Most people I talk to about undertaking a long walk like the Camino recommend taking as little as possible. This is an obviously practical suggestion and I suspect is a learning experience to unburden yourself from worries.
Having said that, the various books I have seen suggest many things that seem unnecessary to me.
For example, this is a suggested list I have seen for medicines and first aid items:
- Prescription medicines (Flixotide and Ventolin for asthma, in my case) OK
- tennis ball for massaging muscles OK
- Antifungal cream (eg Lamasil) as preventative in showers OK
- Hydrozole anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory OK
- Sunscreen OK
- Antiseptic cream or ointment OK
- Stemetil anti-nausea medicine X
- Panadol X
- Anti-inflammatories X
- Voltaren cream for relief of soft tissue injuries such as sprains X
- Moisturiser, lip salve OK
- Friars Balsam to dry the skin before applying bandages X
- Needle to pierce blisters OK
- Bandages and gauze eg Elastoplast. OK
- Scissors, small OK
- Tweezers OK
- Anti-chafing cream, eg Silic 15 Cream by Ego OK
- Compeed to protect damaged skin X
- Anti-diarrhoea X
- Toothbrush and toothpaste OK
- Dental floss X
- Shampoo X
- comb OK
- soap OK
- deodorant X
- shaving gear X
- travel towel OK
- toilet paper X
- wet or dry tissues OK
- prescription antibiotic such as Maxamox. Apparently Australian doctors will give you a prescription for some antibiotics to take in case they are needed. OK
At the moment, my idea is to take the items marked OK but not the others.
I'm sure there'll be a pharmacy somewhere. Why not just take a copy of the list in French/Spanish? I think I'd rather have a tube of Voltaren over a tennis ball for aching muscles!
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