Well, it’s not a walk in a park, let me tell you. Okay, sometimes it’s literally what it is, yes. But the walk is after another walk and that one is after another and that one is after a night with what amounts to 4 hours of decent sleep, and that one is after… you get the idea.
Backpacks at 10% of each of our bodyweight – yes, everything by the book – are not heavy and the road is very rarely a forest path, so walking isn’t hard as such. But being at it for a week or two, non-stop is what could get to you. If your schedule allows for one or two rest days, I’d take that opportunity.
The heat is what’s on everybody’s mind and no, it doesn’t help. I’m taking it well, I would say. Was merino wool a horrible idea in this weather? No, it wasn’t. My feet are nice and dry even when it’s a bit thicker padded hiking sock. When you first start walking, the feet feel maybe a bit warmer than you’d have sitting in your living room and you immediately think, “shit, I’m in trouble”, but they stay at this rather normal temperature for the rest of the day, even when it’s 39C out there and completely dry. In my case also blister-free.
The shirt gets wet from sweat, obviously. Much like with the feet, it might feel steadily slightly warmer than comfortable, but what do you want, it’s a heatwave. The nice thing is the shirt doesn’t feel heavy and drenched in liquid and doesn’t slap your back with a cold wet canvas every chance it gets. Also, if you just dry it, it actually doesn’t feel filthy even if you have to wear it again (I still do laundry every night because I can, and also then Merino behaves like a champ – dries quickly, looks good after hanging on a crowded line).
Special thanks goes to the underpants. The back gets sweaty, yes, and it runs down, yes. However, everything freely and easily sits where it is supposed to sit, in afternoon just as well as in the morning.
Merino wool – great, would def do again.
Being around people all the time is work for an introvert. It’s super fun and some people are great, truly. Some of the days should be lonelier than others though. We get a double room every once in a while. It actually makes very good sense price-wise, as well. ‘Cause, damn it, buddy, yes, you to my left, would you settle down already? Totally un-piligrimly feelings is what he makes me feel, that one.