 6ltr (2x3) size. Would appreciate any ideas here as I am on a campaign to cut weight for our 4th camino. My husband already has the Aarn Liquid Agility, only 26ltr + front pockets, so it's small, feels great.

    Sorry, I realise you are probably very busy and excited, doing all those last minute things. Happy planning.
    Buen camino. Carole

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  4. Our packs are the Peak Aspiration model 45L for mine and 40L for Robin's. These volumes are without the balance pockets. We both have the large Sport balance pockets that are rated at 14L per pair. We probably could get by with the 12L model but we shall see how these work out. To date they have been just fine during practice hikes. We love these packs as they carry beautifully. At 4 pounds (with balance pockets) they are heavier than some would like, but the performance wins out for us.

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