This post is intended for pilgrims who are looking for some advice on what to bring. One might bring somewhat less (or lighter-weight) clothing in the heat of summer or a bit more more in winter.
Basics: an excellent 30-50 liter internal-frame backpack, a light-weight and high loft sleeping bag with liner and stuff sack, long pillow case (colorful, not to forget it on their pillow in the morning), small towel, wash cloth in a zip-lock, clothes line and 12-15 clips, 6 large safety pins (especially to attach damp items on backpack).
Pilgrims who do not plan to spend every night in a hostel or hotel (or who prefer camping) will want to bring an ultralight tent, footprint and sleeping pad. But these items add significant weight and strain to a pilgrim's knees and feet.
Clothes: two sets of underwear (fiber and length of sleeve/leg dependent on the climate), one soft shirt with collar, one light-weight cotton shirt (long sleeve?), flannel shirt or wool sweater, two pairs of comfortable, quick-dry walking shorts/pants, lightweight belt, sleep wear, two pair new smart wool socks, handkerchief/bandana, rain jacket, rain pants (with zippers at the bottom), wide-rim, waterproof hat, walking shoes with adequate arch support (waterproof and barely broken in), and light-weight sandals for evenings.
Toiletry bag: one new toothbrush, one small tube toothpaste, dental floss, comb, razor(s), small bottle of shampoo, small bar of soap, prescriptions, vitamins, lip balm, Q tips, fingernail scissors, tweezers, bandaids, blister tape/pads and Ibuprofen.
Other gear: two pens, several sets of ear plugs, 2-3 liter Camelback water bag with drinking tube, lightweight umbrella (if heavy rain is expected), plastic camping spoon and knife, small corkscrew, cell phone (with bi-lingual dictionary, Scripture/prayer book app, guidebook, etc. downloaded) and charger, gps unit loaded with route tracks, camera (with new memory card, case and battery charger), electrical adaptor plug, 2 or 3 zip-lock bags (quart and pint), and small roll of toilette paper.
Paper: passport, WHO medical record, birth certificate, official pilgrim credentials, flight details, reservation information/maps for hotels (especially at beginning and end of trip), contact information for family/friends, information and procedures in case of health or financial emergency, prescriptions for medications and eyeglasses, wallet with drivers license, some cash, credit card(s)(with no international exchange charges), debit card(s) (with free withdrawal), one blank check, 20 business cards, a small map, and maybe an international driver's permit.
Pilgrims who wish to carry their backpacks onto the plane will need to purchase fingernail scissors, and corkscrew, knife and any larger bottles of shampoo or detergent after the flight. A local SIM card for the phone can usually be purchased shortly after arriving (often at the airport).
I would photograph all major documents on the new memory card or phone in case I would lose them. I would also take pictures (or screen shots) of select city maps, walking tours, food and hotel recommendations, etc. to save carrying the extra weight in paper.
A pair of gloves and a stocking cap may be in order. Sun screen, bug repellent, a needle and thread might come in handy as well, but probably not. Lots of people use walking sticks/poles.
Lastly, almost every pilgrim wants to bring too much. For long distance walking, out of love and respect for one’s feet and knees, the backpack should probably be less than 10% of the backpacker’s weight, no more than 18 pounds. That will leave a few pounds for water and some food.
It seems to me that the best advice for our materialistic day and age is to travel light. Most of the time we can do just fine with much less than we think.
preparing:
walk It probably seems obvious, but the most important thing is to buy the best possible pair of shoes for your feet and start walking, even a little, right away. If they work well for you, you will want to buy an identical pair and break them in a few weeks before you take off. Most pilgrims should probably consider a pair of high quality orthotics to support the arches of the feet. Pilgrims who tend to have problems with joints need to consider investing in and using walking sticks. Many, perhaps most, pilgrims do nothing to train for the walk. Most of them probably do just fine, but enough people along the way have suffered from sobering problems, especially with their feet and knees. I can´t imagine not walking alot before a pilgrimage to try to avoid these problems on a long walk, when even something small can become a serious distraction along the trail (at best), and a miserable plan-altering curse at worst. Potential problems with feet and legs can be avoided by starting off with 2-4 mile walks 3-4 times a week and gradually building up to 15 mile walks two or three days in a row. The last month should probably also include wearing the backpack and gradually increasing its weight to at least 15 pounds. Walking will also give you time in the sun so you won´t have to wear so much of the sticky sun screen all over your face, arms and legs. That alone would make it worth while for me.
stretch Most of my discomfort has come at the end of the day when my feet and legs should be happy to be done. But then the muscles, instead of relaxing and enjoying life, want to get tight and sore. I think most of this is because, although I found a great stretching routine for walkers and even photocopied it at the library, I haven´t used it very religiously.
learn the language If you don´t already speak the language of the country in which you will be walking, most bookstores and libraries in the English speaking world have a selection of language courses, some on CD or even DVD. Other Indo-European languages usually have enough cognates in English that, with a little adjustment in pronunciation, you quickly access a large portion of your new vocabulary. By learning the other most-used words and learning to speak in the present tense–only doing that–you will be off and running. If one takes four weeks to do a pilgrimage, it means a pilgrim spends 676 hours in a new culture. If you have six months to complete a 90-hour course (30 minutes a day), you will immeasurably enrich your experience on the path, not to mention the quality of the rest of your adventures with your neighbors in this life. In the same vein, reading a brief history of the culture also promises to increase the value of those four weeks.
get some things in place early Besides that, some things to do early might be the following: have/buy a good, high loft down sleeping bag, rated down to 40 degrees (lower for winter walking), weighing less than 2 lbs. Have a recognized debit card to use at ATM´s for local currency. Get a pilgrim credential booklet from the the official confraternity. Have a good backpack with 30-50 liter capacity that fits well your shoulders and back. I would buy it from a good local sporting/outdoor store for the help of experienced staff in selecting the right backpack. You will also need good rain gear (jacket and pants). If you are buying new, remember that your waist strap will cut across the middle of your jacket. Pockets should be located so you don´t have to unbuckle the strap each time you need to get at your guidebook, maps, gps or camera.
There are as many ways to pack and prepare as there are pilgrims. I hope these are helpful.
