Lam Unfiltered

When I landed in Lisbon I was very prepared. I picked up my backpack from the luggage carousel, removed my pack and poles from my cheap zippered Ikea bag, folded it, stored it and walked with confidence out of the airport and onto an Aero-bus. Well, almost that effortlessly. The ideal weight for me to carry on my back was 15lbs, and my backpack was closer to 20. No matter how hard I tried, when packing and re-packing at home, I could not cut any more items to make my bag lighter. I felt I really needed those 10 packs of organic oatmeal, the collapsible travel bowl and thermal metal drink container. I also had my travel purse, which only weighed 800 grams, but how to stuff it into an already full pack? I had not trained with my pack very much, and the first time I put it on at the Lisbon airport, I realized that I was going to have to get stronger, very quickly. [Later I found out I could store some of my unnecessary items at my pension for 3 weeks, which helped my pack weight immen

Apologies in advance for referencing my solo trip so often, but it was a necessary [incredible!] experience - and the first time I have been alone in a very long time . Solo travel is a massive experience. When I spoke to friends and co-workers about my plans, most assumed I would be traveling with my partner, and when they found out I was going to Portugal alone, they assumed I would be traveling with an organized group, which I was not. Reactions varied from horror to dreamy envy. My actual trip was the opposite of organized, which was difficult for this Librarian type A Virgo. My gear I planned to death, watching YouTube videos from August until March preparing my supplies lists and shadowing other people on their journeys. I decided early on that the more popular French Way, across the north of Spain would be too long and has become busy crowded. I was walking for isolation and quiet, and didn't want to worry about finding an Albergue with space every night, plus that Camino