Walking and Audio Books and other Accessories

                                          Walking,  Audio Books and  Other Accessories


I must say walking with a good book really makes the time fly and the routes seem much shorter.  Of course, people must think you are absolutely bonkers when you start laughing hysterically on a path (you forget with earphones on everyone else can hear you) or when listening to a good forensic murder story, start jumping in fright when encountering strange people on an otherwise deserted stretch of leafy dark path in a park.  Still, it really does make time fly and when you are in training, since you see the same paths over and over again and it can get quite dull.

I sometimes tell myself I should attempt to improve my brain by listening to classics or historical essays but I'm afraid, the light nonsense is much more enjoyable when you're exercising.  Call me shallow but I can't do mind and body at the same time!

On that note, I use the Audible book apps.  It's easy and it's connected to your Amazon account.

Another handy accessory for long treks in an Anker battery boost for iphone and ipad.  Adds forty hours to your device, in case you get lost, use gps, or just want to chill and read a book on your kindle or look at you tube in the middle of nowhere.

Sennheiser earphones with mic attachment are pretty good.  They are made for sports and it is definitely easier not having to pull your phone out of your backpack. Plus answering the phone with the audio book page, the map your walk page, the every trail pro page (handy for photographs) can be quite complicated, so just press the mic and keep on running or walking!

The new Asics gel running shoe is pretty comfortable. I find trekking with boots quite uncomfortable and make my knees hurt because your ankles become less flexible so I stick with a good running shoe.  I used a running desert shoe for the desert trek two years ago and they were perfect.  Not a single bit of sand entered the shoe since they were designed specifically for the army to work with in the desert. And of course the walking sticks (specially for knees like mine, 2 operations on each, reconstructed acl, partial miniscus etc)  are handy for the steep downhill sections.

A small backpack is a must.  Sun cream (think wrinkles), water, hat, and homemade flap jacks (use Gwynyth's quinoa flapjack recipe with maple syrup, almonds and chopped fruit, yummy) sunglasses, and a folding biker's raincoat (you never know and this is England) and you're off.  Apparently, in the Camino, water is accessible everywhere (plus a few tapas) and all you need is some Euros and a few phrases of donde esta and the like. And the iphone has a camera just in case you happen to encounter Feliciano Lopez.

Clothing wise, it's has to be the techno kit, quick dry, anti sun/pest whatever.  Think Bear Grylls.  Not exactly sexy but practical.  No use having a sexy tank top or vest followed by red sore blisters and sunburn the next day.

I am sure I will think of more kit to buy before this trip so I will keep you posted.