What a Modern Pilgrim Carries

Big stuff, like technical rain jacket, lightweight mirco-fiber hoodie get stuffed in the roomy pack lid of my Osprey 38. Flip flops for shower and evenings stored in rear pack exterior pocket. Electronic stuff (plug adapter, cords for camera and tablet) in a zippy lock bag goes inside a waterproof pocket bag, along with my headlamp, stuffed into top of pack. Buff, damn-banna, baseball cap, hiking boots will go on me. Nalgene water bottle is clipped to my shoulder strap for easy access. I don't care for interior water/tube-style bladders. Water is readily available all along the Camino, so one bottle will be fine. 

Lightweight stuff sack (waterproof) holds three zippy lock bags. On top of all the zippy bags is a bright green microfiber towel. I carry a large one to dry off after a shower, hang for privacy in my bunk, or use for a cooling blanket when wet on hot nights in the albergue.  One zippy holds two technical hiking shirts and a long sleeved sun shirt (long-sleeve I'll wear on the plane). Another zippy bag holds shorts and hiking pants (pants I wear on the plane). Last zippy bag hold a pair of sock liners, two pair Darn Tough Socks (made in Vermont!), two pair sock liners (to guard against blisters). Yes, those are technical boy-shorts for underwear - these protect against hip belt chafing and are way more comfy than women's underwear! An extra bra, too. 

Small stuff will live in zippy lock bags like first aid and shower & morning stuff. Cash, cards, passport, pilgrim credential will live in money belt. Small waist pack will hold small camera, small tablet, binocs (these will be around my neck when hiking), and maybe the guidebook. I have enough apps on the tablet, I haven't decided whether to carry the guidebook. My sketch journal will ride in the backpack during the day and hang out in the waist pack in the afternoon-evenings when I go exploring around the villages where I stay. My first aid bag contains more than I would normally carry for myself alone. I take my role as camiga seriously -  look out for others who may need care - so I will carry enough tape, sterile wipes, antibiotic gel, ibuprofen, allergy meds, and sterile gauze to help more than a few hikers.

All packed up. My hiking poles are attached to the Osprey 38. The small waist pack looks way too big in this picture, but t's actually pretty small. I'll wear it backwards on my front as I'm hiking and carry it in the evenings to museums, churches, birding, cafes. There's plenty of extra room in there for snacks, fruit juice bottle, some fruit.

Here's my duffle bag with pack and hiking poles inside. Also inside is a large mailing envelope to mail the duffle ahead to a friend in Santiago who holds pilgrim parcels for pick-up when they are ready to head home. I'm sure I'll have some trinkets, T-shirts, and books to add to the duffle for the trip home!

Other stuff not in the photos above:  ear buds and cord for listening to music from my tablet (guard against loud snoring), extra cards for the camera in a tiny box kept in the waist pack, extra boot laces to use as a clothesline with bag clips to hold laundry, and my summer-weight sleeping bag in a waterproof stuff sack. Also three diaper pins to attach wet laundry/towel to my pack when hiking in the sun.  My Osprey 38 pack, ready to hike, weighs in at 16 pounds, minus water weight (2 liter bottle).