3 pieces of gear
The couple from Australia pass us. He’s wearing a kilt. Go figure. And yes he does wear underwear his wife informs us. They also wear ankle gaitors. These are gaitors designed for hikers and walkers and they cover the ankle and the shoes so stones and dirt don’t get down inside your shoe. My gaiters are from Dirty Girl gaiters the manufacturing tab says it’s made by goddesses! That alone makes them worth the $25. Their’s are Ultra Gam gaiters available on Etsy and they have hundreds of styles are all the same as dirty girl gaiters.
The other piece of gear I really like is my face cloth which I wear outside of my pack hanging down over my shoulder, accessible to wipe the sweat from my face like now. It is not even 9 am and I’m sweating going uphill.
The Nano facecloth is small, lightweight (less than an oz) and most importantly quick to dry. Available at Mec or packtowl.com
And last but certainly not least is my umbrella! We have had only 1 day of rain but I have used it most days to keep the sun off me. Yes I look a bit strange but I am in a foreign country where nobody knows me. I read somewhere than an umbrella can take 10degrees of heat off your head. I don’t do well in the heat so the umbrella helps. It’s the lightest weight one I could find. Made by Fulton and available at The Bay.
Kilometers walked: 22k
Highlight: arriving at a monastic albergue and sleeping under clean ironed white sheets and a white quilt.
Food highlight: eating a fantastic dinner in a wine cellar.
Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa 