Day 1 - Em

Hysterical, we helped a fellow Pilgrim cut down her two packs into one pack. From about 100kgs to 60kgs (we´ll it felt like it). We did all this in mine and Italian. she had an electric element to heat water for tea, a robe and a transistor radio, to name just a few ´"essentials" items that we managed to get her to leave behind. She still has her water colour set and cartridge paper, two novels and a bath robe. WE don´t share the same language but I warmed to her immediately, we laughed a lot, esp when she was attempting to decant some shampoo into a smaller bottle I gave her and instead sprayed it all over the hostel walls. It is so difficult to prepare for the unknown. She had all these things as she believed it would make her life more comfortable and she had believed she "needed" them. But actually they were going to make her journey harder and more complicated. I´m not sure if she ever read a guide book or just decided not to follow it´s advice? We don't really know what we´ll need, how much we can carry or what is essential yet. We can only make things a bit more simple and trust that it will work out. Not that I can talk I am carrying ALOT of extra baggage on my body!